“We can’t always choose what life brings, but we can choose how to respond.”

I look at this quote of one of the most idiosyncratic people I’ve ever read about on days when I feel like I’m 103 and not coping well.

Emahoy Guebrou is a 93-year old nun who has had an extraordinary life and to this day continues to respond in constructive ways to obstacles in her way.

She came from an upperclass Ethiopian family, was sent to boarding school in Switzerland at the ripe age of 6. Discovered music, got a great musical education in Europe and Africa, partied with Haile Selassie in the 30s, fought for gender equality, and eventually, at age 23, was set to go to London for a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music. Unclear what happened next to prevent her from going, but she dropped life in the fast lane and self-exiled into the religious life of a nun, running around barefoot in the hills of Ethiopia.

Which did not prevent her from fostering her extraordinary musical talents – she composes and edits to this day. Hope your day improves just like mine does by reading about her quirky life and listening to her jazz-infused music.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/apr/17/ethiopia-93-year-old-singing-nun-emahoy-tsegue-maryam-guebrou

Song of the Sea, one of her best know compositions, inspired choice of photographs.

Here is the homeless wonderer – yes, with an o not an a……..