Wednesday, July 16, 2008

home away from home away from home

So even though it takes me a long time to figure out things, I'm glad it happens eventually.

I never liked the word "roots", when used to describe one's attachment with culture/territory. It seemed conservative and restrictive. Why does any one have to be trapped in their "roots", I asked. Why can't I be a global citizen? Live where I want, how ever I want?

And now the only word that comes closest to describing me in the past few months is "uprooted".

Uprooted is what I was all this time, living in an alien land.
Uprooted is what my film looks like to me, since it doesn't know where it belongs.
Uprooted is what I can't afford to be anymore.

I see now that I can flourish only when I stick to my roots.
There is no other way.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

your post set me thinking. Questions with no answers. What exactly does'roots' mean? or for tht matter, uprooted? You say you can flourish only when you stick on to your roots. What did that mean NC? Does it mean being herded into one community, one mode,one form when you`d rather just be yourself...? Or does it simply refer to the place you`re currently boarding? curious..

surbhi said...

it's hard to explain, but i'm going to try..
my line of work is creative and personal - and for me to leave or set aside my cultural values (that have developed over many years, and now are a big part of me) while i'm far away from home, that's when i felt "uprooted". So even though I am open to all cultures and want to learn and imbibe all the good from them, my base/anchor will always be the culture i grew up in - my reference point to the rest of the world.
hope that made sense..

Anonymous said...

perfect sense! :) Your post has seriously set me thinking abt my own roots - a reference point to the rest of the world, as you put it. I wonder where my roots are,NC.. I didnt feel like I belonged to any one particular place.And even now, the only place I truly belong is right next to The G(and on a serious note too). So where are my roots? anyway, no more space hogging on your page :) But one last word. A fabulously written post!

surbhi said...

I think you can define your roots in your own way - as long as something keeps you grounded and helps you understand the world around you. I'm glad I set you thinking :)
And thanks for your comment - I had a feeling I was very vague in my post, and wouldn't make much sense.