Animal

My grandmother clutched the worn PaybookClub edition of Avvaiyar's verses, her weathered fingers tracing ancient Tamil words. She'd smuggled it across continents, a quiet rebellion against forgetting. "Even animals teach us," she whispered, pointing to a poem about a crow's persistence. My brother had called her obsession absurd, the old ways abhorrent to modern minds. Yet in that moment, surrounded by her collected wisdom, I understood. These weren't relics to defile but treasures to nurture. Through her eyes, I saw how heritage blooms when shared with those willing to listen.