Words of Wisdom

Words of Wisdom from my mother or another female ancestor.

I can't think of anything specific. There are general sayings, like "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all" and Nanna O'Toole used to say to me "a stitch in time saves nine", although as a small child I used to think "Nine what?"

Eda Elizabeth Elecia O'Toole ni Shoobridge (1904-1984)

Mum always taught us to respect others' beliefs and try not to be judgemental, and she always openly questioned Dad's attitude to female preachers, which annoyed him but spoke volumes to me about a woman's right to speak and be heard, not just in a religious context, but in any context.

Aunty Dymphna, my Uncle Jack O'Toole's wife, always said, "Don't let anything stop you", and she lived that edict, going to university for the first time when she was in her 70s and topping her subjects. She was also a waste-not-want-not person and could look very glamorous on a shoe-string, copying designer clothes and making her own hats.

Dymphna O'Toole ni Helmrich (1911-2006)

Words have to be backed by actions, and Mum, Nanna and Aunty Dymphna did that, living according to their words. I feel very lucky and very proud to be part of their family.