To UnEat An Elephant Quotes

“If anyone ever tries to tell you that Thanksgiving is all about the food, don't you dare believe them, sure, some people will try to make it about the food, but it's really about love, respect, and gratitude. Without those ingredients, you might as well be serving cardboard.”
― Cherilyn Christen Clough, To UnEat An Elephant: A Memoir

“I wanted to be like normal people so much that I tricked myself into thinking that what I didn't talk about never happened.”
― Cherilyn Christen Clough, To UnEat An Elephant: A Memoir

“I thought about all the times Daddy had decided to move and disrupt Momma’s plans to set up a home. She couldn’t see it, or she wouldn’t admit it, and I didn’t like her ignoring the truth. I stared out the window at the miniature trees and sighed quietly. I felt like I needed to return to college before I became stunted like Momma and those trees.”
― Cherilyn Christen Clough, To UnEat An Elephant: A Memoir

“Winter was coming, and I felt guilty living in a comfortable house with modern conveniences while my family struggled in a rustic cabin. I lay awake at night wondering if my siblings were warm enough or if Momma had enough money for food.”
― Cherilyn Christen Clough, To UnEat An Elephant: A Memoir

“After growing up in isolation without any close friends, my family was everything to me.”
― Cherilyn Christen Clough, To UnEat An Elephant: A Memoir

“On my first day of freedom, I decided to do something Daddy would never do—get a job. All my life, I’d wanted to live like normal people. From what I could tell, employment was the dividing line between my family and normal people.”
― Cherilyn Christen Clough, To UnEat An Elephant: A Memoir

“Jake put his arm around me, then lowered his voice as if Daddy and the Persuader were standing over his shoulder. “My counselor says we’ll never be able to live until our parents are dead.”

"His words hit me like a slap in the face. Tears filled my eyes. I didn’t want my parents to die, but I wanted to live.”
― Cherilyn Christen Clough, To UnEat An Elephant: A Memoir

“Sometimes, when I walk through a church, I feel like the Persuader is stalking me, but I break its spell by breaking the rules. I chew gum and gossip during the sermon to remind myself that I’m free.”
― Cherilyn Christen Clough, To UnEat An Elephant: A Memoir