What do you think?, I ask him. “It’s nice. I like it.” I smile in appreciation of his compliment. Of his intent. No, that’s not what I asked, I tell him. I don’t want to hear your praise, I want to know what you think. How does it make you feel?
“I see serenity. Something you share with your mother. A sense of calmness in life.”
I’ve been thinking about the idea of strength and power recently. That is what I see. Two women in a position of strength and openness. A reflection of one of my philosophies on life, on what it means to wield personal power. “When you’re in peace, it’s a position of power.” I might follow that up with Roosevelt’s, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” I am grateful to my mother. To my family. To the women who came before me. Who helped show me how to BE in the world. With grace and peace and strength and power.
