Welcome to the United States of America; a place that feel more like home than my native land at times. In 2018, the first time for about twelve years, I left Boston for more than 45 days. It is strange and exciting to be back after 5 ½ months. The U.S has been my adoptive country since I was 15 and it is also home, now more than ever. It took time to accept it. 2018 was the year. It is truly a blessing to be back here. Roaming around JFK at 6am, I was reminded why the U.S is and remains the symbol of hope and possibility for so many folks that aspire to a better life. Here with all the shining objects and artifacts, symbols of wealth and/or prosperity, the illusion or the possibility of the American dream can at least keep people going.
In 2018, I realized my deep appetite for adventure. I visited few places and dealt with many people coming from different origins. Traveling provides the avenue to learn the stories of different individuals and to understand communities beyond preconceived notions or ideas. It broadens our perspective in unimaginable ways and reminds us of humanity’s shared brokenness and collective destiny. So as 2019 arrives, ask yourself these two simple, but not simplistic questions: What does someone need to look like for you not to be there for him or her? What does someone need to sound like for you not to listen to him or her? Pondering on these two questions will teach you a lot about yourself and make you a better person in 2019.
May you also realize in 2019 that the tiniest act of courage, sacrifice and/or commitment can send a ripple of hope that can break down the mightiest wall of injustice and indifference. This year, “you might be the only one standing when everyone else is sitting, the only one speaking when everyone else is silence, but you might be that critical voice, that critical body that ignites what is needed for everyone else to get going” to quote from Imam Khaled Latif. Do not hold back what you have the unique ability to do and never forget that the character of our society will be judged by our capacity to become one out of many. Go forward and be the reason why people aspire to a better life.
Happy New Year…
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