No matter how successful I become as a playwright, my mother would be thrilled to hear me tell her that I'd just lost twenty pounds, gotten married and become a lawyer.
Interpretation
The quote highlights the unconditional love and traditional values that mothers uphold, often prioritizing personal happiness over professional success.
Wendy Wasserstein's quote reflects the deep-seated connection between a child and their mother, emphasizing how, regardless of one's achievements, a mother often values family milestones and personal well-being above career successes. It suggests that maternal pride comes from seeing their children achieve traditional life goals rather than just professional accolades, revealing the critical role family plays in how we perceive success.
In practice
In a heartfelt speech at a graduation ceremony, one might say, 'Remember, success is not just about your career; it's about your family's joy and well-being, just like Wendy Wasserstein expressed.'
The trick. . .is to find the balance between the bright colors of humor and the serious issues of identity, self-loathing, and the possibility for intimacy and love when it seems no longer possible or, sadder yet, no longer necessary.
Being a grownup means assuming responsibility for yourself, for your children, and - here's the big curve - for your parents.
I'm not going to throw my imagination away. I refuse to lie down to expectation. If I can just hold out till I'm thirty, I'll be incredible.
No matter how lonely you get or how many birth announcements you receive, the trick is not to get frightened. There's nothing wrong with being alone.
In the family sandwich, the older people and the younger ones can recognize one another as the bread. Those in the middle are, for a time, the meat.
Children are a battle of a different sort. ... A battle without banners or warhorns but no less fierce.
You don't have to get rich to have [fewer] children. It has happened across the world.
My dad is a Chatty Cathy, the social butterfly; friendly; knows everybody in the whole world by six degrees; tells me that every performance is the greatest he's ever seen, every new outfit is the coolest. Constant cheerleader.
There are certain characteristics that define a good chimp mother. She is patient, she is protective but she is not over-protective - that is really important. She is tolerant, but she can impose discipline. She is affectionate. She plays. And the most important of all: she is supportive.
I want to give my kids the world, but I also want them to appreciate everything, to succeed, to be good people, to enjoy life. This is my most important role. If I fail at this, I fail at everything.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.