I Promise I'm Not Narcissistic

 I've tried to blog before. All of my attempts were a bust. I'm hoping that, by making this more public, I'll be guilted or nagged into writing posts that are on somewhat interesting matter.  However, it wasn't just sheer laziness that kept me from blogging in the past.  The task in itself is a hard journey and requires both patience and interesting life details.  I find that those qualities are somewhat...elusive.

The following are problems with creating a blog:

• template choices and issues
• color choices
• technology issues
• distractions

And the biggest problem? A title and website link name!  Who knew that everyone and their brother thought of the same names as I did?  So what did I do?  The best fallback that there is in the world.  Google "poetry" and let the title reflect upon literature.  Plus, I figured that it would be fitting, considering the whole "English teacher" profession.

As I was browsing, I came upon a poem that I first read in high school.  I had forgotten the power of poetry, and more specifically, I had forgotten how Maya Angelou makes me feel like I can run a marathon.  So, before I proceed with defending the title of my blog, you should probably read this first.

Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

 Okay, so maybe I really don't feel like running a marathon.  But it does make want to gracefully walk about in a pair of red high heels.  Unfortunately, I lack both grace and red heels.  But Angelou infers that my inability to walk in a straight line without falling does not make me any less of a phenomenal woman.  And I was thinking about the women in my life-coworkers, family, friends-and they are all pretty phenomenal.  Teachers, mentors, mothers, wives, servants of Christ...all adjectives that I hope will describe me one day or describe me currently.  I'm hoping that this blog chronicles my steps to becoming all of these.

So, no, I'm not being entirely narcissistic.  I'm just hoping that living my life, loving people, and serving God make me a phenomenal woman without actually being any sort of phenom at all.