reflections

Sometimes I look in the mirror and see my brother’s face

When I’ve worked to exhaustion and still carry the weight of the world

In that light, I see the shadow of my father

And the ghosts that haunted him into the night

Other days, I see the essence of my aunts

Their smile lines from years of caring and being cared for

If I shift a little, I see the contours of my cousins

Younger than me and changing the world in their own powerful ways

When I’m feeling feisty, I find my father’s mother staring back at me

Sternly telling me never to settle for less than I deserve

I know her ancestors are in there too -

Though strangers to me, they live deep in my bones

On summer days, when I'm most alive and sun-kissed

The beauty of my baby sister's face shows up in the mirror I'm reminded of the times I nurtured her And smile in the knowing that her babies are part of our legacy

On my best days, I see my mother in the reflection

A woman who weathered the storm and found love in the rainbow

Then I lean in and look more closely to find my grandmother

The light of her legacy knitted into my spirit

I hope that when my children catch a glimpse of themselves

They see my face and all of those before me

Generations of perfect imperfections 

Telling the story of how they came to be