People ask me about what sacrifices I've made. I always answer: I've made no sacrifices, I've made choices.
Aung San Suu KyiRead
At this age, I should be leading a quiet life.
Interpretation
The quote reflects on expectations versus reality as one ages, suggesting a desire for peace versus the challenges of leadership.
Aung San Suu Kyi's quote expresses a poignant contrast between the common expectation of a tranquil life in one's later years and the tumultuous responsibilities that often accompany leadership. It highlights the internal struggle between personal desires for serenity and the obligation to address pressing societal issues, illustrating the complexities that come with age and public service.
In practice
A speaker at a conference on leadership might use this quote to illustrate the burdens that come with power.
People ask me about what sacrifices I've made. I always answer: I've made no sacrifices, I've made choices.
The struggle for democracy and human rights in Burma is a struggle for life and dignity. It is a struggle that encompasses our political, social and economic aspirations.
This was the way I was brought up to think of politics, that politics was to do with ethics, it was to do with responsibility, it was to do with service, so I think I was conditioned to think like that, and I'm too old to change now.
My top priority is for people to understand that they have the power to change things themselves.
If you want to bring an end to long-standing conflict, you have to be prepared to compromise.
Where there is no justice there can be no secure peace.
I don't believe in 'thinking' old. Although I've transitioned through many bodies - a baby, toddler, child, teen, young adult, mid-life and older adult - my spirit is unchanged. I support my body with exercise, my mind with reading and writing, and my spirit with the knowing that I am part of the Divine source of all life.
Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.
Always remember, joy is not incidental to spiritual quest. It is vital.
It is often said that second thoughts are best. So they are in matters of judgment but not in matters of conscience.
What would be the good of rushing? You want these books to last.
My mission, should I choose to accept it, is to find peace with exactly who and what I am. To take pride in my thoughts, my appearance, my talents, my flaws and to stop this incessant worrying that I canβt be loved as I am.
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