Lucy Maud Montgomery, best known for the 1908 children’s classic “Anne of Green Gables,” penned several books about the redheaded Anne Shirley and her family. This quote comes from the eighth installment in the series, 1921’s “Rilla of Ingleside,”which details the coming-of-age of Anne’s youngest daughter, the teenaged Rilla Blythe. The night before her beloved brother Walter leaves for World War I, a sleepless Rilla is overcome by the depth of her emotions. In that moment, Montgomery describes Rilla’s soul as becoming “the soul of a woman in its capacity for suffering, for strength, for endurance.” Montgomery’s eloquent words remind us that regardless of age, we can experience profound emotional and spiritual transformation when confronted with life’s challenges.

At the end of the U.S. Civil War, 9-year-old Booker T. Washington walked out of enslavement and into freedom. As an adult, Washington became a leader and a defining voice among the last generation of Black Americans born into slavery. Well known as an influential author and advisor to several U.S. Presidents, Washington advocated for the education and entrepreneurial growth of formerly enslaved people and their descendants. The historic impact of his career has even led some to nickname his most active years (1880 to 1910) “The Age of Booker T. Washington.”  As he’s quoted here in his autobiography, “The Story of My Life and Work,” Washington believed that people “gain more by being generous than by being narrow” and encouraged others to embrace the guiding principle of elevating oneself by helping others.

French actress Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923) had boundless zest for her craft. In 1905, when her traveling production of “La Tosca” stopped in Rio de Janeiro, the 61-year-old ensured a memorable finale by spontaneously leaping from a parapet. Although she sustained a lifelong knee injury, playwrights responded by creating parts she could perform while seated, enabling Bernhardt to continue performing on international stages for more than a dozen years. In all avenues of life, she contended that passion was a reciprocal quality. Effort inspires effort, and putting yourself out there leads to better collaboration and stronger relationships.