Pat Fairweather

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Maya Angelou - A Tribute

May 29, 2014·17 visitors

Kara Bigelow

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Stage· 86 messages

May 29, 2014

One of the most inspirational people of the last century has passed away. Maya Angelou, writer, poet and philosopher touched many many lives in her 86 years. Celebrate her life with Pat and Kara as they pay tribute to the late, great Maya Angelou.

Kara Bigelow · 4:01 PM

Today we celebrate and honor the life of a very profound and influential woman, Maya Angelou.

Pat Fairweather · 4:01 PM

She was born on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis MO

Pat Fairweather · 4:02 PM

she lived life as life is meant to be lived, with spirit, heart and direction...but it wasn't always that way

Kara Bigelow · 4:02 PM

While there are about a bajillion memorable and inspiring Maya Angelou quotes out there, here's one of my favorites: "I have no modesty. Modesty is a learned behavior. But I do pray for humility, because humility comes from the inside out."

Pat Fairweather · 4:02 PM

The life of Maya Angelou is truly meant to be celebrated...

Kara Bigelow · 4:03 PM

What's your favorite Maya Angelou quote, Pat?

Pat Fairweather · 4:03 PM

"People will forget what you said. People will forget what you do. But they will never forget how you make them feel." - Maya Angelou

Pat Fairweather · 4:03 PM

mis-quote..."made"

Kara Bigelow · 4:03 PM

Oh, that's so true!

Kara Bigelow · 4:04 PM

Here's a good article on the extraordinary life of Maya Angelou I found on MSN: http://news.msn.com/pop-culture/author-maya-angelou-dies-at-86-in-north-carolina

Pat Fairweather · 4:05 PM

I also love "You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have."

Pat Fairweather · 4:05 PM

Maya Angelou said so many things that we DO remember because of how they made us feel.

Kara Bigelow · 4:05 PM

That's awesome! Maya Angelou was a mentor to Oprah Winfrey. So powerful...so humble.

Kara Bigelow · 4:06 PM

That was very well said, Pat.

Pat Fairweather · 4:06 PM

She also spoke 7 languages and had 30 honorary doctorates!!

Kara Bigelow · 4:06 PM

I feel like I need to make it a point in life to read every word Maya Angelou ever wrote.

Kara Bigelow · 4:07 PM

Wow!!! She definitely broke the mold.

Pat Fairweather · 4:07 PM

Good luck with that...7 autobiographies, 3 poetry books and numerous papers...

Pat Fairweather · 4:07 PM

Good read: "On the Pulse of Morning"...

Kara Bigelow · 4:07 PM

Coming from a background of poverty and heartache, Maya Angelou showed us that the human spirit can overcome anything and rise to the highest of heights.

Pat Fairweather · 4:07 PM

That is the poem she read at the Clinton Inauguration in 1993

Pat Fairweather · 4:08 PM

It's amazing...do you know why she didn't speak for five years?

Kara Bigelow · 4:08 PM

...which I read made publishing history when it became a best seller.

Kara Bigelow · 4:08 PM

No, please share...

Pat Fairweather · 4:09 PM

When she was 8 years old, she was raped by her mother's boyfriend, Freeman. She spoke up and he was convicted of rape but only served one day in jail.

Pat Fairweather · 4:09 PM

Right after his release, he was murdered. Kicked to death by Maya's Uncles

Kara Bigelow · 4:09 PM

So it was after that that Maya Angelou didn't speak for 5 years?

Pat Fairweather · 4:09 PM

She felt that it was her voice that killed Freeman and she was devastated that her voice could kill anyone so she stopped talking.

Kara Bigelow · 4:10 PM

Got what he deserved if you ask me. Did her uncles get in trouble though?

Kara Bigelow · 4:10 PM

Oh my goodness...

Pat Fairweather · 4:10 PM

No trouble for the uncles not enough evidence to convict or even charge them

Pat Fairweather · 4:10 PM

IN that period of silence, Maya developed a love for literature, poetry and writing...

Kara Bigelow · 4:11 PM

And to go from that to becoming one of the most powerful and influential - inspiring - voices of our time...

Pat Fairweather · 4:11 PM

That is the ultimate in something good coming from tragedy and horror.

Kara Bigelow · 4:11 PM

Yes it is. Gives me goosebumps.

Pat Fairweather · 4:11 PM

Well, she was definitely in tune with Karma

Pat Fairweather · 4:11 PM

while she was in Africa in the mid 60's, with her son Guy, he was injured in a car wreck...

Pat Fairweather · 4:12 PM

She stayed in Africa while he healed and in that time period she was befriended by Malcom

Pat Fairweather · 4:12 PM

And thus began her activism phase...

Pat Fairweather · 4:13 PM

Maya Angelou was so much more than a writer or a poet or even a philosopher...she was an inspiration to black people, women and all human beings!

Kara Bigelow · 4:14 PM

A modern day savior...

Pat Fairweather · 4:14 PM

KInd of, yes...did you know that Maya Angelou was the very first black woman street car conductor in San

Pat Fairweather · 4:14 PM

Fran?

Kara Bigelow · 4:14 PM

Maya Angelou's influence is unquantifiable, the untold ways and numbers she inspired and encouraged through her words and actions...

Kara Bigelow · 4:15 PM

That's awesome!

Pat Fairweather · 4:15 PM

Prior to that she ran a brothel, was a prostitute!!

Pat Fairweather · 4:16 PM

★ Spotlighted from Blake Ian

“http://digitalbuddhist.com/post/87200538150/maya-angelou-and-dave-chappelle-conversation”

Pat Fairweather · 4:16 PM

Thanks Blake!!!

Kara Bigelow · 4:16 PM

"Bitterness is a cancer..." So true. Thanks for sharing, Blake!

Pat Fairweather · 4:17 PM

And if you're not angry you must be a stone, or too sick to be angry. You should be angry.

Kara Bigelow · 4:17 PM

And that kind of philosophy is why Maya Angelou became so great, even in the face of circumstances that would lead most people down a much darker road...

Kara Bigelow · 4:18 PM

"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" - is that her most famous work?

Pat Fairweather · 4:19 PM

She was scheduled to receive an honor from some big organization today but passed away so Robin Roberts of Good Morning America is going to accept the award in her name...how cool would that be.

Kara Bigelow · 4:20 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Know_Why_the_Caged_Bird_Sings

Pat Fairweather · 4:20 PM

Another little known fact about Maya Angelou is that she LOVED Calypso music and infact put out an album in 1957

Pat Fairweather · 4:20 PM

Miss Calypso

Kara Bigelow · 4:21 PM

She seems like the most interesting woman in the world - life well lived.

Pat Fairweather · 4:21 PM

I'm glad you posted that link to wiki...when she first approached publishers with her first of 7 autobiographies, they said it was fiction and wouldn't publish it!!

Pat Fairweather · 4:22 PM

The truth of her life was so hard to believe that she couldn't get the word out for a long time...

Kara Bigelow · 4:22 PM

Autobiographical fiction, as it is officially categorized. Did they make up that category just for Maya Angelou? lol

Kara Bigelow · 4:23 PM

And she turned that hard truth into hope for untold numbers of people...

Pat Fairweather · 4:23 PM

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is a jagged little pill, really...eye opening to how life was for her in her early days...horrible

Pat Fairweather · 4:24 PM

From adversity comes greatness or tragedy. We make the choice ourselves.

Pat Fairweather · 4:24 PM

Nice choice Maya!!

Kara Bigelow · 4:24 PM

Yep! And I think that's the deeper message inspired by Maya Angelou's entire life story.

Pat Fairweather · 4:25 PM

Imagine if you were the publisher that turned her down!! Wow....big mistake!!

Kara Bigelow · 4:25 PM

For sure!

Kara Bigelow · 4:26 PM

Maya Angelou is my new hero. The more I learn about her life and accomplishments, even against all odds, the more I feel inspired to greatness myself. Thanks, Maya!

Pat Fairweather · 4:26 PM

She was an actress, writer, singer, poet...

Kara Bigelow · 4:26 PM

Some people think about the things they'd like to do. Some people do them. :)

Kara Bigelow · 4:27 PM

I like to think that we're kind of like that, Pat! :)

Pat Fairweather · 4:27 PM

I'd like to think so Kara...

Kara Bigelow · 4:27 PM

Now I feel the need to dance Calypso and write a culture-changing piece of literature...

Pat Fairweather · 4:28 PM

It's harder to listen to the whining all over the planet when someone can come from such adversity to shine like the brightest star in the sky.

Kara Bigelow · 4:28 PM

EXACTLY!

Kara Bigelow · 4:28 PM

To Maya Angelou...a shining example of life well lived!

Pat Fairweather · 4:28 PM

You can let it build you or tear you down...Maya Angelou was one of the strongest people I have ever heard of

Pat Fairweather · 4:29 PM

Heaven is a happy place today....

Kara Bigelow · 4:29 PM

Great Tawk, Pat. I'm totally inspired. Now, let's go accomplish something AMAZING today! :)

Pat Fairweather · 4:30 PM

I can hear God sayin' "Bout time you got here, I"m taking the day off!" lol

Kara Bigelow · 4:30 PM

It's what Maya would do. :)

Kara Bigelow · 4:30 PM

LOL!

Pat Fairweather · 4:30 PM

Thanks for a super inspiring tawk today Kara...I'm going to go write something wonderful!!!

Pat Fairweather · 4:31 PM

Have a super great day!!!

Kara Bigelow · 4:31 PM