Ten years ago today, our family had to leave a country that we loved. This morning, I decided to write a love letter to that land—a Land We Love. If you have ever lived in another country and had to leave, or if you have had to leave your home country . . . you may know exactly how I feel.
April 17, 2020
Dear Land We Love,
We thought we would end our days with you, Dear Land We Love.
We only spent seven years together, but we fell in love with you as soon as we stepped foot on your soil. We fell in love with your people, your language, your culture, your colors, your smells, your sounds, your food, your music . . . We loved everything about you, Dear Land We Love.
Until . . . one day, you were stolen from us. We had to leave you. We had to leave you, Dear Land We Love. We had to say goodbye to your people—those who were like “family” to us. Our children were painfully uprooted from the place where they had grown up—the place we all called “home.”
You were stolen from us, stolen the moment we heard, “It’s time to leave. It’s time to go.”
We packed up our bags, loaded up our car to the brim, passed through the house one last time, locked the door behind us, walked out the front gate, and drove away with heavy hearts. We said goodbye to our favorite friends and places as we pulled away from you, Dear Land We Love.
With tears in our eyes, we boarded the boat, leaving your soil, Dear Land We Love.
We thought we would end our days with you, Dear Land We Love.
We didn’t. Today, ten years later, we find ourselves in a new land—a new land that we love.
But, we haven’t forgotten you—that other land.
We look out across the water, and we see you in the near distance. We hear your rhythmic drums beating in our souls. Your beautiful language is forever on our lips. Your smells and tastes will forever delight us. Your rich culture will always fascinate and intrigue us. Your beloved people will live forever in our hearts.
You are not far from us. You remain forever a part of our story, Dear Land We Love.
You will always be a Land We Love.
With love from another land,
The Cultural Story-Weaver
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Have you ever had to leave your “home” overseas—perhaps your “homeland”? What was that experience like for you?
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