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The Little Girl in the Photograph Who Inspires Me

By Emily VieraPublished 4 years ago 3 min read
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German, like the language. First name Yolanda. Descendant of my divine feminine ancestors. My grandmother, whom I like to call “grams.” This is the woman who inspires me. When I was 5 years old, I saw an old photograph of five kids on a farm. I took a closer look and in it, I saw a little girl who was about the same age as me at the time. Confused and a little dumbfounded, I opened my mouth and started to say “How am I in this picture? I don’t know any of those kids and I don’t remember this either.” The little girl in the photograph looked exactly like me – she was my doppelgänger, if you will.

My grandmother grew up in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, which is located in northern Mexico. She didn’t grow up with a lot of money. To this day, she can recall doing farm work and labor tasks; eating rice and beans so that there would be enough on the table for her family. Her mother died when she was 3 years old and she was left an orphan. Her older sisters took care of her as much as they could and by the time she was 16 years old, she got married to my grandfather.

Having grown up without a mother or maternal compassion, my grandmother is still very nurturing, compassionate, and understanding. She has given me both unconditional love and shown me what it truly means to love unconditionally. I am her “Sweet Emma” as she likes to call me.

Having grown up myself without the kind of love and maternal compassion that I needed to navigate through this life with confidence, my grandmother has become the pillar of my life. Where advice and wisdom were needed, she was there to give it to me every time.

She taught me to be generous to others even in times of financial hardship, because where kindness was given, kindness would be given back by the million. She taught me empowerment instead of wanting to have power over. And to work together with other people instead of working against.

She taught me where I came from and she reminds me that where I come from is something to be proud of. In a world where color or different ethnicity has often been frowned upon, I struggled with embracing my Hispanic heritage.

Throughout all of her hardships in life, my grandmother has never lost her smile or her light. Despite having lost her mother at a very young age and mourning her absence throughout her life, she has taken all of her pain in life and transmuted it into love for other people – family, friends, strangers, people in need, children, and so many more.

Even as she gets older, she is still as vibrant and full of life as ever – a warrior spirit.

Living in Mexico, she sees a lot of poverty every day. She never fails to make sure food is given where it is needed and that warm, home-cooked meals, clothing, and shoes are given to whoever needs it. Her home is an oasis for those that are in need and where she can give, she does. For she was once in the same place in life herself.

I see her and I know I am the woman I am today because of her. I grew up in a hostile household full of arguments, lack of empathy and understanding, and verbal abuse. Sometimes, I say to myself, “I wonder how I am who I am today having grown up in that environment.” But it is no wonder that I am a strong, confident, and empowered woman because she guided me every step of the way.

I remember when I was in college and I was going through a really hard time in my life. I left school because of it. She never failed to call me every single day.

To the little girl in the photograph, who may not have known it at the time:

You changed my life.

grandparents
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About the Creator

Emily Viera

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