Virginia Gaffney > Quotes

“History is the story of people’s lives. History reflects the consequences of their choice and actions – both good and bad. History is what has given you the world you live in today – both good and bad.”
― Virginia Gaffney, Storm Clouds Rolling In: 1860-1861

“The only cure for loneliness be givin’. When you be givin’ you ain’t got time to think ‘bout what you don’t got. But you got to give with your heart. You got to give from your heart. That’s the only sure way to beat back that old demon o’ loneliness.”
― Virginia Gaffney, On To Richmond

“she needed the quiet solitude found when the rest of the world was still asleep.”
― Virginia Gaffney, Storm Clouds Rolling In: 1860-1861

“Seems that folks who try to hide it the most end up judging the most. Guess they figure if they judge other people’s garbage it makes their own not quite so dirty.”
― Virginia Gaffney, Spring Will Come

“You remember one thing, Peter. Ain’t many of us able to go out and change the whole world, but ever’one of us can help change the people God brings our way.”
― Virginia Gaffney, Dark Chaos

“every generation of people thinks they are growing up into a harder time. She thinks maybe it makes them feel better about the struggle they have leaving their childhood behind.”
― Virginia Gaffney, On To Richmond: 1861-1862

“Matthew nodded. “Aunt Abby is one in a million. I agree with her. I think every individual should feel they alone are responsible for their thoughts and actions.”
― Virginia Gaffney, On To Richmond

“men being led into the clearing. The towering oaks formed a mighty tunnel for the procession. The trees, like the air embracing them, were still and somber, reflecting b”
― Virginia Gaffney, Storm Clouds Rolling In: 1860-1861

“It’s only when they own your mind that they really own you, boy. They never owned your daddy. And they’ll never own me. I’m not a slave, boy. I’m a human being. I just happen to live in slavery.”
― Virginia Gaffney, Storm Clouds Rolling In: 1860-1861

“Kanawha Canal was a marvel to her. It had first extended seven miles to afford safe passage around the Richmond Falls. Packet boats now ran daily trips”
― Virginia Gaffney, Storm Clouds Rolling In: 1860-1861

“medical”
― Virginia Gaffney, Spring Will Come

“Trustin’ done take a lifetime, Rose girl. Every time, it seems like you got to learn it again. But it gets to be some easier. You finally figure out that God does really love you. Then the trustin’ get easier. God done already know how you feel. Let him take you through the hard times. He’ll teach you to trust...”
― Virginia Gaffney, On To Richmond

“Why, that be one man who ain’t got nothin’ but hate poisonin’ his blood. But there ain’t been no one born that be that way from the start. No, somethin’ done put that poison in him. We prob’ly won’t never know what put it there, but it been put there sho‘nuff. You gots to pity a man like that. Now, I be hatin’ the things he be doin’ as much as anybody else, but it won’t be doin’ my heart no good to be hatin’ him. That won’t do nothin’ but put poison in my own blood. No, I reckon I’ll keep on pitying that poor empty shell of a man.”
― Virginia Gaffney, Spring Will Come

“People believe easily when it doesn’t cause them any discomfort. It’s when it hurts to believe that believing means something.”
― Virginia Gaffney, Storm Clouds Rolling In: 1860-1861

“But you remember this, boy. Ain’t nothin’ better than bein’ a leader. Ain’t nothin’ better than knowin’ somethin’ you done has made life better for folks.”
― Virginia Gaffney, On To Richmond: 1861-1862

“There are some people who want to feel power over other people. I guess it makes them feel better about themselves if they have someone to look down upon.”
― Virginia Gaffney, Spring Will Come: 1862-1863

“That is the Bregdan Principle… Every life that has been lived until today is a part of the woven braid of life. It takes every person’s story to create history. Your life will help determine the course of history. You may think you don’t have much of an impact. You do. Every action you take will reflect in someone else’s life. Someone else’s decisions. Someone else’s future. Both good and bad.”
― Virginia Gaffney, Storm Clouds Rolling In: 1860-1861

“God gave me gifts so that I could use them to help his people. I”
― Virginia Gaffney, On To Richmond

“My mama didn’t believe anyone was a failure. She figured those folks need to find out what they’re supposed to be doing. Once they find that out, they’ll have all the abilities and gifts they need to perform it.” She paused again. “Teresa, you’re a very special person. If you decide not to come back, don’t feel badly. It only means there is something else you’re supposed to be doing.”
― Virginia Gaffney, Spring Will Come: 1862-1863

“Never again will I allow myself to be so caught up in the events of my world and my activities that I lose contact with my own heart and mind. All my achievements mean nothing if I lose myself in the process.”
― Virginia Gaffney, Spring Will Come

“Our president said, and I quote, ‘As to slavery, it must be content with what it has. The voice of the civilized world is against it; it is opposed to its growth or extension. Freedom is the natural condition of the human race, in which the Almighty intended men to live. Those who fight the purposes of the Almighty will not succeed. They always have been, and they always will be, beaten.”
― Virginia Gaffney, Storm Clouds Rolling In: 1860-1861

“She told me one time that it wasn’t the material things in life that mattered. She wouldn’t be able to take them with her anyway. She said the only thing that counted was how much love you left behind.” She smiled. “Your mama left behind an awful lot of love.”
― Virginia Gaffney, On To Richmond

“People don’t like to be pushed into a corner. When they are, they lose sight of what they are fighting about. They simply fight to get out of the corner. At that point, reason loses all power to affect change. It becomes as futile an effort as trying to push back the tide.”
― Virginia Gaffney, Storm Clouds Rolling In: 1860-1861

“God might never have wanted blacks to be hauled to this country as slaves, but now that we’re here, I know for certain he wants the hatin’ to stop. It’s our job to make sure it happens, at least in our own hearts. I reckon those are the only ones we can really answer for.”
― Virginia Gaffney, Spring Will Come: 1862-1863

“what we should think, and”
― Virginia Gaffney, Storm Clouds Rolling In: 1860-1861

“We knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but people before us have done it, and so can we. Nothing in this life is guaranteed. You make the best choices you can and try your hardest.” He paused. “I reckon we can trust God to take care of the rest.”
― Virginia Gaffney, On To Richmond

“with”
― Virginia Gaffney, Storm Clouds Rolling In: 1860-1861

“My mama used to tell me something,” she said softly. “She used to tell me that some people stagger under the burden of failure because they were never supposed to be doing what they were doing anyway. She said some people try to do things God never gifted them for in the first place. Then they feel like miserable failures because they don’t succeed.” Rose gazed deeply into Teresa’s eyes. “My mama didn’t believe anyone was a failure. She figured those folks need to find out what they’re supposed to be doing. Once they find that out, they’ll have all the abilities and gifts they need to perform it.” She paused again. “Teresa, you’re a very special person. If you decide not to come back, don’t feel badly. It only means there is something else you’re supposed to be doing.”
― Virginia Gaffney, Spring Will Come: 1862-1863

“Then you’ll cry and go on livin’. But girl, you be borrowing trouble ‘fore there be trouble to borrow. You done be lettin’ that fear take over your heart again. What happened to your trust, chile? What happened to your trust?” Rose”
― Virginia Gaffney, On To Richmond: 1861-1862

“For now, that means your life gonna be here on Cromwell Plantation. That leaves you only one thin’ to do. You gots to live as hard as you can where you be. You gots to look deep inside and find out all the thin’s you got to give the world. Then you got to give it. You can’t spend all your days lookin’ backward, and you can’t spend all your days lookin’ forward. It’s today that counts, Rose. Yous got to bloom where you be planted. God’s got you planted here for now.”
― Virginia Gaffney, Storm Clouds Rolling In: 1860-1861