Super Soul Sunday and Maya Angelou

When I was very little, around 4 or 5, we went to church for a little while.  My parents decided that they would be Lutheran.  I have no idea what was behind that decision.  It might have been the proximity of the Lutheran church to our house.  i also think that it was the least offensive religion - no loud gospel singing, no speaking in tongues -everyone just sat quietly.  We have continued to claim ourselves as Lutheran's ever since.  However, our "church-going" was very short lived.

About 10 years ago, my parents starting watching John Hagee on Sunday mornings.  They call that their "church".  I've never been one to be able to get into church preachers.  I think that if it heals you and leads you to honesty and truth, then go for it.  It's just not my cup of tea.

I couple months ago, I was flipping through the channels on Sunday morning and came upon Oprah's Super Soul Sunday.  Now, this is my cup of tea.  She has some of the most interesting and inspirational guests.  All of her guests are very spiritual - but in many different ways.  Today, I watched the repeat of Maya Angelou.  Wow!!!!  This woman is incredible.  She is so smart, honest, courageous.....I could go on and on.

She's 85 years old now.  According to Wikepedia:

She was raped at the age of 8, pregnant at the age of 16.  She's had stints as a prosititue and nightclub dancer.  She's worked with Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr.  She's written 7 autobiographies, 5 books of essays, numerous books of poetry, plays, movie's, TV shows.  She has received dozens of awards and over 30 honorary doctoral degrees.  In 1993, Angelou recited her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton, becoming the first poet to make an inaugural recitation since Robert Frost at John F. Kennedy's inauguration in 1961.  Check out Wikipedia to read more about her.


Some of the things she said on the show this morning:

People will forget what you've said
people will forget what you've done
but people will never forget how you made them feel
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words are things
they can start a war
they can stop a war
they can build someone up
they can tear someone down
when you talk to god, it's your words that he hears
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be someone else's blessing
there are many clouds and rainbows in life
be someone else's rainbow, whether
they have a different God, or
speak a different language, or
eat different food, or
wear different clothes.
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Oprah ask Maya about her definition of GOD

She said that her definition of God is  - ALL
There is no place that God is not, in the prison, in the choir loft, on your knees.
All roads lead to God
There are many gates to God - as many gates as there are people.

Then, Oprah asked her about her definition of Soul.
She said that Soul is the spirit that longs for ALL.  Spirit uses itself to create the blues, gospel music, hip hop music, poetry.  She said "Let me tell so much truth that it leads to ALL"

She said "Art is another form of Prayer"

I like that - Art is another form of Prayer

Happy Sunday,

Cyndi