to to to

Every December, Amma gathered us around her phone, reciting Thiruppavai verses while the livestream counter climbed. "To to to," she'd hum, the ancient Tamil prayer transformed into modern connection. My grandmother in Chennai watched from one continent while we performed in Houston, our voices bridging oceans. The algorithm blessed our authenticity. Comments flooded in from diaspora kids discovering their roots through screens. Money came, yes, but what mattered more was seeing my brother's eyes light up learning Sanskrit. Amma's dream of keeping our culture alive found unexpected wings. We were no longer isolated voices singing to ourselves.