Whenever I was upset by something in the papers, [Jack] always told me to be more tolerant, like a horse flicking away flies in the summer.
Jackie KennedyRead
Can anyone understand how it is to have lived in the White House and then, suddenly, to be living alone as the President's widow?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote expresses the profound loneliness experienced by a person who has lost their partner, especially in a position of power.
Jackie Kennedy's quote reflects on the stark contrast between the public life of living in the White House with the support of a partner and the isolation felt after becoming a widow. It underscores the emotional turmoil and sense of solitude that follows the loss of a loved one, particularly in a position that is often seen as glamorous and powerful.
Themes
WidowLonelinessLossLovePower
In practice
Example use cases
During a memorial service, you might quote Jackie Kennedy to highlight the deep sense of loss experienced when a loved one passes away.
More from Jackie Kennedy
All quotes →I think my biggest achievement is that, after going through a rather difficult time, I consider myself comparatively sane.
Jackie KennedyRead
The only routine with me is no routine at all.
Jackie KennedyRead
Even though people may be well known they still hold in their hearts the emotions of a simple person for the moments that are the most important of those we know on earth - birth, marriage, death.
Jackie KennedyRead
Even though people may be well known, they hold in their hearts the emotions of a simple person for the moments that are the most important of those we know on earth: birth, marriage and death.
Jackie KennedyRead
Now, I think that I should have known that he was magic all along. I did know it - but I should have guessed that it would be too much to ask to grow old with and see our children grow up together. So now, he is a legend when he would have preferred to be a man.
Jackie KennedyRead
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I’ve always wanted to be liked. It grieved me that I was treated with indifference. Left an orphan by Fortune, I wanted—like all orphans—to be the object of someone’s affection. This need has always been a hunger that went unsatisfied, and so thoroughly have I adapted to this inevitable hunger that I sometimes wonder if I really feel the need to eat. Whatever be the case, life pains me.
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