Easily forgotten Quote by Tsering Wangmo Dhompa
““My mother showed her gratitude for her life in exile by alluding to India’s modernity: the expansive railway network; the Bollywood movies she came to love for their tumultuous stories which ultimately conceded to the cardinal guidelines she held in her own life- love, family and duty. Still, it was Tibet’s antiquity that anchored her in exile. It was phayul she longed for when her skin was scorched by the summer heat of India’s plains. When she drank milk she compared it to the milk of her childhood for such sweetness and creaminess was not easily forgotten, and when she felt nauseous riding the buses that weaved their way around curvaceous mountain roads she spoke of the horses she had loved to ride.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: Exile Reflections, 2018
Exile blends nostalgia for homeland with new cultural experiences, shaping identity through love, family, and duty.
In simple terms: Exile mixes past and present, forming identity.
Key Takeaway
Embrace blended heritage.
Themes
identity
exile
culture
Mood
reflective
poetic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- family gatherings
- travel
- cooking
Key Concepts
memory
diaspora
Questions to Reflect On
- Which cultural element grounds you?
- How do you balance old and new?
A Different Perspective
Romanticizing the past can hinder adaptation.
