Agatha Said, pt. 8
Happy Agatha Day! This month’s quote talks about some characteristics that are just as important now as they were in Agatha Christie’s day.
Agatha Said:
“I think I admire loyalty almost more than any other virtue. Loyalty and courage are two of the finest things there are. Any kind of courage, physical or moral, arouses my utmost admiration. It is one of the most important virtues to bring to life. If you can bear to live at all, you can bear to live with courage. It is a must.”
Context: This quote lies toward the beginning of a passage where Agatha is writing about life after her divorce. She and her daughter’s nanny quite amusingly divided Agatha’s friends into two categories: the Order of the Rats and the Order of the Faithful Dogs. Agatha admits that there were quite a few people she thought would be in one category who showed themselves to belong squarely in the other. That leads into this quote.
Why I Chose It: Because of what Agatha went through with her very dramatic divorce, she realized some friends were not really friends at all. But it helped her identify her true friends and value them even more, and to identify acquaintances who were proving themselves to be true supporters. The fact that Agatha considered loyalty and courage the most important virtues to possess is particularly revealing. I think you can learn a lot about a person based on what they value in the people around them.
Loyalty and courage are still incredibly powerful and pertinent virtues to have today. On their own, each is a positive trait, but when they are paired together, they can produce a powerful ally, advocate, and friend. May we all strive to be people of great loyalty and courage, now more than ever.
