Painterly single upright iron nail standing in a small mound of golden sand.

Original artwork, not a still

Letter to My Daughter

Maya Angelou

I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

This asserts personal resilience against hardship, admitting that difficult events can leave a mark and alter someone's course. Yet it draws a firm line, insisting that being affected is not the same as being diminished, and that one's sense of worth remains intact despite whatever pain occurs.

Context reviewed

Share this quote