“Be certain that you do not die without having done something wonderful for humanity.”

— Maya Angelou, Letter to My Daughter (2009)

About Maya Angelou

1928 – 2014

American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist celebrated for her series of autobiographies. Known for her lyrical prose and unflinching honesty about trauma and resilience.

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“If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.”

— Maya Angelou

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“You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”

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“Death, like generation, is a secret of Nature.”

— Marcus Aurelius

“If we open a quarrel between the past and the present, we shall find that we have lost the future.”

— Winston Churchill

“No hour of life is lost that is spent in the saddle.”

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“A witticism is an epigram on the death of a feeling.”

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“Accepting the absurdity of everything around us is one step, a necessary experience: it should not become a dead end.”

— Albert Camus

“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes!”

— Benjamin Franklin

“Be certain that you do not die without having done something wonderful for humanity.”

About Maya Angelou

More from Maya Angelou

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