Words are powerful. They shape our relationships, influence how we see ourselves, and impact how we experience the world.
In this episode of The Echoes Podcast, poet, author, and educator Olga Samples Davis shares her reflections on the significance of words—whether spoken in kindness, passed down through generations, or rooted in faith. Olga reflects on her mother’s wisdom, her journey as an educator, and her faith in the transformative power of language. Because, Olga says, kindness transcends barriers.
NOTES: Do you like this story? You’ll love Echoes Magazine. Print subscriptions are free from the H. E. Butt Foundation:
Ernest Hemingway - “We are all broken - that’s how the light gets in”
The Story of Jabez (1 Chronicles 4:10)
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” - Howard Thurman
Production Team:
Written and produced by Camille Hall-Ortega, Rob Stennett, and Marcus Goodyear
Words are powerful. They shape our relationships, influence how we see ourselves, and impact how we experience the world.
In this episode of The Echoes Podcast, poet, author, and educator Olga Samples Davis shares her reflections on the significance of words—whether spoken in kindness, passed down through generations, or rooted in faith. Olga reflects on her mother’s wisdom, her journey as an educator, and her faith in the transformative power of language. Because, Olga says, kindness transcends barriers.
NOTES: Do you like this story? You’ll love Echoes Magazine. Print subscriptions are free from the H. E. Butt Foundation:
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” - Howard Thurman
Production Team:
Written and produced by Camille Hall-Ortega, Rob Stennett, and Marcus Goodyear
The Echoes Podcast dives into real-world questions about community, faith, and human connection. Guided by hosts Marcus Goodyear and Camille Hall-Ortega, each episode explores personal journeys and societal challenges with inspiring guests—from faith leaders and poets to social advocates—whose stories shape our shared experiences. Through conversations with figures like Rev. Ben McBride, who moved his family to East Oakland’s “Kill Zone” to serve his community, or poet Olga Samples Davis, who reflects on the transformative power of language, we bring to light themes of belonging, resilience, and the meaning of home.
From the creators of Echoes Magazine by the H. E. Butt Foundation, The Echoes Podcast continues the magazine's legacy of storytelling that fosters understanding, empathy, and action.
Marcus Goodyear:
Last year, in the second community survey from the H.E.Butt Foundation, we asked subscribers of Echoes Magazine a series of questions about their community including this one. What words do you live by? We weren't just asking for your favorite song lyrics or dad wisdom. We hoped you would share how you connect with God, how you see God working in the world, and you didn't disappoint us. Now most of you cited the bible, which is a good reminder how many of you believe all scripture is God breathed and useful for teaching.
Marcus Goodyear:
But a lot of you cited other religious texts, and you shared poetry and music and literature. There's so many different perspectives and beliefs in our audience. It's it's like we say at Laity Lodge, we have an agenda, but we don't have an agenda for you. In fact, when we set agendas aside, we can build a beautiful world together. No matter where your words come from, you focused on the same themes, love and service.
Marcus Goodyear:
The overwhelming majority of you are living by positive and uplifting words like hope and peace, joy, faith, family, kindness, gratitude, strength, and I'll be honest this really encouraged me. When I open social media or read the news it can feel like we are just all negativity and fear and hatred. I mean, hatred is loud, but at least in our audience, there actually isn't very much of it. What would the world be like if we shared more words of love and hope?
Marcus Goodyear:
I'm Marcus Goodyear from the H.E.Butt Foundation, and you're listening to the Echoes Podcast. On today's episode, we welcome our guest, Olga Samples-Davis. Olga is an educator, retired from Saint Philip's College in San Antonio and a poet. I'm here with my co-host, Camille Hall-Ortega. Today, we're going to talk about the words we live by.
Marcus Goodyear:
Olga, friend, welcome to the Echoes Podcast.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
Yes. Welcome.
Olga Samples-Davis:
Thank you.
Marcus Goodyear:
Yes. We've been talking about, words to live by, and we asked our audience about words to live by. And I'm just curious why do you think it's important, or or do you think it's important to have words to live by?
Olga Samples-Davis:
I certainly do think it's important. Of course, I agree with many of these wise people in the survey. We start with the bible or we somehow include the bible, and we look for these compasses to guide us in life. We're all broken. I love what Hemingway said about that.
Olga Samples-Davis:
He said, "We're just all broken, but that's how the light comes in."
Marcus Goodyear:
Yeah.
Olga Samples-Davis:
And I always think about that. The words have come in my life from not just the Bible, which was the teachings in our home, but all those teachers, everyday teachers in our lives, learning was something you had to be cognizant of every minute of your life, and everyone had something to teach. You just had to pay attention.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
Olga, we gave a little brief intro of you, but I'm curious about some of your background. I'd love to know who instilled in you a love for literature and for poetry. I'd love to know sort of where the roots of that are for you.
Olga Samples-Davis:
There were many. There were many. My mother more most importantly. But she came from a long line of preachers and teachers at a time when a very difficult time because my her father was a minister ordained. Sold the only valuable thing that they owned as a family, the house, to make it possible for him to go to seminary and for my grandmother to go to college.
Olga Samples-Davis:
That's insane, people would say, but they believed in education. So it we come from a long line of people that are very serious yet joyful about learning and sharing.
Marcus Goodyear:
That is amazing. I mean, I don't know that education is only about words, but to to be willing to sell your house must mean that you believe in the power of education, the power of words.
Olga Samples-Davis:
I'm telling you. And God.
Marcus Goodyear:
Yes.
Olga Samples-Davis:
It was God-centered.
Marcus Goodyear:
Can you imagine a situation where somebody is living by words that are different than the words you live by? And and what do you do in that situation?
Olga Samples-Davis:
I have found throughout my travels in this world, be it the neighborhood, the city, a state, a nation, a continent, that kindness is the language that the blind can see and the deaf can hear. I might not know your language. You might not know mine, but there's something magical. Maybe magical isn't the right word, but something so rich and good about kindness that people learn to communicate enough to get to where they want to go.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
I imagine that someone like you who values words so much can can make just a huge difference in people's lives just as you converse with them. How do you find yourself using words to encourage others?
Olga Samples-Davis:
You find the divine in people, and you try to find it very quickly. The only reason why I stayed in education as long as I did was because you have a chance to really do community service in education. I mean, that's some serious work there. People come with a great deal of pain. You don't know what burden they're carrying.
Olga Samples-Davis:
You don't know where they've been, where they're going. I mean, you have no idea of their circumstance until they start telling their story. And I was in a discipline where you told your stories all the time in a communication division. And literally, there were people in the class who just break down crying and everybody else is crying too, But it was a safe place. It was a sacred place. And in those moments, you're able to just touch a divineness in a person's soul and offer them help because now you know more. And now that you know more, you have to do more.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
I'm hearing now that we share some background, which I think is really exciting. My educational background is also in communication studies. And I got to teach at the college level as well. And I'm just thinking about you are bringing up memories for me that are so meaningful. I taught a public speaking course, a summer course.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
And when you're teaching a class like that, your audience can run the gamut. The students, some of them were back in their hometown for the summer and they were going into a 4-year program at a big university and they're just here to get a a credit out of the way to
Camille Hall-Ortega:
take back to their university. And some folks were working a full time job and taking, you know, classes here and there. And in a public speaking course, you have people you know, Jerry Seinfeld makes the joke, like, people are are more afraid of public speaking than they are of death. So people would rather be in the casket than giving the the eulogy, which which I always thought was a funny joke. But you have people who are really fearful of sharing words in front of other folks.
Olga Samples-Davis:
You are so right.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
Yes. And so to see growth from people learning how to share their voice with words, prepared words or extemporaneous words, was such a gift. I imagine you have a lot of stories of of students that sort of found the power of words in your classroom and beyond?
Olga Samples-Davis:
I've been blessed to have them teach me, the first few months of a public speaking class when they're telling these personal stories. I've had I had one woman to go in labor.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
Woah.
Olga Samples-Davis:
A man to faint. I mean, it was just like something out of a nightmare, you know, that you're right. It's like the fear of dying. So everyone waits to take that course very end, to the very end of the course. And they just I mean, you you didn't know what to expect next, really, quite frankly. Some people got up and walked out and everyone came back even though I tried to track them down. It was just so painful right up there with the fear of dying.
Marcus Goodyear:
What do you think is the source of that pain?
Olga Samples-Davis:
Do you remember that old joke or someone called it a joke, but really for some people it's reality. It's almost like you're butt naked in front of an audience. You know, being a little bit uncomfortable. I mean, you're you're sharing your most intimate thoughts if you're telling a personal story, which is one of the most effective ways to get the attention of an audience. So you're bearing your soul. You probably haven't even buried your soul with most members of your family.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
That's right.
Olga Samples-Davis:
And then they have something on you. You know? You're afraid of them having something that they could use later.
Marcus Goodyear:
So it's like a it's like a fear of intimacy, but but not an inappropriate fear because people use intimacy against each other.
Olga Samples-Davis:
Yes. Yes.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
Or to get closer. Right?
Olga Samples-Davis:
Yes. Yes. But what I loved about the classes is if you stayed, we had this common commitment to cherish and keep to ourselves with those stories. I mean, we didn't go out. We didn't hear them all over campus or anything like that.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
Right.
Olga Samples-Davis:
So I thought that that whole trustworthiness that I tried to ensure for them, They took it and made it happen for real. And they're still in touch. Most of my students are still in touch with others in their classes. So I'm hoping that continues.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
There's a bond that's created in that vulnerability.
Olga Samples-Davis:
Yeah.
Marcus Goodyear:
How did you find the courage to share your voice and your stories?
Olga Samples-Davis:
I had a mother that said you'll do it or you'll die.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
Nothing like a mother to threaten that.
Olga Samples-Davis:
I mean, come on. I brought you in this world, I'll take you out. I mean, she didn't mean that she'd actually take us to meet Jesus early, but you felt like she meant it. You you and you have to understand at the time when I was growing up, the only safe haven you had very few safe havens, so the church was the mainstay.
Olga Samples-Davis:
And at church, you had to learn to tell your story no matter how old you were, how young you were. You had to learn to speak aloud scripture no matter how old, how young you were. So you were responsible for speaking aloud those words that could change lives, and you have to take it seriously. It was not a simple, I'm going to memorize this. You have to feel it or you did it over and over and over and over again.
Olga Samples-Davis:
It was a torture at times. But you understood later why that was so important. And in those rough times in life, that's when you could call it up and say, uh-huh. Oh, yeah. I understand that I can do all things through him who gives me strength.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
That's right.
Marcus Goodyear:
Yeah. Now in a church, you've got, multiple generations together. It's a little bit different than a classroom where you have usually sort of 1 generation and then the teacher. Do you think that different generations need different words?
Camille Hall-Ortega:
I think the words change regardless. I mean we're in a society where we're constantly evolving, and people are creating what's best for them in terms of their communication processes or whatever. They are they're making their thing happen, so to speak in certain generations.
Olga Samples-Davis:
So guess what? Jump on the wagon, find out how I can relate to you, and expand your territory. Take an opportunity to find out what's going on. It would behoove you to do so. I mean, it's called life.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
Right.
Olga Samples-Davis:
If you really wanna live it, you need to try to jump on the bandwagon and understand as much as you can.
Marcus Goodyear:
When you say expand your territory, I usually hear that used to mean expand your your finances and power and stuff. But you're using it to talk about language, to talk about understanding?
Olga Samples-Davis:
Yes. Yes. Yeah. I certainly am.
Olga Samples-Davis:
I think, what is it? And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, oh, that you would bless me indeed and expand my territory. That your hand would be with me and that you keep me from evil that I may not cause pain and God grant him what he requested. So, yeah, I'm using it in the sense of, by any means necessary, do what you have to do in order to grow without hurting someone else, and certainly not yourself either.
Marcus Goodyear:
This is the 20th anniversary of your book, Things My Mama Told Me. Does it feel like it's been 20 years?
Olga Samples-Davis:
Mm-mm.
Marcus Goodyear:
They go fast. So when I when I picked up this book again recently and I was, you know, thinking about it as a tribute to your mama, I forgot that very early in the book you tell this story where your mom is kinda picking on you. And you tell yourself, just accept it. You are her target today. It's fine. And it's not the sort of thing I was expecting to get so early on in this book about your mother's wisdom.
Marcus Goodyear:
And I'm wondering, how did you how do you love your mother's wisdom and also still acknowledge that, like, not every wisdom not not every moment in her life is full of wisdom. How do you how do you create that separation?
Olga Samples-Davis:
Marcus, you have children, don't you?
Marcus Goodyear:
Yes.
Olga Samples-Davis:
Each child is treated a little bit differently. You have to tweak your little program for each child. I was that child that needed tough love. Really. I mean, when I said I was the target that day, just suck it up buttercup.
Olga Samples-Davis:
Basically, I knew school was in session. I needed to pay attention because I was about to get the premiere lesson here for a host of things that I thought I knew something about and didn't know diddly. So I just always got ready with, it was a certain look, a certain response. I said, oh, I'm in trouble with missus Bubble, so to speak. It's about to come.
Olga Samples-Davis:
And so really, it was just these are really moments of wisdom on a different level. I got wise when she made me go through whatever steps I needed to go through to be better at what it was that I should have done right the first time. She did not play.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
Oh my goodness. Yes. I love I love this thought of a mother's wisdom and a mother's words being so powerful because we know that relationship, you know, for most people, it it's meaningful in some way, whether really positive or really negative or somewhere in between. The mom-child relationship is really powerful. I'm curious to know you've shared a little bit, but I'm curious to know what's maybe one piece of wisdom that you received from your mother that is most memorable for you.
Olga Samples-Davis:
Actually, one day she said to me, I made a terrible mistake. And she said simply, in a stern yet loving voice, "That behavior was not worthy of you." It just hurt so much. And it was the way she said it, yet with the love and respect for what it was that she knew was good in me, but yet I had not demonstrated that. But when she said that behavior was not worthy of you.
Olga Samples-Davis:
Oh, and this made me rethink a 1,000 different things. I went into a silent retreat literally, and said nothing for the rest of the day. She had come in and check on me because she said, oh my goodness. Are you sick? I mean, she didn't even realize the power of the statement.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
And it stuck with you. It stuck with you so that those words moved you.
Olga Samples-Davis:
It did. To have that in my mind, you know, is this I mean, when someone's rude and ugly to me, don't go there, Olga. Don't go there. Find something right about the situation. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Olga Samples-Davis:
Find something right. Do not leave this way. Don't even walk away even if that looks like a fight. Just stay and see if you can't find something right or divine about this situation and use it or celebrate it.
Marcus Goodyear:
Yeah. That that's a that's such a simple challenge when we're faced with so many negative words to to always look for the good. I wonder, like, what does it look like to have a healthier Texas or or a healthier America? What kind of words do we need to use to to feel like we are being you know rebaptized every day as a state or as a nation?
Olga Samples-Davis:
I don't know if I have the answer to that, but I will say what I know has worked for me. To try to be a better representative of God each day. I just choose to be kind and I don't know it's it doesn't always work a 100%. I miss the mark often, but I try to be kind. And by that, I mean, to just use words and deeds with everyday people I run across, including family, of course, and friends to just let those words and deeds offer hope and healing and love and laughter and joy and inspiration and illumination, education, encouragement, kindness.
Olga Samples-Davis:
I think kindness is just one of the byproducts of love. But those other gifts I mentioned, they're doable. You go into the grocery store. Come on. Sometimes the cashier is just having a terrible day, And they don't mind taking it out on you because you're not paying them.
Olga Samples-Davis:
So you you could just ask some how are you doing today? Fine. You know, it's very gruff and rough and, just refusal to to make a connection. It's but all you have to do is find one right thing about that person and compliment them on, and they will change. You gotta try to look for the divine, true enough, but just basic things.
Olga Samples-Davis:
And if they can if you can just do a little of that, it's like my big thing is I'm not leaving this town until I make that person smile. And I have the worst jokes in the world. The worst. I they're so corny. They're just awful. You have to laugh because they're so crazy. And sometimes that works, but I have to work hard at that. So I try to do something else. But just that color becomes you. You know?
Olga Samples-Davis:
What color is that? Then they have to answer you. Green. Okay. Alright. Like money. Right? You know, you can just just a small, tiny little thing can make a difference. And then I usually try to keep going back to that person until they they come come around and they know me by name. And I know them by name because I always that's another thing.
Olga Samples-Davis:
It's a simple courtesy to speak to that person by name if they have a badge on. It's a simple little thing. And I always use, "Hello, Horatio. Well, young man, look at you today with your bow tie. I'm scared of you."
Olga Samples-Davis:
You know, just have a little fun with it because even if they think you're crazy as a road lizard, that will make them a little joyful because they say, they're crazier than I am. You know? Something more good will come of it, but you do have to try. So I think that's that's where we begin with just being healthy. So maybe we can exchange other things like the difficult topics.
Olga Samples-Davis:
Meanness meanness is is hard to swallow.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
Yeah.
Olga Samples-Davis:
It's hard to swallow. And I think some meanness, there's a degree of most mean things said and done are out of ignorance. I think people don't know any better. And if we're not helping them to get to better, it it's not gonna get better. I mean, really, quite frankly. Misinformation is out there.
Marcus Goodyear:
Yeah. Say more about that.
Olga Samples-Davis:
Yeah. In the classroom, it's our responsibility to help people research properly.
Marcus Goodyear:
That's right.
Olga Samples-Davis:
And to go to primary sources. Right?
Marcus Goodyear:
Yeah.
Olga Samples-Davis:
Legitimate. We're not talking about some fly by night publication that came in or some really unconscionable media situations out here. It's just all over the place. It's hard to even wrap your head around at times.
Marcus Goodyear:
Yeah.
Olga Samples-Davis:
But it starts with, well, where did you get that information from? And if you're able to help them see that maybe that was an incredible source, that there's maybe heightened understanding and you gap going to another source? Or here's some things that I've learned. Would that be helpful? Usually, if you ask them a question, it's not as intimidating.
Olga Samples-Davis:
I was in the grocery store not long ago, and someone didn't notice. I was behind an individual who turned around and used a terrible name in describing black people. And I said, "Oh, where? What? Who? What? You know, because I know my rightful name."
Olga Samples-Davis:
So I figured he wasn't talking about me. Of course, I know he was, but the the thing is I said, "Sir, did you do you know the actual dictionary definition of that word?" And of course, he wasn't gonna talk to me. But I was in a safe enough place where I could at least put that forth and hope I could run fast in my car when I got out of there.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
Wow.
Marcus Goodyear:
Amazing that you can laugh about it.
Olga Samples-Davis:
It was it was a public place, a very respectable public place, but, you know, for him to shout out what he did those people and then use that term was just too much. It was just one of those times where all they had to say something. Sure. And Absolutely. I said, sir, you'll find under if you go to the dictionary, you'll find anyone's name can be under that.
Olga Samples-Davis:
Terrible word that you use to describe other people. I said, "Have a nice day. God bless you." I got my clothing right there and then walked out the store because I didn't I couldn't that's all I could do. But to not do something was not in order.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
You exchanged his hatred and words for kindness with yours.
Olga Samples-Davis:
Yeah. I wasn't angry. I was really more sad.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
Sure.
Olga Samples-Davis:
Yeah. I was not, you know, I don't do the anger thing. I mean, even when I was in the civil rights movement and your life was constantly threatened, I never remembered being angry. I just remembered being sad and saying, okay, gotta work harder.
Olga Samples-Davis:
But all of us can find in our vocabulary words of kindness for our siblings. After all, we're all human beings. Right. And that that's that's a I'm going to, a side topic here because I want the words that they say, the Thurgood Marshall said about this humanness.
Olga Samples-Davis:
He said, "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that because that is what the world needs." And then he said, "In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute." All we have to do is recognize the humanity of our fellow beings, and we pay ourselves the highest tribute.
Marcus Goodyear:
I was gonna ask you what word do you think the world needs now, but I love this idea that what the world needs is for us to come alive. Sometimes, Olga, I almost have trouble believing that you're you. It does that make sense? Like, you're just so good. And I like, what like, what's your secret?
Olga Samples-Davis:
Uh-uh. I I can be a pill. I can be it's like you really don't want to see me on a tear in a classroom when somebody has broken all the rules. It's not nice. It's respectful. But it's not nice.
Olga Samples-Davis:
You wish like I wish that day. I wish my mother had just gone and beat me instead of saying that behavior was not worthy of you, darling. You know? I, oh, I I have my moments like everybody else.
Olga Samples-Davis:
I am in pain like everyone else. I was particularly, an awful human being I felt when I was losing my husband, and then I was losing my mom, And I was a caregiver for both of them, and they I was losing them in my home. I just felt like I messed it all up, and I wasn't getting support from the people I who had promised support. And it was just if ever I was angry in life at a time, there were times when I was angry then. That's that's the only thing.
Olga Samples-Davis:
The civil rights movement didn't bother me. I was like, hey. If you're gonna die, you're gonna die. Walked across this bridge because you don't swim. It's the Chesapeake Bay. Your school's surrounded by the KKK. Walk across this bridge. You know? Come on. Get out of here.
Olga Samples-Davis:
But I thought this this was a whole new ballgame.
Marcus Goodyear:
Do you think you felt more alone and that that's part of it? That in the civil rights you were you were marching in a group whereas with your your husband and your mom, you didn't have as much community.
Olga Samples-Davis:
I was alone, but I forgot something that I usually practice, which was stop pleading with God and just please God.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
Wow.
Olga Samples-Davis:
I was like, Oh, my God. Lord, please, you know, please so I messed up. That's where I messed up. Took me a while to figure it out, but I was spending too much energy pleading and not pleasing.
Marcus Goodyear:
And to please God means what to you?
Olga Samples-Davis:
Well, during that time, trust and obey. You know? I wasn't running things. I had to really think about it. I mean, I was doing the care, but who's in charge? God's in charge.
Marcus Goodyear:
That's beautiful, Olga. Any last words about words?
Olga Samples-Davis:
I've always believed in the power of the word, and I've always believed in that understanding that at the touch of love, everyone speaks in poetic words.
Marcus Goodyear:
I love it. I love it. Olga, thank you so much for for joining us today. It is always a delight, and today has been no exception.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
Wonderful to have you with us. Thank you. Thank you.
Olga Samples-Davis:
Pleasure.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
The Echoes Podcast is written and produced by Marcus Goodyear, Rob Stennett, and me, Camille Hall-Ortega. It's edited by Rob Stennett and Kim Stone. Our executive producers are Patton Dodd and David Rogers. Special thanks to our guest today, Olga Samples-Davis. The Echoes Podcast is a production brought to you by the H E H.E.Butt Foundation.
Camille Hall-Ortega:
You can learn more about our vision and mission at hebfdn.org.