Rainy Day Musings
A New Day
Maya Angelou lived her life to the fullest, and over the years that is what she had asked each one of us to do. Her message has always been clear, encouraging all to live joyfully, happily – with pride, humility, respect and grace. Her words have touched my heart on more than one occasion. She was a mother to us all, and through her quotes she inspired – oh, how she inspired.
To find myself mentioned in her beautiful poem, On The Pulse Of Morning (spoken at President Clinton’s Inauguration Ceremony, January 20, 1993), left me hopeful for a new day.
On The Pulse Of Morning (excerpt)
There is a true yearning to respond to
The singing River and the wise Rock.
So say the Asian, the Hispanic, the Jew
The African, the Native American, the Sioux,
The Catholic, the Muslim, the French, the Greek
The Irish, the Rabbi, the Priest, the Sheik,
The Gay, the Straight, the Preacher,
The privileged, the homeless, the Teacher.
They hear. They all hear
The speaking of the Tree
(Read the complete poem at Wikispaces Classroom)
I keep a journal of quotes, and read a few at the beginning of each week because they give me the strength to embrace another day. They offer me hope, especially on those rare occasions when I think all hope is lost. More than anything, they give me courage because we are nothing if we don’t have the courage to see the journey through as Maya so beautifully did, because her purpose was to teach the masses that each day can be better than the last, but you must believe in yourself. Regardless of the challenge there is always triumph. May we all find our purpose and see it through to fruition.
These are just a few of the many quotes written by Maya Angelou that I keep in my journal … "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." "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." "You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them." "We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated."
One of my favorite comments to her passing: "A sad day, but she has left us better than she found us." So true!
To a woman I never met, I am enamored with your healing words for a new day – Thank you! You were my friend. I appreciate your words now more than ever, and you leave behind a legacy of love that I/we can call upon, especially in times of great challenge. RIP. – paerki
Be Quoted
Quotations are either famous in their own right or utterances by (generally speaking) someone famous. Quotations can be humorous or impressive prose and remarks, striking fragments of poetry, coinages of new phrases or ideas, remarks at historical events, putdowns of others, famous last words or anything else which is worth repeating on its own.
I love quotations! They have power, presence and demand our attention.
Their tone can be witty, manipulative, saucy, clever, mean, comedic, intense, provocative and almost any other adjective you can come up with. Most of the time they are innocuous. However, much depends on the time, place, setting and the person’s delivery.
Intense people can bring about some interesting and off-the-cuff quotations that can be sharp as a knife, leaving the listener catatonic. I know, and I’m not the listener. Manipulators can present quotations in a way to make you do things you never thought you would do. But the best quotations come from people who make you feel inspired, happy and ready to take on any challenge life throws at you.
The power of a quotation is undeniably amazing, especially when it moves the mind with passion and strikes the heart with love. When it’s riddled with clever nuisances, it leaves us desperate to find its true meaning and questioning the creator’s intentions. When a simple quote repairs an argument between two lost souls, you know it’s worth remembering forever. There are some deep quotations that have left me breathless and exhausted because the creator was a powerful and respected person. The words were the truest of true, and the deliverer (not necessarily the creator) left a long-lasting impression on my soul.
Quotations, what would we do without them? They speed up conversations, make us fall in love, create cocoons of protection, make us face our fears, give us courage in times of strife, bring us closer to the Gods, shield us in sorrow, deliver us from pain, push us to live another day, make us repent for our loses, fortify friendships, inspire the lonely, build and mend bridges and, most importantly, make us want to be better people.
Listen to yourself. Hear what you say. Your words are power, they are fierce and, yes, they can be the complete opposite too, leading to cruelty and disdain. Allow people to hear a voice of clarity and see a life of respect so you’ll be worth remembering. They’ll quote your spirit, love, happiness and perseverance. And when you speak kindly, truthfully and honestly, you in turn will become famous in your own right.
Quote someone today who inspired you. It could be your best friend, a teacher, mentor, or a family member. Remember their words because it’s you who will give them new meaning. All of us have an opportunity to live forever and be immortalized with a simple quotation. – paerki
