I am not a woman.
I am not black.
I am also not one of the finest poets of my generation.
Most people would tell you, in fact, that I'm the exact opposite of all three of those things. Especially the last one.
But still, there are days man. We all have 'em. Those days where the stupid and the mean are swirling all around us, vandalizing our sense of hope, pulling us down, conspiring against our will to get back up again. On days like those, when I realize I've had enough, the voice in my head usually becomes some football-coach sounding guy (an odd choice since I've never really been on a sports team). And he's shouting "Get up you panzy!" and other coach-like stuff.
Sometimes it works. Most times though, the voice inside my head feels like just another asshole yelling at me on an already crappy day.
From now on when I'm looking for that energy to get up again, the voice in my head is going to be the voice of Maya Angelou. Talking exactly like she is in the video below.
It hopefully goes without saying that I'm not comparing my history and hurdles to hers. Because, you know, white middle-class male.
But still. The power and joy and resolve in her voice? I think we can all benefit from that.