Native Daughter
The Golden State | 2012 © Alicia Kae Miller
I am a proud American who has inhabited both sides of the political coin. Raised in Eastern Washington "AgCountry," I cut my teeth in the melting pot of the Big Apple.
My ancestors came to North America from Western Europe in the 1700s. Over the next 200+ years, my family migrated west with both sets of my grandparents, ultimately settling in Washington State.
In 1990 I obtained a job as a flight attendant for Continental Airlines. Based in the New York Metropolitan Area, I chose to relocate out of the Evergreen State.
I bleed the Seattle Seahawks (JLL, stop laughing!), Grunge music, and Starbucks. While my sisters and extended family remain, I have made my home in New York, California, and Texas over the last thirty-one years.
I consider returning to live in Washington; to date, I remain merely a repeat visitor.
What is being American to you?
From my perch, being American means having integrity first followed by a deep and abiding love of the Red, White, and Blue.
The illuminating truth about "being American" is that our DNA does not lie. Most Americans come from somewhere else. And even then, as our DNA becomes more accurate, we are quickly learning that none of us are who we think we are.
I own a home and pay taxes in Texas. If you have been to Austin, you quickly realize that "Violet Crown City" is a pretty cool place to live. However, I was born in Washington.
Does this mean that I am a woman without a home?
The point of this reflection is to acknowledge that we all come from somewhere else.
Still, we are precisely where we are supposed to be and what matters most is that we embrace where we are at any given moment.
Home is where the heart mindset is. When we invest in our local economy and support causes in that community, we are home.
In a recent episode of Solidarists, our friend Katja shared that she came to America from Germany as an exchange student. She chose America over England because "it seemed so much more foreign to me."
Like Katja, despite not knowing what they were getting into, our ancestors were all in for adventures into the unknown, and ultimately for a better life.
Marie Beyon Ray asserts:
Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand - and melting like a snowflake.
Living heart-centric is the embodiment of the American Dream to me. We all seek to imprint life with our indelible ink. The next time you feel that you are all alone in the world, remember that the person standing next to you is writing their own story as well.
Step into your light.
Your past does not have to define your future. Like our ancestors, we have options, and we are the ones to decide the best path forward for ourselves.
Authenticity is a lot like the love of country = integrity followed by a deep and abiding love of self. When we shine, our love light radiates to the dark parts of our lives and communities.
The brighter you shine, the more you power others to step unapologetically onto their stage of truth. I say this not to be trite; I speak from personal experience. The notion of ever standing outside myself again is non-negotiable, and it should be for you too.
Until we meet again, shine a spotlight on the foremost person in your life, yourself. ❤️
Yours in Solidarity, -akm
January 20, 2021