Quotes from Maya Angelou

Talent is like electricity. We don't understand electricity. We use it.

Something made greater by ourselves and in turn that makes us greater.

Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God.

There is no place where God is not.

Thank you, always say thank you; it's the greatest gift you can give someone; because thank you is what you say to God.

The Holy Spirit upon my left leads my feet without ceasing into the camp of the righteous and into the tents of the free.

When I try to describe myself to God I say, 'Lord, remember me? Black? Female? Six-foot tall? The writer?' And I almost always get God's attention.

There is a place in you that you must keep inviolate, a place that you must keep clean. A place where you say to any intruder, "Back up, don't you know I'm a child of God.

Don't face the day until you've faced God.

All God's children need traveling shoes.

When it looks like the sun isn't going to shine any more, God puts a rainbow in the clouds. Each one of us has the possibility, the responsibility, the probability to be the rainbow in the clouds.

It's a wonderful thing to know that there is something to know there is something greater than I am, and that is God itself.

Still, when it looked like the sun wasn't going to shine anymore, God put a rainbow in the clouds.

I know that I've been guided by God. I am obedient.

Precious jewel, you glow, you shine, reflecting all the good things in the world. Just look at yourself.

Ritie, don't worry 'cause you ain't pretty. Plenty pretty women I seen digging ditches or worse. You smart. I swear to God, I rather you have a good mind than a cute behind.

I want to be a good human being. I'm doing my best, and I'm working at it.

To be angry is very good. It burns out things and leaves nutrients in the soil. You should always be ready to be angry at injustice and cruelty.

I don't think modesty is a very good virtue, if it is a virtue at all. A modest person will drop the modesty in a minute. It's a learned affectation.

I'm a writer and writers either have good memories or nothing at all.

When we decide to be happy we accept the responsibility to bring happiness to someone else.

I am a very religious person, so it is the presence of God, the constant unwavering, unrelenting presence of God which continues to help me to keep a character which I am proud to show.

Hold those things that tell your history and protect them.

We can only know where we're going if we know where we've been.