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The Yankee Widow QUOTES

The Yankee Widow QUOTES

1 " Alas, the question was too big for a man in the process of dying, alone and far from home. "

― Linda Lael Miller , The Yankee Widow

2 " To Jacob, bleeding into the ground, in the midst of an endless war, that goal seemed more distant than ever, hopeless, even impossible. And still, had he been able, he would have fought on, died not just once but a thousand times, not for the country as it was, but for the noble, sacred objective upon which it had been founded—liberty and justice for all. Whatever the cost, the Union must hold together. So much hung in the balance, so very much. Not only the hope and valor of those who had gone before, but the freedom, perhaps the very existence, of those yet to be born. In solidarity, the United States could be a force for good in a hungry, desperate world. Torn asunder, it would be ineffectual, two bickering factions, bound to divide into still smaller and weaker fragments over time, too busy posturing and rattling sabers to meet the demands of a fragile future or to stand in the way of new tyrannies, certain to arise. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal... That belief, inspiring as it was, had chafed the consciences of thinking people since it flowed from the nib of Thomas Jefferson’s pen, as well it should have. "

― Linda Lael Miller , The Yankee Widow

3 " But we do have other choices, my dear. We can turn our backs on all that we know is right, sit ourselves down, fold our hands and allow wickedness to go unchallenged and therefore to prevail. We can run away and hide. Or we can stand our ground and fight inequality to our last heartbeat, knowing that if we perish, we have done all that we could and others will carry on, just as those who came before us have done. "

― Linda Lael Miller , The Yankee Widow

4 " She knew sorrow would always be her companion, no matter what happiness life might hold in store. And while her innocent illusions were forever lost to her, she had been forced to seek and find inner resources she had never imagined she might possess. "

― Linda Lael Miller , The Yankee Widow

5 " Caroline stood, looking down at her daughter, loving her so much that she almost couldn't bear it. She wanted everything for Rachel---health and happiness, of course, but more, as well. A good education, travels to interesting places near and far, a prosperous life. Eventually, a husband she loved and who loved her in return. Boisterous sturdy children, thriving from the first breath they drew.
And more still. She wanted Rachel to be a responsible citizen when she became an adult, with all the rights the Constitution currently afforded white men but had clearly promised to everyone, regardless of sex or race, of religion or no religion at all. "

― Linda Lael Miller , The Yankee Widow