Inspirational voice lives on
This past Wednesday would have been the 90th birthday of Maya Angelou. The world lost this amazing person on May 28, 2014.
Maya Angelou, the famous writer, educator and civil rights activist had a profound impact on the world. Her numerous credits include the Presidential Medal of Arts, three Grammy Awards, a best-selling autobiography,
“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” and a Pulitzer Prize nomination. The list could go on and on. Ms. Angelou was a very accomplished woman.
She lived a very full life that was as varied as it was interesting. She had many careers: actress, calypso singer, dancer, streetcar conductor, magazine editor, author, activist and educator. She was a contemporary of such notables as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
In my opinion, what will endure about Ms. Angelou will be the wisdom she conveyed through her words. My favorite Angelou quote is “Nothing will work unless you do.”
These words are something we all should adapt into our way of thinking and the world would be a better place for it. Personal accountability seems to be waning in our society today. Too often today elements of our society believe people should live “their own truth” and not be held to an ordinary standard of behavior.
Maya Angelou saw life as something to be participated in and not endured. She believed that everyone could be a better person each and every day.
Another of her great quotes that exhibit her fantastic view on life is, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain.”
Common sense and kindness permeated her work and her life. If you haven’t read any of Ms. Angelou’s writings, I encourage you to seek them out. Her other books include, “Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ’fore I Die,” “Oh Pray My Wings Are Gonna Fit Me Well,” “And Still I Rise” and “Shaker, Why Don’t You Sing?”
Your spirit will be lifted and you will be encouraged by her prose. The work of Ms. Angelou can change your life and the lives of those around you. As the great lady said, “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.”