2014 Week 21: Wise Words from Maya Angelou

This week I'd like to defer the floor to a woman of grace, dignity, and brilliance.  Here are a few of my favorite quotes of Maya Angelou in honor of the light she shone in this world.  Though she is gone, may her words continue to inspire!

• I believe that each of us comes from the creator trailing wisps of glory.

• You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. 

• If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.

• Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.  
  

•  Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
  I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
  But when I start to tell them,
  They think I’m telling lies.
  I say,
  It’s in the reach of my arms
  The span of my hips,
  The stride of my step,
  The curl of my lips.
  I’m a woman
  Phenomenally.
  Phenomenal woman,
  That’s me.

• When you know better, you do better. 

• I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life." I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.