From that time on, the world was hers for the reading. She would never be lonely again, never miss the lack of intimate friends. Books became her friends and there was one for every mood. There was poetry for quiet companionship. There was adventure when she tired of quiet hours. There would be love stories when she came into adolescence and when she wanted to feel a closeness to someone she could read a biography. On that day when she first knew she could read, she made a vow to read one book a day as long as she lived.

More quotes by Betty Smith

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"From that time on, the world was hers for the reading. She would never be lonely again, never miss the lack of intimate friends. Books became her friends and there was one for every mood."

- Betty Smith

Education

"Oh magic hour, when a child first knows she can read printed words!"

- Betty Smith

New Beginnings

"Look at everything always as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time: Thus is your time on earth filled with glory."

- Betty Smith

Mindfulness

"The world was hers for the reading."

- Betty Smith

Imagination

"Dear God," she prayed, "let me be something every minute of every hour of my life. Let me be gay; let me be sad. Let me be cold; let me be warm. Let me be hungry...have too much to eat. Let me be ragged or well dressed. Let me be sincere - be deceitful. Let me be truthful; let me be a liar. Let me be honorable and let me sin. Only let me be something every blessed minute. And when I sleep, let me dream all the time so that not one little piece of living is ever lost."

- Betty Smith

Spirituality

More Growth Quotes

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"We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are."

- Max DePree

Growth

"How marvelous is the generation with which you deal. We have never had a generation its equal in all of the history of the Church. They are better educated. They are more familiar with the scriptures. I believe they pray with a greater measure of faith, have a greater desire to do the will of the Lord, are more active in the Church, go into the world as better prepared missionaries, and live to become better parents."

- President Gordon B. Hinckley

Growth

"Allow yourself the opportunity to get uncomfortable."

- Alex Toussaint

Growth

"All growth starts at the end of your comfort zone."

- Tony Robbins

Growth

"Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave."

- Mary Tyler Moore

Growth