Kids need to encounter kids like themselves - kids who can sometimes be crabby and fresh and rebellious, kids who talk back and disobey, tell fibs and get into trouble, and are nonetheless still likable and redeemable.
Judith ViorstRead
The need to become a separate self is as urgent as the yearning to merge forever. And as long as we, not our mother, initiate parting, and as long as our mother remains reliably there, it seems possible to risk, and even to revel in, standing alone.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the balance between individuality and connection with others, particularly with our mothers.
Judith Viorst's quote addresses the dual needs of a person: the desire to establish a distinct identity separate from others, especially one's mother, and the longing for deep connection and merging with that person. It suggests that this journey towards individuality can be empowering when the relationship with the mother is strong and secure, thereby allowing one to embrace solitude and self-discovery without fear.
Themes
IndividualityMotherConnectionSelf-DiscoveryRelationships
In practice
Example use cases
A speech about the importance of balancing independence and familial bonds.
More from Judith Viorst
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Starting after 60, I thought, 'I'm not going to be able to write a book of poems on the 70s. It's going to be all moans and groans and complaints, and what is there to laugh about?' But I found plenty to laugh about.
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Growing up means letting go of the dearest megalomaniacal dreams of our childhood. Growing up means knowing they can't be fulfilled. Growing up means gaining the wisdom and the skills to get what we want within the limitations imposed by reality - a reality which consists of diminished powers, restricted freedoms and, with the people we love, imperfect connections.
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