A while ago I came across a quote by Ms. Paula Williams Madison, the former Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer for NBC Universal. It read, “ I never believed that I was not powerful…Believing that you can’t be owned, believing that you have the right and the option to say no comes from a sense of self. Believing that whatever skills you have are transferable and can carry you from one job to the next; that those skills are superior enough to give you the freedom to walk away from any job and find another- that’s a foundation of power.” That statement stirred my mind. Before that moment, I cannot remember the last time I had read something so powerful. Madison wasn’t simply speaking about a job, as she mentioned she was discussing the foundation of influence and becoming acquainted with oneself. Two very important aspects that not many people have come to learn. These are the groundwork for motivation. Furthermore, it is the mixture between words and life or life with words that shift us toward progress.
Not a Novel Reader
I am not a novel reader. For many that would be surprising, seeing as though my love words often pop up in various aspects of my life. I equate words with life or life with words. (Is that the same thing? *shrug*) Placing letters together to paint puzzling pictures at times for all to dissect or merely ponder.
Yet, like any natural writer the way that I view the world is not simply shaped by the words I organize within my mind to create a coherent reality. I read. I read other peoples thoughts, statements, beliefs, traditions, and personality all to provide clarity in a life that I did not receive a manual for.
I read. Not novels, but people. I learn their thoughts, ideals, wishes and dreams. I organize their words within my mind mixing them with my heart moving me to act. I am building my foundation and settling in my power. This is my reality and part of the reason of why I write.