The Zulu Personal Declaration
I
I am
I am woman
I am a beautiful and black woman
I am a loving woman
I am a strong yet sensitive woman
I am a loved woman
by my heavenly Father, an earthly father,
mother, sister, husband, daughter, and a son.
I am a fortunate woman.
I
I am
I am peeling life's hull piece by piece
Each piece I remove reveals something distinct
I am enhancing my techniques
in search of my hearts desire.
I am an aspiring author
with a deep soul to offer.
I
I am
I am blessed;
blessed to have the capability to advance myself.
I am
blessed to have the knowledge and ability to conquer what I desire.
I am blessed to have the strength to walk on through the fire.
I
I am
I am who I say I am,
capable of learning and of teaching.
I am continuously growing, evolving, and educating myself.
I contemplate myself, and the lives of others.
I sympathize with humankind to get a better understanding of my society's needs.
I am shaping a better future for all humanity.
Background Information
The Zulu Personal Declaration was or is a personal narrative that was used by the Zulu tribe of South Africa to encourage individuals of the village to find their true calling and work diligently to achieve and maintain a productive lifestyle. The poem in its original version is much longer, and it is still used in many schools today to help children hone in on their unique gifts. I would like to challenge my readers and followers to fill in the blank: I am ________. Be as truthful as possible with yourself when filling in these blanks so that you can learn to appreciate even more the roles you take on in life and their importance to you and those around you. Live, Love, Laugh!