“All we see of someone at any moment is a snapshot of their life, there in riches or poverty, in joy or despair. Snapshots don't show the million decisions that led to that moment.” ~ Richard Bach

...But reading biographies of people can help us to know their journey and travel it a little with them.  

Why do we focus on Historic Homemakers here at the Homemaking Cottage?  Because we believe that in learning from people of the past we can make our lives better today.  There is a quote by George R.R. Martin that goes, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.”

Reading the biographies of great women or men who have accomplished many things in their lives is helpful to us in our own.  I started reading biographies out of nosiness and curiosity of people I liked or admired and it turned into something much more than I anticipated.  I began to be empowered by their strength, wisdom, life lessons, the choices they made, and what they did to succeed.  I found that it also gave me strength and courage to continue through when I thought times were tough for me.  There is nothing like reading about someone else’s trials to make your own seem small and not so bad.

Why we choose the women we do

These women were tough, tenacious, inspiring.  They made bad choices. They made good choices. Most importantly, they touched others, made the world a better place, and inspired others.  Some are not so well known today, but their lives can still speak to us.  Some of the women we feature short biographies about are: “Mother” Mary Harris Jones, Mother Theresa, Louisa May Alcott, Jane Addams, and even First Ladies such as: Nancy Reagan, Mary Todd Lincoln, Abigail Adams, Lucretia Garfield and Dolley Madison.  You may have heard of some of these women and others you may not have heard of.  Maybe you have heard their names but  know nothing of their extraordinary lives.  Because our goal is to inspire you and to help you grow in all capacities as a woman this is why we feature Historic Homemakers.

Learning history at the Same Time

While we learn of these women we can also get some history lessons in.  I have a fascination with history and learning things I did not learn in school.  This is the perfect way to enhance your life and learn history at the same.  Some of the writers’ biographies we feature also share works other than their most popular.  Bibliographers will love that!

It always serves as a powerful reminder to read the following quote by H. Jackson Brown: ”Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.”  If they learned to make the best use of their time, to get through their trials with difficulties and through it all do great things---so can we!

Take some time today to read a biography of one of the Historic Homemakers and be inspired.