To you I owe my resilience,
The gift to light a quiet fire that may quiver but will not be dimmed
You showed me how to stand tall
When all I knew was to fear, to doubt, to dread and despair
To you I owe my grit,
The will to question, to seek, to ascend, to fall, only to rise again
You showed me how storms feed the soul and ease the mind
And that it’s brave to sometimes cry, only to smile again
To you I owe my laughter,
The kind that echoes far, loud, full and free
You showed me to live a free spirit, with tenacity and joy
And that it’s okay to be sad, but to show up always
To you I owe my courage,
The voice to speak, the heart to dare and the soul to bare
You showed me the mirror to my strength, often to my skeptic self
And that it ain’t easy to take a call, but must be done no matter what
To you I owe my passion,
That steady flame which lights my way, feeds my soul
You taught me to speak without fear, as truth is bold, and fake is loud
And that to also know the language of silence, which often is best
From you, I learned to rise, even when shadows followed me wide
For all I am, and all I’ll be—
You will be my guiding light, forever loved, and always missed.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Get the latest CounterCurrents updates delivered straight to your inbox.
Dr Samina Salim, Associate Professor Department of Pharmacological & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Houston
