Mary Wesley Quotes

Powerful Mary Wesley for Daily Growth

About Mary Wesley

Mary Wesley (1910-2002) was a British novelist whose works were characterized by humor, intelligence, and sharp observations about love, life, and growing old. Born on June 10, 1910, in London to Jewish parents, she spent her early years in Hampstead and later attended the independent North London Collegiate School. After completing her education, she worked as a secretary before marrying Ronald Wesley, an architect, in 1936. The marriage produced two sons but was dissolved by divorce in the late 1940s. During this period, Wesley pursued various careers, including running a bookshop, working in film production, and teaching. Wesley's writing career began rather late in life. In her seventies, she penned her debut novel, "The Time of the Stranger" (1975), which was an instant success and won the WHSmith Literary Award. The book follows a group of middle-aged siblings who return to their childhood home on the Isle of Wight following their parents' deaths. Her second novel, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1982), was equally successful, reaching number two in the British bestseller charts and being adapted into a popular television series. The story revolves around three sisters who reunite during World War II to deal with their mother's will and confront long-buried family secrets. Wesley's later works include "Jumping the Queue" (1984), "Not That Kind of Girl" (1986), and "Blue Remembered Hills" (1988). These novels continue to explore themes of love, family, and growing old, often set against the backdrop of World War II or during significant historical events. Mary Wesley died in 2002 at the age of 92, having left a lasting impact on British literature with her witty, insightful novels about the human experience. Her works continue to be celebrated and enjoyed by readers today.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"One can only see really clearly with the heart. What is essential is invisible to the eye."

This quote emphasizes that true understanding, clarity, or wisdom often lies beyond what we perceive with our physical senses, particularly the eyes. Instead, it suggests that a deeper level of comprehension can be achieved through emotions, intuition, or the heart – aspects that are typically invisible to the naked eye. In essence, it underscores the importance of feeling and empathy in fully comprehending life's truths.

"The past is a different country: they do things differently there."

This quote suggests that the past, while related to our current reality, functions as a distinct entity or "country." It emphasizes the idea that behaviors, beliefs, customs, and overall mentalities in the past are significantly different from those in the present. The quote encourages us to understand and appreciate these differences when exploring or contemplating historical periods. In other words, it's a reminder that the past is not merely an extension of today but rather its own unique context.

"Life's not like an old-fashioned novel, where you can predict what's going to happen next."

This quote suggests that life is unpredictable and does not adhere to the linear narrative structure often found in traditional novels. Life is dynamic, filled with unexpected twists and turns, and it doesn't follow a predetermined script. It encourages us to embrace the spontaneity and uncertainty of our existence, rather than trying to anticipate every outcome.

"We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike."

This quote by Mary Wesley suggests that despite our apparent differences, there is a fundamental sameness or commonality among human beings. It emphasizes unity and brotherhood, encouraging us to focus on the shared aspects of humanity rather than the superficial differences that often divide us. Understanding this similarity can foster empathy, tolerance, and cooperation, ultimately leading to a more peaceful and harmonious society.

"It is never too late to be who you might have been."

This quote by Mary Wesley emphasizes that it's never too late for personal growth and self-discovery, encouraging individuals to strive towards becoming the best version of themselves, regardless of their age or current circumstances. It underscores the idea that one's potential is not bound by past choices or experiences, and that transformative change can happen at any stage in life. This quote serves as a source of hope and motivation for those who feel they have missed their chance to achieve their dreams or fulfill their true selves.

A lot of people stop short. They don't actually die but they say, 'Right I'm old, and I'm going to retire,' and then they dwindle into nothing. They go off to Florida and become jolly boring.

- Mary Wesley

Die, Florida, Going, Retire

Imagination which comes into play in falling in love is different from any other. Certainly in my case, and I've fallen in love all my life, one imagines the person to be as you want them to be. They frequently turn out to be someone different, for better or worse.

- Mary Wesley

Love, My Life, Play, Love Is

My father was a soldier and my mother was a great mover. She once counted up how many places she had lived in during the first 25 years of her marriage and it came to 20.

- Mary Wesley

Father, Had, Many, Counted

It seemed sensible to move to a market town where I could walk everywhere.

- Mary Wesley

Market, Town, Move, Sensible

They may turn out to be a great disappointment, or perhaps they may be full of enchanting surprises.

- Mary Wesley

Disappointment, Enchanting, Surprises

I have a garden, and I'm passionately interested in young people.

- Mary Wesley

Young People, Passionately, Garden

Rebecca is an example of how not to manage men. The rules of the game never change, it requires subtlety.

- Mary Wesley

Game, Never, How, Manage

Women's courage is rather different from men's. The fact that women have to bring up children and look after husbands makes them braver at facing long-term issues, such as illness. Men are more immediately courageous. Lots of people are brave in battle.

- Mary Wesley

Fact, Bring, Rather, Braver

We're all like children. We may think we grow up, but to me, being grown up is death, stopping thinking, trying to find out things, going on learning.

- Mary Wesley

Grow, Think, May, Stopping

Unimaginative people are spared quite a lot. They're often much happier, because they don't go through all the variety of conceptions of the person they love.

- Mary Wesley

Love, Go, Through, Unimaginative

Twenty years ago, I was living in a lovely cottage on the edge of Dartmoor but I couldn't afford to run a car.

- Mary Wesley

Lovely, Run, Living, Twenty

You know what it's like to persuade a pigheaded child to do something they don't want to. If they hear the same suggestion from someone else, they'll go right off and do it.

- Mary Wesley

Want, Go, Like, Suggestion

People try much less hard to make a marriage work than they used to fifty years ago. Divorce is easier.

- Mary Wesley

Work, Fifty, Less, Divorce

I remember the evacuee children from towns and cities throwing stones at the farm animals. When we explained that if you did that you wouldn't have any milk, meat or eggs, they soon learned to respect the animals.

- Mary Wesley

I Remember, Eggs, Cities, Farm

I always read that men don't like intelligent girls, but I've always found the reverse.

- Mary Wesley

Always, Found, Read, Reverse

In my eighties, my best friends are in their fifties, and I have many friends at university. It keeps one young, and up with the vocabulary. That's terribly important, especially for a writer.

- Mary Wesley

Best, Young, University, Keeps

That image of the countryside being a threatening place still exists. People continue to resist the challenge of learning about aspects of life they don't understand.

- Mary Wesley

Image, Still, Threatening, Countryside

Writing Part of the Scenery has been a very different experience. I have been reminded of people and events, real and imaginary which have been part of my life. This book is a celebration of the land which means so much to me.

- Mary Wesley

My Life, Been, Very, Reminded

My first husband would never make up his mind in less than five years, so I used to get him to think that whatever course of action needed to be taken was his idea. Then he'd go right ahead.

- Mary Wesley

Ahead, Idea, Needed, Make Up

Each marriage has to be judged separately, and we never know what's going on in another person's marriage.

- Mary Wesley

Never, Going, Separately, Judged

It was pretty awful for us children because we never really knew the local children. Mother was keen for us to learn languages, so our travels took us to France and Italy, as well as the West Country.

- Mary Wesley

Country, Pretty, Took, Keen

I found out only recently that we were making an index of enemy code signs.

- Mary Wesley

Making, Found, Code, Recently

Of course risk-taking does not always pay off, but it's a lot of fun!

- Mary Wesley

Always, Lot, Does, Risk-Taking

I was sent to a finishing school, which didn't last long when mother found out how badly chaperoned we were. Then I 'came out' before going to a domestic science school.

- Mary Wesley

Last, Which, Badly, Sent

I never really know the title of a book until it's finished.

- Mary Wesley

Book, Never, Know, Title

I have deliberately left Sylvester and Julia's appearances to the reader's imagination.

- Mary Wesley

Appearances, Deliberately, Julia

Looking back, I understand that I was teaching myself to write.

- Mary Wesley

Myself, Looking Back, Back, Teaching

We all lie to each other, present some sort of front.

- Mary Wesley

Some, Other, Sort, Lie

I don't write for any particular kind of person.

- Mary Wesley

Kind, Person, Particular, Particular Kind

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