Quote Of The Day By Maya Angelou: 'Love Recognizes No Barriers...'

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In Maya Angelou's 1969 autobiography, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," she recalls how she became mute at the age of 7. She stopped talking after speaking up about experiencing sexual abuse, but she did find her voice again six years later, and shared it prolifically until her death in 2014. She expounded her creativity through books, poetry, dancing, screenplays, and a treasure trove of quotes whose poignancy and longevity have remained popular and applicable long after her passing.

Angelou was born in 1928 as Marguerite Johnson before changing her name. She went with her childhood nickname, Maya, and chose to give a twist to Angelos, her last name from her first marriage. After becoming San Francisco's first Black female streetcar operator at age 16, she pursued a career as a dancer, before activism, writing, and teaching became her medium for sharing her experiences. Through her writing, she offered a voice to those, namely women and Black Americans, whose thoughts and experiences hadn't been equally represented in literature. Yet one of the reasons that many find that her words resonate so profoundly is that they sum up universal emotions with such simplicity. There are also themes of hope, treating others and yourself well, and how to deal with adversity that give readers a sense of purpose and calm when life can feel overwhelming. And this is why Angelou's insight on love feels like an uplifting option for our Quote of the Day.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Throughout her lifetime, Maya Angelou wrote many quotable lines about love, but one that is frequently used as inspiration is, "Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope." We're unsure when Angelou first wrote it, but it was posted to her official Facebook page in January 2013. Thousands responded positively to the post, with one follower writing at the time, "Thank you for that...my heart is broken...your words are truly needed now."

One of the themes that frequently shows itself in Maya Angelou's work is about taking action, rather than letting life flash by, watching things happen. And another frequent theme in her writing is persistence. This quote fuses those ideas together with another of her favorite topics: love. In this Quote of the Day, she is likely telling us that if love is true, you'll stop at nothing to hold onto it. True love will make us fight for that which we're in love with. It doesn't have to be a romantic relationship, though that immediately comes to mind. It can also be a familial one. Most parents would probably say they would do anything — aka "jump hurdles, leap fences, penetrate walls" — for their child. But the same might apply to another family member or close friend.

We might also take from this quote that if you love something enough, you will sacrifice for that love. While always putting others first is one of the behaviors that can ruin your relationship, Angelou reminds us that in tough times, being reminded of the love that exists can also give us hope. If things seem difficult, we might step back and remember that our love can surmount barriers if we use the right tools to get through them.

• "Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women."
• "You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don't make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can't take their eyes off of you."
• "My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style."
• "Make every effort to change things you do not like. If you cannot make a change, change the way you have been thinking. You might find a new solution."
• "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."
• "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain."
• "Develop enough courage so that you can stand up for yourself and then stand up for somebody else."
• "If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love."