“I realized that one isn’t born with courage. One develops it by doing small courageous things—in the way that if one sets out to pick up a 100-pound bag of rice, one would be advised to start with a five-pound bag, then 10 pounds, then 20 pounds, and so forth, until one builds up enough muscle to lift the 100-pound bag. It’s the same way with courage. You do small courageous things that require some mental and spiritual exertion.”
―
―
“When someone tells you who and what they are. Believe them the first time. They know themselves better than you do. They know what they’ve lived. You don’t. You only see an exterior. And whether you choose to invalidate them or not then, is up to the person that ‘you’ are.”
―
―
“A leader sees greatness in other people. You can’t be much of a leader if all you see is yourself. Only equals make friends. A man or woman who sees other people as whole and prepared and accords them respect and the same rights has arranged his or her own allies.”
―
―
“Among my associates, there were no takers. Understandably the boys of my age and social group were captivated by the yellow-or light-brown-skinned girls, with hairy legs and smooth little lips, and whose hair “hung down like horses' manes.” And even those sought-after girls were asked to “give it up or tell where it is.” They were reminded in a popular song of the times, “If you can't smile and say yes, please don't cry and say no.”
― I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
― I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
L’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at L’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
L hasn't connected with their friends on Goodreads, yet.
Polls voted on by L
Lists liked by L

