Maya Angelou’s words have resonated with her audiences for years, as they were often full of inspiration and strength.
The poet, author, and civil rights activist -- who died Wednesday at the age of 86 -- had a way of saying the simplest of things in the most eloquent of ways. Her first autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, published in 1969, resulted in international recognition and led to six more autobiographies and a number of poetry anthologies.
Even her last tweet left the world in quiet reflection:
Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God.
— Maya Angelou (@DrMayaAngelou) May 23, 2014
Considered a literary genius by many, CTVNews.ca has compiled some of her most memorable and inspirational quotes.
On love:
"Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope."
"Never make someone a priority when all you are to them is an option."
“My great hope is to laugh as much as I cry; to get my work done and try to love somebody and have the courage to accept the love in return.”
“Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.”
On writing:
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story within you.”
“When 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.”
“There’s a world of difference between truth and facts. Facts can obscure truth.”
On work:
“Nothing will work unless you do.”
“All great achievements require time.”
“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.”
“The desire to reach for the stars is ambitious. The desire to reach hearts is wise.”
On life:
“I am a woman phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that’s me.”
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour, and some style.”
“I love to see a young girl go out there and grab the world by the labels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass.”
“I do not trust people who don’t love themselves and yet tell me, ‘I love you.’ There is an African saying which is: Be careful when a naked person offers you a shirt.”
“The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them.”
“Don’t trust people who don’t laugh”
“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.”
“One isn’t necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.”
“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain.”
“You may not control all events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them”
“We may encounter defeats but we must not be defeated.”
“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.”
“Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. But anger is like fire. It burns it all clean.”
