Span of 40 years

Lena Horne (1941) was 24 years old.

 June 30, 1917 – May 9, 2010

Lena Horne (1981) was 64 years old. Her sultry voice aroused me at that age. Of all the things to remember about a woman her voice ranks high on the list because her intonation speaks to places within a man that may or may not be alert. A man's awareness can awaken by sound. There is the sound of a woman's presence, the sound of her look, the tone of her presence, the menace of her anger, the clinch of her convictions, and the stamina of her vigor, and the feel of her eyes. These speak to the subtle bodies of a man's nature. How we listen determines how we receive the gifts and the lessons of our lives upon the Earth, our Mother from the women in our lives and the women surrounding us with their daily lives!

If the sound of a woman's voice does not awaken the need for connection something is amiss within the man, and shortens the sense of wonder a woman can evoke within a man, or it is simply that her voice does not speak to his soul and resonate for other reasons. The ardor of the fires within a man's loins, the smell of a woman's allure, the pretense of machismo, and the fear of not being enough will make some men behave poorly, and motivate others to be better; not good enough, but the best of themselves.

Women are the center of Life because divinity rests at their center place in ways that made Creation possible, and the Creator accessible. A woman is the nature of a poem if she knows herself, and is better than the societal role given her gender. - Dawn Wolf, Keeper of Stories 11.4.13

symbol of Tranquility

For decades Lena Horne represented the contradictions of race, and talked about it publicly. She was a study, and for Colored folks a model of excellence for which she was forgiven for being light skinned. 

I didn't grow up in a house bound by judgements of shades of Black or Brown skin tones. 'Color-struck' was something I read about as a teenager, but for millions it was a big deal. I understand it now, but as I remember Lena Horne's observations she deplored the system and used it to her advantage to become an activist, and a professional singer. This is a strategy and it worked for her. She wished the nation would ascend beyond the legacy of European conquest, and the survival mechanisms people of color employ worldwide to survive, live and prosper in the system of thought, belief and practice imposed upon them by the European's spirit and will! - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 11.4.13