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'The caged bird' sings on

MlUA Au
THERE are many reasons to celebrate the life of the "phenomenal woman," Maya Angelou, whose precepts and writings have inspired millions. A prolific author, poet, teacher and icon for the civil rights and feminist movements, Angelou passed away on May 28 at the
age of eight-six. Her candid memoirs, "I Knoiv Why the Caged Bird Sings" published in 1969, is a scathing commentary' on the racial discrimination she experienced while growing up, and the resilience of a black woman against unprecedented odds. Most touching are the descriptions of Angelou's incredible journey from a girl who was raped by her mother's lover to her struggles as a single parent, sex worker and an activist. An amazing aspect ofAngelou's life is that following her traumatic childhood experiences she was shocked into silence for a short period of time but later became one of the most vocal champions of the rights of the downtrodden and the oppressed.
The candour and passion with which she narrated her stories inspired readers across the globe to fight life's adversities and calamities. In many ways she rekindled hope in the minds of underdogs, especially women, reinforcing the belief that one can achieve great heights even from the depths of darkness. Despite all the hate and discrimination she experienced, as a child and a young adult, she displayed an infinite capacity for love. This is aptly expressed in her observation that "Bitterness is like a cancer; it eats on the host." The great granddaughter of a slave, Angelou rose to become a renaissance woman who inspired social change in the black history' of the United States.
When 1 reflect on her incredible life I am haunted by a nagging question: Why is it that people like Angelou are able to surmount all the obstacles that life throws in their path? Psychiatrists, therapists and spiritual gurus offer us a range of reasons for why some have the grit and determination to fight calamity, while others simply buckle under pressure. We know that success factors include a positive attitude, the ability to focus, a strong motivation to achieve, genetic disposition and an element of luck. Some would argue that gender, race and income level are variables that affect the success equation. And to a certain extent all of this is true. However, if we examine the remarkable lives of many successful people of current times like Steve jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates we see a common thread running through their stories. Most have faced adversity and have not succumbed to life's challenges. As a matter of fact, it appears that the troubles and hurdles they have encountered have in some ways strengthened their resolve. One thing is clear, the successful ones are not necessarily' the ones that hit the jackpot in their first try'. They are the ones who learned lessons from their failures and moved forward.
The same is true of Maya Angelou. Her life was not one great success story' but a mixed bag of failures, mistakes and achievements. But she always assumed responsibility for her mistakes and never looked upon herself as a victim. Most importantly, she did not dismiss the external odds as her fate but each time she fell she picked herself up with renewed vigor. In many ways she dispelled the much-accepted idea that our success is dictated by a pre-ordained destiny. On the contrary; her life is an example of how one can reshape one's destiny by learning from one's failures. As she asserts: "What I learned to do many years ago was to forgive myself. It is very' important for every' human being to forgive herself or himself because if you live, you will make mistakes - it is inevitable You can ask forgiveness of others, but in the end the real forgiveness is in one's own self."
At the core is the idea of self-accountability and accepting responsibility for our actions. Once we are able to forgive ourselves we begin to love who we are. And love for oneself appears to be at the very' root of self-esteem, which is a key element of success. Angelou sums it up best: "Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it."
There is no magic bullet for ensuring success but the most valuable lesson we can learn from the remarkable lives of people like Maya Angelou is to love ourselves, especially when we feel "least seen and least loved."