Living Each Day in Spring Time

Like many kids, I had the silliest fears as a child. Sure enough as I grew older, shadows and mushrooms weren't so threatening. Living and growing older brought on an entirely different set of fears. Would I be successful? Could I make my parents proud? Will I ever pay back my student loans? Can I really make it thirty-four miles on one gallon of gas?

Yes. There's much to keep me up each night, but the greatest fear is that I may not be able protect the two little people who mean the most to me in this world from any bad thing that could ever happen. I suppose that's the reason I get chills and tears start to form when I hear Minnie Riperton's final televised performance of "Lovin' You".

Maybe it's the way she flawlessly delivered her hit song. It could be the way that she effortlessly showcased her vocal range and talent. But if I had to put a pin on it, I would say it was the way she held it together as she called out to her children, knowing that she would likely soon depart this world. Though I've heard it a million times, this single performance changed that song for me forever.

As we amplify black voices this month and ideally, every day from here on out, I hope that this is one voice that the world remembers for more than just its five octaves. There is an interview in which she told a story about a Hollywood bank who refused to deposit her check until she proved her identity by singing to a recording executive over the phone. In the same interview, she calmly talks about the lion who lunged at her during a video shoot, saying that she never felt as though the lion would hurt her. She was the epitome of grace under pressure.

Like so many black women of her day and mine, she faced discrimination with humility. Unlike any other black woman I know, she faced a lion without fear. Then, like too many women I know of all races and ethnic backgrounds, she faced cancer with courage. After her diagnosis and a mastectomy, this icon continued to perform and entertain audiences everywhere. She was one of the first celebrities to publicly acknowledge her battle with cancer and became the spokesperson for the American Cancer Society.

Three months after that riveting last performance, Minnie Riperton succumbed to breast cancer. However, watching her life, her accomplishments, and her achievements, I do not believe that cancer killed her. We are talking about the woman who gave us beautiful notes in the coveted whistle registry, one of the most beautiful love songs of all time (just ask Billboard), and the lovely and talented Maya Rudolph. And she lives on through all of the above.

I can't sing in the talking register, let alone the whistle register. I may never stand on a stage in a crowded arena. However, I hope that when the lions come for me, I face them with the faith to believe that I won't be harmed and a spirit of forgiveness. I hope when I am denied access to what is rightfully mine, I have the patience and fortitude to endure whatever test may be put before me. I hope that I can face any adversity with the grace, strength, and character she displayed in that final performance. But most of all, I hope that no matter what this life brings, I hope that I can create an atmosphere of love in which my own girls will live each day in springtime. Rest in peace, Minnie Riperton.