Dashing around the world to China and then around the USA and then back to Brazil…it makes me wonder where my roots are. “Something about you sparkles, Rachel, when you talk about Brazil,” one of the students told me in Hong Kong. “Thank you for telling me those stories, especially about Brazil. They really inspired me.” Another student wrote.
Maybe my roots are with the children. One of the moments that touched me the most this summer was when I went into the office (in Hong Kong) and found two bags of clothes and shoes with my name on them.
In Quantum Writing, a breakout session I taught, we share why we write—what our motivation is. I shared that I write to understand—understand how there can be such differences in the world where one person has a house so big they never open the doors, and another has a house made of trash that is falling apart. Where we throw away food while others go hungry. I shared about playing soccer barefoot, because the other children didn’t have any shoes.
So some of the Chinese students came up to me and asked what they could do. Asked if after camp they could give me some clothes and shoes for the children. I was thrilled that they wanted to make a difference, but figured they would forget soon, with everything else going on.
But no—and so some clothes and shoes from one child in Asia traveled with me back to the USA and then on to Brazil. And every time I saw them they made me smile. Because this is what changes us—knowing we make that difference. And now there are some children in Brazil smiling as well.
They each took one shoe in our soccer game, so two could share the in the fun.
These are my roots.
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