Today I took time to reflect on the influence of Odetta who died at age 77 last week. Odetta had a major spiritual influence on my life. Each time I’ve heard her – either live or recorded – the experience shook the foundation of my values and challenged me to new heights.
I plead with anyone who reads this passage to listen to her performance at the Kent State Music Festival in 2006 (http://www.folkalley.com/music/livefrom/odetta/). It starts with a reading of Marianne Williamson. I’ve never been dry-eyed by the time she gets through a verse of “This little light of mine”. Today I trembled with the revelation.
“May we know that together”.
A transcript of the Marianne Williamson passage:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others”.
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