Bite-sized inspiration

"The ship of my life may or may not be sailing on calm and amiable seas. The challenging days of my existence may or may not be bright and promising. Stormy or sunny days, glorious or lonely nights, I maintain an attitude of gratitude. If I insist on being pessimistic, there is always tomorrow. Today I am blessed."

--Maya Angelou

***

Life is short and we do not have too much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel the way with us; so be swift to love, and make haste to be kind, and the blessing of God: whose creativity crafted you, whose love leads and saves you, and whose holy breath sustains you, be ever with you, and all the world, this day and evermore. Amen.

(Author unknown; from my friend's memorial service)

The green-eyed monster

"Jealousy in romance is like salt in food. A little can enhance the savor, but too much can spoil the pleasure and, under certain circumstances, can be life-threatening."

--Maya Angelou

The art of being a woman

Excerpted from 'Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now' (again, from the great Dr. Angelou):

Being a woman is hard work. Not without joy and even ecstasy, but still relentless, unending work. Becoming an old female may require only being born with certain genitalia, inheriting long-living genes and the fortune not to be run over by an out-of-control truck, but to become and remain a woman command the existence and employment of genius.

As profoundly grateful I am for the progress in gender relations and the endless possibilities now open to women, the one thing I miss is the Old World classy feminine ideal. It seems like more and more we slip into the mentality that we're all the same but with different parts. I love that she speaks to that essence that we women are forgetting in selling ourselves short of our potential for class, beauty, subtlety, and mystique.

I've got some work to do -- doctor's orders! :)