"Life is a glorious banquet, a limitless and delicious buffet."

"I am a Woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal Woman, that's me."

"To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Or the climbing, falling colors of a rainbow."

"I believe that every person is born with talent."

"When you wish someone joy, you wish them peace, love, prosperity, happiness... all the good things."

"I know why the caged bird sings."

"Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. But anger is like fire. It burns it all clean."

"You want me to do something... tell me I can't do it."

"I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver."

"You can't forgive without loving. And I don't mean sentimentality. I don't mean mush. I mean having enough courage to stand up and say, 'I forgive. I'm finished with it."

"Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness."

"Determine to live life with flair and laughter."

"We are only as blind as we want to be."

"The truth is, no one of us can be free until everybody is free."

"A mother's love liberates."