Maya Angelou Questions

1.Angelou says caged birds sing for freedom- I agree. People 'in cages' are sometimes stuck there by self-limitations, and I think that's something to consider. I think any person can get out of whatever bad situation they're in- unless you owe an obsene anount of money to the mob; that one is kind of hard to get out of. Anyway, my point is that people often limit themselves to things they just think they can't do. In reality, your mind is the most powerful thing in the universe. People cry for freedom when all they really need is to look into themselves. Then that cage isn't really a cage anymore.

2. I'm not sure if I personally have that power- it's been a while since I've been in a situation that's considered difficult. In the past, each situation tends to kind tear me down, but I've noticed that I get stronger and stronger each time. It's kind of like passing metal through fire several times to reinforce it.

3. I'm not sure if talking about bad things gives them power... to me it seems like people learn from the past and mistakes others have made, or even bad dreams. You learn in life that you want to avoid those things in the future, but it's kind of hard to when you don't even know about them. There's a difference between ignoring bad things and not letting bad things affect you. However, you also shouldn't brood or obsess about the bad- that leads to a sad, anxious life.

4. Sometimes dreams can tell the truth about us.  I think they reveal our fears, desires, emotions, etc. The things that our mind knows we need to either get over or kick into gear. I've had countless nightmares relating to things that scare me, but with each new nightmare I find that certain thing easier to face, and eventually I get over it. Dreams could very well be the ultimate coping mechanism.