Lost But Not Alone 
By: Srisiabhaavana Anna
All my life, people would ask me “what's that dot on your forehead”. A bindi, a representation of Lord Shiva’s third eye, a belief in Hinduism as a protection from the evil eye. Whenever people would ask me that question the immediate feeling would be embarrassment or shame for representing my culture in a foreign world. 
I had my feet in two worlds. On one hand, there was a sense of respect that I had for what my parents wished for me, but on the other, I wanted to participate in what the outside world allowed kids to do. I wanted to find a way to keep both: the one that raised me and one that surrounded me.
It was a struggle to fit into either until I found SVASA, a program that allows American kids of Indian descent to embrace their culture, all while being at peace and connecting with those in the outside world. 
Through Carnatic music and the understanding of Sanskrit lyrical values, which includes respect for family, anticipating the future without fear, and learning from hardships, they taught me to be proud of my culture, but also that tolerance of others was crucial. This knowledge enabled me to bridge the gap between what I was surrounded by in the outside world and what I was surrounded by in my home. Now I was no longer defensive about my culture but pleased and comfortable with communicating it to others. 
This program has become so important to me that I have been chosen to become part of the core leadership team. I am dedicated to spreading the understanding of my culture to those of Indian descent. As a whole, we saw that the more we understood, the more comfortable we felt about being a part of a rich and diverse community.
What I’m trying to say is allow yourself to be lost, allow yourself to not fit in, allow yourself to experience change. Those are the only times when you learn about yourself. About what you want, and about what you want to create for yourself and for others. Encourage yourself to fall into the things that surround you, and really understand your being. Embrace what you have grown up with, and make a choice yourself to accept it or find something new that might help create your very own identity. There are over 7 billion people in this world, and you have the opportunity to be your own, so take it. Be your own, create your own, and thrive in that world that you chose to create for yourself.
By each of us being different, feeling different emotions, wanting different things for our future we all create a vision for our future that is filled with hope, love, and togetherness.