I know it may seem silly, because I never met her, but my heart was broken when I heard the news of Dr. Maya Angelou's passing. Though I didn't know her, she knew me, she knew so many of us. She knew someone out there needed inspiring, a good laugh, some wisdom, a word of encouragement. She knew she had to tell her story.
I've always been a fan of poetry and reading, but I remember when I got my first copy of I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. I was instantaneously a Maya groupie, I read every single poem I could find. I walked a little taller after I read "And Still I Rise". I chuckled as she told about some of her adventures, writhed in agony when she was mistreated, and yelped with joy when she succeeded despite the obstacles surrounding her. She inspired me to blog, not because I think I'm a writer, but because I saw first hand how sharing your story can impact a life in even the smallest way. I opened my graduate school admission letter with one of her quotes, I'm pretty sure that's what got me through to the interview process. One of her quotes graces the bottom of this very blog, and I whisper it to my children every now and again. Sometimes when I feel like it's too much, or I slip and start to think "I can't", I think of all that she was able to accomplish.
While we may never get another glimpse into her life or have new words of encouragement from her, she planted enough seeds to grow in our hearts and minds. I am thankful Maya Angelou told her story, and it's only fitting that she's in heaven so she can fully see all the lives she's touched.
"And when great souls die,
after a period peace blooms,
slowly and always
irregularly. Spaces fill
with a kind of
soothing electric vibration.
Our senses, restored, never
to be the same, whisper to us.
They existed. They existed.
We can be. Be and be
better. For they existed.”
― Maya Angelou
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