Dear Daughters,

One of my favorite memories of elementary school is…yep, you guessed it…the library.

Right now, I can close my eyes and recall every section, every shelf, my secluded reading corner, the musty-smelling card catalog, and the long table where I would research multiple sources and write my one or two page book reports.

Around 3rd or 4th grade, I became obsessed with historical biographies about famous women. My absolute favorite was about Eleanor Roosevelt. (her photo is up above)

Eleanor Roosevelt fascinated my young feminist mind because she was an outspoken, progressive woman leader at a time when the world was still unquestionable male dominated (early to mid 1900’s).

I mean, just look at this partial list of Eleanor’s causes and positions.

• Advocate for:
  • civil rights of African Americans and Asian Americans
  • women in the workplace
  • WW II refugees
  • child labor laws
  • world food and nutrition programs
• Writer of a newspaper column and book author
• Host of a radio show
• United Nations delegate

I encourage you to read about this magnificant woman who endured a tragic childhood, two world wars, served as first lady of the United States for almost four terms, and carved out a life of leadership and service to humankind. Oh, and she wasn’t afraid to publically disagree with her husband when he was in the presidential office!

To introduce you to Eleanor, I’m sharing some of her inspiring words of wisdom.

A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it’s in hot water.

It takes courage to love, but pain through love is the purifying fire which those who love generously know. We all know people who are so much afraid of pain that they shut themselves up like clams in a shell and, giving out nothing, receive nothing and therefore shrink until life is a mere living death.

Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively; unless you can choose a challenge instead of competence.

Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.

A mature person is one who does not think only in absolutes, who is able to be objective even when deeply stirred emotionally, who has learned that there is both good and bad in all people and in all things, and who walks humbly and deals charitably with the circumstances of life, knowing that in this world no one is all knowing and therefore all of us need both love and charity.

I am not a gifted person. I had only three assets: I was keenly interested, I accepted every challenge and every opportunity to learn more, and I had great energy and discipline.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Here’s one of her books. I recently read it again and was thrilled to discover that her insights are still spot on today.

I hope you are intrigued by this early hero of mine. It never ceases to amaze me how an intrepid woman can inspire other women!

All my Love.

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