Phenomenal Woman

I had another blip all ready for today but on hearing the news of the death of Maya Angelou, I wanted to celebrate her and the impact her writing had on my young life.

Maya Angelou first entered my life when I was 16 years old. I had just dropped Economics A level (I really didn't get that!) and had swapped to English Lit and Lang. As I was late joining the course my fantastic English teacher gave me the audio tapes of 'I know why the caged bird sings'. I put the tape in to my white Sony Walkman and sat on the sofa, in my sitting room, listening to her story. It was a recording of Maya Angelou reading her book and her voice and the way she read it, captivated me. I was hooked within the first five minutes.

I could go on about Maya Angelou and how her autobiographies, poems and speeches affected my life but suffice to say she was a founding figure in many ways. She encouraged bravery, humour, perseverance, forgiveness and compassion. I thoroughly recommend her books and her poetry, particularly 'And Still I Rise' and 'Phenomenal Woman'.

I have had a very fun day catching up with a great friend who enjoys similar levels of silliness and enjoyment of cake and tea. A perfect mix!