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You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.

— Maya Angelou

Painterly single upright iron nail standing in a small mound of golden sand.
Original artwork
Behind the line May contain spoilers.

Our reading

An editorial interpretation.

The statement distinguishes power over events from a decision about their effect on one’s sense of self. It acknowledges that circumstances can escape control while resisting the idea that they must diminish a person. The emphasis is on preserving personal worth amid what cannot be directed.

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