I snapped this with my phone as Maya Angelou gave her A-MAZING acceptance speech onstage at Carnegie Hall
The best body-love, self-esteem boosting quote I’ve ever heard was uttered by Maya Angelou on Monday night at the Glamour Women of the Year awards.
Dr. Angelou is 81 years old, and had to be helped onstage and seated in a chair so that she could accept her lifetime achievement award. But you forgot all that as soon as she opened her mouth to speak. There she was, looking radiant, speaking in that clear, musical, caramelly voice of hers, talking about women. “We are fat and thin and pretty and plain,” she said-all equally phenomenal. And then she stood, suddenly strong, and finished with a line I’ll never forget (emphasis hers):
I want to be as beautiful as I can be—to MYSELF first. THEN to whomever has the SENSE to see me.
How do you feel about your body-and yourself-today? If you need a refresher course on her most famously pro-woman poem, here you go.
xo…Sunny
Tweet ThisP.S. For more memorable Glamour Women of the Year moments, watch this video.
That quote IS beautiful. As is her poem! Inspiring.
“I want to be as beautiful as I can be—to MYSELF first. THEN to whomever has the SENSE to see me.”
That is such a true statement. I always think that when I lose weight I’ll be pretty and that will make people like me more. But I understand that I need to keep telling myself that I am beautiful now because I AM BEAUTIFUL. If no one likes the way I look now well, to hell with them!!!
Preach ON, sister! I swear Dr. Angelou is an actual angel.