Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now by Maya Angelou

Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now by Maya Angelou is a collection of essays and was published in 1993. Reading Angelou's writing makes me feel stronger and empowered. This book was a quick read and has many quotes I love. 

"The American, living in this vast country and able to traverse three thousand miles east to west using the same language, needs to hear languages as they collide in Europe, Africa, and Asia" (11). 

"Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all people cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try to understand each other, we may even become friends" (12).

"In many African religions there is the belief that all things are inhabited by spirits which must be appeased and to which one can appeal" (33).

"While I know myself as a creation of God, I am also obligated to realize and remember that everyone else and everything else are also God's creation" (34).

"I draw the picture of the wealthy couple standing in a darkened hallway, peering into a lighted room where black servants were lifting their voices in merriment and comradery, and I realize that living well is an art which can be developed" (65).

"Life is pure adventure, and the sooner we realize that, the quicker we will be able to treat life as art: to bring all our energies to each encounter, to remain flexible enough to notice and admit when what we expected to happen did not happen" (66).

"If our children are to approve of themselves, they must see that we approve of ourselves" (103).

If you've never read anything by Maya Angelou, give her a chance. I love her words. 

Read to a child today even if that child is you. 

Today some books arrived for our NICU book project from two kind donors. Because of the pandemic, we've gotten low on books, but people are reaching out and making sure our babies are read to with books they will take home with them after their hospital stay. I greatly appreciate the help we get with this project.

Jenn Volk sent this selection.

Debbie Murray sent these books.

Link to our NICU book registry if you'd like to donate books to babies in the newborn intensive care unit so their parents can read to them while they grow. You can also donate gently used books to our project by sending them to me or to Angie. Email me for a mailing address. We can use both English and Spanish books. If you have a graduate of the NICU, or if you have a baby whose life you would like to honor by donating books to this project, let me know, and I can make a book plate with their name for the books you donate.