Sometimes you have to get sicker before you can get better. Jeannette Walls More Quotes by Jeannette Walls More Quotes From Jeannette Walls Once you'd resolved to go, there was nothing to it at all. Jeannette Walls Why spend the afternoon making a meal that will be gone in an hour," she'd ask us, "when in the same amount of time, I can do a painting that will last forever? Jeannette Walls meals gone forever No one expected you to amount to much," she told me. "Lori was the smart one, Maureen the pretty one, and Brian the brave one. You never had much going for you except that you always worked hard. Jeannette Walls brian smart brave But I also hoped that [she] had chosen California because she thought that was her true home, the place where she really belonged, where it was always warm and you could dance in the rain, pick grapes right off the vines, and sleep outside at night under the stars. Jeannette Walls stars rain sleep Look at the way you live. You've sold out. Next thing I know you'll become a Republican." She shook her head. "Where are the values I raised you with? Jeannette Walls next looks way In this world, it's not enough to have a fine education. You need a piece of paper to prove you got it. Jeannette Walls pieces world needs 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. Jeannette Walls mom children people Years from now, when all the junk they got is broken and long forgotten, you'll still have your stars. Jeannette Walls stars long years Since Mom wasn't exactly the most useful person in the world, one lesson I learned at an early age was how to get things done, and this was a source of both amazement and concern for Mom, who considered my behavior unladylike but also counted on me. "I never knew a girl to have such gumption," she'd say. "But I'm not too sure it's a good thing. Jeannette Walls girl mom age No child is born a delinquent. They only became that way if nobody loved them when they were kids. Unloved children grow up to be serial murderers or alcoholics. Jeannette Walls growing-up kids children Life is a drama full of tragedy and comedy. You should learn to enjoy the comic episodes a little more. Jeannette Walls tragedy littles drama I wanted to let the world know that no one had a perfect life, that even the people who seemed to have it all had their secrets. Jeannette Walls secret perfect people Sometimes you need a little crisis to get your adrenaline flowing and help you realize your potential. Jeannette Walls helping littles needs She wore tight corsets to give her a teeny waist - I helped her lace them up - but they had the effect of causing her to faint. Mom called it the vapors and said it was a sign of her high breeding and delicate nature. I thought it was a sign that the corset made it hard to breathe. Jeannette Walls vapor mom giving The fact is, you don't love me, and you haven't destroyed me. You don't have what it takes to do that. Jeannette Walls you-dont-love-me havens facts I lived in a world that at any moment could erupt into fire. It was the sort of knowledge that kept you on your toes. Jeannette Walls toes fire world ...even though I was getting better education at home than any of the kids in Toyah, I'd need to go to finishing school when I was thirteen, both to acquire social graces and to earn a diploma. Because in this world, Dad said, it's not enough to have a fine education. You need a piece of paper to prove you go it. Jeannette Walls dad home school I hate Erma," I told Mom... "You have to show compassion for her..." She added that you should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. "Everyone has something good about them," she said. "You have to find the redeeming quality and love the person for that." "Oh yeah?" I said. "How about Hitler? What was his redeeming quality?" "Hitler loved dogs," Mom said without hesitation. Jeannette Walls hate mom dog The best time to tell your story is when you have to tell your story. When it's not really a choice. But then, when you get that first, messy, complicated version down, you have to read it over and be very tough on yourself and ask, 'Well what's the story here?' If you're lucky enough to have someone you trust looking over your shoulder, he or she can help you if [you] lack perspective on your own story. Jeannette Walls perspective choices writing It's the Joshua tree's struggle that gives it its beauty. Jeannette Walls struggle tree giving
