“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
–Philippians 4:12-13 NIV
I’m just a girl who grew up on the Westside of Detroit trying to serve God’s people. If you aren’t serving others, then what are you truly doing?
“People face difficulties, no matter who you are. I faced difficulties with a lot of things. I face opposition every day, but I didn’t kill myself and now, thank God, I’m here.”
Former Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, first woman on the Supreme Court, dies
“Society as a whole benefit immeasurably from a climate in which all persons, regardless of race or gender, may have the opportunity to earn respect, responsibility, advancement, and remuneration based on ability.”
You learn very quickly that there is no handbook or rules to being First Lady. Technically, it’s not even an official position. And while there are spoken and unspoken expectations that provide some structure, the role is largely shaped by the passions and aspirations of the person holding it.
First Lady Rosalynn Carter understood that well.
Guided by her abiding faith and her commitment to service, Mrs. Carter used her platform in profoundly meaningful ways. Her groundbreaking work to combat the stigma faced by those struggling with their mental health brought light to so many suffering in silence. She advocated for better care for the elderly. She advanced women’s rights. And she remained a champion for those causes — and many others like building affordable housing for those in need and caring for our nation’s caregivers — in the more than four decades that followed.
When our family was in the White House, every so often, Rosalynn would join me for lunch, offering a few words of advice and always — always — a helping hand. She reminded me to make the role of First Lady my own, just like she did. I’ll always remain grateful for her support and her generosity.
Today, Barack and I join the world in celebrating the remarkable legacy of a First Lady, philanthropist, and advocate who dedicated her life to lifting up others. Her life is a reminder that no matter who we are, our legacies are best measured, not in awards or accolades but in the lives we touch. We send our thoughts and prayers to Jimmy and the entire Carter family during this difficult time.
Rosalynn Carter, mental health activist, humanitarian, and former first lady, dies at 96
Thank you for your humanitarian work and mental health advocacy. Thank you for tirelessly serving this country as First Lady and changing the trajectory of our world for the better.
From one mental health advocate to the next, rest well, my darling. You’ve earned that.
Thank you for allowing your pain to ignite a passion in your heart. You are the epitome of strength and courage. Thank you for using that very deep pain and channeling it into great purpose. Although the system failed you, you have, in turn, saved many other young children.
You have made a world that wasn’t the kindest to you, a much better place.
