"Her real need to be of service overcame the hurt caused by her critics however, and she worked tirelessly all the years of Franklin's presidency. When he died she filled the void by working all the more. She had believed that When she was out of the White House there would he nothing more for her to do, "because she considered herself as an auxiliary to her husband and felt that her own value had been as First lady, not Eleanor Roosevelt. President Truman felt otherwise however, prevailing upon her to work for the newly formed United Nations. She spent the last years of her life travelling and working for the possibility of permanent world peace... she never stinted on her own time, energy, money, or compassion to help a stranger in need. Her greatness was in her kindness and empathy not, as her critics often pointed out, in her intellect ... She was given more tributes, medals and awards than any other woman in American history. Her books were translated into all major European languages, including Russian and Serbo Croatian, four Indian dialects and Hebrew, but in spite of all this Eleanor was not satisfied. She judged herself not on what she had accomplished, but what yet remained to be done, commenting that the knowledge of how little one can do alone had taught her humility. So she kept up her struggle against the injustices of the world."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Columnists from the United StatesWomen academics from the United StatesDiplomats of the United StatesActivists from New York CityUnited States First ladies
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Eleanor Roosevelt: portrait of a leader, by Genie Lynn Des Marteau (1977)
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Eleanor_Roosevelt
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Related Quotes
"I doubt, however, if it is good for us to feel assured of this without the accompanying obligation of having to justi…"
"Life is what you make of it. Always has been, always will be."
"Human resources are the most valuable assets the world has. They are all needed desperately."
"I have never felt that anything really mattered but the satisfaction of knowing that you stood for the things in whic…"
"It is not fair to ask of others what you are unwilling to do yourself. (15 June 1946)"
"Up to a certain point it is good for us to know that there are people in the world who will give us love and unquesti…"
"Oh! I want to put my arms around you, I ache to hold you close. Your ring is a great comfort. I look at it and think …"
"The most important thing in any relationship is not what you get but what you give."
"Do what you feel in your heart to be right — for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be "damned if you do, and damned…"
"The purpose of life...is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for new…"