Normal, in our house, is like a blanket too short for a bed--sometimes it covers you just fine, and other times it leaves you cold and shaking; and worst of all, you never know which of the two it's going to be.
Jodi PicoultRead
My mother... she is beautiful, softened at the edges and tempered with a spine of steel. I want to grow old and be like her.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote expresses admiration for a mother's strength and character, highlighting the desire to emulate her qualities.
In this quote, Jodi Picoult beautifully captures the essence of a mother as someone who possesses both grace and resilience. The phrase 'softened at the edges' suggests warmth and nurturing, while 'tempered with a spine of steel' points to inner strength and determination. It reflects a deep appreciation for the mother-daughter bond and a longing to inherit those admirable traits as the speaker matures.
Themes
MotherStrengthBeautyAdmirationCharacter
In practice
Example use cases
During a Mother's Day speech, to express appreciation for mothers everywhere.
More from Jodi Picoult
All quotes βWhether it was power they sought, or revenge, or love-well, those were all just different forms of hunger. The bigger the hole inside you, the more desperate you became to fill it.
Jodi PicoultRead
she told me she'd be a phoenix." The image of the mythical creature rising from the ashes glitters in my mind. "They don't really exist." "She said that depends on whether or not there's someone who can see them.
Jodi PicoultRead
for 100,000 (dollars), you [can] flatten a house with a wrecking ball. Imagine how much less it [takes] to destroy something than it [does] to build it in the first place.
Jodi PicoultRead
But if you seek forgiveness, doesn't that automatically mean you cannot be a monster? By definition, doesn't that desperation make you human again?
Jodi PicoultRead
when you [lose someone], it feels like the hole in your gum when a tooth falls out. You can chew, you can eat, you have plenty of other teeth, but your tongue keeps going back to that empty place, where all nerves are still a little raw
Jodi PicoultRead
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