Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different, it's accepting the past for what it was, and using this moment and thi… - Oprah Winfrey

Forgiveness is.... giving up the hope that you can change the past.

We need to understand that victims of trauma are more prone to all forms of addiction because their baseline of stress is different.

The struggle of my life created empathy - I could relate to pain, being abandoned, having people not love me.

America is an ongoing project. It requires commitment, it requires being open to the hard work and the heart work of democracy. And every now and then, it requires standing up to life’s bullies. I know this. I’ve lived in Mississippi, in Tennessee, in Wisconsin, Maryland, Indiana, Florida, Hawaii, Colorado, California, and sweet home Chicago, Illinois. I have actually traveled this country from the redwood forest — love those redwoods — to the Gulf Stream waters. I’ve seen racism and sexism and income inequality and division. I’ve not only seen it; at times, I’ve been on the receiving end of it. But more often than not, what I’ve witnessed and experienced are human beings, both conservative and liberal, who may not agree with each other, but who would still help you in a heartbeat if you were in trouble. These are the people who make me proud to say that I am an American. They are the best of America.