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{{{{{{{{ LOVE. ANGEL. MUSIC. BABY }}}}}}}
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This song really rocks.
It was written for me.
For you.
And for every ache of the human heart.
As I listen to this,
I think back to my 17-year old self
(lost, frightened, and afraid)
in all her confusion...
with struggles + despair....
and it makes me think,
if my angels had a voice...
this is EXACTLY what she would have sounded like singing to me.
Being a young single mother with a tiny toddler on my hip,
there were moments when I doubted my own strength.
Now at 35,
I'm standing in awe of what that young lady was able
to accomplish & create with nothing more than a simple but true,
belief in herself.
I have faced mountains of fear, swam through oceans full of obstacles,
and held my head high,
despite encountering situations swirling with judgement & shame.
Somehow, I navigated through some "pretty tough stuff"
and landed successfully on the road less traveled.
Even still, there are some days when I momentarily forget the tenacity of my SPIRIT ,
the determination of my own will,
my unbreakable
FAITH
&
TRUST IN MYSELF.
In those moments of doubts...
I try really hard to listen to my angels .
And oftentimes,
those messages from my angels come in the unexpected form
of a intensely beautiful lyrics written by a fiercely talented black woman born in the rolling hills of Alabama.
I wish to share the beauty of this song,
with all the women who are in need
of a whisper of encouragement tonight,
with my own younger-self,
that inner-little girl who still longs
for acceptance and love...
&
my own precious teenage daughter who is still trying to find her way.
For my other younger daughters, my mother, sisters, aunts, cousins, clients, and friends,
for all the amazing goddesses around me....
&
for each and every other baby girl,
just trying to get back up.
Sing it, sister.
YOU GOT TO HOLD ON.
I LOVE YOU ,
&
I see you over there.
I see you standing beautiful and tall.
*********************
Bless my heart.
Bless my soul.
Didn't think I'd make it to 22 years old.
There must be someone up above sayin'
"Come on Elizabeth, you got to come on up."
"You got to hold on..."
"Hey, you got to hold on..."
So bless my heart, and bless yours too.
I don't know where I'm gonna go,
Don't know what I'm gonna do.
Well, must be somebody up above sayin'
"Come on Elizabeth, you got to come on up!"
"You got to hold on..."
"Hey, you got to hold on..."
"
"YEAH! YOU GOT TO WAIT!"
"YEAH! YOU GOT TO WAIT!"
"BUT I DON'T WANNA WAIT!
NO, I DON'T WANNA WAIT!!
So, bless my heart and bless my mind.
I got so much to do, I ain't got much time.
So, must be somebody up above saying
"Come on baby girl, you got to get back up!"
"You got to hold on..."
"Hey, you got to hold on..."
"YEAH, YOU GOTTA WAIT!"
"YEAH, YOU GOTTA WAIT"
BUT I DON'T WANT TO WAIT!
NO, I DON'T WANT TO WAIT!
"You got to hold on..."
"You got to hold on..."
"Got to hold on..."
"You got to hold on...."
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Rock n' roll, Spirit n' love,