Taylor Uses Book as Foundation for Bold Vision

By Brandon C. Williams

The Post Newspaper Managing Editor

“There are never failures, only lessons.”

Those six words were uttered to a then-youthful Angelina Taylor by her grandmother, words that she has never forgotten. Instead, she has turned them into the foundation of an amazing life that still has plenty of chapters remaining to be written.

Taylor has conquered the medical field along with finding and wowing crowds with her voice as a singer. She has also made her mark as an author, with her book, “ABC’s of Friendship,” a work of art that has extended beyond her original target audience of pre-teens.

“This is a book that people of all ages can relate to,” said Taylor in a voice that exudes an unlimited supply of enthusiasm and optimism. “It doesn’t matter if you’re 10 or 50 years old, this book helps to show that we are all different on purpose.”

The interview with Taylor comes at a time where the world is in need of listening to her voice. With unrest in the Middle East, the latest mass shooting that has put Lewiston, Maine on a long list of gun violence and the constant undertow of political division, Taylor desires to step into the void and use her voice to turn the negative into a positive.

“We are supposed to be living, not existing,” she said. “There is not a true difference between myself, a billionaire or a homeless person. We each get the same sunrise and sunset, and each of us should be able to appreciate it without someone being critical of it.”

A refreshing view of life is what Taylor seeks to offer in every action she performs. Her confidence comes from building a mindset of knowing who she is, an intangible she feels everyone has the opportunity to discover. That is a discovery that requires a deep dive that results in a butterfly-like change.

“Butterflies are beautiful, and so are we,” she said.

“I don’t want to fit into anyone’s box,” Taylor added, “and neither should you. The one thing we must remember is that we are the star in our life. We can choose our narrative and stop existing and start living. Being you is OK.”

The “ABC’s of Friendship” centers on being able to respect each other. One of the main goals the book achieves is the ability to begin listening rather than being quick to let your voice be heard.

“I feel the biggest challenge we face in the world is that we don’t want to confront uncomfortable issues. No one wants to confront the things that are tough to talk about,” said Taylor.

As an example, Taylor points to a meeting she had with a group in 2016, a meeting she described as “the most honest discussion” she was involved in. “We talked about some of the most difficult issues imaginable,” Taylor said. “It was emotionally draining, but by the time we finished, you could feel the love we had for each other. The love was truly vibrating in the room.”

“We can make our world a much better place, but we need to have the courage to confront what ails us. We can have a healthy debate on views.”

Despite the challenges facing the world, Taylor feels the next few years can be amazing for us all. The one thing she’s waiting on is others who are willing to join her on “this extraordinary journey.”

The years 2024 and 2025 can be miracle years instead of what the world looks like right now,” she said. “There has not been enough momentum, but that’s where we all come in. We can turn the world around and make this a world worth living in.

“Love is the real remedy, and it’s waiting for us to take it.”