Jan 10. {1855} The older I grow the more I admire independence of character and yet the less does this characteristic belong to me and the more rare does it seem to be in the world.
Maria Mitchell was independent, and was certainly independent of character – more than she seemed to give herself credit here. She seemed to believe that as she grew older, she lost this trait more and more – that it became diluted and that, perhaps, she didn’t step up and speak out. That she didn’t make her own path. I don’t see that in her at all. In fact, I see her becoming even more vocal, more true to herself as she grew older. An inner strength that grew within her as she became more confident in herself. But what she notes is also timely, it does seem even today, more and more, that people tend to be less apt to speak up and to be different from the crowd. That eyes cast downward, people shuffle along not willing to be different.
JNLF
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