Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love.

It bothered me that my mother was crying all the time. She thought God might be punishing her for something... So I just told her I was happy to be blind and I think she felt better after that.

My mother told me to keep on singing, and that kept me working through the cotton fields. She said God has his hand on you. You'll be singing for the world someday.

My mother insisted that her children read.

Art keeps me alive. I've obviously been devastated or heartbroken all my life, since my mother's death.

I was an only child, and Mother was always right with me all my life. I used to get very angry at her when I was growing up-it's a natural thing.