Musings: Visiting My Roots – You Are Invited

Your roots. Do you know them? Are they important to you? On recent trips, this topic came to the forefront for me, and I believe it’s a concept that touches many of us … deeply.

I recently visited Atlanta where I lived for five years before moving to San Diego. I stayed close to a good friend there and while visiting – even though it was a business trip – we were able to share some wonderful conversation, excellent food and good wine. I found the time reminiscent of the good times we had when I lived there. Special friends like her are an important part of my life.

Now, as I write this I’m in the South of France in the world-famous resort called Saint Tropez (add to your bucket list if you have not been here), the home of Brigitte Bardot who still lives here close to her favorite beach called La Ponche. At 79, she decided to live where her roots are deeply entrenched. Her photos are everywhere. While visiting here, I was reflecting on my own roots and journey through life.

Born in Kenya, with Eastern roots, I spent six years in England during my college years. On this recent trip, I visited England and decided to take a few days in the South of France to visit friends and also meet a friend from the US. I have always been fascinated with this area and have over the years visited here many times. It is a gorgeous part of the world with many beautiful villages scattered over what the French refer to as Cote d’Azur.

One of my friends used to own this beautiful estate in Cap Antibes overlooking the beautiful turquoise Mediterranean. I clearly remember taking a trip here with my daughter Tasreen a year after Tariq’s passing, when we toured England, Scotland, Paris and the South of France. We stayed in Cannes where the international film festival is held each year. We rented a car and drove through the Cote d’Azur to Saint Tropez. We stopped for a delightful lunch at a place called St Pierre des Issambres. As I travel this part again I am filled with the nostalgia of deja vu. It was truly a memorable trip, and I have many very fond memories of our time together.

This brings me once again to the importance of our roots and the part they play in creating a life that is in harmony, at peace and happy. While I have lived all over the world – Africa, England, Canada and the last 40 years in the USA – my roots are now in many places.

On this visit I landed in London – a city I know as well as my home San Diego – and spent two delightful days at my first cousin’s home in Cheam. She has a beautiful home with an indoor swimming pool with very good energy. A podiatrist as well as a life coach, she is someone I can share very deep, meaningful and insightful conversations. On this trip I was also able to get to know her husband well and spend time with her son and her newly born grandson.

She grew up in Uganda, as did her husband, so there were many ways we could touch our roots on the African continent. We visited over a delightful dinner in a very quaint English Country Inn. If you know where to eat in England, contrary to its reputation, there are places to experience excellent gourmet food. I was also able to connect with some special people in London where I have shared my corporate work of how to create “unity from conflict.” Again a delightful lunch and dinner near Carnaby Street, which reminded me of my college days in London during the late 60s and, of course, the Beatles! This was a great visit and the conversation was rich and meaningful. I left there a wiser person. I also had high tea with my good friend Marina who is the founder of “The Forgiveness Project” (HERE) at Fortnum and Mason – my favorite tea store that also happens to be the Queen’s favorite tea store. Talk about having a royal palette!

While I was in London I was able to connect with some new friends whom I had met in Bequia, including the one who is traveling with me through the South of France. Bequia is a beautiful Island in the Caribbean located in the Grenadines part of the British Virgin Islands. I visited him in February and stayed in his beautiful home. It is truly a pristine place. (Another place to add to your bucket list.) As you can see, I am blessed with wonderful friends.

I rented a car to visit some special friends in Kirby Muxloe – don’t you just love that name – a small hamlet outside of Leicester close to where I also went to school and near friends I have known for over 40 years. Such visits are always special as we were able to spend quality time, catch some of the World Cup and also celebrate a special holiday together where I connected with my uncle and other relatives. A truly memorable visit. The only hiccup was it took me five hours to get there from Gatwick Airport where I had calculated a little over two. That’s like not taking into account LA traffic on a Friday late afternoon. I thought I was a smart guy. Go figure!

On Sunday I drove from Leicester to Chatham, Kent where I also went to school to visit old friends that I have also known for over 40 years. I got there just in time to watch the Wimbledon Finals between Djokovic and Federer – a brilliant 5-set match in a sport that was my favorite throughout high school and college. This was followed by a scrumptious 3-course home cooked meal with some amazing music. My friends there have a very sophisticated stereo system plus the largest collections of LPs (Do you remember LPs?) The next day I had yet another delightful lunch at Gatwick with a good friend I have known for over 20 years and with whom I have done investment-banking business. This concluded my visit to England.

I left London and flew into Nice, arriving at 1 a.m., tired but with a very happy disposition for the wonderful warmth I had shared with family, friends and business associates in England. It was a great time, and every day was meaningful. As I write this I have had a wonderful visit in the South of France. Although I am not a materialistic person, I do dream someday of having a place here.

It can be a small studio or better, still a 2-bedroom so you can all come and visit!

It truly is one of the most delightful places in the world – with excellent food, great wines, a diverse populous and many amazing and charming destinations like St Tropez.

We all have roots! When was the last time you took a trip down memory lane? Maybe this blog inspires you this summer or another time to check in with your roots and connect with all the wonderful people who are part of your life. As much as possible I do plan to make a special effort to do this as often as I can.

I do think your roots are important – it is true for me… having lived in Kenya (where my brother has moved back to and where I visited him in 2012), in England where my friends and family live as I have shared, in Canada where my mother and sister live … and of course the wonderful United States where my daughter, grandchildren, a niece and many friends and supporters live, and where the Tariq Khamisa Foundation (HERE) is headquartered. All these places are part of my roots. However it is not just the places; it is the people that I have known and connected with for many years and also the new friends I make every day. It is having the blessing of interacting with all of you on a regular basis – that is what brings untold happiness, meaning and harmony to my life.

I am in total gratitude for this blessing and wanted to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you – young and old, new friends and long-time friends – because my roots are deeply entrenched in all the relationships, which make my life so rich, happy and meaningful.