Showing posts with label Maya Angelou. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maya Angelou. Show all posts
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
An evening with Maya Angelou
Tonight was absolutely perfect. My friend Julie came up, and I think she was even more excited to meet her than I was.
We got to the forum and Julie says, hang on, before you get out of the car, I have something for you- I said, it's not going to make me cry is it?? She said I hope not! It is called a "journey bracelet" and it's absolutely gorgeous. It's got a heart-shaped charm about the size of a locket, and in the charm, there's four diamonds, one each for Me, Doug, Natalya and Margaret. She had the letter "M" engraved on the charm, she said "It's for Mother, Margaret and Maya". She said she didn't want me to thank her because she felt like she had to get it for me, that I was somehow supposed to have it and it just came to me through her.
Not cry. HA! I will try to take a pic and post it a bit later.
Then we got in and after some time, we went back to the VIP area and then Dr. Angelou came in. We all introduced ourselves, and the newspaper photographer was allowed to take photos of each of us shaking her hand. We are going to get copies of the photos. When I was doing the radio interview, I was asked what questions I wanted to ask her. I told the reporter that I didn't have any questions for her because she has already told us everything. Her life is an open book, literally. I just wanted to thank her. She is such an inspiration and I wanted to thank her for everything she has given, and continues to give. So I did that exactly. It was very surreal. We were also given copies of her book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the hardback. In it, she signed
"Brandy Kincaid
Joy
Maya Angelou"
Totally priceless.
The whole thing was amazing. I had forgotten what an inspiration she truly is, her words, her voice, her presence. She is an amazing woman and I am honored to have met her.
At one point during her "talk" I did start crying. Julie passed me a tissue and the woman in front of me, who had read my piece, reached back and held my hand. After the presentation (or whatever you call it) was done, she gave me a big hug. It was very sweet.
I just cannot believe what a wise woman Dr. Angelou truly is, and how simply awed I am to have been in her presence, and horrified that the world almost didn't get to experience her.
The ironic thing is, this has inspired me to start writing again. Ironic since writing a winning essay is what got me there to begin with.
We got to the forum and Julie says, hang on, before you get out of the car, I have something for you- I said, it's not going to make me cry is it?? She said I hope not! It is called a "journey bracelet" and it's absolutely gorgeous. It's got a heart-shaped charm about the size of a locket, and in the charm, there's four diamonds, one each for Me, Doug, Natalya and Margaret. She had the letter "M" engraved on the charm, she said "It's for Mother, Margaret and Maya". She said she didn't want me to thank her because she felt like she had to get it for me, that I was somehow supposed to have it and it just came to me through her.
Not cry. HA! I will try to take a pic and post it a bit later.
Then we got in and after some time, we went back to the VIP area and then Dr. Angelou came in. We all introduced ourselves, and the newspaper photographer was allowed to take photos of each of us shaking her hand. We are going to get copies of the photos. When I was doing the radio interview, I was asked what questions I wanted to ask her. I told the reporter that I didn't have any questions for her because she has already told us everything. Her life is an open book, literally. I just wanted to thank her. She is such an inspiration and I wanted to thank her for everything she has given, and continues to give. So I did that exactly. It was very surreal. We were also given copies of her book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the hardback. In it, she signed
"Brandy Kincaid
Joy
Maya Angelou"
Totally priceless.
The whole thing was amazing. I had forgotten what an inspiration she truly is, her words, her voice, her presence. She is an amazing woman and I am honored to have met her.
At one point during her "talk" I did start crying. Julie passed me a tissue and the woman in front of me, who had read my piece, reached back and held my hand. After the presentation (or whatever you call it) was done, she gave me a big hug. It was very sweet.
I just cannot believe what a wise woman Dr. Angelou truly is, and how simply awed I am to have been in her presence, and horrified that the world almost didn't get to experience her.
The ironic thing is, this has inspired me to start writing again. Ironic since writing a winning essay is what got me there to begin with.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
My entry was printed in Sunday's Rome paper
Here's the article and photo video of the contest...
Main story:
http://news.mywebpal.com/partners/68...ews840189.html
link to individual entries/videos:
http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v...tomPageID=3506
Natalya is doing much better- the spots are going away, you have to look really close to see the ones on her arms and legs and the ones on her face and chest/back are there, but much lighter. Yahoo!!
Today was swimming class. She is getting much braver! She likes to jump off into my arms and once, when I was a little far away and not quite prepared, she went all the way under unexpectedly. She popped up and said, "Mommy, I'm like a duck!!"
Then she kept telling me "Natalya's like a fish!" when she was swimming, of which she was doing very well. She had two pool noodles under her arms and was holding hierself up all by herself- the lifeguard and I were standing next to her, but we weren't holding her, she was just kicking and paddling away!! I was so pround of her!!
Main story:
http://news.mywebpal.com/partners/68...ews840189.html
link to individual entries/videos:
http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v...tomPageID=3506
Natalya is doing much better- the spots are going away, you have to look really close to see the ones on her arms and legs and the ones on her face and chest/back are there, but much lighter. Yahoo!!
Today was swimming class. She is getting much braver! She likes to jump off into my arms and once, when I was a little far away and not quite prepared, she went all the way under unexpectedly. She popped up and said, "Mommy, I'm like a duck!!"
Then she kept telling me "Natalya's like a fish!" when she was swimming, of which she was doing very well. She had two pool noodles under her arms and was holding hierself up all by herself- the lifeguard and I were standing next to her, but we weren't holding her, she was just kicking and paddling away!! I was so pround of her!!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
My radio interview
I am going to be interviewed Monday by Georgia Public Broadcasting for a radio interview about the winners of the contest. Not sure if they're going to do a show on all of us, or just have quotes from me. Cool. More to come later.
Monday, September 17, 2007
I feel like the Dad in the movie A Christmas Story - I WON!! I WON!!!
This has been super happy day!!!
I entered a local writing contest here recently and I just got a call from the editor of the paper- I WON!!! I get to meet Maya Angelou!!! I am SO EXCITED!!!
This was the contest:
One Book 2007 Writing Contest
Deadline: September 1st 2007
Contest Guidlines:
Since it was first published in 1969, Maya Angelou's " I know why the Caged Bird Sings" has remained a favorite of readers of all ages and backgrounds.
In 500 words or less, reflect on what the book has meant to you. Entries may be prose or poetry. They will be judged on originality as well quality of writing.
Student contest: Students from Rome and Floyd County public and private schools are eligible to compete. A winner will be chosen from each school-Plus one high school level home school student. Community Contest: All citizens of Rome and Floyd County are eligible. Two winners will be selected.
Here's my winning entry... it gets printed in the paper on Sunday and the editor said they are considering having the winners also read aloud their winning essays so they can have them online since Angelou is known for reading her work aloud.
Anyway, here it is:
Maya Angelou’s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is probably the first book of real significance I can remember reading. A voracious reader, I have read many novels, both those of literary acclaim, and those just for fun, but this one is one of the first few I can still remember feeling emotional highs and lows while reading.
As a mother myself, I now understand better the end of the book, appreciating the true depth of emotion that comes with having a child that is solely dependent upon you. But more than that, this book is about triumph. Triumph of the human spirit over adversity beyond anything you could possibly imagine ever having to go through. And it is that triumph that I have been holding onto with all my will and might over the last eight weeks.
Eight weeks ago, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl 9 weeks early. Weighing 5 pounds and 3 ounces, and 16 inches long, my baby girl was perfect in every way, except she was born still. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t wonder why my daughter was taken from me. There are days that my two-year old daughter kisses my belly and says, “Mommy, when baby being born?” and I hold back tears and try to explain that the baby is gone away, that instead of having a sister here with us, my daughter has a sister that’s an angel. She is too young to understand all of this, but she accepts my explanations and we move on to the next item of interest to her two-year-old brain. Caged Bird is a book that reminds me that the human spirit has the will to overcome anything. Time and time again we hear of those stories, women who, like Angelou, have survived degradation and abuse and then gone on to create unimagined beauty. Stories like those of Aron Ralston, who cut off his arm rather than die alone in a cave, pinned in by a boulder.
It is these stories, and the light that my two year old daughter brings to my life that help me get through each day.
What does Caged Bird mean to me you ask? It means hope. Hope that one day I won’t hurt so much; that my arms won’t ache to hold a baby I will never again see. Hope that each day I have the strength to be the Mom that is an honor to both my daughters lives, both the one I hold onto and kiss and hug each day, and the one whose only memories I have are of a painful birth and holding her warm weight in my arms for a half an hour. I treasure writers who have the courage to put their desperation and found hope into words so that people like myself can hold onto it tight and know that it can happen to us too.
I entered a local writing contest here recently and I just got a call from the editor of the paper- I WON!!! I get to meet Maya Angelou!!! I am SO EXCITED!!!
This was the contest:
One Book 2007 Writing Contest
Deadline: September 1st 2007
Contest Guidlines:
Since it was first published in 1969, Maya Angelou's " I know why the Caged Bird Sings" has remained a favorite of readers of all ages and backgrounds.
In 500 words or less, reflect on what the book has meant to you. Entries may be prose or poetry. They will be judged on originality as well quality of writing.
Student contest: Students from Rome and Floyd County public and private schools are eligible to compete. A winner will be chosen from each school-Plus one high school level home school student. Community Contest: All citizens of Rome and Floyd County are eligible. Two winners will be selected.
Here's my winning entry... it gets printed in the paper on Sunday and the editor said they are considering having the winners also read aloud their winning essays so they can have them online since Angelou is known for reading her work aloud.
Anyway, here it is:
Maya Angelou’s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is probably the first book of real significance I can remember reading. A voracious reader, I have read many novels, both those of literary acclaim, and those just for fun, but this one is one of the first few I can still remember feeling emotional highs and lows while reading.
As a mother myself, I now understand better the end of the book, appreciating the true depth of emotion that comes with having a child that is solely dependent upon you. But more than that, this book is about triumph. Triumph of the human spirit over adversity beyond anything you could possibly imagine ever having to go through. And it is that triumph that I have been holding onto with all my will and might over the last eight weeks.
Eight weeks ago, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl 9 weeks early. Weighing 5 pounds and 3 ounces, and 16 inches long, my baby girl was perfect in every way, except she was born still. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t wonder why my daughter was taken from me. There are days that my two-year old daughter kisses my belly and says, “Mommy, when baby being born?” and I hold back tears and try to explain that the baby is gone away, that instead of having a sister here with us, my daughter has a sister that’s an angel. She is too young to understand all of this, but she accepts my explanations and we move on to the next item of interest to her two-year-old brain. Caged Bird is a book that reminds me that the human spirit has the will to overcome anything. Time and time again we hear of those stories, women who, like Angelou, have survived degradation and abuse and then gone on to create unimagined beauty. Stories like those of Aron Ralston, who cut off his arm rather than die alone in a cave, pinned in by a boulder.
It is these stories, and the light that my two year old daughter brings to my life that help me get through each day.
What does Caged Bird mean to me you ask? It means hope. Hope that one day I won’t hurt so much; that my arms won’t ache to hold a baby I will never again see. Hope that each day I have the strength to be the Mom that is an honor to both my daughters lives, both the one I hold onto and kiss and hug each day, and the one whose only memories I have are of a painful birth and holding her warm weight in my arms for a half an hour. I treasure writers who have the courage to put their desperation and found hope into words so that people like myself can hold onto it tight and know that it can happen to us too.
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