Dear Mami,
I admire your gentle heart, fierceness, and the way you love others.
As your daughter, I often think of all the adventures I want us to experience—checking off things on your bucket list and seeing places you've dreamed of.
When I am home with you, I value all the little things: the coffee you make, the questions you ask, the clothes you wear, the food you cook, the way your hands feel on my face when you ask me if I am okay, and the way you laugh.
Mami, your sacrifices will never go unnoticed. I am who I am because of you. My wish is for my actions to always show you how grateful I am for you.
As time goes by, I notice your aging hands when they hold me tight. I acknowledge the life they have lived and the life they have birthed. Those aging hands that took care of me since before I opened my eyes, and even now.
One day, my hands will age like yours, and I will see in them the love you have for me, the intention, the history, the stories, and I will use my hands to capture the essence of it all; like I am now.
Let us —
not forget the power of a mother, the spiritual, ever-shielding love they have for us, and the way they so often show us that time will never change it.
remember that our mothers carried us through with grace, even through their own pains, doubts, fears, and challenges.
have the awareness to remember that it is their first time on this Earth too, and regardless of past mistakes, they too are on a journey of healing and inner connection.
express curiosity towards their wisdom and maintain an open mind to welcome their guidance.
Poems that Remind Us of the Power of Women
"Phenomenal Woman" by Maya Angelou
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms,
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
“Sister" by Ntozake Shange
i loved you
even before you tumbled from
between my legs
even before you nestled in
my arms i adored you
i worshiped your smell
even before i touched you
you were always there in my heart
and i knew you you are my sister
of my soul.
"Ego Tripping (there may be a reason why)" by Nikki Giovanni
I was born in the congo
I walked to the fertile crescent and built
the sphinx
I designed a pyramid so tough that a star
that only glows every one hundred years falls
into the center giving divine perfect light
I am bad
I sat on the throne
drinking nectar with allah
I got hot and sent an ice age to europe
to cool my thirst
My oldest daughter is nefertiti
the tears from my birth pains
created the nile
I am a beautiful woman
I gazed on the forest and burned
out the sahara desert
with a packet of goat's meat
and a change of clothes
I crossed it in two hours
I am a gazelle so swift
so swift you can't catch me
For a birthday present when he was three
I gave my son hannibal an elephant
He gave me rome for mother's day
My strength flows ever on
My son noah built new/ark and
I stood proudly at the helm
as we sailed on a soft summer day
I turned myself into myself and was
jesus
men intone my loving name
All praises All praises
I am the one who would save
I sowed diamonds in my back yard
My bowels deliver uranium
the filings from my fingernails are
semi-precious jewels
On a trip north
I caught a cold and blew
My nose giving oil to the arab world
I am so hip even my errors are correct
I sailed west to reach east and had to round off
the earth as I went
The hair from my head thinned and gold was laid
across three continents
I am so perfect so divine so ethereal so surreal
I cannot be comprehended
except by my permission
I mean . . . I . . . can fly
like a bird in the sky . . .
Knowing a woman’s mind & spirit had been allowed me, with dance I discovered my body more intimately than I had imagined possible. With the acceptance of the ethnicity of my thighs & backside, came a clearer understanding of my voice as a woman & as a poet. The freedom to move in space, to demand of my own sweat a perfection that could continually be approached, though never known, was poem to me, my body and mind eclipsing, probably for the first time in my life.
Ntozake Shange
If your heart aligns, I encourage you to leave a comment below with one of the most important pieces of advice you have received from a woman in your life, whether a mother, mother figure, or friend.
I would love to create a conversation about the importance of holding space for them and acknowledging their inner lives.
With love and gratitude, Dhayana Alejandrina
Your heartfelt tribute to your mother deeply resonated with me. Your appreciation for her gentle heart, sacrifices, and the passage of time beautifully captures the essence of a loving parent-child relationship. Thank you for sharing such a touching tribute to your Mami.
The mother-daughter relationship is sacred and a beautiful journey of uncovering 🫶🏽