Lost in Translation: Women
The inspiration that women invoke is everywhere.
The inspiration we seek often starts at home, tended by our mothers, sisters, and the women we surround ourselves with. Here are three stories of women that have inspired the lives of our writers.
Maryam Raheel: My younger sister.
For years, my role as an older sister was to lead the way. There were mornings my younger sister would sit cross-legged on the floor between my knees as I wove her hair into intricate braids. Before school or hangouts with her friends, she would consult me on her outfit choices or beg to borrow the new top I bought. But somewhere between those mornings and requests for advice, our roles changed.
My younger sister grew into herself unapologetically. As the baby of the family, she was surrounded by opinions from older family members who loved to share their unnecessary advice about how she should act or what career she should pursue. Yet, she never let anyone’s expectations define her. She knows who she is in a way that took me years to learn.
I watched her embrace the things that make her happy, refuse what doesn’t, and build her life according to her own standards. While I spent years trying to meet others’ expectations and shrinking myself to fit in, she moved through the world grounded in the certainty of who she is.
Now, in moments of doubt or hesitation, I think of her. She inspires me to honour my own voice when navigating the world. Despite being younger, she has shown me that it’s never too late to grow into who you want to be.
Lily Wilkins: My Nana
My Nana has always been one to inspire me.
She inspired me growing up because she was loving and caring no matter what. I remember every time I visited her apartment, she made sure I never left empty handed. She’d give me food she’d made and she’d give me clothes she had bought specifically with my mother and I in mind.
My Nana always made sure I was well-fed when I visited, always stuffing my plates with quality home-cooked meals. My favourites were squash and lentils and she made it so often for me. I also remember, more specifically, her lilies of the valley’s flower teacups she had bought for me, and promised them for me when I’d grow older.
She inspired me so much through her principles of giving back and showing love to those around me. She made sure, regardless of her circumstances, that whenever I was there, I had food in my belly, clothes to take home, and a 20 dollar bill she pulled out of absolutely nowhere.
Even in her absence, my late Nana continues to inspire me, because she was a representation of unconditional love. That no matter the circumstances, loving was always an option. A principle that continues through my mother’s endless love for me.
April Roy: My mother
My mother has been an inspiration throughout my life, but particularly in university. Despite coming from a poorer family, she worked hard to study accounting at the University of Toronto, and went on to become a Certified Public Accountant. Although I never anticipated following in her professional footsteps, she encouraged me to apply to UTM and other universities with higher academic reputations, believing in my potential. She was always incredibly supportive with my choice to go into the writing and communication route of postsecondary and has motivated me to chase my dreams just as she has with her own.
Despite our differences, I have inherited certain traits from my mother, from being a cat lover to having a deep appreciation for nature and heritage. Whether at work or home, my mom has always been a leader. Once she is passionate about something, she puts her all into it—something I have tried to model in my own life. While she is a go-getter, she also cares deeply about others, often looking out for me and my family’s health and making sure we keep up good diets. She deeply empathizes with the struggles of her family members and those in the news.
Although I know being a mother is one of her proudest roles, she still makes time for herself, prioritizing her own happiness and health like retiring early. I can often find her in the garden tending to her flowers, watching a new cop-show with my dad, or commenting on every historic home she sees on walks. Over the years, my mom continues to inspire me to be my most authentic self regardless of what other people think, go after my dreams and goals, and also carve vast space in my heart for loved ones, no matter how life tries to get in the way.
Grisha S: My dear Didi
On a Friday afternoon, I called my sister for one of our regular video-chats, the distance of 35,000 miles between us separated by a six-inch phone screen. Tired office-goers and laughing children gathered across the streets of London behind her as I sat under my crumpled blanket when she asked me in the most innocuous tone: “When was the last time I went to India?”
The real meaning was plainly hidden behind her nonchalance. When was the last time we saw each other?
This question encapsulated the longing for the young girl I played made-up games with, the talented teenager who I envied, the woman who grew up to be my closest confidant and pedestalized inspiration.
When I stared at her distant face that day, it was a tapestry woven with the academic prowess and emotional intelligence I could only hope to achieve. She had held my hand from afar while I trudged through the trenches of college and scholarship applications that brought me to this university, following the traces of her already trodden path. She shielded me from the eternal air of chaos looming in our house and approached every mind-boggling problem with the patience of an abbot and the logical-thinking of an enigmatologist.
In some ways, my sister and I have always been opposing forces. Restraint and impulse, soft diplomacy and stinging honesty, law and poetry. Yet, I always had a quiet reverence for her qualities even if there was no urgent desire to attain them. Like most siblings, our compliments are disguised as incessant teasing and base insults, but undoubtedly, the delicate sentiment is alive beneath.
I nodded to the camera, replying to her question, “Yes, didi, we will definitely meet this summer.”
