My father was a certain kind of man - I saw how he treated my mother and his family and how he treated strangers. And I vowed I would never make a film that would not reflect properly on my father's name.
Sidney PoitierRead
As I've mentioned, a large part of my father's legacy is the lesson he taught his sons. He brought us together and said, 'The measure of a man is how well he provides for his children.
Interpretation
A person's worth is determined by their ability to care for and support their family.
In this quote, Sidney Poitier emphasizes the profound impact a father's teachings can have on his sons, suggesting that the true measure of a man's character is not found in his personal achievements, but rather in his dedication to nurturing and providing for his children. This perspective highlights the importance of familial responsibilities and the legacy of love and support that is passed down through generations.
In practice
In a speech at a family gathering, one might quote this to highlight the importance of family values.
My father was a certain kind of man - I saw how he treated my mother and his family and how he treated strangers. And I vowed I would never make a film that would not reflect properly on my father's name.
My father was the quintessential husband and dad.
I wanted to explore the values that are at work, underpinning my life.
We suffer pain, we hang tight to hope, we nurture expectations, we are plagued occasionally by fears, we are haunted by defeats and unrealized hopes . . . The hoplessness of which I speak is not limited.
We're all imperfect, and life is simply a perpetual, unending struggle against those imperfections.
I was the only Black person on the set. It was unusual for me to be in a circumstance in which every move I made was tantamount to representation of 18 million people.
The shared meal elevates eating from a mechanical process of fueling the body to a ritual of family and community, from the mere animal biology to an act of culture.
Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city.
I have to say, I have to tell you that my kids had a most marvelous time having two moms. When my daughter was at university, she got flu. And both mums rushed to be with her. And we were both looking after her and making soup and tidying up. And one of her friends came in and went, 'Two mums? Not fair.'
For I am my mother's daughter, and the drums of Africa still beat in my heart.
A home is not a mere transient shelter: its essence lies in the personalities of the people who live in it.
I feel I'm able to get rid of any demons lurking in my psyche through my writing, which leaves me free to create all of this and to enjoy our family life, stepping away from all the fictional traumas and the dramas. If I write about family in crisis, then I won't have to live through it, I guess.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.