Maya Angelou an example of continuing growth

I have often quoted the wise sayings of Dr. Maya Angelou, but I never knew very much about her until her death on May 28. I was amazed at what this poor black woman from the segregated South made of herself. She was a poet, an essayist, novelist, educator, dramatist, historian, producer, actor, singer, dancer, filmmaker, and civil rights and political activist.

Her activism included working with Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. She also recited an original work at President Bill Clinton’s first inauguration, only the second poet in U.S. history to do so. The poem she delivered, “On the Pulse of Morning,” was nominated for two Grammy Awards.

When Maya Angelou was eight, her mother’s boyfriend raped her. When she revealed what happened, her uncles kicked the culprit to death. Frightened by the power of her own tongue, Angelou chose not to speak for the next six years. This is when she starting writing.

She overcame many tremendous obstacles in life that helped to make her the person she ultimately became. When someone challenged her by saying, “You probably can’t do that,” Angelou would show them by doing what they said she couldn’t do. She is a great example of what we can make of ourselves if we put our minds to it.

Here are some quotations from her writings: “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.”

“The desire to reach for the stars is ambitious. The desire to reach hearts is wise.”

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

“What you’re supposed to do when you don’t like a thing is change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. Don’t complain.”

“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.”

“You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.”

“I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.”

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”

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

“I don’t trust people who don’t love themselves and tell me, ‘I love you.’ There is an African saying which is: Be careful when a naked person offers you a shirt.”

“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style.”