Determined to Be Cheerful
I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition.
Martha Washington
There’s a Stoic quality to this quote which is cool considering Martha Washington was a devout Christian. Per mountvernon.org , ‘Mrs. Washington regularly retired to her room between 9 and 10 o’clock in the morning “for an hour of meditation reading & prayer and that hour no one was ever allowed to interfere with.”’ I dig the quote because it’s empowering. Rather than a passive view of life where one lets events dictate their feelings, Martha seems to take control of her emotions despite the surrounding events.
About the author
Martha Washington (June 2, 1731-May 22, 1802) was the wife of George Washington, the first president of the United States. Although the title was not coined until after her death, Martha Washington served as the inaugural first lady of the United States. She first married Daniel Parke Custis, with whom she had four children, and was widowed by the age of 25. Two of her children by Custis survived to young adulthood. She brought her vast wealth to her marriage to Washington, which enabled him to buy land to add to his personal estate.