Kindle Notes & Highlights
They told my parents not to expect too much of me
But words often hurt more than cuts and bruises and the scars are still there.
I was a slow learner.
while being financially supported by her parents. She did not move out of the family home, and she did not go out on dates.
She always came to the competition on her own – I think her brother would drop her off.
I have my faith, which is the backbone of who I am, really.’
She was someone who was to touch millions with her struggle and the hardships she had had to bear en route to that moment of glory.
It was a very dark time and I suffered from depression and anxiety.
‘I know I’m an older woman, but I would never have had the confidence to do something like this when I was younger. I’ve definitely improved and got more confident as I’ve got older.’
‘She believes her age and life experience is her biggest asset: “It gives you faith in your abilities,”
Her performance resonates with millions, he said, because ‘most of us in our heart of hearts have severe doubts about ourselves.
‘Dismissing her – or anyone – based on careless expectations about what age or lack of employment supposedly signify is the habit of mind common to all forms of prejudice.’
‘In my life I have striven to prove myself, that I can be accepted, that I am not the worthless person people think I am. I have got something to offer,’ she said.
‘If I won I would have a nice holiday, then I would share the money with my family, who have been so supportive and caring,’ she said.
She is not interested in money, she’s not a material person,
She’s become a hero to a lot of people
She represents hope.
‘When people are a wee bit slow, others pick at them,’ she said. ‘My life was made absolute hell.’ She said she was constantly ‘made a fool of’ at school, and admitted that the jibes have left her emotionally scarred and holding on to a lot of anger.
It was psychological bullying and that leaves a scar and it also cultivates a lot of anger.’
I have a slight disability and people have always been saying to me “you can’t do this and you can’t do that, or you can’t take this job” or whatever. It made me so annoyed and angry and frustrated. I like to think that people who dare to dream a dream can have that dream come true through their own determination.
‘Everybody goes through phases where they think should I give up and if I hadn’t made that promise to my mother then I probably would have given up… I did not have a path in life. I did not have anything set out for me. A lot of people have their lives mapped out for them, mine was not. I did not know what I wanted to be.
‘It means I’m a wee bit slower at picking things up than other people. But I’ve got a great deal more ability than people give me credit for.
Susan added, ‘God has been very important to me.’
