Michelle Obama

It’s powerful to have strong men but what does that strength mean?

My last year in high school, I worked at a bindery, side by side with grown-ups who had been there their entire lives. Knowing that I, as a 16-year-old, was getting the same income and doing the same work… it gave me respect for those workers. But it also gave me an understanding that more is needed for folks to be able to cobble together a decent life on minimum wage.

Fear is a useless emotion. Don’t ever make decisions based on fear. Make decisions based on hope and possibility.

I’ve learned that from my husband, that sort of, you know, ability to not get too high or too low with changes and bumps in the road.

Success is only meaningful and enjoyable if it feels like your own.

I think every kid needs to get a taste of what it’s like to do that real hard work.

A few years after my first son was born, he wanted to know how we chose his name, so I began reading him the story of Noah’s Ark.

Having a sister is like having a best friend you can’t get rid of. You know whatever you do, they’ll still be there.

My dad died, I think, at 87. So I’ll be lucky if I make 87. But in a lot of cases, the younger people live longer than their parents. And they know more. My dad used to tell me he ate the hog from his rooter to his tooter. So do I when I’m not trying to lose weight.

How do people make it through life without a sister?

My daughters are the heart of my heart and the center of my world.

I was loved dearly by my father but I was never so precious that he didn’t think that I could be in there right at the table.

I’ve been a loner all the time throughout my life… I haven’t been the best father… Many times… my children have accused me of not giving them enough attention. And, frankly, I never have been good at handling that.

You have to love your children unselfishly. That is hard. But it is the only way.

Maybe that’s all that family really is, a group of people who all miss the same imaginary place.

Your children can be around you all day, but if you don’t spend quality time with them and you don’t pay attention to them and talk to them and listen to them, it doesn’t matter that they’re just around you.

My mom has always been my champion. She was very smart and grounded. She said, ‘Save your money. Pay your taxes. Don’t put everything in one basket,’ but she let me explore and be creative.

My father would always praise me. He always thought I was the smartest person

Our brothers and sisters are there with us from the dawn of our personal stories to the inevitable dusk.

I was not a classic mother. But my kids were never palmed off to boarding school. So, I didn’t bake cookies. You can buy cookies, but you can’t buy love.

My #1 priority is being a mother as well and I can work too, so can you!