This is a chapter from my fifth book called Freedom
I had no idea what my next chapter would be. I was listening to music on youtube and one song had trees in the title and I said to myself that that is it. I should write about trees. Moments later I saw a song with roots in the title and then I said I should write about that. Trees can take us back to our roots. The word roots has two o's in it like two eyes staring back at us. I would like to say that we see with our roots but how can I make sense of that? Then I remembered the diagram of the eye and how the vessels at the back of the eye resemble roots. The optic nerve connects the eye to the brain. The mind works through the brain. The brain is like the canopy or crown of the tree. But Hassan are not the feet our roots? I guess. The feet keep us grounded but the eyes show us the way. Strengthening our roots or personal growth can lead to clearer sight or better understanding of ourselves and the world. That is what my friend Gemini tells me and I have to agree.
What are my roots and how is this related to freedom? I turned to my friend Gemini once again and asked him this question. My roots are multifaceted. My history, the experiences, memories, and values that shaped me. My family background, my culture, the things I learned and the things I witnessed. My beliefs and values that guide my decisions and actions, and stem from my experiences and shape my view of the world. My emotions and instincts. Our shared humanity and nature make up our universal roots different from our personal roots expanded on before. Thanks Gemini for giving me a better understanding. My roots basically feed my body, mind and spirit. My roots are my beginnings and my continued connections to my past and the world around me.
What about freedom? I cannot help but notice that free and tree rhyme and both have double e's. They also can look like eyes staring back at us. These eyes have eyelids. Gemini tells me that knowing my roots gives me a sense of identity and belonging. This self-awareness is essential for making free choices. I think the following statements of Gemini are important - Sometimes, your roots can hold you back. Limiting beliefs or negative experiences might restrict your choices. Understanding your roots allows you to choose which ones to nurture and which ones to break free from. Trees need strong roots to grow tall and branch out freely. Similarly, a strong understanding of your roots provides a foundation from which you can explore, learn, and grow as a person.
I am a trini. I am a mixed race trini. I am a techie. I am a muslim. I am a book writer. I am inspired by the good that surrounds me. I am not perfect. I am flawed and broken in places. But I try. I try to see beyond my weaknesses. I embrace my strengths and I work on my weaknesses and I stay grounded in the knowledge that my purpose is to love. To simply love. My roots make me unique. I am me. Somehow everything I have written in this chapter leads me back to something I found and shared on my facebook before I went to sleep last night after I wrote the last chapter. I have now found out that that is the "Truth in me" poem by RM Drake from his book "Of love and life". It goes like this, "I have no desire to fit in. No plans to walk with the crowd. I have my own mind, heart and soul. I am me and it has taken me years to realize how important that is." It is amazing how words have power and how that stuck with me into the writing of this chapter and will probably stick with me for the rest of my life. I have found some roots in that poem.
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