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About this quote

What does it mean?
She describes a collective female sorrow over blessings never experienced. This discouragement stems from feeling that such blessings are perpetually out of reach.
In plain terms
Women mourn blessings they never had and feel they will never get them.
What can you take from it?
Hopelessness can stem from feeling deprived of life's gifts.

Where it applies

  • social advocacy
  • personal grief
  • historical analysis

Putting it to work

  • addressing systemic inequality
  • nurturing hope

Questions to consider

  • What blessings are society denying to specific groups?
  • How does unfulfilled longing shape identity?

Another view

It assumes a uniform experience across all women.

More from Florence Nightingale

  1. Women dream till they have no longer the strength to dream; those dreams against which they so struggle, so honestly, vigorously, and conscientiously, and so i…

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  2. Jesus Christ raised women above the condition of mere slaves, mere ministers to the passions of the man, raised them by His sympathy, to be Ministers of God. H…

    Permalink to quote #50
  3. It is thought pretty to say that 'Women have no passion.' If passion is excitement in the daily social intercourse with men, women think about marriage much mo…

    Permalink to quote #47

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