A matter of identity

Growing up in America we're taught that our country is a "melting pot" of cultures. But unlike other countries in the world we lack a common historical culture. It's a product of our foundations and our relative youth, so where does that leave us? A lot of times if you ask people born in this country (with several generations of Americans preceding them) what their heritage is they won't say 'American', most often they'll ramble off a list of other nationalities that they think might be included in their background. Or you get the stock "I'm a European mutt" response which is personally annoying.

But can we really stop at just saying we're all 'Americans'? Is it really easy enough to classify ourselves based solely on the country we live in? There are different degrees to which we identify with our country of origin. For some people, it comes down to identifying yourself based on the state or region you grew up in. I identify myself as an Oregonian. I was born and raised in Oregon and come from a family that settled parts of the Western Willamette Valley and then moved over across the coast range into the Tillamook County area. Even though I'm technically living in California (a fact I get fussy about if brought up in conversation) I still identify myself as an Oregonian. I dread the day I have to trade in my Oregon drivers license, knowing full well that I will become 'resident' of another state or country. But that doesn't detract from who I am.

So much of who we are is based on where we come from. It's often where we feel most comfortable, where we go to reconnect with ourselves, to sort out our problems, to experience our greatest joys. I'm insanely proud of where I come from and the deep connections my family has to the area. There's a deep running feeling that you are part of a landscape. That the blood of my ancestors who toiled in soil, under the sky, and on the sea connects me to something that runs much deeper than a political line that was drawn over a hundred years ago.

I guess that's what really matter at the end of the day. Having a place that call your own.