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I am currently reading Lisa See�s moving novel �Shangai Girls.� Her chapter on the �scents� of the Chinese way of life which kept coming back to the two Shangai sisters who had relocated to America reminded me so much of home too. Ghana has been on my mind and the scents of home were definitely in the air for me last week as Americans, close on the heels of Ghanaians, celebrated their republic day. And yes, Americans do definitely celebrate their republican status with pomp. From the first, right up to the third generation American, nobody wants to be left out of July 4 Republic Day celebrations. The events laid out by their different counties show true nationalism. The parades that got both the young and the old to line up on identified routes just to cheer on, some with their breakfast in hand, others with their folding chairs and floor mats and the American flag in the other hand, made it seem to an onlooker that nobody wanted to miss out on that important day. The huge bonfire nights on the eve of the day gave true meaning to the celebration. With the scents of home fixed on my mind, I tried to make some comparisons. I compared the American pride for their country to ours as I witnessed the parade in the Union county of New Jersey on July 4. We definitely fall short when it comes to wearing our national pride on our sleeve. There are many reasons why that could be so. We tend to dwell too much on ourselves and the groupings that bring us together first before country. We have become so polarised on partisan lines that it is almost becoming a dangerous sign for our country. Ghana seems not to be a priority anymore. Very few will want to die for Ghana. I have sung quietly, over and over in my head, the national anthem and recited what I can remember of the national pledge. The words and the spirit, in both, do not match our deeds. The ongoing election petition seems to have even widened the polarisation as the unsettling days at the court travel on. One fears what will happen when the ruling is finally given. But while reflecting on the scents of nationalism at home, the still, charged political climate, all the issues about corruption, fire outbreaks, family tragedies, power rationing, rising cost of living and all those negatives that one would always want to wish away, I am still convinced that home is home. We can make it better but only if we are prepared to make the little sacrifice for Ghana. No matter how disappointed one might be with events and issues unfolding at home, the sweet aroma of home never seem to go away, especially when one lives away from home for a long period. Homesickness definitely sets in. I have become a victim. The sweet scents of home remind one of the richness of our social life which gives the Ghanaian something to smile about in the midst of scarcity and deprivation. The abundance of good favourable weather, with the sun shining down on us all year round, is something we should count ourselves lucky to have. Others continue to invest massive resources to enjoy a fraction of what nature has blessed us with for free. The sun shines on them for just three months of the year and it is as if they have been released from years of incarceration. We do not appreciate the blessings we have at home until we are confronted with the other side of things. On my early morning walks in my Dansoman neighbourhood, it is refreshing the number of �Good mornings� I respond to from strangers I have never met before. Take early morning walks in the warm summer weather of Summit in New Jersey and the reality is a cold look and sometimes a quick �how�re you doing� blown to you in the wind. The aroma of good, delicious home foods led me on a trip to the African market way down in North Brunswick the other Saturday. The shop we entered, manned by an industrious Ghanaian lady, and reminded me of Makola Market. She sold everything; from koobi to hair extension pieces. I sighted freshly cooked Ga and Fanti kenkey which were selling like hot cakes. There was also the fried tilapia and hot shito displayed not far from the kenkey. For those who wanted a fresh taste of home, they had packed waakye with fish, boiled egg and wele at the entrance. The yams, the gari, the agushi, the smoked cow feet, the dried fish, the Neat Fufu Powder, the banku mix; indeed, every ingredient and accompaniment to make a delicious Sunday lunch were right there in one small shop. There were on sale brooms made from palm fronds and that made me wonder who would be sweeping their homes with that kind of sweeper. Shops like these tucked away in various corners around the world never stop reminding us of some of the good scents we have back home. Craving for home delicacies away from home is positive. We should begin to appreciate Ghana the more in other ways and stick together for Ghana�s sake because we are blessed with so many sweet aromas that others do not get, no matter what.