Great-Grandmother Cavazos explained that when a girl had the burden of a sad heart the best way to help was to braid her hair. That way, the pain will stay in the braid and not spread to the rest of the body. Be careful that the sadness does not escape. Keep it simple but tight. Quietly hum while you braid, it gently soothes the sorrow into place.
If pain lodges in your eyes; they will rain burning tears.
If it lands on your lips; they will speak unkind things that are not truthful.
If it gets on your hands; it will scorch your coffee and burn your toast.
Sadness seeps in like an offensive odor and leaves a bitter after-taste.
When you see sadness, braid it.
If you sense it, braid it.
Catch the pain and lock it in.
If you don’t know how to braid, learn.
You are capable of everything.
Your roots are as strong as a century-oak; its shade a sheltering sanctuary.
Leaf-piles are alive with possibility.
Little acorns patiently await their future.
Release the desperate grip of melancholy, even if it comes from a lonely heart and the intense ache from the longing for your loved-ones.
Do not let it corrode you into deep ruts, dividing your body from your soul.
Step-up; away from sorrow, step-up; away from sadness.
Wake to the birdsong of the new morning; hear the sounds of your new day.
Learn to braid away pain and set your spirit free.