I would ask every man and every woman who's had the blessing of having children, 'Would you deny your son or your daughter the ecstasy of finding someone to love?' To love someone takes a lot of courage. So how much more is one challenged when the love is of the same sex and the laws say, 'I forbid you from loving this person'?

When we find someone who is brave, fun, intelligent, and loving, we have to thank the universe.

Grace is like a lake of drinkable water right outside your door. But you stay inside and die of thirst.

To those who are given much, much is expected.

I don't know how much longer I'll be around. I'll probably be writing when the Lord says, 'Maya, Maya Angelou, it's time.'

As far as I knew white women were never lonely, except in books. White men adored them, Black men desired them and Black women worked for them.

We write for the same reason that we walk, talk, climb mountains or swim the oceans - because we can. We have some impulse within us that makes us want to explain ourselves to other human beings.