I am from hearing the occasional car bump along past the hilly Stoneman street which I call home, and the less occasional car zooming by on Folsom street.

From the neighbors’ white and gray fluffy beasts yapping at my dog, a black giant to them. 

From walks on the dusty hill, while sneezing furiously. 

From….. The strong hope that our world will change for the better. 

From seeing beautiful pine trees being cut down. 

From seeing how a forest could turn into a clearing at the mercy of one person.

From….. The smell of a new chicken recipe from the kitchen, sometimes burnt. 

From enjoying the same foods my parents did, as kids. 

From waking up early to bake a new recipe.

From mom’s delicious spaghetti recipe, with “A little bit of this and a little bit of that.”

Passed on from here babysitter       

From thinking it’s unfair that I have to sit through a long car drive for food I don’t even like, when I know I could walk down the hill and get a taste of heaven.

From lighting the menorah to plugging in the Christmas lights. 

From trick or treating with friends.

From sitting by the fire, listening to my mom read The Night Before Christmas

From watching the ball drop to celebrating the lunar new year. 

From breaking matza to looking for bright eggs.

From eating 떡 만두국 (Rice cake dumpling soup)

I am from family.

This is where I am from.