Friday, August 24, 2007

Thought of the Day & Small World Connection

One of our regular readers is "Malia's Mama" (click here to see her blog). I have become fast friends with her through the blogosphere. It is a crazy, crazy, small, small world, but we have a sort of incredible story -- 1.5 years ago I made a photo/scrap book thing that "tells"/documents the story of our family's adoption. I had randomly found a poem on the internet that I adored, and one of the things I put in the book was the poem. Also, right here on this blog, on our Adoption Day this year, I posted the same poem (check it out by clicking here). So, fast forward to a few weeks ago --> I start noticing this woman- "Malia's Mama" regularly posting these really interesting comments on our blog. She's clearly knowledgeable about Haiti, and her comments strike me as unusual (in a good way). We start emailing. We become, like I said, fast friends through the blogosphere. Eventually she shares a couple of her pieces of writing with me. And... one of them is... none other than... the One Child poem that I had put in our photo book and on our blog. O.k., is that crazy, crazy, small, small world or what??? Anyway... I really appreciate "Malia's Mama's" poem(s) and her comments on our blog. After I saw her comment on today's post (click here for that post), a thought that I've had many, many times once again got stuck in my head. This evening I keep thinking this thought that I think a lot:
You can take the boy out of Haiti, but you can't take the Haiti out of the boy.

1 comment:

Mamato2 said...

It is a crazy, crazy small world!! I once commented to a guy, in Portugal, that his cologne was awesome. He answered that it was "Jazz by Yves St. Laurent" and detecting a familiar accent, asked where he was from. He said Tarrytown, NY. I said I have distant cousins there. He asked the names. I told him. And, guess what? HE had DATED my cousin, Cindy for a year! LOL
Now, about your observation regarding Haiti in the boy. The Haitians have a saying "Ayiti, mwen kapab kite ou, men mwen pa kapab bliye ou" (Haiti, I can leave you, but I cannot forget you) and I think that is b/c this land of such paradox isn't just a place one is born into, it becomes so wholly a part of who that person is. And, of anyone, even a "blan" like me, who spends any real time there. Your boys come from the first independent black republic, from a place where a prayer of thanks is said even if there is little or no food, a place that has its butt wipes, yes, but for the MOST part, the people are strong, resilient and honourable. You are lovingly bringing up these two amazing boys to be as strong and independent as their ancestors have had to be, and not only will they be proud to be Johnson-McCormicks, they will be proud to be Americans, and with all I've read in your blogs, proud to be beautiful brown (their word, right? :) boys from Ayiti Cherie!!