Life with most teenagers was like having a low-grade bladder infection. It hurts, but you had to tough it out.
Anne LamottRead
I am the woman I grew to be partly in spite of my mother, and partly because of the extraordinary love of her best friends, and my own best friends' mothers, and from surrogates, many of whom were not women at all but gay men. I have loved them my entire life, even after their passing.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The speaker reflects on how various influences shaped her identity, emphasizing the impact of both her mother and her wider support network.
In this quote, Anne Lamott shares her journey of self-discovery and personal growth, highlighting how both her mother and the love of her mother's friends, along with her own friends' mothers and supportive figures of diverse identities, contributed to her development as a woman. This acknowledgment of a broad spectrum of influences underscores the importance of community and the deep bonds formed through unconditional love, regardless of traditional roles or gender. It suggests that one’s identity is often shaped not just by family but also by the diverse relationships we build throughout our lives.
Themes
IdentityLoveFriendshipSupportInfluence
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of community support in personal development.
More from Anne Lamott
All quotes →Or you might shout at the top of your lungs or whisper into your sleeve, "I hate you, God." That is a prayer too, because it is real, it is truth, and maybe it is the first sincere thought you've had in months.
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Your problem is how you are going to spend this one odd and precious life you have been issued. Whether you're going to spend it trying to look good and creating the illusion that you have power over people and circumstances, or whether you are going to taste it, enjoy it and find out the truth about who you are.
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It is hard to remember that you are a cherished spiritual being when you're burping up apple fritters and Cheetos.
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Gorgeous, amazing things come into our lives when we are paying attention: mangoes, grandnieces, Bach, ponds. This happens more often when we have as little expectation as possible. If you say, "Well, that's pretty much what I thought I'd see," you are in trouble. At that point you have to ask yourself why you are even here. [...] Astonishing material and revelation appear in our lives all the time. Let it be. Unto us, so much is given. We just have to be open for business.
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...because when people have seen you at their worst, you don't have to put on the mask as much.
Anne LamottRead
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