I believe the equal rights amendment is a necessity of life for all citizens. The cabinet sometimes felt that I shouldn't be so outspoken.
Betty FordRead
I think once I made up my mind that I was allergic to alcohol, and that's what I learned, it made sense to me. And I think it was kind of pointed out that you know if you were allergic to strawberries, you wouldn't eat strawberries. And that made sense to me.
Interpretation
Recognizing a harmful substance allows one to avoid it, similar to being allergic to something.
In this quote, Betty Ford emphasizes the clarity that comes from understanding one's relationship with alcohol. By comparing her situation to a food allergy, she highlights the importance of awareness and personal decisions in maintaining health and wellbeing.
In practice
This quote can be used in a health seminar to discuss addiction.
I believe the equal rights amendment is a necessity of life for all citizens. The cabinet sometimes felt that I shouldn't be so outspoken.
I feel it's important to be active. People who retire, sit by their swimming pool and golf course and plan to relax have a very empty life.
And I have always told the patients when I talk to them. When they come around and say, "What will you have to drink? Oh that's right you don't drink." Just speak up and say, 'Of course I drink. But I just don't drink alcohol.'
Being a lady does not require silence.
When other women have this same operation, it doesn't make any headlines. But the fact that I was the wife of the President put it in headlines and brought before the public this particular experience I was going through. It made a lot of women realize that it could happen to them. I'm sure I've saved at least one person maybe more.
I know I was an alcoholic because I was preoccupied whether alcohol was going to be served or not.
A little consideration of what takes place around us every day would show us that a higher law than that of our will regulates events; that our painful labors are unnecessary and fruitless; that only in our easy, simple, spontaneous action are we strong . . . . Place yourself in the middle of the stream of power and wisdom which animates all whom it floats, and you are without effort impelled to truth, to right, and a perfect contentment.
Humans are ridiculous. We're all pathetic strivers who will fall short. If you can accept that, it's optimistic because you can shoot for the moon and know you're never going to get there, and that's OK.
As a flower that is lovely and beautiful, but is scentless, even so fruitless is the well-spoken word of one who practices it not.
I wish to have as my epitaph: 'Here lies a man who was wise enough to bring into his service men who knew more than he.'
If I am no longer disturbed myself, I will deal less with disturbed people and with violent material. I don't regret having concerned myself with such people, because I think that most of us are disturbed.
Faced with information overload, we have no alternative but pattern-recognition.
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