Mama, beaming and standing at the microphone, said, “Thank you, thank you all for comin’ to my birthday. Some of us and our families go back for many generations. I can feel all the love in this room, and it’s good for our hearts to open to the love we all feel for each other.”

I was focused on Layla and Maggie. They both looked relaxed and Layla was looking intently at Mama while she spoke to the crowd.

“As you all know, I’m getting’ up there in years and there’s been so many generations of us that have been doin’ all the healin’ work, all the way back to our kin in Africa. We been passin’ the gift on and now my time is comin’ for me to be passin’ this gift on, ‘cause you know none of us are gettin’ any younger and we’re not gonna live forever.”

The crowd was hanging on her every word.

“That’s what I’ve been wantin’ to share with y’all tonight, ‘cause I want to introduce you to someone who’s gonna be takin’ my place…