Life

I want you to tell me about every person you’ve ever been in love with. Tell me why you loved them. Tell me why they loved you. Tell me about a day in your life you didn’t think you’d live through. Tell me what the word “home” means to you and tell me like you mean it. Tell me your mother’s name. Describe your bedroom when you were 6 years old. What makes you laugh? Have you ever been so happy you wanted to cry? Do you smoke cigarettes; have you ever experimented with drugs? What is the craziest thing you’ve done for love? What’s the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for you? Tell me about your first time. Tell me what turns you on, what turns you off. Have you ever been unfaithful? Tell me about the guy who broke your heart. Do you sometimes miss him? I want to know the first time you felt the weight of hate and if that day still trembles beneath your bones. Does the smell of rain remind you of God?  Tell me about your first kiss on the lips. Do you kiss your friends on...

Today, I read, "I know why caged birds sing," an exceptional piece by Dr. Maya Angelou and thought of sharing it here: “Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size But when I start to tell them, They think I’m telling lies. I say, It’s in the reach of my arms, The span of my hips, The stride of my step, The curl of my lips. I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me. I walk into a room Just as cool as you please, And to a man, The fellows stand or Fall down on their knees. Then they swarm around me, A hive of honey bees. I say, It’s the fire in my eyes, And the flash of my teeth, The swing in my waist, And the joy in my feet. I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me. Men themselves have wondered What they see in me. They try so much But they can’t touch My inner mystery. When I try to show them, They say they still can’t see. ...