My Fan Girl Moment - I Met Nikki Giovanni

I had the pleasure this month to meet and hear Nikki Giovanni speak at the Library of Virginia's Literary Awards Luncheon. She received the well deserved Lifetime Achievement Award.

Nikki Giovanni is a Virginia and national treasure. Here's what I learned from her discussion.

• We all get old. Otherwise, we die young.
• Don't hold things in.
• Build a community. Relationships are important.
• She decided as a young girl to be happy. She controlled her outlook.
• She was friends with Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou. And her stories of friendship were priceless.
• She talked about her speeding tickets on I-81.
• Read something every day. (She likes the comic strip "Pickles.")
• You have to let people know you love them while you can.
• Keep writing!
• You have to write your story.