Gray Hair and a Grandmothers Legacy

My great-grandmother had a full head of gray hair by the time she turned thirty and every I regularly visit my gifted hairdresser to resist this genetic certainty. This gray haired woman’s name was Virginia Jiron and she was a proud Latina woman who worked her entire life. Committed to her faith, she was a leader in the Catholic Daughters and Rosary societies. 

I was only seven when she passed but as I have gotten older she has become dear to me because of our shared locks. As children, we traveled to Los Angeles from Bakersfield to visit my great-grandparents and I was always antsy from the long drive but the Virgin Mary statue in the garden made me enter reverently. 

My fondest memories include: a kitchen that smelled of lemon cleaner filled with collectable spoons and exotic candy, a bedroom with squeaky metal twin beds and pictures from around the world. This place contained the magic of a strong woman. In 2011 for my thirtieth birthday, my grandfather gave me a silver bracelet with the Mayan calendar for my birthday. As soon as I opened the box and before anyone told me, I knew the treasure belonged to my great-grandmother Virginia. It emanated her magic. Every time I need to be brave I wear this bracelet and think of her legacy. Today, to celebrate all mothers I wanted to re-post this message to remind us all to carry with us the legacy our amazing madres and abuelas left behind. 

* photo one is my Mom (Gina Hertz) and Grandma Virginia at Honey Cruz's kitchen table *photo two is our first holy communion with my Pops & Great Grandma Virginia