Deborah Siegel harnesses the wisdom of the She Writes quote borg. Got quote? Post it here!
You’ve heard of a coat drive, right? Well today here on She Writes, Kamy and I would like to introduce The Quote Drive (Kamy's ingenious phrase). Just as coats provide warmth in wind and gale, words from women—and in particular, women writers—can both comfort and heat up our soul. But I’m quitting with the analogy, before it devolves into cliché; you get the drift.
Here’s how it works; it's pretty simple. Post your favorite quote by a woman (or about women) in comments to this post.
Let’s cast our net wide:
-It can be by someone living or dead.
-It can be by a writer, a famous person, or someone well known(ish) with something kicky or poignant or true to say about the fairer (ha) sex.
-It can be by a fellow She Writer.
-It can be by you.
Be sure to attribute!
We’ll collect them over time, and we'll come up with a cool way, eventually, to share them. Stay tuned on that.
Here we go. I’m starting us off with a few from the women I spoke with on a panel about work/life balance across generations earlier this week in Kansas City, the “Women, Girls, and Ladies,” as we call ourselves. Because they inspire me to no end.
"Nobody loves you better because you have used yourself up for them." –Gloria Feldt, author of No Excuses: 9 Women Can Change How We Think About Power (pubbing Oct 5!)
"For a writer who's used to being in her own head, being around other people all the time can feel like a loss of self." -- Kristal Brent Zook, author of Black Women’s Lives
“I want to get good at failure, and redefine success.” --Courtney Martin, author of Do It Anyway: The Next Generation of Activists (just out!)
Plus, a bonus track from a new friend, who also happens to be Assignments and Syndication Editor at BlogHer and came to our panel in Kansas City this week (and wrote about it!)
“It's an extreme act of love to give the object of your affection time and space to feed her soul.” – Rita Arens, author of Sleep is for the Weak and blogger at Surrender Dorothy
Ok, your turn. What words by--or about--women inspire the heck out of you, or merely say something heartwrenchingly or gutwrenchingly true? And hey, after you post, tweet it too! (hashtag #shewritesdotcom)
Do stuff, be clenched, curious. Not waiting for inspiration's shove or society's kiss on your forehead. Pay attention. It's all about paying attention. Attention is vitality. It connects you with others. It makes you eager, stay eager - Susan Sontag
When one is a stranger to oneself then one is estranged from others too. If one is out of touch with oneself, then one cannot touch others. Anne Morrow Lindbergh
"When in doubt, make a fool of yourself. There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth. So what the hell, leap." ~Cynthia Heimel, American feminist writer
So many but one by Anne Morrow Lindbergh: "One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach; one can collect only a few and they are more beautiful if they are few."
"The theme is the theme of humiliation, which is the square root of sin, as opposed to the freedom from humiliation, and love, which is the square root of wonderful." Carson McCullers
"If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation." Abigail Adams
"One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice -- though the whole house began to tremble and you felt the old tug at your ankles. 'Mend my life!' But you didn't stop."
This is the start of Mary Oliver's amazing poem "The Journey"
I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I lived just the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.--Diane Ackerman, Poet
Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong. -- Ella Fitzgerald
Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained. -- Marie Curie
Anything women do they must do twice as well as men for half the praise. Fortunately this is not difficult.
"The cure for anything is saltwater--sweat, tears or the sea." -Isak Dinesen
Out of Africa
"The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for." Maureen Dowd, American Newspaper Columnist
"Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place." - Zora Neale Hurston
When in fear, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout. ~wise woman friend of mine~
"A woman in business must always know when to have a tear in the eye and a tremble on the lip." -- Maurine Twiss
"War is not healthy for children and other living things." Lorraine Schneider 1966
You don't make weak men strong by making strong women weak. ... Unknown
Michelle, I LOVE that ER quote! Always have, always will. Thank you -- and everyone else too!
"You must do the thing you think you cannot do!"--Eleanor Roosevelt
"Write. Not like a girl. Not like a boy. Like a motherfucker." --Sugar, http:/ / therumpus.net/ 2010/ 08/ dear-sugar-the-rumpus-advice-column-48-write-like-a-motherfucker/
IMAGINE A DAY when the peace of a forest and the strength of a mountain become a cathedral for your heart."
Sarah Thomson
This whole book inspires me.
Don't let anyone tell you you have to be a "morning writer"--Ilie Ruby, author of THE LANGUAGE OF TREES, and insomniac
"The only thing worse than not having a book tour is having a book tour."—old editor friend
Do stuff, be clenched, curious. Not waiting for inspiration's shove or society's kiss on your forehead. Pay attention. It's all about paying attention. Attention is vitality. It connects you with others. It makes you eager, stay eager - Susan Sontag
When one is a stranger to oneself then one is estranged from others too. If one is out of touch with oneself, then one cannot touch others. Anne Morrow Lindbergh
There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story within you.
--Maya Angelou
"When in doubt, make a fool of yourself. There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth. So what the hell, leap." ~Cynthia Heimel, American feminist writer
So many but one by Anne Morrow Lindbergh: "One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach; one can collect only a few and they are more beautiful if they are few."
Cautious, careful people, always casting about to preserve their reputation and social standing, never can bring about a reform. ~ Susan B. Anthony ~
"The theme is the theme of humiliation, which is the square root of sin, as opposed to the freedom from humiliation, and love, which is the square root of wonderful." Carson McCullers
"If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation." Abigail Adams
"One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice --
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
'Mend my life!'
But you didn't stop."
This is the start of Mary Oliver's amazing poem "The Journey"
I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I lived just the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.--Diane Ackerman, Poet
Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong.
-- Ella Fitzgerald
Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.
-- Marie Curie