Can I Quote You on That?

I came across this the other day…

My sister gave me this little notebook in August 1990 (she dated it on the first page – Regan is an archivist’s dream…she dates everything!) I bet she bought it in a cute Georgetown stationery store or one of the museum shops. After graduating from Smith College in May 19090, Regan moved to Washington, D.C. She worked at a law firm and lived in a cute studio apartment on Wisconsin Avenue, across the street from the National Cathedral. Everything she could want was within a few blocks: Giant Foods, a pharmacy, and the Zebra Room with 2-for-1 pizzas on Tuesdays. Regan went to museums on the weekends, ate noodles in Dupont Circle, and took the metro around town. When I visited in August, she was still settling in and did not seem thrilled with her situation, but I thought she had it made. I was due at Colby College in Waterville, Maine, later in the month to start my freshman year. Instead of participating in the highly recommended, but not required, Colby Outdoor Orientation Trip (COOT), I opted for a week in D.C. with my sister.

It is a complicated business, being the younger sister to a first-born daughter (I know, I know…it’s all complicated). I have always looked up to Regan and wanted to be doing whatever she was doing. And I wanted to do it together. When I was small, I wanted to be her friend. That was never going to happen. I was a disruption, nothing but an annoyance. As I grew up, I still craved Regan’s attention, but I made my own friends, and to avoid comparisons to Regan (who was perfect in my book), I started forging my own path. The dynamic began to shift when Regan went to college. Apparently, I was less annoying in the smaller doses of school breaks.

Back to August 1990 and the notebook. Regan wrote a lovely message on the first page. She thought the book would be perfect for collecting quotes and advised me to enjoy every minute of college and learn all I could. Regan is so good with inspirational messages; she gets that from our dad, a former coach and teacher (as well as from those “Believe in yourself and work hard as you chase your dreams…” motivational posters illustrated with either a rainbow or a sunset from the 1970s). I filled the book with my favorite quotes. Over the years, the little book disappeared into the abyss of the desk drawer. When I discovered it, I noticed I only wrote on one side of each page, so I am collecting quotes again thirty-five years later. And Regan’s advice to learn all I can is as relevant today.

Speaking of quotes…

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I found a site selling beautiful notecards made of handmade Italian paper with letterpress-printed quotations. There was a card with the Emily Dickinson quote, “Hope is a thing with feathers that perches in the soul, And sings the tune without the words, And never stops at all.” The perfect message to send to loved ones feeling trapped by lockdowns and isolated by social distancing.

Bridget makes the gorgeous cards at Occasionally Speaking. She chooses quotes that are perfect for specific occasions (e.g., anniversaries, birthdays, graduation, etc.) and when you want to drop a line to a friend just because.

Quote of the Day

I was really into Kandinsky in 1990. This was the first quote I recorded in the Pooh notebook:

That is beautiful which is produced by the inner need, which springs from the soul.

Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) Russian painter

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