These twenty-three heartrending Maya Angelou quotes are the definition of words to live by.
Through her award-winning poetry and her civil rights activism, Maya Angelou became the voice of so many who were unable to make themselves heard. The author of I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings inspired countless people around the world and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011, just three years before her death at age 86.
Like her incredible legacy, these touching Maya Angelou quotes on love, loss, pain, and virtue will endure for eternity:
You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.YouTubeIf you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain.YouTubeNo matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.YouTubeFirst best is falling in love. Second best is being in love. Least best is falling out of love. But any of it is better than never having been in love.YouTubeWe spend precious hours fearing the inevitable. It would be wise to use that time adoring our families, cherishing our friends, and living our lives.YouTubeI don't trust anyone who doesn't laugh.YouTubeI'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.YouTubeLove recognizes no barries. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.FlickrI've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as "making a life."We need much less than we think we need.Most people don't grow up. Most people age. They find parking spaces, honor their credit cards, get married, have children, and call that maturity. What that is, is aging.FlickrThe first time someone shows you who they are, believe them.FlickrYou can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.YouTubeYou can only become truly accomplished doing something you love. Don't make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can't take their eyes off of you.YouTubeHate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but has not solved one yet.YouTubeWhen I look back, I am so impressed again with the life-giving power of literature. If I were a young person today, trying to gain a sense of myself in the world, I would do that again by reading, just as I did when I was young.YouTubeNever make someone a priority when all you are to them is an option.YouTubeCourage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently.YouTubeIf I am not good to myself, how can I expect anyone else to be good to me?Wikimedia CommonsYou alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.Flickr
