--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I sometimes feel like a foolish young…" description: "\"“I sometimes feel like a foolish young grandmother armed with a teaspoon, determined to remove three mountains from the path to liberation: the mountai..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/624/lee-maracle-51707_colonization_i-sometimes-feel-like-a-foolish-young-gr_2753261.jpg" --- # I sometimes feel like a foolish young grandmother armed… ![“I sometimes feel like a foolish young grandmother armed with a teaspoon, determined to remove three mountains from the path to liberation: the mountain of racism, the mountain of sexism and the mountain of nationalist oppression. I tire easily these days ... Sometimes I feel the tiredness is old…” quote by Lee Maracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/624/lee-maracle-51707_colonization_i-sometimes-feel-like-a-foolish-young-gr_2753261.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/624/lee-maracle-51707_colonization_i-sometimes-feel-like-a-foolish-young-gr_2753261.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/624/lee-maracle-51707_colonization_i-sometimes-feel-like-a-foolish-young-gr_2753261.jpg) > ““I sometimes feel like a foolish young grandmother armed with a teaspoon, determined to remove three mountains from the path to liberation: the mountain of racism, the mountain of sexism and the mountain of nationalist oppression. I tire easily these days ... Sometimes I feel the tiredness is old, as old as the colonial process itself. On those days I am energized by the fact that it is not my fatigue but the fatigue of the oppressor's system which haunts me. On other days the tiredness is deeply personal.”” [Lee Maracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-maracle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker likens personal struggle against systemic oppression to a frail effort to move massive barriers, feeling both collective and personal fatigue. **In simple terms:** Fighting oppression feels overwhelming and exhausting. Key Takeaway Recognize shared struggle; rest and persist. Themes oppression fatigue resilience identity colonialism Mood determined reflective hopeful Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - activism - self‑care - community organizing - education - mental health Key Concepts intersectionality systemic power psychological burden Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate personal exhaustion from systemic fatigue? - What practices sustain you in long‑term resistance? A Different Perspective Personal fatigue can mask systemic issues, leading to burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Colonization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colonization/) [Determination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determination/) [Fatigue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fatigue/) [Feel Tiredness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-tiredness-2033356/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Nationalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nationalism/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Racism Mountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism-mountain-3114766/) [Resilience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resilience/) [Sexism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexism/) [Tiredness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tiredness/) [Tiredness Deeply](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tiredness-deeply-3114765/) [Tiredness Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tiredness-old-3114764/) ## Related quotes > [Unfortunately, most people do not stop to feel their tiredness. Faced with the pressures of life, they believe that it is a matter of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lowen/unfortunately-most-people-do-not-stop-to-feel-their-tiredness-faced/) [Alexander Lowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lowen/) > [I give away myself in my work so that I can never feel the tiredness. If you ask about my energy, you see I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohini-hattangadi/i-give-away-myself-in-my-work-so-that-i-can-never-feel-the-tiredness/) [Rohini Hattangadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohini-hattangadi/) > [On the road to truth, only those who do not know what tiredness and fear means reach the truth!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/on-the-road-to-truth-only-those-who-do-not-know-what-tiredness-and/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Why won't they let me be? I just need to rest, that's all, to rest and sleep some, and maybe die a little.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/why-won-t-they-let-me-be-i-just-need-to-rest-that-s-all-to-rest-and/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Homo Defessus – Never before in human history has so many people considered their everyday tiredness (because they are so busy and have so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giannis-delimitsos/homo-defessus-never-before-in-human-history-has-so-many-people/) [Giannis Delimitsos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giannis-delimitsos/) > [The most extraordinary thing about writing is that when you've struck the right vein, tiredness goes. It must be an effort, thinking wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-most-extraordinary-thing-about-writing-is-that-when-you-ve-struck/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Tiredness is a state of mind , which sometimes overpower even the hyper active and energetic people due to perpetual criticism, heedless attitude, hurting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aisha-raheel/tiredness-is-a-state-of-mind-which-sometimes-overpower-even-the-hyper/) [aisha raheel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aisha-raheel/) > [To get everything you want is not a good thing. Disease makes health seem sweet. Hunger leads to the appreciation of being full-fed. Tiredness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/to-get-everything-you-want-is-not-a-good-thing-disease-makes-health/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [“Wishing to grab the life with nothingness wanting to erase the sigh of tiredness forgetting myself completely from my being why do I seek…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-pokhrel/wishing-to-grab-the-life-with-nothingness-wanting-to-erase-the-sigh/) [Suman Pokhrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-pokhrel/) > [What annoys a person who suicides? The life itself. Boredom. Tiredness that descends on every morning when you look at yourself at the mirror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/what-annoys-a-person-who-suicides-the-life-itself-boredom-tiredness/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [“I'll spare you the rest of our conversations. I'm very calm and take no notice of all the fuss. I've reached the point where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/i-ll-spare-you-the-rest-of-our-conversations-i-m-very-calm-and-take/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [In response to skyrocketing gas prices, liberals say, practically in unison, 'We can't drill our way out of this crisis.' What does that mean?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/in-response-to-skyrocketing-gas-prices-liberals-say-practically-in/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [“Everywhere was the atmosphere of a long debauch that had to end; the orchestras played too fast, the stakes were too high at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-cowley/everywhere-was-the-atmosphere-of-a-long-debauch-that-had-to-end-the/) [Malcolm Cowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-cowley/) > [I never get tired of running. But sometimes I can lose the rhythm on my shots and it will fail short. That's a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-havlicek/i-never-get-tired-of-running-but-sometimes-i-can-lose-the-rhythm-on/) [John Havlicek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-havlicek/) > [ The \[Tumor Treating Fields\] patients can undergo all the activities of their daily life. There's none of the tiredness. There's none of what is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-doyle/the-tumor-treating-fields-patients-can-undergo-all-the-activities-of/) [William Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-doyle/) ## More by Lee Maracle > [My activism has to do with my conscience; I cannot let certain things slide without doing something. My public speaking is part of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-maracle/my-activism-has-to-do-with-my-conscience-i-cannot-let-certain-things/) [Lee Maracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-maracle/) > [Where do you begin telling someone their world is not the only one?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-maracle/where-do-you-begin-telling-someone-their-world-is-not-the-only-one/) [Lee Maracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-maracle/) > [“To be raped is to be sexually violated. For society to force someone, through shame and ostracism, to comply with love and sex that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-maracle/to-be-raped-is-to-be-sexually-violated-for-society-to-force-someone/) [Lee Maracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-maracle/) > [I think the arts has great potential to create citizens. Citizenship is about the direction your imagination travels. We can't plan or calculate or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-maracle/i-think-the-arts-has-great-potential-to-create-citizens-citizenship/) [Lee Maracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-maracle/) > [On the one hand, the reality is dire, on the other, reality is always false, it is a mask covering what is coming up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-maracle/on-the-one-hand-the-reality-is-dire-on-the-other-reality-is-always/) [Lee Maracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-maracle/) > [There is a direct connection between violence against the Earth and violence against women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-maracle/there-is-a-direct-connection-between-violence-against-the-earth-and/) [Lee Maracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-maracle/) [Explore all 7 Lee Maracle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-maracle/) ## More Colonization quotes > [Humor is widely used by Indians to deal with life. Indian gatherings are marked by laughter and jokes, many directed at the horrors of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/humor-is-widely-used-by-indians-to-deal-with-life-indian-gatherings/) [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) > [“To be sure, the church has greatly assisted the colonialist; backing his ventures, helping his conscience, contributing to the acceptance of colonization even by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-memmi/to-be-sure-the-church-has-greatly-assisted-the-colonialist-backing/) [Albert Memmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-memmi/) > [The loss of national identity is the greatest defeat a nation can know, and it is inevitable under the contemporary form of colonization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slobodan-milosevi/the-loss-of-national-identity-is-the-greatest-defeat-a-nation-can/) [Slobodan Milosević](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slobodan-milosevi/) > [“They must train you pretty good not to react to shit like that. Must take stuff out of you.” Vince’s eyes intensified then broke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-kirwan/they-must-train-you-pretty-good-not-to-react-to-shit-like-that-must/) [Barry Kirwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-kirwan/) > [“Beef had hit $300 a kilo. Not that he could recall the last time he’d tasted real beef.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-kirwan/beef-had-hit-300-a-kilo-not-that-he-could-recall-the-last-time-he-d/) [Barry Kirwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-kirwan/) > [“The journey of a thousands suns begins today. Some may question whether the journey is worth the sacrifice and danger. To them I say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-marusek/the-journey-of-a-thousands-suns-begins-today-some-may-question/) [David Marusek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-marusek/) > [ “\[...\] colonization was a paedophile \[sic\] who insists on being a parent.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapiwa-mugabe/colonization-was-a-paedophile-sic-who-insists-on-being-a-parent/) [Tapiwa Mugabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapiwa-mugabe/) > [“When individuals and communities do not govern self, they risk being ruled by external forces that care less about the well-being of the village.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-f-hodge/when-individuals-and-communities-do-not-govern-self-they-risk-being/) [T.F. Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-f-hodge/) > [“I find forgiveness overrated. There are times and places when it’s appropriate. But not when the demand that you forgive is used to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-leckie/i-find-forgiveness-overrated-there-are-times-and-places-when-it-s/) [Ann Leckie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-leckie/) > [I cannot make it better known than it already is that I strongly favor colonization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-cannot-make-it-better-known-than-it-already-is-that-i-strongly/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Colonization was the idea that once slavery ended African-Americans should be encouraged - or required, in some people's view - required to leave the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-foner/colonization-was-the-idea-that-once-slavery-ended-african-americans/) [Eric Foner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-foner/) > [Historians still often see the end of the war as meaning nothing more for Germany than lost territories, lost participation in colonization, and lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-stresemann/historians-still-often-see-the-end-of-the-war-as-meaning-nothing-more/) [Gustav Stresemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-stresemann/) > [Colonization means potential immortality for the human genus. Man's safety on Earth was never great, and it dwindles hourly. Disarmament, even world government, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/colonization-means-potential-immortality-for-the-human-genus-man-s/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [Planet colonization is not a short term concern of mine. The physical limitations of space travel render it low on the list for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sacca/planet-colonization-is-not-a-short-term-concern-of-mine-the-physical/) [Chris Sacca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sacca/) > [Every object you see before you at this moment -the walls, ceiling, and furniture, the book, your own washed hands and cut fingernails, bears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/every-object-you-see-before-you-at-this-moment-the-walls-ceiling-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) [Browse all 110 Colonization quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colonization/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I sometimes feel like a foolish young grandmother armed with a teaspoon, determined to remove three mountains from the path to liberation: the mountain of racism, the mountain of sexism and the mountain of nationalist oppression. I tire easily these days ... Sometimes I feel the tiredness is old, as old as the colonial process itself. On those days I am energized by the fact that it is not my fatigue but the fatigue of the oppressor's system which haunts me. 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