I hope, if you should live to grow up, you will endeavour to be very useful and not spend all your time in pleasing yourself.
Interpretation
The quote encourages focusing on being useful to others rather than solely seeking personal pleasure.
Elizabeth Fry's quote emphasizes the value of contributing to society and being beneficial to those around us. It highlights the importance of living a purposeful life by engaging in activities that serve a greater good instead of prioritizing self-indulgence.
In practice
In a graduation speech, one might quote Fry to inspire students to contribute positively to society.
The loveliest, sweetest flower that bloomed in paradise, and the first that died, has rarely blossomed since on mortal soil. It is so frail, so delicate, a thing, it is gone if it but look upon itself; and she who ventures to esteem it hers proves by that single thought she has it not.
Beware the ends of the earth and the exotic: the drama is on your doorstep wherever the slums; are, wherever there is malnutrition, wherever there is exploitation and cruelty.
We must have the stubbornness to accept our gladness in the ruthless furnace of this world.
Your best ideas, those eureka moments that turn the world upside down, seldom come when you're juggling emails, rushing to meet the 5 P.M. deadline or straining to make your voice heard in a high-stress meeting. They come when you're walking the dog, soaking in the bath or swinging in a hammock.
Americans are like a rich father who wishes he knew how to give his son the hardships that made him rich.
All I can say is I did the best I could, and I didn't do well enough on many occasions.
There's no such thing as writer's block. That was invented by people in California who couldn't write.
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