If you cannot make a change, change the way you have been thinking.

Make every effort to change things you do not like. but you can decide not to be reduced by them. You may not control all the events that happen to you. Since I cannot un-live history, and repentance is all I can offer God, I have hopes that my sincere apologies were accepted.

When I have seen pain, when I have found that my ineptness has caused displeasure, I have learned to accept my responsibility and to forgive myself first, then to apologize to anyone injured by my misreckoning. I have made many mistakes and no doubt will make more before I die. There have been people in my life who meant me well, taught me valuable lessons, and others who have meant me ill and have given me ample notification that my world is not meant to be all peaches and cream. You will find in this book accounts of growing up, unexpected emergencies, a few poems, some light stories to make you laugh and some to make you meditate. I have not told how I have used the solutions, knowing that you are intelligent and creative and resourceful and you will use them as you see fit. I have only included here events and lessons which I have found useful. My life has been long, and believing that life loves the liver of it, I have dared to try many things. I have all along known that I wanted to tell you directly of some lessons I have learned and under what conditions I have learned them. This letter has taken an extraordinary time getting itself together. A collection of wisdom and life lessons, from the beloved and bestselling author of I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings.

Maya angelou daughter