Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Last Christmas my oldest nephew, Terry, gifted me a one-year subscription to “Storyworth.com.” This is a service designed to get people writing about themselves, in response to questions the subscriber selects. Storyworth poses a new question every week, and at the end of the year compiles all answers into a book.
I’ve been pretty good about answering the questions. Some have forced more introspection that I’m used to. Which is probably a good thing. One question that I’ve just finished answering deserves to be posted here, in consideration of the current wave of national xenophobia.
This is my answer to the question of “Who Inspires You?”
My Storyworth Answer to “Who Inspires You?”
I have a number of people living, past family, current and historical public figures, that I consider role models and personal inspirations. One past family member is my maternal grandfather Eric Wilkens (“Opa”). Another would be Dad’s oldest brother, Louis George Charest (“Uncle George”). Both these men were my inspiration for joining the Navy, lifelong love of travel, and love of building stuff.
One current public figure who inspires me is the singer-songwriter Billy Joel. Billy is just a few years older than me, and graduated from Hicksville High School, a few towns over from my home town of Farmingdale on Long Island, New York. I see Billy as a hometown boy who did good, and I greatly admire what he’s accomplished. I also love his music.
But the person who most directly inspires me is my wife Winnie. She is followed by the great category of people who inspire me; immigrants coming to America. I am proud to state that I am the grandson of four immigrant grandparents, one of whom was an “illegal immigrant.” The life stories of my grandparents, and life stories of immigrants I have known and read of, have inspired my own life story.
Immigrant people inspire me because of the courage they hold in being able to walk away from their family, their hometown, the very country and culture they grew up in, to make their life in a new and very different place. They leave expecting that they will never return.
These people bring only what they can carry. They cannot speak the language, know nothing of the customs and norms of their new home. But they own their determination, their willingness to take risks, their drive to work hard and sacrifice. They have a flaming desire to be more than their home culture will allow them to be.
Once here in America, these immigrants are typically treated like shit by already-established American residents. Our new residents have to work dangerous, physically demanding jobs for minimal pay. While simultaneously learning how to get around in a strange place where no one speaks their language. They’re discriminated against, ostracized, ridiculed, and blamed for all of society’s ills. Yet, somehow they make it work. Despite all their hardships they build families and raise children who become proud Americans.
These people inspire me.
Epilogue
So, to those Americans who are currently whipping themselves into froths of raging fury with promises of heaping unimaginable cruelty upon our current crop of immigrants, I say: Fuck You. America is about people leaving their homes for a better life. For a chance to be more than their native country would allow. In America, they see their chance.
The stories of our immigrants is the history of America. Everyone who denies this, denies America.
Be First to Comment