I was raised by...
Dear peeps,
Hi! I hope you are doing as well. Last week, I told you guys about this workshop, I am doing for the Community Library fundraiser. I was asked if I would plug it more, I knew it meant it didn’t have as many takers but for a change I decided not to rest my self esteem on it and instead look at at upping my Zoom skills.
I thought of doing a preparatory session and asked Insta. 12 folks agreed. We tried Big Blue Button and though it has some great features, it was very heavy and the session bombed but most people agreed to join the next session if I was doing one. So we did one last weekend. We were 8 of us. Kim, who I don’t know in person, offered to set up a Zoom room for us, so we wouldn’t be thrown out. Harshita helped me with tech every time I had a problem. And the 8 of us bonded in such a beautiful way.
I am sharing some bits of writing and art that was produced, with permission from folks.
“I was raised by the Internet.
I was raised by virtual pets and chat communities and whatever the opposite of stranger danger is.
I was raised by limewire.
I was raised by microblogs and tumblrs; by fanfiction and AOL.
I was raised by social media.
I am raised by social media.
I am raised by a digital void that not only stares back, but occasionally likes and comments too.
I am raised by the public gaze.
I am raised by the lack of distance; the lack of boundaries. I am raised by memes from friends in different timezones; I am raised by planned meetings and unplanned video calls.
I am raised with an invisible connection to the rest of the world. The paradox is that sometimes it makes me feel less alone, sometimes more.”
- Harshita Murali
“I was raised by the moon that never demanded anything of me - no pressures of loyalty, no threats of abandonment, no rush to perform, no overbearing, always watching over me with warmth and love. I felt loved, seen, free, whole by the moon.
I was raised by the road and mirages of water that we chased down each summer, in transit between two places, forever escaping and returning.
I was raised by stories of all kinds - stories of Akbar and Birbal, stories of abandoned villages in 20th century Rajasthan, stories of glitz, glamour, and thoda sa pyaar.
I was raised by women at war within, I was raised by men trapped far away, I was raised by children wearing masks of adulthood.
I was raised by imaginations of ageing and love, I still carry some of them as I raise myself with the moon.” - Shivranjana Rathore Here’s Shivranjana’s book
“I was raised by plants on a hill where I meditated in complete silence for ten days. They were my companions on a journey I undertook to listen to what the voice in me had to say. I was raised by their slow dances in the pleasant breeze and the soft sunshine as I walked past them every morning. I was raised by the flowers and the little insects that took shelter in them to tell me that every life that wasn't mine mattered as much. I was raised to respect and be kind to everything that wasn't who I thought who I was. I was raised to be a part of the vast canvas of this universe.” - Devi
"I was raised by ill-timed silences and emotional outbursts of adults around me,
I was raised by curfews and the silent rush of tip-toeing them,
I was raised by my scooter, a hammered hand-me-down and the sweet taste of (limited) freedom,
I was raised on words, huddled under my blanket, watching universes unfold,
I was raised by men, old and young, who magically knew all the precise ways to make my skin crawl,
I was raised by the smell of impending death, and what it does to those close to you."
- Kavya
“I was raised by the wilderness, the afternoons spent in the forest nearby, the smell of the moss and mushrooms, the voices of the trees.
I was raised by wild music and dancin, by always thinking I'm the crazy one, because my heart would grow so big when beautiful sounds appeared.
I was raised by empty cardboard packages of my grandma's store, that turnt into our first own houses for tea time and imaginary snacks.
I was raised by the boy groups of my brothers, building tree houses and gazing with telescopes.
I was raised by letters. I was raised by cultures, far and near <3
I was raised by the force to play music, to become succesfull.
But I always found my way back to being raised by the wind, soft and strong, preferably warm.
I was raised by animals, their languages and self-esteem.
For the past year I've been raised by my heart, by its strength and intuition. And by it's courage to speak the truth.”
- Sarah
“I was raised by the laughter of a woman who never had much to laugh about.
I was raised by stories of strangers who never thought I would listen.
I was raised by the living care of a man who never asked for something in return.
I was raised by the sound of the vaccum cleaner which never seemed to end.
I am being raised by the strength of a young child who never thought someone would believe in them.”
“I was raised by people who loved clipping wings. The open skies threatened them of injury, fears of flight. I was taught at a very young stage to shed my feathers I gathered on my cap, for they will only weigh me down. As I ventured out into the open terrains of my college life, I was raised by a friend who taught me to spread my wings wide open, to feel the gush of wind on my face, and love the strength of my feathers. I am learning each day to perch and look for the highest branches and tallest trees, for now, I know how it feels to fly among the clouds.”
- Anuja
(This is one of the things I wrote about being raised by languages.)
It was so so beautiful being part of this session that I am doing another preparatory session this Saturday. It already has 17 people so I am not looking for more people but if you want to join the session on December 20, here is the link to the tickets.
Take care of yourself.
Warmly,
Indu