Those That Have Gone Before

There is little joy today for me. One of my favorite people in the world - although I have never met her - passed away this morning. Good Bye Maya Angelou. Thank you for the chance to rise above, to think higher, to be better. Thank you for simply being alive and pointing out that there is more to life than we think. I weep for the loss, but I jump for joy that you are finally laughing with your maker.

When I pass, I know for a fact that few in the world will not notice. I know that I will not have made an impact as important as she did. But that is OK. To paraphrase her - I did the best that I could with what I had at the time. I wish I could have done better. But I am doing the best that I can. She would approve. She would praise me for what I have done, she would encourage me to keep on.

Isn't that what we are really here to do? To encourage? To look past gender, race, class, quirks, bad personality traits, and social standing? To see a person just for the person that they are? She did that so well. Me - I have so much to learn. So much to learn.

I hope that when I go to meet my Lord she is the crowd of people waiting there to meet me. The hug will go on for a millennium. I finally will get to see what she saw, what made her who she was; and I will then understand what I do not understand now.

If only ONE person in this world feels the way I feel about her - about me when I pass, in some small way I will have carried on her legacy.

Thank you Maya for what you hoped for us to be.