Aug. 2: Wise words

This Maya Angelou quote is cram-packed full of profundity, which is a decidedly un-pretty way of saying what it makes me think: WOW.

Angelou is nothing but brilliant in her simplicity. I’m breaking up this long quote of hers by sentence so you don’t miss a tiniest bit of the wow.

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 know for a fact this is true, even though I forget it sometimes. After Dad died, during the most intense periods of my grief, there were days when it really didn’t seem like life could go on—or even that I wanted it to. It reminds me a bit of this W.H. Auden poem, which is a big ol’ downer, but very sweet at the same time.  

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.

Uh oh. I handle rainy days just fine, but lost luggage enrages me and tangled Christmas tree lights can send me right over the edge. Actually, I just toss the tangled lights and buy new ones. So that’s better, right?

(It’s not better, is it?) 

<Sigh.>

I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.

My dad and I had a good relationship at the end, and I adore my mom. I do miss my dad. My mom, though, well, SHE IS NOT ALLOWED TO BE GONE FROM MY LIFE. Hear that, Mom? 

I’ve learned that making a “living” is not the same thing as making a “life.”

Even in my workiest days, I never considered myself a workaholic, but it took having a family for me to understand the difference she refers to here.  

I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

Thank Buddha for this one. Or God. Or Allah. Or the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Whoever passes them out, I’m just glad second chances come sometimes. 

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 hope that I’ve contributed somehow, or if not, that I eventually will. 

I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

Yes, but that open heart has to work with an open mind… 

I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.

WHAT???

Oh.

I get it.

Hm. 

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.

As a not very touchy-feely person, this one’s a challenge. It’s probably a good thing that a lot of people in my life don’t care that I’m not a touchy-feely person and touchy-feel me anyway. They help keep my daily quotient of touchy-feely where it should be. 

I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.

Nah, that can’t be true.  

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.

This is probably the most popular of Maya Angelou’s quotes, or at least I see it around Pinterest a lot. It’s so true. I love it.

And I probably love you.