My parents always used to tell us not to complain about things but do something about them, so 'Can't is not an option' was almost a way of life.
Nikki HaleyRead
Growing up in the rural south, my family didn't look like our neighbors, and we didn't have much. There were times that were tough, but we had each other, and we had the opportunity to do anything, to be anything, as long as we were willing to work for it.
Interpretation
Family support and hard work are crucial for overcoming challenges and pursuing dreams.
This quote reflects the value of family and hard work, especially in the face of adversity. Nikki Haley shares her experience growing up in a rural environment where economic hardships existed, yet emphasizes that familial bonds provided the strength to strive for their aspirations, highlighting the belief that determination and effort can lead to success, regardless of circumstances.
In practice
In a graduation speech, one might use this quote to inspire graduates about the importance of family support.
My parents always used to tell us not to complain about things but do something about them, so 'Can't is not an option' was almost a way of life.
You always have to come from the element of 'What do you have in common?' first. It makes it easier to work through your differences.
My parents started a business out of the living room of our home and, 30-plus years later, it was a multimillion dollar company. So, President Obama, with all due respect, don't tell me that my parents didn't build their business.
I think any woman who has felt violated or felt mistreated in any way, they have every right to speak up.
As I said, my parents loved that when they came to America, if you worked hard, the only things that could stop you were the limits you placed on yourself.
Immigrants have been coming to our shores for generations to live the dream that is America. They wanted better for their children than for themselves. That remains the dream of all of us, and in this country, we have seen time and again that that dream is achievable.
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.
No matter what you've done for yourself or for humanity, if you can't look back on having given love and attention to your own family, what have you really accomplished?
The family is the nucleus of civilization.
You stayed around your children as long as you could, inhaling the ambient gold shavings of their childhood, and at the last minute you tried to see them off into life and hoped that the little piece of time you’d given them was enough to prevent them from one day feeling lonely and afraid and hopeless. You wouldn’t know the outcome for a long time.
My brother and I were able to fantasize far more extravagantly about our parents' tastes and desires, their aspirations and their vices, by scanning their bookcases than by snooping in their closest. Their selves were on their shelves.
My mother was a full-time mother. She didn't have much of her own career, her own life, her own experiences... everything was for her children. I will never be as good a mother as she was. She was just grace incarnate. She was the most generous, loving - she's better than me.
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