Rest in Peace

I went to sleep last night after learning that the great Maya Angelou had passed. My Facebook feed was flooded with her insightful quotes, but nowhere did I see my favorite poem, one to which I feel particular attachment. Here's the last bit of it:

Don't show me frogs and snakes
And listen for my scream,
If I'm afraid at all
It's only in my dreams.  

I've got a magic charm
That I keep up my sleeve
I can walk the ocean floor
And never have to breathe.  

Life doesn't frighten me at all
Not at all
Not at all.  

Life doesn't frighten me at all.

Her words rang true when Mike and I made the decision to leave the comfort of home and embark on our China-venture. And her words still ring true when I make the decision to leave the comfort of my Shanghai apartment and face the foreign world outside. Thank you, Dr. Angelou, for leaving a legacy of strength, perseverance, and inspiration.

P.S. Did you know that she was San Francisco's first African-American female cable car conductor??