This is a place for empowerment, inspiration, empathy, solidarity, and love. Above all, love. This blog grew out of my desire to show my high school students here in Albuquerque, NM, that people all over the country care about them and their experiences in our ever-changing community. We welcome your posts and comments containing positive messages of strength, even in the face of adversity, and hope for a more accepting society. Share your light with us and we will share ours with you.
After the election I experienced racism and sexism at my school I was very emotional about everything that was being said. I went to one of my favorite teachers and she explained to me that I am not the only one who feels this way. Me and my teacher wanted change and wanted it fast so we decided to start this blog. After watching Maya Angelou "Still I Rise" I fell in love. My nana told me to read this poem that it'll make me feel better and it sure did.
"Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
"...whether we see them or not – the sun and moon are still there and always there is light." This Shane Koyczan spoken word video is on my go-to list for when I or someone I care about needs inspiration to get through a tough time. He says many, many things I love in this video but one of my favorite few lines is: "Everyone knows pain. We are not meant to carry it forever. We were never meant to hold it so closely, so be certain in the belief that what pain belongs to NOW will belong soon to THEN." Everything is temporary.
"So speak and be heard. One word after the next, express yourself and put your life into context – if you find that no one is listening, be loud. Make noise. Stand in poise and be open. Hope in these situations is not enough and you will need someone to lean on. In the unlikely event that you have no one, look again. Everyone is blessed with the ability to listen. The deaf will hear you with their eyes. The blind will see you with their hands. Let your heart fill their newsstands, let them read all about it. Admit to the bad days, the impossible nights. Listen to the insights of those who have been there, but have come back. They’ll tell you; you can stack misery, you can pack despair, you can even wear your sorrow – but come tomorrow you must change your clothes." Here is a link for the entire text of the poem: Shane Koyczan's "Instructions for a Bad Day" full text
Thinking about all the problems we are facing today
is overwhelming and the question, “Where do I start?” can be crippling.
Sometimes the simplest answer is the best one. I believe Lin-Manuel Miranda said it best
when he said,
“And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is
love, cannot be killed or swept aside”.
Love is the answer. I work in a
hospital in Rochester, NY and I see the impact that love and acceptance have on
my patients during their most vulnerable time. These people are in pain,
scared, anxious, and uncertain of what will come next, as many of us are right
now. While I cannot cure everyone or take away all their fears, I can listen. I
have learned the value of listening to people and validating their feelings,
regardless of whether or not I believe I can do something to change their
outcome. People want to be heard. They want to be told that they matter, that
you care what happens to them. Listen to people. It does not take long and it
is something that everyone has the power to do. With so much hatred and ignorance
in the world recently I have been reminded of Mr. Rogers saying,
“Look for the helpers. You will
always find people who are helping”.
My goal is to be that helper. Be
the person who listens, who validates, who accepts, and who loves. It only
takes one person to start. Love is a powerful weapon that needs to be used now.
Maya Angelou's story resonates in my Heart. Too many of us have experienced the heavy burden of sexual abuse and rape. Too many. The aftermath of shame and grief can tear holes in our bodies and wreak havoc in our lives. But there is hope. I want to take this opportunity to share a poem that I recently wrote during my morning Sadhana, or yoga practice. Following the poem, I have posted a very powerful short film that has given me GREAT inspiration as well. I hope these little gifts spread some Light into your day. You are not alone. We are in this together, as One.
THE BUTTERFLY
The importance of safety is oftentimes underestimated.
A place to call home, where you can rest your head happily, is so often taken for granted.
When her every waking moment is filled with fear, a child will grow weary and apathetic from the pain. Overstimulated and misunderstood, she will hide away inside, waiting for someone to find her there.
Curled up in a ball, she will continue to contract until the energy is so potent, it can no longer be contained.
Rage.
Screaming on top of her lungs, lashing out at all the things that trigger any shame, she is a fire ball of energy. Uncontainable and dangerous to herSelf and others, searching for the safety of control.
If she could only grip the reigns tight enough, there would be nothing left to fear.
If she is lucky, the girl will soon realize that control is a mere illusion. Releasing her grip, she will slowly unravel, softening into the deep sorrow she holds inside.
Like a caterpillar spinning its cocoon, she will create a soft space for herSelf to sleep in. Weeping and shedding, she comforts herSelf as no one has before.
A glimpse of safety returns to her Heart and the energy of Love expands throughout every cell.
The more she Loves, the safer she feels and the stronger she becomes.
Stronger still, this Love is extended to those around her. Forgiving, accepting, and surrendering to all that is.
The Light, so bright, saturates every aspect of her now, and she becomes the safety she has longed for so many times before.
In these past few weeks I have been reminded over and over again of the power of the arts in the face of despondency. Literature, music, dance, you name it, it all has the power to evoke the deepest of human emotions. Lately I have sought out the types of art that stir the heart, or rather, MY heart, since it has needed a bit of a jumpstart of late. And since like attracts like, I have had those around me reach out in need of a jumpstart as well. My high school students, my friends, my colleagues, and my loved ones have all felt a sort of collective malaise seep into their bones.
Maya Angelou has always been a source of inspiration for me, and her poem "Still I Rise" has held juicy fruits of empowerment, heavy on the bough, each time I read during different times of my life. Any student or lover of literature has seen numerous videos and interviews with the late, great Angelou over the course of studying or even enjoying her. Until last week, however, I had not seen this particular video. I was humbled by her resilience and how, phoenix-like, she rose from the ashes of childhood rape and triumphed through her muteness, to become the sheer force of strength, a champion for humanity, and the literary queen she was for years and years afterwards.
As we travel through both our jubilations as well as our hardships, but also look to simultaneously lift each other up, may we find the ability to empathize, empower, and enlighten each other to the power of the arts and their ability to communicate love for ourselves and our fellow humans. May this poem inspire our blog as we work to enhance each other's daily lives with love. Please leave your comments below.
