In a moving tribute to Maya Angelou on Saturday, former president Bill Clinton said that her greatest gift during her action-packed lifetime was paying attention to life around her and sharing it with everyone. "She called our attention to the fact that things that really mattered — dignity, work, love and kindness — are things we can all share and don't cost anything,'' Clinton said.
Family, friends and famous admirers gathered Saturday in North Carolina for a memorial service and weekend-long tribute to the poet, orator and sage. There were tears and laughter and spiritual revival-style singing to honor Angelou at the private service at Wake Forest University that included more than 2,000 people. Angelou died May 28 at age 86 after a remarkable life with important roles in civil rights and the arts.
"She just kept calling our attention to things, like the little fireflies that come on at unpredictable times and make you see something you might have missed," Clinton said.
