6 things I know to be true at twenty-six

I hadn't planned on blogging aujourd'hui. But my parents bought me flowers before leaving yesterday, and I had an especially good slumber last night, and I awoke this morn to birthday wishes and gratified contentness in officially being "26 years young" today.

{La promenade plantée}

1. "One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest."
2. We are as small as we are significant.
3. "Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope."
4. Take the awkward firsts and second chances and the limitless opportunities to live greater if not more.
5. "We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."
6. "Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but has not solved one yet."

Please attribute all quotations above to the ever-inspiring, late Maya Angelou--world-renowned poet, author, activist, scholar.