Betty Quotes
"There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
"Times will never be the same, so we give time another beautiful name until it’s easier to carry."
"Between God and devil, our family tree grew with rotten roots, broken branches, and fungus on the leaves."
"Houses are built in the beginning by the father and the mother."
"Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden."
"It’s like God picked us up and tucked us in His pocket."
"Hide me under the shadow of thy wings." —PSALM 17:8
"Everything we need to live a life as long as we're allowed has been given to us in nature."
"At the very least, we bring the earth inside us and restore the knowledge that even the smallest leaf has a soul."
"They are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber." —ISAIAH 56:10
"Fall into the mouth of the eater." —NAHUM 3:12
"If you just stand still, Betty, you'll miss something extraordinary."
"I am a princess. I matter. I am important."
"Never put fire out with water. Fire hates water and water hates fire. Only the earth itself can come between flame and liquid to ease their old war."
"The best Christmas tree of all is one that is left in the earth, allowed to live and grow and have its own life."
"We're plantin' it for Fraya. When the corn grows tall and strong, so will she."
"My daddy lives in a snowflake. He is cold. I only see him in winter."
"Snowflakes are so peaceful. I think just by livin' in one, you'd have to be as peaceful as they are."
"The first woman was given antlers on her head to branch her power out into the world."
"A woman was always responsible for the gardening."
"From the warmth of your hands, you will bring spring back for the seeds and for Fraya."
"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right."
"A woman shall compass a man." —JEREMIAH 31:22
"Both low and high, rich and poor, together." —PSALMS 49:2
"Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out." —DEUTERONOMY 28:19
"Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret." —JOB 40:13
"Folks think it’s when they beg you to stay, but it’s when they let you go that you know they love you so goddamn much."
"Souls don’t have a monthly cycle. Souls just are."
"Don’t let it happen to you, Betty. Don’t ever be afraid to be yourself."
"One day, I’m gonna get me a yellow Corvette. Vroom, vroom."
"You don’t wanna live so long only to realize, you ain’t lived at all."
"There’s nothin’ that can help you. You’ll always be ugly."
"I reckon that’s why I like havin’ ’em around. They’re the last of her."
"I wanted to see if no still meant somethin’."
"A girl changes when she wears makeup, it’s her first step out the door. The eye shadow, the lipstick, it’s you leavin’ me. Why can’t ya stay a little girl?"
"When a girl puts on makeup, it’s her first step out the door. The eye shadow, the lipstick, it’s you leavin’ me."
"The world was preparing for a summer that would have lasting meaning in the annals of human culture."
"Hills were made so men could stand at the top of 'em and roll their sins down."
"God must have known us Carpenters would call this place home."
"You know why hills were made, Little Indian? Hills were made so men could stand at the top of 'em and roll their sins down."
"Creator is wise, Betty. It’s why He didn’t make this whole damn world nothin’ but a big flat piece of land."
"Everyone’s an angel up here. Don’t you know that inside the water tower is heaven?"
"This isn’t some tepee out in a field, young lady," Mrs. Cross said. "This is an institution of formal education. There are rules to follow."
"You’ve violated our school policy, you know that, don’t you?" he asked, gesturing to my shorts.
"Clothing should show there’s a difference between a girl and a boy. Don’t you agree, Betty?"
"Women cannot behave the same as men, because women and men are not the same."
"My dear, anytime a woman walks, she frolics. She can’t help it. It’s the way her legs are shaped."
"To wear pants was to be dressed for power. But to wear a skirt was to be dressed to wash the dishes."
"Your fellow brothers in Christ will look at you with respect if you dress how the Bible says women and girls should," he said.
"My people are Cherokee," I said, standing taller.
"Because it didn’t matter to the Cherokee what women wore. It mattered what they did and what they spoke and what they thought."
"Dad says men who mount dead animals on their walls are men who think they’re more important than they really are."
"Your moral compass is broken, young lady," he said.
"The house is cold without you, the flowers won’t grow."
"Stars don’t exist for us. Somewhere out there is a world that we’re the insects to."
"Sometimes I think we’re all gonna suffocate. Help me, Betty. Help me poke a hole big enough for us to fly out of."
"You’ve seen Flossie put on her little shows. She’s missin' that one thing that makes for a good actress. Talent."
"I taught a rat how to chew gum," she said. "He sits on my countertop and does it all."
"I’m alone. Isn’t that always…a woman in the…end?"
"I feel like I’m over…turned…my legs up in the air…a beetle on its back."
"Maybe being Flossie Carpenter was her greatest performance. So good, we all thought it was her."
"Story always has been a way to rewrite the truth."
"You are meant to fly out of this burning book."
"In the dark, you won't be able to tell who is white like you and who ain't."
"I don’t know if I’ve ever told you that I love you, Little Indian."
"My father had given me the beginning. It was up to me to write the rest."
"A girl comes of age against the knife, but the woman she becomes must decide if the blade will cut deep enough to rip her apart or if she will find the strength to leap with her arms out and dare herself to fly in a world that seems to break like glass around her."
"To be haunted is not always such a terrible thing."