Let your words be a source of inspiration, empowerment, and unconditional love as you celebrate the special bond you share with your beloved daughter. I love watching you explore the world around you with your curious eyes and your chubby little hands. You do not have to agree with everything she has to say but she has a voice that everyone should want to hear.

It’s a milestone that is filled with joy and love, and it’s a perfect opportunity to express your feelings to your child. Whether your daughter is facing the best time of her life or the most challenging times, she needs words of encouragement. There’s part of me that just wants to hold onto this lovely little gem of a book, to just hold onto these words a little longer in the hopes they’ll more thoroughly permeate my soul.She is undoubtably a phenomenal woman, and hearing her read to me was like getting a warm hug mixed with a pep talk. We carry accumulation of years in our bodies and on our faces, but generally our real selves, the children inside, are still innocent and shy as magnolias. Physical activity has been a cornerstone in both your father’s and my life and we hope to share this love for activity with you as well. If you want to pursue your dreams that don’t necessarily bring in tons of revenue but help so many, that is the noblest thing you could possibly do. I am not interested in passive people and have the utmost respect for passionate, strong women(ina non-feminist way=).

Learn from your mothers mistakes, give your body the proper fitness and nutrition that will fuel you for success. You see before I met your daddy, I was a little pessimistic about ever finding someone who’d love me the way I needed to be loved. Maya Angelou, through the way she spoke and the way she wrote, graciously offered something I think all women need and probably a lot of men do, too. As your mommy, it is my greatest privilege and honor to watch you grow and learn and discover the world around you. Remember that it’s okay to make mistakes; they serve as valuable lessons that help shape your character and growth.Although this book came towards the end of her life, with just one more part of her autobiography (making seven in total) and one more book of poetry afterwards, I would recommend it as an introduction to Maya Angelou's writing, for anyone who has never read any. I highly recommend listening to this book and I thought the essays were so powerful I will be purchasing a copy to own. There’s the other part of me that wants to share her message, abounding in beauty, grief, tenderness, joy, life lessons overflowing with wisdom, faith.