Parenting Quote by Kathleen Kent
““Can you keep a secret, Sarah?" she asked. I nodded, remembering all our secrets shared together in her mother's house, and she said, her breath hot in my ear, "You cannot harvest the corn until you go into the corn." I awoke with tears on my face, my hands clutching at the ribs around my heart. I had for more than forty years kept the past behind an impenetrable wall of my own devising. I thought that to move beyond this wall and revisit the past would scorch my reason and make me mad. But then, as I lay sweating in bed, restless and prickly, it came to me that to harvest a field of corn one does not wade into the dark middle of things and cut the stalks from the inside out. It is best done starting with the outside ears and working inward, stalk by stalk, keeping the light of the sun always at one's back so that its rays can illuminate each ear of corn, be it whole and sweet or black and blighted. And in this way does one make a meal that feeds a starving body back to wholeness. (183)””
About This Quote
Source Short story: Unknown, 183
The passage uses a corn‑harvesting metaphor to describe confronting past trauma gradually, starting with peripheral memories and moving inward, allowing light and insight to guide healing.
In simple terms: Heal past wounds by facing them step by step, keeping perspective.
Key Takeaway
Approach trauma gently, let light guide each memory.
Themes
healing
self‑reflection
growth
Mood
reflective
hopeful
Type
inspirational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- therapy sessions
- journaling
- support groups
- mindfulness practice
- grief counseling
Key Concepts
psychology
metaphor
gradual exposure
Questions to Reflect On
- What peripheral memory can you explore safely?
- How does keeping perspective help you process trauma?
A Different Perspective
Healing may be slow and painful; confronting deep pain can destabilize emotions.
