Hello friends,
How’s it going? Here we are on this amazing day once again.
You know I thought it’s time to write a continuation of this article because it’s one year since I’ve been home after eighteen years. In fact, a quarter of this article was already written out on the 25th of February 2020 and I completely forgot about it. It’s only when I tried to save the title in my articles today, again, I was warned that a copy already exists.
The reason I wanted to write part 2 is that I found out more since being back home and since writing this article on the 24th of April 2019 What does going back to your roots actually mean? Where is home? So, I figured I’ll go and check it again. While I was checking, it was interesting to read the lyrics of Richie Havens song titled Going back to my roots. Wow! It’s the first time I’ve read those lyrics and it really hit my heartstrings. It definitely hit a familiar note. What do you feel when you read those lyrics?
You probably realised by now if you have been reading all my articles, if it’s your first time here then let me tell you, I don’t use keywords in my blog posts, purely because I want to write in full alignment with what comes to me straight from the source and where necessary base articles on research. I just believe that as a writer out of all people, I must come from the talent, creativity and authenticity I’ve been blessed with. It’s my job to relay to you the messages that comes through whether you like it or not, whether I like it or not, whether you can resonate or not, otherwise, how can we expand, how can we know if we haven’t been faced with it? It’s only when people share their stories, we sometimes realise how wrong we were to think that person was far from what we believe/believed they are/were.
Okay enough…. Let me stop right there. Let’s get a drink. Let’s see who makes it to the computer/tablet/laptop first.
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I’m first ;D.
I have spent a year with my family and working on what comes up for me and us together. If you haven’t been reading all the articles, checking out the videos on Instagram or YouTube, check it out here. It’s the first time in eighteen years I’ve spent one year with my family, a well-earned year and the beginning of better times and togetherness is yet to come.
You know in the last year what I’ve learnt especially about who I once was/who I am and who I am becoming as a force, spirit, person is so fascinating. I want you to see how coming back to your roots; inside you, is just one element of it all. I understand not everyone gets a chance, not everyone gets to be blessed this way, not everyone has patience, not everyone can just decide not to run this time; the minute the first unpleasant situation or conversation comes up for all of you, not everyone can get along with their family members and it’s a really lucky thing to be able to spend a couple of days together with your parents and siblings without any external parties, trust me. Let me tell you how my family has helped with bringing me back to the essence of joy, the natural state I had in me as a teenager and the natural state of unconditional love.
Did you know last year this time there was no smile on my face, for months? My mum was the first to notice this. You can’t lie to your mother even if you tried, whether you’re very close with your mum or not that close… it’s a mother’s instinct. Let alone, so much time has passed that they’ve grown as a unit and I’ve grown on my own in the world out there. No one knew how to react with me and neither did I with them. Super awkward, I tell ya. Maybe it even would have seemed like we had two different cultures when I arrived, but you know what, that’s rubbish (now when I look back) because the minute my sister bumped into the unexpected stupidity we got up to when we were young… there it was… The first major laugh out loud… both of us. I remember seeing my brothers’ faces, almost like they saw a laughing ghost or something…ya, I was a bit white then 😀. Not what you’re thinking :D, it seemed as if no veins were running through my face and I was just white and frozen… for months… so you can imagine why bursting out laughing caught everyone’s attention.
That was the day, I knew that I was exactly where I needed to be in life. I didn’t laugh like that in years. I even remembered the first time it felt like being back home. I even made a video on that, I believe it took roughly six to seven months to say, “I’m home.” There’s something about growing up with your siblings that reminds you of the monkey you were. The surprise is so cool in knowing what others remember of a moment that you’ve forgotten about yourself or about an incident in your past that you remember some detail of which no one has a recollection of, yet they have another recollection of that moment. It’s funny what people remember?
You know what was the best part, what is still the best part of being home still with each member of the family here? Many things have changed but love did not change one bit. Birds have been fed, they came and went from our home, pets came and went, people, came and went, the love is what makes a home, home. The consistent feeling, always there without a plan. The best bit is if you’ve always found something stupid to laugh about together, then it’s worth coming back to the natural state of joy; something easily forgotten and lacking in our world, especially right now. – T. Dench Patel, 7 April 2020, 16:25
So, if you’re looking to get back a certain essence of you that you have no idea that you’ve lost or misplaced somewhere, I challenge you (when this whole lockdown thing is over) to take a trip with your siblings and parents (whoever’s left in your immediate family) for a couple of days. Reconnect with them throughout the year, every year by doing stay overs and come back to this article, leave a comment and tell me what you’ve uncovered about your natural state, what you have forgotten and which piece you have left behind, somewhere in some moment, place or time. In there, there must be at least one piece of you that you can claim back in you and call it home or at least let it remain as part of your home. You know, like that one thing that you’ve been carrying around with you all over the world which reminds you of something good. I believe everyone has at least one thing. – T. Dench Patel, 7 April 2002, 17:01
By the way, these days, I could just sit there smiling to myself and it’s now become a normal thing (yep insane, right?). I recommend whatever you remember or just reminisce of your past, young self, whatever, there must be something there that made your character, that you were known for by your friends too and it made you feel good. You haven’t really lost it; you just haven’t gotten back to the essence of that. Reconnect with what does give you back that essence and you might feel like your old self again. Pick up the phone, right now, is the best time to call someone who you’ve been meaning to call for a long time.
Yours sincerely,
T. Dench Patel
Thank you for the comments and support. Thank you for offering to donate if there was a donate button on here. I prefer not to take donations. You can support by either purchasing one of my books (Paperback or Kindle), The South African: True Colours, The South African: Roamer or my children’s book Light. These books can be found on Amazon mainly and other sites in your country.
The audiobook for The South African: True Colours is available on iTunes, Apple and Audible. The South African: Roamer and Light will be released soon.
Note: Do keep referring back to this site as much as possible, as I grow, a more profound perspective may form and so I will always come back to each of these articles to reevaluate them.
