--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I climbed into the honey wagon with my…" description: "\"“I climbed into the honey wagon with my hair uncombed, with May handing me buttered toast and orange juice through the window and Rosaleen sticking in ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebb/sue-monk-kidd-404_honey_i-climbed-into-the-honey-wagon-with-my-h_2022991.png" --- # I climbed into the honey wagon with my hair uncombed, with… ![“I climbed into the honey wagon with my hair uncombed, with May handing me buttered toast and orange juice through the window and Rosaleen sticking in thermoses of water, both of them practically running alongside the truck while August rolled out of the driveway. I felt like the Red Cross…” quote by Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebb/sue-monk-kidd-404_honey_i-climbed-into-the-honey-wagon-with-my-h_2022991.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebb/sue-monk-kidd-404_honey_i-climbed-into-the-honey-wagon-with-my-h_2022991.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebb/sue-monk-kidd-404_honey_i-climbed-into-the-honey-wagon-with-my-h_2022991.png) > ““I climbed into the honey wagon with my hair uncombed, with May handing me buttered toast and orange juice through the window and Rosaleen sticking in thermoses of water, both of them practically running alongside the truck while August rolled out of the driveway. I felt like the Red Cross springing to action to save the bee queendom.”” [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator likens helping others during chaos to a rescue mission, feeling purposeful amid disorder. **In simple terms:** Helping others feels purposeful in chaos. Key Takeaway Find purpose in service during tough times. Themes service purpose chaos community rescue Mood hopeful determined empathetic Type narrative inspirational metaphorical When to use this quote - volunteering during crises - community support - teamwork - emergency response Key Concepts Altruism collective action identity resilience Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance self‑care with helping others? - What does “bee queendom” symbolize for you? A Different Perspective May be idealistic, overlooking personal limits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Climbed Honey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climbed-honey-3674051/) [Honey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honey/) [Honey Wagon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honey-wagon-3674050/) [Orange juice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orange-juice/) [Red cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/red-cross/) [Rosaleen Sticking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rosaleen-sticking-3674052/) [Save Bee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/save-bee-3674053/) ## Related quotes > [I founded the American Red Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/i-founded-the-american-red-cross/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [I dream that someday the United States will be on the side of the peasants in some civil war. I dream that we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-parenti/i-dream-that-someday-the-united-states-will-be-on-the-side-of-the/) [Michael Parenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-parenti/) > [ “\[N\]o one ever eats an ice-cream cone at a funeral, or a fire. The Red Cross doesn't drop ice-cream cones into third-world countries. If… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/n-o-one-ever-eats-an-ice-cream-cone-at-a-funeral-or-a-fire-the-red/) [Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/) > [“You see, women have been essential to every great move of God. Yes, Moses led the Isaelites out of Egypt, but only after his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stasi-eldredge/you-see-women-have-been-essential-to-every-great-move-of-god-yes/) [Stasi Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stasi-eldredge/) > [I condemn the entry of a Russian so-called humanitarian convoy into Ukrainian territory without the consent of the Ukrainian authorities and without any involvement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-fogh-rasmussen/i-condemn-the-entry-of-a-russian-so-called-humanitarian-convoy-into/) [Anders Fogh Rasmussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-fogh-rasmussen/) > [“Did the International Committee of the Red Cross know anything about this? Did the United States? The UN? Yes, yes, and yes. And what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/did-the-international-committee-of-the-red-cross-know-anything-about/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [The International Committee of the Red Cross visits roughly half a million detainees in nearly 100 countries each year. It's our job to try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maurer/the-international-committee-of-the-red-cross-visits-roughly-half-a/) [Peter Maurer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maurer/) > [I like the influence and responsibility the Red Cross has become known for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zulay-henao/i-like-the-influence-and-responsibility-the-red-cross-has-become/) [Zulay Henao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zulay-henao/) > [After 9/11, the American Red Cross received more than half a billion dollars in donations to help the victims of the terrorist attacks. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/after-9-11-the-american-red-cross-received-more-than-half-a-billion/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [The Red Cross in its nature, it aims and purposes, and consequently, its methods, is unlike any other organization in the country.It is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/the-red-cross-in-its-nature-it-aims-and-purposes-and-consequently-its/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [“At least 30,000, possibly more, German POWs may have died in French captivity, of starvation and malnutrition, of disease and neglect and mistreatment. Around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-taylor/at-least-30-000-possibly-more-german-pows-may-have-died-in-french/) [Frederick Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-taylor/) > [“In a flash I had a change of heart. Even one precious life was worth saving. Japan was defeated; but the wounded were still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takashi-nagai/in-a-flash-i-had-a-change-of-heart-even-one-precious-life-was-worth/) [Takashi Nagai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takashi-nagai/) > [After a disaster strikes, it can be very devastating and very challenging. You're going to need a lot of strength and energy, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/after-a-disaster-strikes-it-can-be-very-devastating-and-very/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [Whether it is a call to action for blood drives, disaster relief, or just community outreach, the American Red Cross does an extraordinary job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darius-rucker/whether-it-is-a-call-to-action-for-blood-drives-disaster-relief-or/) [Darius Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darius-rucker/) > [Donors are sick of writing that $200 check to the Red Cross and not knowing whether it goes for the executive director's salary or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-best/donors-are-sick-of-writing-that-200-check-to-the-red-cross-and-not/) [Charles Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-best/) ## More by Sue Monk Kidd > [“But benevolent patriarchy is still patriarchy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/but-benevolent-patriarchy-is-still-patriarchy/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“It's part of our overall Body Negation Program.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/it-s-part-of-our-overall-body-negation-program/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“That was the thing mauma and I loved, our time with the quilts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/that-was-the-thing-mauma-and-i-loved-our-time-with-the-quilts/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [In recent years my understanding of God had evolved into increasingly remote abstractions. I'd come to think of God in terms like Divine Reality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/in-recent-years-my-understanding-of-god-had-evolved-into-increasingly/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [we need not avoid our active lives, but simply bring to them a new vision and shift of gravity. for in the center we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/we-need-not-avoid-our-active-lives-but-simply-bring-to-them-a-new/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“The mermaids came to me finally, in the pink hours of my life. They are my consolation. For them I dove with arms outstretched,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/the-mermaids-came-to-me-finally-in-the-pink-hours-of-my-life-they-are/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“The bag contained a pair of white cotton gloves stained the color of age.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/the-bag-contained-a-pair-of-white-cotton-gloves-stained-the-color-of/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [I eventually found that the soul is more than an immortal commodity to win and save. It is the repository of the inner divine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/i-eventually-found-that-the-soul-is-more-than-an-immortal-commodity/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“Readiness for dying arrives by attending the smallest moment and finding the eternal inside of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/readiness-for-dying-arrives-by-attending-the-smallest-moment-and/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“I sat at her desk and turned one page after another, staring at what looked like bits and pieces of black lace laid cross…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/i-sat-at-her-desk-and-turned-one-page-after-another-staring-at-what/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [The translucence that comes when life hardens into a bead of such cruel perfection you see it with the purest clarity. Everything suddenly there--life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/the-translucence-that-comes-when-life-hardens-into-a-bead-of-such/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“There's no pain on earth that doesn't require a benevolent witness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/there-s-no-pain-on-earth-that-doesn-t-require-a-benevolent-witness/) [sue monk kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“afflicted with the worst female curse on earth, the need to mold myself to expectations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/afflicted-with-the-worst-female-curse-on-earth-the-need-to-mold/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“Her forbidden bath all those months ago still hung leaden between us, though Handful didn't seem the least bit ashamed by my discovery of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/her-forbidden-bath-all-those-months-ago-still-hung-leaden-between-us/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“Why should God’s perfection be based on having an unchanging nature?” I asked. “Isn’t flexibility more perfect than stasis?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/why-should-god-s-perfection-be-based-on-having-an-unchanging-nature-i/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) [Explore all 584 Sue Monk Kidd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) ## More Honey quotes > [Being blonde, for me, means never having to say: 'I'll have the honey-striped half-head of highlights for £200,' to a bored colourist in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-johnson/being-blonde-for-me-means-never-having-to-say-i-ll-have-the-honey/) [Rachel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-johnson/) > [Some minds corrode and grow inactive under the loss of personal liberty; others grow morbid and irritable; but it is the nature of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/some-minds-corrode-and-grow-inactive-under-the-loss-of-personal/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [“Like the bees, we are - only looking for sweet honey in the flowers, we are - sensitive and at the same time carefully;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-kristian-goldmund-aumann/like-the-bees-we-are-only-looking-for-sweet-honey-in-the-flowers-we/) [sir kristian goldmund aumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-kristian-goldmund-aumann/) > [I still get nervous about singing. I drink tea with honey and lemon before every concert. And I need to have scented candles in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-still-get-nervous-about-singing-i-drink-tea-with-honey-and-lemon/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [Those who have not been stung will hardly fear a bee the same as those who have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/those-who-have-not-been-stung-will-hardly-fear-a-bee-the-same-as/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Moderation, honey, in all things but love and chocolate. That's my motto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-bretton/moderation-honey-in-all-things-but-love-and-chocolate-that-s-my-motto/) [Barbara Bretton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-bretton/) > [I love a lot of things, a whole lot of things / Like / My cousin comes to visit and you know he's from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eloise-greenfield/i-love-a-lot-of-things-a-whole-lot-of-things-like-my-cousin-comes-to/) [Eloise Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eloise-greenfield/) > [Flat muscled and honey coloured. Sea secrets in his eyes. A silver raindrop in his ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/flat-muscled-and-honey-coloured-sea-secrets-in-his-eyes-a-silver/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Wild honey smells of freedom The dust - of sunlight The mouth of a young girl, like a violet But gold - smells of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-akhmatova/wild-honey-smells-of-freedom-the-dust-of-sunlight-the-mouth-of-a/) [Anna Akhmatova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-akhmatova/) > [If I wake up, role over, and call you honey. Thats because I dont fuckin know your name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kev-o/if-i-wake-up-role-over-and-call-you-honey-thats-because-i-dont-fuckin/) [Kev-o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kev-o/) > [Speaking of trust, ever since I wrote this book, 'Liespotting,' no one wants to meet me in person anymore - no, no, no, no,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/speaking-of-trust-ever-since-i-wrote-this-book-liespotting-no-one/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [I think that's what's important, to see how we ourselves can become all that we are and can be. Everybody says they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/i-think-that-s-what-s-important-to-see-how-we-ourselves-can-become/) [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) > [As the bee collecteth honey with great zest, so the fool collecteth wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir/as-the-bee-collecteth-honey-with-great-zest-so-the-fool-collecteth/) [Kabir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir/) > [Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of slumber.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/enjoy-the-honey-heavy-dew-of-slumber/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Our followers are like bees which live among birds. None of the birds recognize the bees because of their small size and weakness. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib-a-s/our-followers-are-like-bees-which-live-among-birds-none-of-the-birds/) [Ali Ibn Abi Talib A.S](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib-a-s/) [Browse all 1,266 Honey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honey/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I climbed into the honey wagon with my hair uncombed, with May handing me buttered toast and orange juice through the window and Rosaleen sticking in thermoses of water, both of them practically running alongside the truck while August rolled out of the driveway. I felt like the Red Cross springing to action to save the bee queendom.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sue Monk Kidd" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/i-climbed-into-the-honey-wagon-with-my-hair-uncombed-with-may-handing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Honey" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/i-climbed-into-the-honey-wagon-with-my-hair-uncombed-with-may-handing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebb/sue-monk-kidd-404_honey_i-climbed-into-the-honey-wagon-with-my-h_2022991.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebb/sue-monk-kidd-404_honey_i-climbed-into-the-honey-wagon-with-my-h_2022991.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebb/sue-monk-kidd-404_honey_i-climbed-into-the-honey-wagon-with-my-h_2022991.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I climbed into the honey wagon with my hair uncombed, with May handing me buttered toast and orange juice…” — Sue Monk Kidd", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sue Monk Kidd", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I climbed into the honey wagon...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/i-climbed-into-the-honey-wagon-with-my-hair-uncombed-with-may-handing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/i-climbed-into-the-honey-wagon-with-my-hair-uncombed-with-may-handing/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```