Saturday 15 October 2011

Some Saturday soul food: Maya Angelou

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Hello, lovely friends. I hope the sun in shining in your little spot in the world. I am willing it to appear after the torrential downpour we've just had on my nearly-dry-five-loads-of-washing-on-the-line. Hmm. That's good old Hobartian spring weather for you ☺. Thanks so much for your generous comments on my first DIY project - now I'm itching to work on her ugly duckling sister for Planet Baby HQ!

I have so many posts buzzing around in my head at the moment, just dying to be written, as well as lots of bloggy ideas I'm looking forward to introducing to you. However, The Great Unpack has resumed again (it's taking forever with life's little interruptions and the combined efforts of the pixies) and with the entire contents of countless boxes strewn all over the dining room floor and table, I need to devote my energies elsewhere.

After my recent post with a quotation of St Thérèse of Lisieux, I think I might make 'Some Saturday soul food' a weekly feature. I relish sharing the wonderful life insights of others and find so many inspirational thoughts in my trips down Blogland's Alice-in-Wonderland-rabbitholes

Today I thought I'd share some thoughts of the inimitable Maya Angelou with you. I'm only just discovering more about her but am enjoying what I've read so far. Here is one of her better-known quotations:
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 they handle 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 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.
I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. 
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.
Lovely sentiments, aren't they? Goodness, every single one resonates with me.  

The first reminds me of the arduous nights of sleep-deprivation Mr PB and I have endured since arriving on Planet Baby.

The second brings to mind Mr PB and I stuck in Dublin Airport on an icy winter day in December 1994, watching the luggage carousel go round and round, with our luggage failing to appear! A 5 hour wait for it then ensued ☺.

The third is obviously poignant for me right now.

And the last is one of my all-time favourite thoughts and something I try to follow in my daily life.

I'd love to hear which ones touch you and why. And if anyone knows more about Maya Angelou, do share - she sounds like an extraordinary woman, in the truest sense of the word. I think I might just have to pop over to Booko to hunt down her books! Enjoy your Saturday, wherever you are.
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20 comments:

  1. What a beautiful post and such gorgeous points to make one think and reflect. Just beautiful. I think the first is the one I feel the most connection to - my Dad used to always say to us girls 'there's always someone better off than you and always someone worse off than you in life'. I try hard to look at the positive in all situations I am faced with (although it doesn't always happen that way) and accept that everything happens for a reason. I also like the one about 'making a life' - Paul and I are big believers in working to live and not living to work. Money and material possessions mean nothing if your life is not happy and fulfilling. And the last line is one I think is really important to live by as a kind of mantra. It's one I'm going to try and live by more often. Hope your Sunday afternoon is a lovely one and you get lots of unpacking done x

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  2. The same thing happened to my washing yesterday - and again today when I hung it out again. I think I'll just leave it now! Lovely thought provoking words, thanks for sharing them.

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  3. I've never heard of her, Jane.

    But your first selection is one I think is always good to remember. And also the quote about losing one's parents. Actually, each sentence says volumes. It'd be nice to have those somewhere prominent as a daily reminder.

    Thank you for giving me something to think about this afternoon. Carmel

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  4. Beautifully said - all of it. They say we don't remember the details of our childhood, but definitely remember how we felt about it. I think 'feeling memories' are absolutely the strongest kind of memory.

    I don't know if you can stream it, but Maya is (or was) a regular on Oprah Radio in the US (satellite radio). Enjoy the rest of your weekend, sweetie :) XOL

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  5. They are poignant and beautiful - each one.
    I love that second one too - walk with me through darkness to see my true colours.
    :-)

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  6. Love this one:
    I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. They are all beautiful! Mimi xx

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  7. "I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one."

    Ohhhhhhh. That one, my hubby would be happy for me to learn ASAP. I am afraid I have been a big pain lately thanks to feeling crap.

    Very timely.

    Thank you.

    xx

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  8. i'd love you to keep producing some shared words of wisdom with us on a saturday J...

    i have a book, sent from another bloggy friend, that i write down these little quotes in...i put them on the blackboard at our front door...

    this months is *choose your attitude*...which one particular girlfriend loves...

    love the 6th one-deciding with an open heart- this is how we have found ourselves in the english countryside!

    Melissa xxx

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  9. Oh thank you so much Jane, certainly a fulfilling dish of soul food in this post. Such beautiful quotes and I read each one slowly and carefully. I particularly love numbers 8, 9, 10 & 11. But really, they're all so touching. I vote for more Saturday soul food :o) xo

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  10. Oh, Jane she is the best! Very real, to the point in a beauitful and classy manner. It's funny that you mention her in your post today because one of my all time favorite quotes is by this amazing woman:

    “A woman who is convinced that she deserves to accept only the best challenges herself to give the best. Then she is living phenomenally.”

    Thought I would share this with you! =)

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  11. Hi Jane, Oh I love these quotes - I think my fave one is I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as making a 'life'. Hit the nail on the head that one did... All time fave quote is this one - fits right in there to somehow: “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind"
    Dr. Seuss
    Hope you are well sweetie,
    Happy Sunday,
    Axxx

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  12. Some of these quotes resonate so much with me at the moment, especially the first for the exact reasons you mentions. Sleep deprived and just a little bit emotionally drained after three months of night-time waking and colic. Feel like there might be some light at the tunnel now though. And yes, those finger nails are so very difficult to cut and they grow so quickly too!

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  13. Oh Jane, your posts are so perfectly time for me. You always seem to send out little messages at just the right moment. Thank you for this post. "better tomorrow"... "second chance"..... now I can start my day! A-M xx

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  14. I first heard about Maya via Oprah and you're so right in choosing the quotes that you did - fabulous!

    Waving from my front verandah and wishing I could give you a great big hug.
    xx Felicity

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  15. Gorgeous just gorgeous!!

    Thanks for sharing. Just what I needed to read tonight xXx

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  16. Great thoughts, well said! X

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  17. I'm so delighted you enjoyed Maya's wisdom, ladies. And thanks for the encouragement - I'll continue to offer up such goodies each Saturday now! J x

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  18. I've never heard of her but recognize quite a few of the quotes that you have posted. In fact I have that last one up on the wall in my workplace.
    I think the idea for a weekly post like this sounds good Jane.
    x

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  19. Such a loverly photo. I can actually feel the sun shinning bright over me.

    gifts

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  20. Thanks, Beth and welcome, Julia. Yes, it's divine, isn't it? J x

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Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, you gorgeous soul. You've just made my day! J x

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