bend your waist

Grandmother's voice echoed through the kitchen as she taught me the old dance, her palms pressing gently against my lower back. "Bend your waist, child. Let the grace flow." I'd laughed, shared it online. The video went viral among our diaspora community, thousands liking this moment of connection across continents. Kannadasan's poetry had always sung of such dignity in humble gestures. That evening, I understood why. My Tamil roots weren't performances for cameras or currency in social networks—they were living breath, generational wisdom passing through bent spines and open hearts, keeping us whole.