What does it mean to honor ancestors and how do I begin that practice?

There's a line from the Quran that haunts me beautifully: 'And your Lord has decreed that you worship not except Him, and to parents do good.' In many African traditions, honoring ancestors is not separate from spiritual devotion—it's foundational. Ancestors are the bridge between worlds, the ones who carried you here in their bones and blood. To honor them begins simply: by knowing their names, their stories, the struggles they survived. Speak to them. A libation of water or wine while speaking aloud—'I remember you'—is not ritual theater; it's relationship. Some keep small altars with photographs, flowers, or objects that held meaning to them. Some light candles on birthdays or death days. Some cook the foods they loved. The specificity matters less than the intentionality. What you're doing is saying: you existed, you shaped this world, you live still in me. Begin by asking your elders—your grandmother, your parents—about the ones who came before. Write down their names. Find one small way to remember weekly. This isn't about perfection; it's about presence. The ancestors don't ask for elaborate ceremony. They ask to be remembered, to matter, to know their descendants carry them forward. That's the practice. That's the love.