The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
As most of us probably knew, Maya Angelou, within the past week. As I reflect on her poetry, her books I've read, the interviews she's held, I see a child who grew up in a mess, was raped at 7, was sent back and forth to live between her grandmother and her Mom, experienced poverty, multiple types of discrimination, extreme abuse at the hand of a lover and was rescued by her mother, and was put in a position that required her to raise her son as a single Mom. She chose to rise above it all and to give the best of what she had to give to life. Her life left many messages for me that helps me remember to stay focused on me, stay in the day and forgive, forgive, forgive. Her most striking message that I heard several years ago: "I did the best I could. When I knew better, I did better." When she became aware of and accepted that truth, she extended it to others, too. Maya believed that it was her Mom's belief in her that inspired her to become the woman she became. Oprah Winfrey was inspired by Maya and Maya's belief in her. When I look at each of them and the lives they both lived as children and who they became, I choose to believe that leaving a legacy of experience/strength/hope for others is better than all the gold in the world.
-- Edited by grateful2be on Sunday 1st of June 2014 08:32:44 PM
Oh, I didnt know she had died. I read a few of her books, very inspiring woman. She had a great outlook on life and she never lost her sense of humour, she was true Alanon even if she wasnt. I can relate to this.x
Love the quote! Thank you, el cee. Age 86 and gone. I felt the sharp sting of losing a mentor. I'm glad I could study her life from a distance at least if not up close.
-- Edited by grateful2be on Sunday 1st of June 2014 09:01:21 PM
Maya was an amazingly inspiring woman - I listen to her audio books when I feel in need good sense advice, her voice is beautiful. I came across a lovely quote from her the other day:
'You can tell a lot about a person by the way (s)he handles these three things: A rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.'
WOW...I do know who this lady was...did not know of her passing...it is a loss to all of us....those heroes and heroines who rose above the worst of the worst and share/shared their stories will always live in our hearts and the best thank you we can give to them is to recycle the good they gave us to others.....
__________________
Live and let live and do it with peace and goodwill to all!!!!
Her most recent book, "My Mom & Me & Mom," shows the strength of women who empower each other. Amazing story and a real blessing. Since Al-Anon is meant to be anonymous, I'm not certain she wasn't a member. I don't know how one can live in San Francisco and not be a member of one of the 12 Step programs. The place is loaded with meetings.
-- Edited by grateful2be on Sunday 1st of June 2014 02:45:26 PM
-- Edited by grateful2be on Sunday 1st of June 2014 09:03:44 PM
"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," is one of her first books, Cathy. She was the poet at Clinton's inauguration. She was a civil rights activist who was close to Martin Luther King, Jr, actress, dancer, poet and awarded the "Freedom Medal" by President Obama. She is a boundary setter to beat all boundary setters to me. She says that courage is the best virtue of all because without it, one cannot practice any of the other virtues. Her favorite words are Love and Murmur and stresses the importance of words and the caution of choosing them wisely. She embodies the Al-Anon program to me and in her 80s saw that she had made progress and would make more. Gratitude and humility were the feelings she expressed most as she neared the end of her mortal life because she was loved by her HP and saw herself and all people to be children of God. She also believed that too many words got in the way of truth. Her beloved brother, Bailey, died fairly young - drug addiction and/or alcoholism.
-- Edited by grateful2be on Sunday 1st of June 2014 03:21:16 PM
-- Edited by grateful2be on Sunday 1st of June 2014 09:04:57 PM
Dear Catherine, This woman did indeed overcome many difficulties and thrived. Thank you for the powerful reminder that by empowering each other (as we do here and in alanon meetings) we are not only enabled to live positive successful lives but we are also leaving a lasting legacy within the hearts and minds of all that we share with. What a gift this program truly is!!!
Dear Catherine, This woman did indeed overcome many difficulties and thrived. Thank you for the powerful reminder that by empowering each other (as we do here and in alanon meetings) we are not only enabled to live plosive successful lives but we are also leaving a lasting legacy within the hearts and minds of all that we share with. What a gift this program truly is!!!
...that helps many discover the true gift that each person is and sets them free to be food for the world.
The place is loaded with meetings.