I grew up speaking Russian and decided to leave it behind. But what should I do with my 30-plus years of memories and experiences tightly intertwined with the language I don’t want to speak anymore?
Thank you, this is an interesting topic. Are you, who you are, if you don’t speak your ethnic language. My mother tongue is sweet to me. I can listen and it sounds like love, like laughter from the other room. My grandmother’s soft rebuke, secrets shared between mother and daughter. It is mine and not mine. It makes me cry. When it is spoken and I understand the smallest detail I congratulate myself. I’m afraid my lack of language makes me an imposter and yet I still call it mine.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings, Jade! While your mind may tell you that you are an imposter, your heart tells you the truth. Listen to your heart. I absolutely relate to what you feel when you hear your native language. I once wrote in my diary: "When I read something in Belarusian, it's like swimming in warm water. I feel so safe and so at home."
Thanks again for taking the time and making the effort of sharing your thoughts, you express them well. I hope it makes you feel better, and more able to handle a very difficult situation.
This is a very good essay Darya. 👍🌞💛
Thank you, Matthew!
Thank you, this is an interesting topic. Are you, who you are, if you don’t speak your ethnic language. My mother tongue is sweet to me. I can listen and it sounds like love, like laughter from the other room. My grandmother’s soft rebuke, secrets shared between mother and daughter. It is mine and not mine. It makes me cry. When it is spoken and I understand the smallest detail I congratulate myself. I’m afraid my lack of language makes me an imposter and yet I still call it mine.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings, Jade! While your mind may tell you that you are an imposter, your heart tells you the truth. Listen to your heart. I absolutely relate to what you feel when you hear your native language. I once wrote in my diary: "When I read something in Belarusian, it's like swimming in warm water. I feel so safe and so at home."
Thanks again for taking the time and making the effort of sharing your thoughts, you express them well. I hope it makes you feel better, and more able to handle a very difficult situation.
Thank you, Frank!
So beautiful. So beautifully written.
Thank you, David!