I am from cats
Purring loudly on my lap
I am from a stereotypical family
With a mother, a father, and a brother
I am from grandparents who spoil
And ones who teach me logic
I am from eating popsicles on our front porch
And playing tag in the sunset
I am from kicking a ball around outside and in
Making my parents mad when something breaks
I am from secret handshakes before bed
And listening to my brother call down the hall for my parents
So he can say “one more thing” before sleep
I am from a figment of my imagination
Letting my words and others whisk me away into another world
I am from sledding down hills with my dad and brother
And somehow always ending up crashing or falling
I am from “accidently” kicking my brother
And ending up wrestling on the floor
I am from getting up on the weekends and watching a movie
Then coming downstairs and making pancakes or waffles or wafcakes
I am from playing soccer on a field of green
With the wind blowing in my hair
And my teammates yelling to me as they kick the ball
I am from playing dress up with friends after pre-school
And when my parents walk in hearing “It looks like a tornado hit”
I am from traveling, Mexico to England to Costa Rica
And taking way to many pictures of the adventures I have
I am from throwing on the wheel
And ending up with something that looks like a lopsided heart
I am from the stage
Acting my heart out only when I am not myself
I am from eating at the same spot at the table everyday
And getting mad if someone intrudes on my space
I am from baking with friends so that my house smells of sweets
And once the sweets are in my stomach,
Always wishing I had made a double recipe
I am from living in Vermont with friends for two weeks every summer
Playing in the lake and paddling to the general store
To eat pancakes the size of our heads
I am from sitting outside reading on a summer day
Or swimming in the pool and trying
To find all of the torpedoes which have been thrown
I am from visiting my great-granny in England
Meeting the mother of my Olympic cousin
And watching her mother make scones for tea time
I am from my Jewish heritage
Going to Bar or Bat Mitzvahs of my friends and family
I am from many places
England, Russia, Yugoslavia, Austria,
I am from my love of living
I am from…