I wished I had lived a life of greater courage and love.

Maya Angelou, an American poet, has a well-known quote: "Courage is the most important of all virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently."

I read an explanation of this meaning that says: You need courage to be kind despite the harshness of the world. Courage to present something that might be ridiculed, criticized, or dismissed. Courage to break the safe silence in the face of uncertain consequences. Courage to love, even when you might not be loved in return. Courage to do what is right, even if it makes you unpopular. Courage to accept solitude as a better option than being with anyone who does not respect you. Courage to face a dangerous world full of possibilities of loss and sorrow in pursuit of a beauty that remains only a concept and possibility in your mind. Courage to worship a hidden deity, only visible through the clarity of the heart to see the traces of His kindness. Courage to accept scars as the inevitable price of the journey, so you can look back and say, "I loved my days."

Salmā 'Ayyāsira added: When those who were on their deathbeds were asked what they most regretted, the answers boiled down to: "I wished I had lived a life of greater courage and love."