Matriotism, anyone?

My SoulCollage® card entitled “Mother”

In view of the July 4 “celebrations,” and the horrific events at the Highland Park parade a few days ago, media is awash with articles investigating how patriotism has been led astray, and how the concept of patriotism needs to be understood anew. On July 1, the New York Times published a powerful article entitled “Democrats Need Patriotism Now More Than Ever.”

I agree.

Yes, now more than ever, we need a deep commitment to the principles of freedom, of equity. Of fighting for what is right. Of protesting, rallying. Of using clever arguments. Of using logic and rationale. Of the value of well-crafted words.

I am also keenly aware of the one-sidedness of patriotism. Growing up in India, I am conditioned to thinking of a country as a mother. One of the most popular “patriotic songs” in India is “Vande Mataram,” translating as “Hail the Mother!” It describes, in rich poetic language, her bounty, her beauty and her invitation to all comers.

So, I wonder.

How would this adoptive country of mine look if… no… wait… we did not get rid of patriotism, but we counterbalanced it with “matriotism?”

What if we thought of this country as our mother? How would we then orient ourselves toward the land that constitutes her body? How would we interact with her rivers and mountains and deserts? How would be deal with her children – not just humans – but ALL her children? The four-legged ones. The six- and eight-legged ones. The creepy-crawlies. The flying ones. The Green Nation. The Stone People. Can we leave any of her children uncared for? And if we do feel this matriotism, how will we engage ourselves with our history – of genocide, of slavery? How will we engage with racism, with sexism, with xenophobia? How will we enact policies that affect the climate? Or the right of every human being to have sovereignty over their own bodies?

In summary, I am imagining a country where patriotism and matriotism work hand-in-hand. I am imagining a country where the fire of the Father and the water of the Mother finally combine together to steam-clean the conscience of this country, so we may reinvent the American Dream for our time and place. This is my prayer.