Life must be lived and curiosity kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life.
Eleanor RooseveltRead
After the discovery in 1918 of love letters revealing that Franklin was involved with Lucy Mercer: The bottom dropped out of my own particular world, I faced myself, my surroundings, my world, honestly for the first time.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the profound impact of self-discovery and honesty in the face of personal betrayal.
Eleanor Roosevelt reflects on a pivotal moment in her life when she learned of her husband Franklin's affair with Lucy Mercer. This revelation forced her to confront her own feelings, identity, and the authenticity of her relationships, marking a significant turning point in her self-awareness and understanding of her world.
Themes
BetrayalSelf-DiscoveryHonestyIdentityRelationships
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about resilience, one could mention this quote to illustrate how personal challenges can lead to deeper self-awareness.
More from Eleanor Roosevelt
All quotes →Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.
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You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best that you have to give.
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Our children should learn the general framework of their government and then they should know where they come in contact with the government, where it touches their daily lives and where their influence is exerted on the government. It must not be a distant thing, someone else's business, but they must see how every cog in the wheel of a democracy is important and bears its share of responsibility for the smooth running of the entire machine.
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It takes courage to love, but pain through love is the purifying fire which those who love generously know.
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I believe that anyone can conquer fear by doing the things he fears to do.
Eleanor RooseveltRead
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