I am form the blazing hot summers,
I am from countless hours spent in my grandmother's garden,
Spent chasing and yelling after my older cousins to play with me,
I am from climbing mango trees,
I am from my aunts pinching my cheeks every chance they get,
Making me yell and run away as fast as I can,
I am from racing my bike with the other kids in the lane,
Taking the corners sharply and falling,
I am from laughter at the park,
From the dizziness of the merry-go-round to the ups and downs of the see-saws,
I am from being the oldest and the youngest child in the family,
I am from Anu and Krishna: who still follow their traditions and ethnicity in a distant country,
I am from India, from Diwali to Christmas to Eid,
From the spicy curries to the bright colored and elegant dresses that keep the customs coming,
To the endless holidays that fill the year, I am from my friends going huh and looking at me whenever I speak to my parents in my language,
I am from crossing the seas to get to my mother in the states,
I am from the Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta to the Hover Apartments in Birmingham,
I am from fighting for the same toys with my cousin,
From playing dress up as princesses on Halloween, To trying to learn to swim on the step of the pool,
I am from spending an entire day driving up to the badger loving, cheese-head wearing Wisconsin,
I am from spending endless hours on the tennis courts,
From reading countless books under the trees,
To trying to cook but only making a bigger mess for my mother to clean up,
I am from the past and I am from the present I am from here and now, I am from everything and everyone who has made me who I am today,
I am from me.