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Jamil Abdullah: Life is a Gift

Jamil Abdullah is dedicated to his mission in life: to touch as many lives as possible through his music, poetry, art, and spirituality. He has always prided himself on being the life of the party, and now he spends his days spreading joy at his home, Apple Rehab Laurel Woods.

“Jamil has touched the lives of all the staff, residents, and families here at Apple Rehab Laurel Woods in a quiet, gentle, humble demeanor,” says Director of Recreation Jean Granata, “He is a gentle giant.”

One of Jamil’s talents is singing, which he discovered as a student at Hillhouse High School. Struggling to pass his typing class, the school’s guidance counselor suggested he take chorus instead to make up the credits.

He belonged to the Trinity Temple Church, where he was a choir member for many years, traveling to perform with the group. Jamil has sung on stage in New Haven churches, at Madison Square Garden, and even as far as Kansas City and North Carolina.

Exposed to music for most of his life, Jamil says he thoroughly appreciates the craft, recalling the time a teacher gave him tickets to Woolsey Hall to see a pianist from Argentina.

“I said ,’Oh my God, it’s terrific,’” Jamil says, “I was impressed with her musicality.”

Jamil believes that people who have a talent don’t think about what they’re doing, they just do it. Jamil says he’s always loved dancing, and as shy as he was, he was a confident dancer. He says it’s a gift of his, and he enjoys the improvisation.

“You don’t dance to the music, the music dances to you,” Jamil says.

Another of his talents is poetry, and Jamil says he has poems published in five anthologies. When he began writing poetry, Jamil didn’t want to write about himself, he wanted to write something different, something about humanity. The first poem he had published was “Listen My Brothers and Sisters” in a 1985 anthology, saying he felt “totally elated” seeing his own work in print.

The recipient of the World of Poetry’s Golden Poet award, Jamil recalls attending a convention at the MGM Grand Hotel in Nevada. He had to borrow money from the credit union and use his mother’s charge card to make it there, but says his mother told him to go for it.

“I don’t think in a lifetime you get such an honor,” Jamil says about the experience, “You get to meet and see people who enjoy writing.”

When it comes to poetry and writing in general, Jamil says he feels a connection with people and that inspires him to write what’s important.

“I think that’s part of my success writing,” Jamil says, “I feel deeply. I write something, I can feel the core of the person.”

Jamil is a self-taught artist who always enjoys a creative challenge. He has many of his paintings displayed in his room.

“I’ve always enjoyed drawing, just doodling around, nothing special,” Jamil says.

Always open to new ideas, Jamil created many paintings of rivers using watercolors, but was having trouble finding white paint to illustrate the water foam of the waves, so he began using Elmer’s glue. Amazed with the results, he now regularly paints with glue and watercolors, and jokes that the company should pay him for a sponsorship.

“I love Elmer’s glue now,” Jamil says.

Jamil says his journey in life is a miracle, and that he’s “totally blessed.” He has done volunteer work with the intention of touching people’s lives is a positive manner, and has two children and four grandchildren. He has done voiceover work on the radio, and even wrote a history of the Trinity Temple in New Haven in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

“He has taught each and every one of us here a life lesson, something that can’t be learned from a book,” says Granata, “It comes from Jamil’s heart.”