I am from,

a Cul-de-sac where kids play round the clock

where boredom is not a reality on my block

and from cold rainy days where the wind whips against your face and water pelts you from all sides

I am from smoke-filled air during a wildfire where your lungs fight to breathe,

I am from,

my friends laughing with me

from playing basketball on a hoop so short we could all dunk

and from musical theater and the thrill of acting  

I am from Six Flags where you spend half the day upside down

from my mom yelling at me to put on a nicer shirt

and my dad telling me to get out of bed in the morning,

I am from,

homemade pies overflowing with caramelized apples on a thin crispy crust

from delicious burritos filled with rice, beans, chicken, avocado, and cheese at La Corneta

and my mom’s homemade enchiladas drenched in salsa

I am from deep dish pizza at Patxis overflowing with cheese and pepperoni on Friday nights

from my dad’s burnt cookies

and mango ice cream from Mitchell’s filling our freezer,

I am from,

Chanukah where we sit around the Menorah and watch the flames lick up into the air

from spending my Christmas holiday in San Diego with my Grandparents

and from zooming down the slopes of Tahoe during winter

from going to the Foodbank to package goodie bags full of food for people in need

I am from an annual camping trip into a dense damp redwood forest,

This is where I am from.