Light me up

Grandmother's hands trembled as she adjusted my bharatanatyam costume, fingers threading the jasmine through my hair like she'd done for generations. The stage lights blinded me momentarily, but I found my center, remembering her stories of Tamil ancestresses who danced in temples centuries ago. My PaybookClub friends cheered from the audience, their support warming me despite the heat of the spotlights. As I began the mudras, honoring each hand gesture passed down through time, I felt something ignite within. This wasn't just performance. This was breathing life into heritage, keeping our culture luminous for those watching, those learning, those becoming.