Homeland and Republic: The Light Burning in the Heart of a Longing
As I gaze at that red and white flag waving in the distance, a slight ache stirs within me. Being far away always leaves a little void in one's heart. Still, I know that homeland is not merely the place where one lives, but wherever one's roots extend.
On my journey of migration, the heaviest thing in my suitcase was not my belongings. It was the scent of my homeland, my mother's voice, the excitement of holiday mornings... More than the passport in my hand, it was the Turkey in my heart that carried me to new countries. Yet, on some evenings, as I look out the window, a part of my mind remains in the land where I was born, in those familiar places where the wind hits the mountains.
As Republic Day approaches, a void forms inside me. I now imagine the excitement that used to spill out onto the streets. As I gaze at that red and white flag waving in the distance, a slight ache forms inside me. Being far away always diminishes a person a little. Still, I know that homeland is not just the place where you live, but where your roots lie.
Republic…
What this word evokes in me is not just a victory confined to history books. It is the name of starting anew one morning, when everything seemed to be over. It is being able to shout ‘We are here’ even in the midst of despair. The day Atatürk said, ‘Sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the nation,’ was the day a nation's destiny changed, the day people remembered their own worth.
Even if we are weary today, even if we are filled with anxieties about the future, even if we forget where we stand in the chaos of the world, the Republic continues to whisper to us: Human beings deserve equality, justice, and a life of dignity. They deserve to express themselves freely. Even when these values seem to be fading in the current era, it is time to cling to the light of the Republic.
Today, I cannot celebrate Republic Day in my homeland. I cannot hear the laughter of children walking on those streets. Nevertheless, every 29 October, a place inside me lights up again. Every sentence I tell my children about Atatürk revives this holiday because the Republic is not confined to the borders of the place you live; it lives in the breath of the people who keep it alive in their hearts.
Today, the legacy Atatürk left us is not just a state; it is courage, equality, justice, freedom... As I realise how these concepts have shaped us, I tell myself: ‘No matter how far away I am, the Republic continues to breathe within me.’
Lately, as I watch the events in my country unfold with astonishment, like a film, the moments when I say, ‘Is this really happening?’ are increasing. Yet, there is a hope within me that never fades because I believe that:
• The Republic is getting back up when you fall.
• The Republic is being the voice of those who cannot speak.
• The Republic is a heart that can see everyone as equal.
One day, I believe that when I walk in those streets again, under the shadow of the flag, every tear that falls from my eyes will carry the traces of these days, and as Atatürk's child, I want to shout to the world:
Long live the Republic.
Long live the Turkey of freedom and hope.
May our Republic Day be blessed!
