“Don't worry, God understands,' Mom said. 'He knows that your father is a cross we must bear.”
In the book The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, the protagonist's mother offers words of comfort in the face of adversity. With a simple phrase, the mother conveys a sense of enduring faith and strength in the face of challenges.
When facing challenging or difficult situations, how do you find comfort or reassurance? Do you agree with the idea that some burdens are meant to be carried? Why or why not? What role does faith or spirituality play in helping individuals navigate through tough times? How do you interpret and reconcile the concept of suffering with belief in a higher power or deity?
In this quote from Jeannette Walls' novel, "The Glass Castle," the character's mother shows a sense of resignation and acceptance towards the challenges they face, specifically in regards to the father's volatile behavior. By likening the father to a "cross we must bear," the mother implies that both the hardships caused by the father and the burden of dealing with them are somehow part of a divine plan, thus offering some consolation to her children. This quote highlights themes of resilience, faith, and the complex dynamics of family relationships in the face of adversity.
In Jeannette Walls' quote, the mother's words offer solace and reassurance to her child during a challenging situation. Today, many people still find comfort and strength in their faith when facing adversity or hardships. Believing in a higher power can provide hope and perspective, helping individuals navigate through tough times with a sense of purpose and resilience.
“Mom always said people worried too much about their children. Suffering when you are young is good for you, she said. It immunized your body and your soul.”
“[Mom] said she didn't want her youngest daughter dressed in the thrift-store clothes the rest of us wore. Mom told us we would have to go shoplifting. "Isn't that a sin?" I asked Mom. "Not exactly," Mom said. "God doesn't mind you bending the rules a little if you have good reason. It's sort of like justifiable homicide. This is justifiable pilfering.”
“Mom told us we would have to go shoplifting. Isn't that a sin?" I asked Mom.Not exactly," Mom said. "God doesn't mind you bending the rules a little if you have a good reason. It's sort of like justifiable homicide. This is justifiable pilfering.”
“The baby went without a name for weeks. Mom said she wanted to study it first, the way she would the subject of a painting. We had a lot of arguments over what the name should be. I wanted to call her Rosita, after the prettiest girl in my class, but Mom said the name was too Mexican."I thought we weren't supposed to be prejudiced," I said."It's not being prejudiced," Mom said. "It's a matter of accuracy in labeling.”
“Mom said we should all live near the Pacific Ocean at least once in our lives, so we kept going all the way to San Francisco.”
“Brian told Mom we needed to keep Maureen away from those nutty Pentecostals, but Mom said we all came to religion in our own individual ways and we each need to respect the religious practices of others, seeing as it was up to every human being to find his or her own way to heaven.”