Legacy
Remembering a legend
I sense her. The child of the holy — a mother from the sacred forest who birthed lineages over 1000 years old. Her descendants speak her name with pride, but her soul has been erased, superseded by religions and empires created by men. With secrets and rituals passed down through generations of women, she founded this place of magic where the old ways still ruled.
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I stand looking at the ocean glimmering in the morning light with familiarity, even though this is my first time here. On the surface, the differences from my home seem vast — mountains versus sea, hot versus cold, war versus peace. Only the crazy or greedy visit my area, but here, foreigners are everywhere.
Going deeper, the similarities should not be surprising — the trade of gold, ivory, and spices with the violent history of my current mirroring the empires that fought over this past. Each place is vast and beautiful.
Deeper still, and I find her — the holy one. I, too, am from a forest and noble family. I, too, have learned the secrets of generations of women. I, too, left my home to forge a new path. While many of the old ways have been vilified and erased, traces remain. Traces that the holy one would recognize.
The best inspiration comes unexpectedly, so I am pleasantly surprised and motivated to be bold, brave, and unapologetic in my creativity and pursuit of what I want. While most people have never heard of her, and to those who have, she is only a name, I see her. A soul legacy started over a millennia ago is still alive.
