I can't remember exactly what made me create this print. I think I was reminded of the feeling of tenderness and realized how often I forget to receive and give it in my adult life. To me, tenderness is a mixture of kindness, resilience, warmth, sorrow, and joyfulness. It's the memory of my grandpa taking me to the park, buying me snacks, and telling me not to tell my mom; it's going back home and my cat waiting for me at the door, rubbing my legs with his body; it's crying over the news and feeling terrified about the world and the genocide on videochat with friends. Tenderness is present in many moments in life. It feels so close to the heart that sometimes I forget I need to practice it and invite it in, to be tender with myself and others.

I want to embrace tenderness, I want to share it, I want to have a lot of it and give a lot of it.