I have encountered Maya Angelou (1928-) and her inspiring work as poet and writer a number of times. She has been awarded 30 honorary degrees and nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. She was the first poet to recite a poem 'On the Pulse of Morning' at President Bill Clinton's inauguration in 1993 since Robert Frost recited at J.F. Kennedy's inauguration in 1961.
Several memorable quotes attributed to her include:
-Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
-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.
-If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain.
-I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way (s)he handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.
-Be a rainbow in someone else's cloud.
-We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.
-Be present in all things and thankful for all things.
-I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as 'making a life'.
With quotations like the above, one can understand why Angelou is a pivotal writer.
If you like this post, please use the share buttons below.
