--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My mother has always instilled in us that…" description: "\"My mother has always instilled in us that we should carry ourselves with dignity despite the horror that came with the civil war. She also taught us th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/493/alek-wek-4037_civil-war_my-mother-has-always-instilled-in-us-tha_1972474.jpg" --- # My mother has always instilled in us that we should carry… ![“My mother has always instilled in us that we should carry ourselves with dignity despite the horror that came with the civil war. She also taught us that where you come from is very important because that's what makes you who you are. So for me, whatever I've gone through had profoundly shaped me…” quote by Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/493/alek-wek-4037_civil-war_my-mother-has-always-instilled-in-us-tha_1972474.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/493/alek-wek-4037_civil-war_my-mother-has-always-instilled-in-us-tha_1972474.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/493/alek-wek-4037_civil-war_my-mother-has-always-instilled-in-us-tha_1972474.jpg) > “My mother has always instilled in us that we should carry ourselves with dignity despite the horror that came with the civil war. She also taught us that where you come from is very important because that's what makes you who you are. So for me, whatever I've gone through had profoundly shaped me; it has given me strength and unwavering faith.” [Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Resilience and identity are forged through hardship, giving strength and faith while honoring one's origins. **In simple terms:** Hardship builds strength and identity. Key Takeaway Embrace your past to empower your future. Themes resilience identity heritage faith Mood determined reflective Type inspirational personal When to use this quote - conflict recovery - personal development - community leadership - narrative building Key Concepts post‑colonial trauma self‑determination cultural pride Questions to Reflect On - How does your heritage shape your daily choices? - What practices help you turn trauma into strength? A Different Perspective Strength alone does not guarantee success without opportunity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength/) [Unwavering faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unwavering-faith/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [What we say and what we do ultimately comes back to us so let us own our responsibility, place it in our hands, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/what-we-say-and-what-we-do-ultimately-comes-back-to-us-so-let-us-own/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [Courage is not the absence of fear but the ability to carry on with dignity in spite of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-turow/courage-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-ability-to-carry-on-with/) [Scott Turow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-turow/) > [I would like to be Maria, but there is La Callas who demands that I carry myself with her dignity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-callas/i-would-like-to-be-maria-but-there-is-la-callas-who-demands-that-i/) [Maria Callas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-callas/) > [Robert Plant, Kenny Chesney, Mavis Staples, Taj Mahal, this incredible array of folks, all taught me a way to carry yourself with dignity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-potter/robert-plant-kenny-chesney-mavis-staples-taj-mahal-this-incredible/) [Grace Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-potter/) > [“But Dixon had once been a soldier. He knew that courage was not the absence of fear but the ability to carry on with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-turow/but-dixon-had-once-been-a-soldier-he-knew-that-courage-was-not-the/) [Scott Turow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-turow/) > [“Don't be discouraged if people don't see your vision, your harvest. All they see from their perspective is that you're watering a whole lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvonne-pierre/don-t-be-discouraged-if-people-don-t-see-your-vision-your-harvest-all/) [Yvonne Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvonne-pierre/) > [“Faith is won only through protection and protection from a bigger threat earns you unwavering faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anupam-sinha/faith-is-won-only-through-protection-and-protection-from-a-bigger/) Anupam Sinha > [THE MIRACLE EQUATION: Unwavering Faith + Extraordinary Effort = Miracles. 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You will experience successes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/have-unwavering-faith-in-yourself-for-good-and-bad-make-the-decision/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Though they lived with the indignities of dispossession and military occupation, Huda sang with an unassailable freedom that comes only to those with unwavering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-abulhawa/though-they-lived-with-the-indignities-of-dispossession-and-military/) [Susan Abulhawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-abulhawa/) > [“Indeed, the big point of this chapter is not about technology per se. No technology, no matter how amazing—not computers, not telecommunications, not robotics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/indeed-the-big-point-of-this-chapter-is-not-about-technology-per-se/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [“Alex Dumas had the confidence that accompanies a life of physical exploits, along with an unwavering faith in the rightness of his actions that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-reiss/alex-dumas-had-the-confidence-that-accompanies-a-life-of-physical/) [Tom Reiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-reiss/) > ["Without faith it is impossible to please God," and without faith it is impossible for you to become great. The distinguishing characteristic of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-d-wattles/without-faith-it-is-impossible-to-please-god-and-without-faith-it-is/) [Wallace D. Wattles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-d-wattles/) > [For what is faith unless it is to believe what you do not see?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/for-what-is-faith-unless-it-is-to-believe-what-you-do-not-see/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) ## More by Alek Wek > [I was working part-time as a cleaner while I was going to college and then babysitting after school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alek-wek/i-was-working-part-time-as-a-cleaner-while-i-was-going-to-college-and/) [Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) > [War tore my family apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alek-wek/war-tore-my-family-apart/) [Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) > [I wore hot pants and cowboy boots and I thought, 'What have I gotten myself into?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alek-wek/i-wore-hot-pants-and-cowboy-boots-and-i-thought-what-have-i-gotten/) [Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) > [I've seen mothers and children really being vulnerable in the refugee camps; it's supposed to be temporary, but they end up having children who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alek-wek/i-ve-seen-mothers-and-children-really-being-vulnerable-in-the-refugee/) [Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) > [I used to have nightmares about the civil war when I got to England at ages 14 to 15. It took me some years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alek-wek/i-used-to-have-nightmares-about-the-civil-war-when-i-got-to-england/) [Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) > [My experience as a refugee had made me strong; I could survive anything, even the world of fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alek-wek/my-experience-as-a-refugee-had-made-me-strong-i-could-survive/) [Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) > [Leaving southern Sudan as a child was terrifying. It was 1985, and my family and I were trying to escape to Khartoum, the capital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alek-wek/leaving-southern-sudan-as-a-child-was-terrifying-it-was-1985-and-my/) [Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) > [Starting modeling in the '90s, it was quite surreal. They were like, 'You're so different! So weird! So bizarre!' And I'm like, 'I'm so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alek-wek/starting-modeling-in-the-90s-it-was-quite-surreal-they-were-like-you/) [Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) > [There's one thing we all share: We eat to nurture ourselves, to feel stronger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alek-wek/there-s-one-thing-we-all-share-we-eat-to-nurture-ourselves-to-feel/) [Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) > [Don't focus on negative things; focus on the positive, and you will flourish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alek-wek/don-t-focus-on-negative-things-focus-on-the-positive-and-you-will/) [Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) > [London is like my second home. I've still got friends there from school and from when I first started in the modelling business -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alek-wek/london-is-like-my-second-home-i-ve-still-got-friends-there-from/) [Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) > [I don't even know where to start in terms of people having such an issue about color, especially being dark. I just think on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alek-wek/i-don-t-even-know-where-to-start-in-terms-of-people-having-such-an/) [Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) > [There are mothers who sew for six months to make a fashion collection - someone's grandmother, someone's sister. We come in and get paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alek-wek/there-are-mothers-who-sew-for-six-months-to-make-a-fashion-collection/) [Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) > [Beauty is deeper than just what you look at in a picture. You could fancy what you like, but as a woman my mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alek-wek/beauty-is-deeper-than-just-what-you-look-at-in-a-picture-you-could/) [Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) > [We need to do everything we can to protect the health and welfare of children around the world, but fortunately, it's getting easier to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alek-wek/we-need-to-do-everything-we-can-to-protect-the-health-and-welfare-of/) [Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) [Explore all 117 Alek Wek quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) ## More Civil war quotes > [“Time overlaps itself. 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But no one knows where your country is or who you are. You don't have a familiar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/these-are-all-good-things-i-said-but-no-one-knows-where-your-country/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) > [“Thinking about the weather was one way of shutting out of his mind the appalling bloody human mess sprawled out over the bed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ellis/thinking-about-the-weather-was-one-way-of-shutting-out-of-his-mind/) [Mark Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ellis/) > [It cost about 75 cents to kill a man in Ceasar's time. The price rose to about $3,000 per man during the Napoleonic wars;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer-bone/it-cost-about-75-cents-to-kill-a-man-in-ceasar-s-time-the-price-rose/) Homer Bone > [Alabama soldiers, all I ask of you is to keep up with the Texans!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/alabama-soldiers-all-i-ask-of-you-is-to-keep-up-with-the-texans/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [“ “In the South, football is confused with religion, chivalry, the Civil War, and women.” -Diane Roberts, The Quotable South ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/in-the-south-football-is-confused-with-religion-chivalry-the-civil/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) > [“By the following morning, September 15, Jackson had positioned nearly fifty guns on Maryland Heights and at the base of Loudoun Heights.  Then he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-river-editors/by-the-following-morning-september-15-jackson-had-positioned-nearly/) [Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-river-editors/) > [Strange, (is it not?) that battles, martyrs, blood, even assassination should so condense - perhaps only really lastingly condense - a Nationality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/strange-is-it-not-that-battles-martyrs-blood-even-assassination/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [You must study to be frank with the world: frankness is the child of honesty and courage. 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