Give Take Be

Carol Crawford Smith has lived many lives. Accepted into the prestigious Dance Theatre of Harlem at the age of fourteen, she was swept into a world of glamour, bright lights, and globe-trotting adventure. Her loves have been just as luminous: from her childhood sweetheart to her big-city romances, she has sought throughout her life to give and receive love. But with the excitement has come heartbreak. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, she loses not only her ability to dance but, in time, even the freedom to go out and about on her own. Having her home and dance studio featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is a blessing, but her struggles are far from over. Through it all, however, her passion for her true loves—her sons, her faith, and her desire to make the world a better place—only strengthens. Give Take Be is the story of a life of breathtaking highs and catastrophic lows; it is about a woman, the lives she has touched, and those that have touched her in return. It is a story of overcoming crushing adversity by holding on to the simple determination to Give, Take, and Be. “Sometimes you embrace a book...and sometimes a book embraces you. Give Take Be takes us on a warm and personal voyage of the very talented Carol Crawford Smith from being a young professional dancer with the Dance Theatre of Harlem to overcoming the unexpected fears of MS. Carol’s courage and talent, her faith and beliefs carry her through. She won a home makeover and the hearts of all in this community. She no longer physically dances but her heart waltzes to a beautiful tune of always...always...always summer.” Nikki Giovanni Poet