Rooted Cleopatra

A mountain of clothes and laundry surround me in my room. After two days of traveling back, finally we make it to my Egypt. As the plane lands and hits the ground I felt my roots tangle in the earth. As the pilot said the word Cairo, I could feel my heart racing the earth as fast as the plane was hitting the ground. My bumping heart was in sync with the sounds of  the bumping wheels.  The moon was bright and it filled the window of my seat, it was not just any moon, it was the moon of the beautiful holy month. For many Ramadan is as happy and festive as Christmas is to others.

I could not wait to smell ramadan in the air, I could not wait to see the air float differently , I could not wait to see the the soap operas, and most of all I could not wait to see my family. My beautiful mother and sister were waiting for us at dawn, after the police checked my passport I escaped the line and ran out of the gates like a fish escaping the aquarium and running into the open sea I hugged my mom and sister like they were my ocean.

I could see everyone eating beans and falafel in the last moments of the night and I could hear the ordinary man talk like a comedian not knowing how funny he sounds as he speaks in his charming way. I missed it all, I missed the blue table cloth that does not match the red chairs in the lounge, I missed the loudness of the people, I missed our imperfections, I laughed in happiness at everything I thought was charmingly egyptian. I missed the outlines of my sisters face, I missed the need for my mom to smoke, I missed being treated like a princess having someone carry my bags. I missed  breathing the filthy air, I missed my home, my life and my ground. I kissed the ground as I promised my country that I would, I thanked God for a safe return, I was just happy to be back especially not to miss ramadan in Cairo.

I started singing out loud and no one complained, every body knows the lyrics here.

I wish my other sister lived here too, I wish I saw her waiting at the airport too, I wish I could hold my niece. All my best friends are here I missed our long conversations on the phone. 

Home is where your memories are, your loved ones are and where your heart is.

May your whole being be filled with light, may you be rooted and may you reach your high by being helplessly in love.

I can't wait for the sun set when the streets of cairo whisper the names of God and everything around me reminds me of a higher meaning, and a bubbly warm feeling fills my heart.