I recently added this poem to a gift for a family member and wanted to share it here. This year has been hugely about resolidfying roots to emerge stronger for me, and many of you. A task which feels impossible sometimes without the idea of a foundation. So many of us have felt like we are blowing in the wind this year, flapping wildly with uncertainty. Foundation and knowledge of self can help to ground us. Pictured here with my Grandfather, Chief Yo Naa Abudulai II, traditional ruler of the Kingdom of Dagbon in Ghana. A man I am very much enjoying learning more and more about with each passing day, though I never got to meet him.

Whether a family is bound together or scattered far apart,
Loved ones from the past and present are always in our heart.
Legacies of love and pride are passed down through the years,
Journals kept of triumphs, tragedies, and tears.
Tales of great joy, sacrifice, and sorrow can be found,
Character traits, personalities, and likenesses abound.
Families give us history; roots tied to our past
And a heritage that’s honored is one that’s sure to last.
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Anon