Generations of people in my lineage I find
have made the ancestral journey
in different places,
and different times.
My ancestors’ origins were varied, I’m told -
some hunted American buffalo,
some harvested African gold.
Some migrated wearing the Star of David-
While many perished in the perilous voyage,
my ancestors endured
and because they did – they made it.
But deep in my soul I know
my lineage goes much further back than this.
There is something of Egypt
that beckons me not to miss.
I don’t know who they were or
why their connection feels so strong.
I only know that part of my heritage originates there,
and this belief is what makes me belong.
I have not been told, but I feel it inside,
something ancient and powerful has been passed on –
which I hold with honor and pride.
Ever since I was just a little girl,
I’ve known Egypt is where I’d go
if given all the places in the world.
My ancestors’ journeys were worlds apart
and means of travel were restricted.
But in this moment in time
I am proof that they existed.
The lines that form the character of my face
bear their courage and most humble grace.
My knowledge is shaped by the experiences
they lived and shared.
My destiny is safe because of the struggles
they faced and dared.

Now as I establish my place
in the ancestral journey,
I pass on to my children
our ancestors’ power, courage and grace.
So when they look in the mirror
and wonder from where their roots began,
they will know that they didn’t “just happen,”
but that they are a part of an ancient, genetic plan.