Be the Rainbow in Someone's Cloud

Tonight I went and saw Maya Angelou speak at Drake University, it was a full house and she was this tiny figure on a stage, but her words and voice echoed and struck me on many levels. I was moved and had to contain the tears that wanted to pour out as she spoke to the crowd.

Lately I have been struggling with some issues and have been asking the higher spirits for a guidance and direction, which indeed I received tonight. On Tuesday night I came to my blog to vent and complain about how horrible a day it was, but midway through I deleted what I wrote and decided I wasn't going to post it.

Instead I turned to one of my books that I keep by my bed, which was Letter to my Daughter by Maya Angelou and I thought it was appropriate since I knew I was going to see her. So I flipped through it and as I read, one of the passages spoke to me. The next day I decided to post it on my Facebook page, which was "You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Try to be the rainbow in someone's cloud." And tonight as soon as I heard her say those words, I knew I was meant to be there - my sweet pea had parent-teacher conferences tonight as well, but I decided to just let the hubs go so I could listen to Maya and I needed to hear her words, words that can heal a heart. She was inspiring and everything and more than I ever imagined and as I listened and just soaked in the moment I realized how hard I am on myself. I believe that when you pray for something, you are given the opportunity and this was my opportunity for what I was asking guidance on.

She spoke about timidity and how we need to be courageous, we need to be kind and to be the rainbow in someone's cloud. And I am guilty - I'm timid and I've always been that way, I say what is appropriate or what someone wants to hear and I stay within my comfort zone. I don't like to complain to anyone, but sometimes I do to those I really do trust and even then I still with hold. And for the most part when I'm down, it really does just take my kids and hubby to get me laughing and then I'm good.
Anyway, listening to her reminded me that I deserve to reach for my goals and dreams, I owe it to myself. Writing all of this is somewhat difficult for me as I feel like I'm exposing myself, for my children and family I will fight, but when it comes to myself I don't, but sometimes I think as a woman and mother we are all guilty of putting ourselves last. So, I'm going to start pushing myself out of the comfort zone and I'm going to be courageous and finish on those projects that I have half-started.
I love to write and I have some really great starts to books that I have started, but never finished and I'm going to finish them. I'm going to start on my children's book and if they one day get published - great, if one person reads it and can take something away from what I've written would be better and if it never happens at least I will have something for my children. A glimmer into their mother, perhaps they will learn something they didn't know, but I'm going to reach for my dreams and hope that I too can be the rainbow in someone's cloud - thank you Maya for being mine.