I had a strange dream last night that I somehow entered a singing competition with my little sister and the moment it got closer to having my turn up on the stage, I think I told my sister she was on her own and found myself edging my way towards the Exit sign in sudden stage fright.
The song I was slated to sing? A Natural Woman by the great Aretha Franklin. Ooooh, that soulful tune still has a way of digging out something rich and deep from my wannabe musical soul.
I personally think that every woman - whether she's black, white, yellow, green, purple, a mother, a single, a wife, a girlfriend, a sister, 20 or 80 years old - should/absolutely must have, at least once, the experience of having that pretend microphone in her hand as she sings this Aretha classic from her heart and soul. Off-key, on-key, whatever. Rock it out, sing it out, girlfriend, in your kitchen, at that karaoke bar, when you have that moment at home mopping up the muddy footprints of your kids on living room floor, when you're getting ready to face the day again in the morning.
Anywhere.
I think that all women are a mix of kinda crazy, kinda strong, kinda weak, sometimes insecure, sometimes superwoman confident and all sorts of beautiful and complex, all human. And singing this song, this high-five/fist bump to Ms. Aretha, in the midst of traffic and rain, from the depths of my all-woman crazy heart and soul - well, it made me just wanna remind other women to do the same. To sing crazy and allow themselves to have those moments in the midst of whatever their day looks like right now.
To feel alive.
Happy Friday, girlfriend.
The song I was slated to sing? A Natural Woman by the great Aretha Franklin. Ooooh, that soulful tune still has a way of digging out something rich and deep from my wannabe musical soul.
I personally think that every woman - whether she's black, white, yellow, green, purple, a mother, a single, a wife, a girlfriend, a sister, 20 or 80 years old - should/absolutely must have, at least once, the experience of having that pretend microphone in her hand as she sings this Aretha classic from her heart and soul. Off-key, on-key, whatever. Rock it out, sing it out, girlfriend, in your kitchen, at that karaoke bar, when you have that moment at home mopping up the muddy footprints of your kids on living room floor, when you're getting ready to face the day again in the morning.
Anywhere.
I think that all women are a mix of kinda crazy, kinda strong, kinda weak, sometimes insecure, sometimes superwoman confident and all sorts of beautiful and complex, all human. And singing this song, this high-five/fist bump to Ms. Aretha, in the midst of traffic and rain, from the depths of my all-woman crazy heart and soul - well, it made me just wanna remind other women to do the same. To sing crazy and allow themselves to have those moments in the midst of whatever their day looks like right now.
To feel alive.
Happy Friday, girlfriend.