Reincarnation was cool when I was a kid
my mom told me about the Hindu myths
people reborn after death
I was a kid and it was cool
I dreamt of my past lives
wondered if I was a spy or a astronaut or a pilot
pretended I was hero who saved millions
I was excited to be reincarnated
it was a concept for the dead
then I turned 15
my grandpa died
I was no longer a kid
Hindus also believe that crows are our ancestors
the link between the dead and alive
and when I turned 15
I watched my grandma make rice for two everyday
her and the crow that visited our backyard
she believed it was my grandpa
visiting our house
watching over my family
it gave her peace
I won’t ever know if the crow is my grandpa
but when I turned 15
and watched my grandma carefully lay out the rice
in a spot accessible to the crow
I realized
Reincarnation isn’t a belief for the dead
but a hope for the living
who are left behind
that the people they love
are still out there
reborn and alive
m.n.
Losing a loved one is hard, but our family and culture hold us together. Click here to see how Girl Spring contributor Sophie Johnston symbolizes family.
