The Hearth and the Horizon

I ain’t walked through Mama’s front door in months. Ain’t ‘cause I didn’t want to. Ain’t ‘cause I didn’t need to. Just…life had a way of pushin’ me away, bills, school, pride, all of it. And Taye? Last time we spoke, doors slammed, words cut deeper than knives. But Mama always said, “Love don’t vanish just ‘cause people drift. You gotta show up, even when it hurt.”

I stepped in, shoes dusty, chest tight. Kitchen smelled like baked yams, cornbread, and the spice of cinnamon Mama loved. Taye was there, apron dusted with flour, hummin’ a tune I didn’t recognize. He looked up. “Lexi,” he said, voice steady. Ain’t anger, ain’t blame. Just…recognition.

We hugged first. Long. Solid. Ain’t no kisses, ain’t no words. Just warmth. That hug said more than any argument ever could. Studies show hugging releases oxytocin, which reduces stress and strengthens bonds (Uvnas-Moberg et al.). I felt it hit me deep, chest loosening.

We set to work at the kitchen table, peeling yams, chopping okra, laughing slow at old memories, some we hadn’t shared in years. Unity don’t come easy. It come in sweat on your hands, in the quiet moments, in forgiving the past.

“I ain’t know if we ever gon’ be here again,” Taye said, voice low, almost lost under the hum of the oven.

I smiled, noddin’. “Ain’t ‘bout the past no more. Just what we do now. Showin’ up, together—that’s enough.”

Mama peeked in, eyes soft. “Bout time y’all remembered how to love each other,” she said. And she was right. Love don’t need fireworks or speeches. It grow in actions: shared labor, shared laughter, shared hugs, patience, forgiveness.

Hours passed. Kitchen cleaned, food ready, hearts lighter. I realized: family ain’t always perfect. Some drift, some return. But love? Love don’t leave. It waits for the right moment for hands to meet, hearts to open, and forgiveness to take root.

We stayed ‘til sunset, arms tired, bellies full, spirits calm. That night, layin’ in bed, I thought about what Mama said. Motivation ain’t always a roar. Sometimes it’s a quiet hug, a shared laugh, a soft hand on your shoulder. That kind of motivation, that kind of love, carry you further than any grand gesture ever could.

Works Cited (MLA)

Uvnas-Moberg, Kerstin, et al. “The Psychobiology of Oxytocin.” Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, vol. 30, no. 4, 2009, pp. 352–378.