SHE LIVES :)

One of my fave people in the world died a few days ago...Yeah, Maya Angelou :( :( :(.... but then I feel like she lives, not physically, but in our hearts..Her legacy, her words....all of this make her relevant...evergreen.

Makes me think of myself, and what I want to be remembered for when I die. Makes me think of the impact I want to make and the influence I want to birth in the world......in my little world. 

Thought I'd share with you some of my fave Maya Angelou wisdom:

Source: Google Images

• "While I know myself as a creation of God, I am also obligated to realize and remember that everyone else and everything else are also God's creation."

• "Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God."

• “I want to thank you, Lord, for life and all that's in it. Thank you for the day and for the hour, and the minute. ”

• “Love is that condition in the human spirit so profound that it allows me to survive, and better than that, to thrive with passion, compassion, and style.”

• “I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.”

• "I believed that there was a God because I was told it by my grandmother and later by other adults. But when I found that I knew not only that there was God but that I was a child of God, when I understood that, when I comprehended that, more than that, when I internalized that, ingested that, I became courageous."

• "When I was asked to do something good, I often say yes, I'll try, yes, I'll do my best. And part of that is believing, if God loves me, if God made everything from leaves to seals and oak trees, then what is it I can't do?"
•  "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

• "It's true. I can do anything and do it well because God loves me. It still humbles me."

• A woman's heart should be so hidden in God that a man has to seek Him just to find her.”

•  "It's one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody."

•  "I am grateful to have been loved and to be loved now and to be able to love, because that liberates. Love liberates. It doesn't just hold—that's ego. Love liberates. It doesn't bind. Love says, 'I love you. I love you if you're in China. I love you if you're across town. I love you if you're in Harlem. I love you. I would like to be near you. I'd like to have your arms around me. I'd like to hear your voice in my ear. But that's not possible now, so I love you. Go.'"

•  "You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them."

•  "Modesty is a learned affectation. It's no good. Humility is great, because humility says, 'There was someone before me. I'm following in somebody's footsteps.'

• "The Holy Spirit upon my left leads my feet without ceasing into the camp of the righteous and into the tents of the free.

•  "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude."

• "My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style."

•  "You can't forgive without loving. And I don't mean sentimentality. I don't mean mush. I mean having enough courage to stand up and say, 'I forgive. I'm finished with it.'"

• “Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”

• "Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud.

•  "My great hope is to laugh as much as I cry; to get my work done and try to love somebody and have the courage to accept the love in return."

•  "Timidity makes a person modest. It makes him or her say, 'I'm not worthy of being written up in the record of deeds in heaven or on earth.' Timidity keeps people from their good. They are afraid to say, 'Yes, I deserve it.'"

•  "Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope."

Oh...tot I'd share a story with you too.....Enjoy :)

THE MASK

She read the last 6 lines to Maya Angelou’s Poem- ‘I know why the caged bird sings’. Her silvery voice singing each line like she was talking to herself. 
‘The caged bird sings with a fretful trill 
Of things unknown 
But longed for still 
And his tune is heard 
On the distant hill 
For the caged bird sings of freedom’.
‘Thank You.’ she said as everyone applauded. She smiled like always, dimples appearing on her beautiful face. She glided to her seat, hips swaying against her white floral gown peppered with chants of ‘great!’,‘fantastic!’ 
‘That was wonderful Nana! Mrs Lambou said, pulling her red pen out of her afro to scribble. ‘I loved your pitch and diction as you read that. This is the end of today’s lesson class. We will continue with more Maya Angelou’s Classic tomorrow. Hope you are ready Yemi’.  ‘Yes Ma’am’ Yemi replied. The school bell rang indicating the start of the class break. ‘See you tomorrow’ she screamed amidst scurrying students while packing up.

Nana stayed behind. Reading the book she has come to love, the book that soothes her when she feels the mask coming on. She was lost in its knowledge. Sounds of ‘Nana, Nana!!’ jolted her back to reality. ‘Nana, what is the problem?’ Mrs Lambou asked. And don’t tell me “you are ok”. I can sense the sadness amidst your smile’ she said, as she tried to balance her wide-rimmed spectacle on her nose and stare at one of her best students. Nana smiled sadly, ‘I feel lost. I feel strange and can’t seem to shake off this sadness. It’s like I have to don this personality when I’m with anyone; Smile, talk and feel good even when I don’t feel like. I think I’m strange and it’s wearing me out’. She continued, ‘I can relate to the bird in Maya’s poem, I long for freedom from this mask’.
Mrs. Lambou looked lovingly at this 16 years old orphan that came into the ‘Colourful World School of Poetry’ 5 years ago. She showed great skill at poetry and was her favourite student. ‘Nana’ Mrs Lambou said. ‘It’s good to be strange or queer or different. You children say I am strange. So, you are in good company’. She smiled. ‘Sometimes, we all need that alone time. What matters is coming out of it a better person. You don’t need a mask to be loved. Grow into the real you and love who you are. Everyone will too! Most importantly, never underestimate God in your life’.
‘Thank you Ma’. Nana said, hugging her teacher as she did so. ‘I’ve got to run, see you tomorrow!’ Mrs. Lambou said.
Nana continued with the book, reading silently ‘...It's in the click of my heels, the bend of my hair, the palm of my hand, the need of my care. Cause I'm a woman phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that's me...’

- The end. 
By Me!

Live like that- Side Walk Prophet

Source: Youtube


Thank you so much for reading!!!!!!

Remain good and keep filling the world with so much positivity and hope and love...U have it in you.

“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”

 ― Mahatma Gandhi

Many Blessings. Hugs :)

~FYI- Got all the images from Google~ :)