replay
for those who haven't read my msn space blog entries from awhile back, i thought i'd throw in this way-back-playback so to speak
been thinking about this a lot lately
one of the most significant and influential days of my life... going to see maya angelou speak at roy thompson hall may, 2006... the moment still stays with me... for those who have already seen this, my apologies for an old post but i felt it needed repeating
***
originally posted may 27, 2006
This little light of mine
"This little light of mine," she sang. "I'm gonna let it shine."
and the poetry flowed shortly thereafter as I reflected on myself and how I fit into this picture
"This little light of mine..."
she credits her uncle Willy, a man who sadly passed, but, as she explains, whose light shone on her and still shines on her
"This little light of mine..."
she spoke words of peace
"This little light of mine..."
I walked out of that theatre, smiling, head held high
"This little light of mine..."
silence
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
Simply put... this is me.
been thinking about this a lot lately
one of the most significant and influential days of my life... going to see maya angelou speak at roy thompson hall may, 2006... the moment still stays with me... for those who have already seen this, my apologies for an old post but i felt it needed repeating
***
originally posted may 27, 2006
This little light of mine
"This little light of mine..."
she walked into the room with a presence I have never before seen or felt
a cane of black and gold held onto by hands of wisdom, the epitome of strength
Maya Angelou, Dr. Maya Angelou, playwright, poet, actress Maya Angelou
she spoke with a clarity unheard of at 78
she spoke with peaceful conviction
she spoke to me
"This little light of mine..."
each word hung in the air and with substantial contemplation, the listener plucked the words from the air and placed them in memory for safe keeping
walking into the room, the audience stood and clapped as a person, 'she,' entered the room - at this point it didn't matter what gender, race or religion she was - what mattered was that she was there
a person so many admired
she entered with the kindest of intentions, to share the story of her unique life and to tell us how we, each one of us, led unique lives
"This little light of mine," she sang. "I'm gonna let it shine."
and the poetry flowed shortly thereafter as I reflected on myself and how I fit into this picture
how did I end up here?
she reminisced about growing up having spent years in silence thinking her words could kill after finding out the man who had raped her had died after being kicked to death after a one night stay in jail
irony that she now stands before us - talking, teaching, telling
how did this girl - this girl who had given up speaking, who was uneducated and who was living in a small town in Alabama - how did she end up here , in front of all of us?
"This little light of mine..."
she credits her uncle Willy, a man who sadly passed, but, as she explains, whose light shone on her and still shines on her
"you never know who's watching," she said
"you never know who your light is shining on"
she says she can still hear her brothers voice in hers - those words hit hard for me - from the light that illuminates from her brother also now passed, she hears his voice in hers
it was these words that hit home
an 'aha' moment
people I've missed and struggled with losing are still here - I just needed to recognize where it was they were
he is in my voice
she is in my voice
they are in my voice - their light has shone and will forever shine
"This little light of mine..."
she spoke words of peace
she spoke with humour
she spoke words of illumination
her light shone on me
I can do anything - this was what she was trying to tell us all
and we can be the strength for others - this is what she was telling us - what she was telling me
"This little light of mine..."
I walked out of that theatre, smiling, head held high
as I walked the long walk home instead of taking transit, I thought and I thought
I thought about what lies ahead and what lay behind
I thought about where I've been and how far I had come
my background is not one of extreme hardship but it isn't one of complete ease either
once a girl who lived at the end of a dead end street in small town nowhere - I can count the number of people I grew up with who went on to higher education on both my hands -
I now find myself amongst the skyscrapers of the city with infinite possibilities
"This little light of mine..."
silence
it's sometimes the best feeling in the world
I'm going to do big things I thought to myself
with the light that's been shone on me and that continues to shine on me, I'm going to do big things
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine
let it shine
let it shine
let it shine
Simply put... this is me.
posted by Jennifer at
12:00 AM
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