I admire successful women, not necessarily financial success,
but women who have pulled themselves from nothing, meager beginnings or adverse
situations, and emerged from those adversities to achieve what some only dream
about.
Maya Angelou was one of those women. Every time she spoke I
listened with great anticipation of being inspired. Her words were so elegant
and full of substance, provoking me to stand firm and stay on course with my
goals.
Even though I was not honored to have personally met her, she
was part of my path and growth through her writings, good deeds and actions.
She proved that you don't always have to come from something to be something.
Great people can come from unknown places. She was not without fault, but
rather than hide the misfortunes of her youth, she wrote about it in the award
winning autobiography, I Know Why Caged Birds Sing. Opposed to
living her life as a victim, she rose to become a prolific writer, author,
teacher and activist who educated and inspired millions.
Through her widely popular poem, Phenomenal Woman,
Maya taught women that true beauty is not on the cover of magazines, but beauty
eludes from your body language with attitude and confidence. She encouraged men
to look beyond our external features and discover our inner mysteries.
I give honor to Maya Angelou. It's beautiful when you touch
someone's life and your legacy is a gift to future generations. That gift
should not be taken for granted. If Maya touched many, surely we can touch a
few. It only takes one to touch another. Imagine the boundaries we could cross
with an arm's reach.
She died quietly in her sleep. Her voice is gone, but her light
will shine forever.
Maya Angelou was one of those women.
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