Symposium Reflection: Maya Angelou

"A rainbow in the clouds." This phrased, used to start out Maya Angelou's speech, was a reoccuring theme used throughout, that stuck my head and replayed itself for days after the event. I loved the uplifiting image this idea provoked, and thought it was the perfect description for a wonderful lady like Mrs. Angelou. I really enjoyed listening to her speak and all the wisdom and advice she gave to her audience. Some of my favorite points were her comments about values and the importance of courage as a means to achieve all other values. The importance she placed on "courage" as a value revealed the role it has played in her life as a necessary quality to enable her to persevere and achieve despite everything she has been through starting with being raped at the young age of seven. Despite this, and other personal tragedies in her life, Mrs. Angelous has overcome and persevered with courage as her constant companion. I loved hearing her share personal stories, including many tales that ultimately led to poems. I also enjoyed hearing her read and recite poetry; some she read from books while others she recited from memory, which is such a treat a world filled with computers, phones and technology that often quench our need and desire for memorizing literary language. I was amazed by her depth of knowledge laced with an effortless humor, and a willingness to poke fun at herself and others. Overall, it was an incredible, once in a lifetime experience I will never forget.