1. My Egyptian grandfather, who raised me, was around my age when he left Egypt. I have been thinking lately of whether I want to wait to see what comes next and what it would mean to leave his home.

2. My grandfather was stateless for many years. My mother was born that way. Papers and the absence thereof dominated their lives. There were anxieties about in how I was raised that echo that time.

3. Some of you know from the book that my grandfather found himself a part of the occupation, in a field of fruit trees in harvest season. The absence of the people of that land, who had sewn that fruit only to lose it all and everything else is an absence that occupies my mind. I had to tell you in hopes that you’ll think on what comes next. You’re many of you so smart. I have faith in you.

4. My grandfather’s and subsequently my mother’s nickname for me was/ is meshmesh, which means apricots. People at work who speak Arabic used to think that was funny or endearing. One of them was DM’ing my mom on social media. I guess that’s how they knew.

5. Eight years ago I did a lot of reporting from Tijuana. If you want to see something sobering, go see a wall built to bisect an ocean.