The Measure of My Days / Florida Scott-Maxwell

 Word Count: 233


Parker Greene


From The Measure of My Days by Florida Scott-Maxwell


" I have a duty to all who care for me-not to be a problem, not to be a burden. I must carry my age lightly for all our sakes, and thank God I still can. Oh that I may to the end. Each day then, must be filled with my first duty, I must be 'all right.' But is this assurance not the gift we all give to each other daily, hourly? " (pg. 703)


In this excerpt of The Measure of My Days, Florida talks about how she must put on a façade for the people around her so that she is not seen as a burden by them. Florida wants to be able to live out the rest of her days making sure that she is still able to keep up this façade, while people tend to try to not be too much for others to take care of if needed. Florida in this case should want to have more help from her family in her older age as she is becoming more and more frail. While I understand that you don't want to have people have to take care of you all the time, it could be nice to almost get that pressure off of you at times, since you are having to fake how you are doing. 

Comments

  1. Ava DanielsApril 24, 2023 at 6:41 AM

    I think that sometimes it is hard to stay true to yourself when in the back of your mind you are always fearing or wondering what people are thinking about you. I think the word facade is a good one to use to describe what Florida is doing throughout this excerpt.

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  2. Clarice ArnoldApril 24, 2023 at 6:46 AM

    I relate to this a lot. I've been having a lot of personal struggles and will tell almost no one how I truly feel. I, like Florida, attempt to keep a facade in front of others. I think many people feel this way. The way Florida discusses her reflection on her life and her interest in not being a burden to those she loves is something many people can relate to. Although this passage was very sad because Florida is reaching the end of her life, I think it still could have been possible that many readers would find comfort in Florida sharing a similar mindset. She truly knows the weight of carrying burdens alone.

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