I rose this morning to the darkness of the day. Opened the blinds
because the outdoors and all of its possibility called my name. Asked me to
open up to it. To see what it had to offer. To feel the magic of this day as I
did some 11 years ago when my precious daughter came out of me into this world.
Ready to embrace it. Knowing what to do without me telling her. Without me
showing her. Her wide eyes staring into my eyes as if to say, "I have arrived."
When I opened the blinds, there in front of me was a lone
star. A star that twinkled in the otherwise dark sky. I stood and looked at
that star and all I heard was the voice of Dr. Maya Angelou reciting, “Still I
rise”. A lump formed in my throat as I remembered on this happy day for me and my
daughter and my family that a voice has gone from this Earth to embody that
star. To be that star that shone into my eyes this morning. Finding its way
into my soul. And it was in that moment that I knew I had to honour my
ancestors in order for me to honour my daughter on her special day. Because
without them, there could be no her because there could be no me nor my family
without the work they did before me. Before us.
Today is my daughter’s birthday. Her 11th
birthday and I was between two minds as to whether to write my tribute to Dr.
Maya Angelou or to talk about my daughter. But it was that star that encouraged
me to do both.
You see my daughter is the next generation. The generation that is coming up looking to
us for direction. Looking to us for guidance. Looking to us to lead by example. So I am dedicating this tribute to my elders
to my beautiful daughter as a birthday gift so she can remember those that came
before her. So she can know those that paved the way for her to lead a life
less troubled than her elders who came before her did. To know I am not
cheating her of her birthday but enhancing her birthright of being who she is
as she is because of those who walked before her.
Dr. Maya Angelou
Nelson Mandela
Our leaders
Our elders
Are leaving us
Moving on
Making room for us
The younger
The future
To rise
To rise our heads
Above the crowd
To hold our heads
high
To hold our shoulders
erect
To not cast our eyes
down
But to look forward
To remember
From whence we have
come
To sing our song
To enunciate our
words
To speak their names
To hold them in
regard
To honor their legacy
The path they paved
for us
By respecting what
they have done
By continuing their
journey
Making it our own
Not through blood
Not through hatred
Not through
degradation
But through rising up
Rising up
With dignity
With honour
With pride
And assurance
To know
We are a part
Of a changing world
A world open for us
Whether it is ready
for us
Or not
To know
It is up to us
To honour
Dr. Maya Angelou
Nelson Mandela
And those that came
before them
Those that paved the
way for them
Paving the way for us
By being the best we
can
By accepting with
pride
We are descendants of
slaves
Brought to this new
world
Not to enslave our
minds
But to free our minds
Open our minds
To all that is
possible
To bring forth our
gifts
Of spirituality
Mysticism
And old world secrets
Locked deep in the
recesses of our brains
To this New World
To change its complexion
To break down its walls
To bridge gaps that
need to be bridged
To lessen its
complexity
By taking away its
sameness
And bringing it forth
Into
A world of
Diversity
Understanding
And blending
To be the phenomenal
people
We were born to be
Sent here to be
Descendants of slaves
Descendants of slave
masters
Together
Forging the way
Of yesterday’s tears
to
Today
Tomorrow
And always
As we rise up
Proclaiming in the
words of Dr. Maya Angelou
“Out of the huts of
history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s
rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping
and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear
in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of
terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s
wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my
ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope
of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.”
Still we rise
Still we rise
We rise
We rise
We rise
RIP Dr. Maya Angelou
RIP Nelson Mandela
Matriarch and
Patriarch
Of our modern times
To so many of us
Though you are gone
In the physical
In our hearts and
souls
You will always
remain
As
We will forever
Speak
Your names
With honour and
respect
Gratitude and Peace
Love and Light
Dr. Maya Angelou
Nelson Mandela
We will forever
Speak your names
Your names
Your names
Happy Birthday to my beautiful daughter, Sedona-Sky Duffy,
who understands the importance of Dr. Maya Angelou and Nelson Mandela and the
legacy they have both left behind. Paving the way for her to leave her legacy
behind if she so chooses. What better gift to give than the gift of history and
time to my daughter on her 11th birthday. Happy Birthday beautiful
girl. Phenomenal girl on her way to becoming a Phenomenal Woman with the support
of those who have gone before her to pave her way. Namaste.
