“Where are you

little girl with broken wings but full of hope?

Where are you

wise woman covered in wounds?

Where are you?  Where are you?  Where are you?

Today is the day I will not sit still and give in anymore,

today I rise.

I am bruised but I will get up and walk again,

today I rise.

I don’t care if you ignore my beauty,

today I rise.

Through the alchemy of my darkest night, I heal and thrive,

today I rise.

I move through the world with confidence and grace.

I open my eyes and am ready to face

my wholeness as a woman and my limitless capacities.

I will walk my path

with audacity,

today I rise.

I reconnect with the many aspects of myself.

I am in awe of the reality I can create.

I am a queen,

I am a healer, a wise woman, a wild woman.

I will rise and be.

I am a rebel I will wake up and fight.

I am a mother and I am a child.

I will no longer disguise my sadness and pain,

I will no longer suffer and complain.

I am black and I am white.

There’s no reason to hurt.

Where are you? Where are you?

I call upon Kali to kiss me to life.

I transform my power and anger,

no more heartache or strife.

The world is missing what I am ready to give,

my wisdom, my sweetness, my love

and my hunger for peace.

I weep with the trees and the rivers

and the earth in distress.

I rise and shine and am ready to go on my quest.

Today I rise without doubt or hesitation,

today I rise without excuses, without procrastination.

Today I call upon my sisters to join

a movement of resoluteness and concern.

Today is my call into action,

to fulfill my mission without further distraction.

Today is the day,

today I will start,

to offer the world the wisdom of my heart”

This beautiful short poem of a film  (by Films for Action; filmsforaction.org) and the accompanying words were perfect music for the celebration of my birth day…..

http://www.filmsforaction.org/watch/today-i-rise/

And then of course, Maya Angelou’s “And Still I Rise” is immediately

brought to mind…