american beauty.

a moment of clarity. 

words. 

"One of Maya Angelou’s greatest gifts was breaking people down to their core, often with just one line. She seemed to know exactly what to say, when to say it, and how to say it so that it would register as the most necessarily emotional gut punch imaginable. Interestingly enough, this typically happened with some of the more idolized men of their respective generations. Powerful men, often trapped by their own machismo, shunning emotions. On numerous occasions, she’s mentioned the people who have visited her — people who wanted to make the pilgrimage and talk to her, people like Richard Pryor and Chris Rock. People who needed to have a conversation with her, with the intentions of leaving cleansed. And clear-headed. And most importantly, talking with someone who will listen, impart wisdom, and will not judge. That nonjudgmental nature, mixed with Maya’s calm and Maya’s knowledge, is one of the many reasons she exists on an island of importance, even after her death."

GRANTLAND: The Teacher and the Students: Remembering Maya Angelou in Culture

SEE ALSO:

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Maya & Me & Maya: What Maya Angelou Meant to Me