The Pyle Inside

What defines culture?

Some say

It’s your religion

What you believe in

What you celebrate

But

To me

Culture is family

The food we cook up

Spicy and flavorful

Fried or syrupy

Messy but delicious

Like the jalebi we have on Diwali

Or the pani puri we make at home

It’s the traditions we keep

How we enjoy holidays

Whether it be

Doing dandiya on Navratri

Or going to my cousin’s house

On Christmas

It’s in the folds of my colorful Indian dresses

Flashing with little mirrors

Or draped with tulle

In bold, pretty colors

The ones I wore

To my dance practices

When I was younger

And to many holiday gatherings

And to the one wedding

I have ever been to

Culture

To me

Is a thing to big for words

In all my experiences

Something that is unique to my family

With some things

My parents brought from India

Their childhood

And others

Traditions we created ourselves

That’s what culture is to me