sweetest cup of happieness or bitter draught of sorrow?

here is a quote that has challenges me whenever i stumble upon it.  i hope it offers you ladies the same challenge and encouragement. 

"woman was the finishing grace of the creation. woman was the completeness of man's bliss in paradise. woman was the cause of sin and death to our world. the world was redeemed by the seed of the woman. woman is the mother of the human race; she is either our companion, counselor, and comforter in the pilgrimage of life or she is our tempter, scourge, and destroyer. our sweetest cup of earthly happiness or our bitterest draught of sorrow is mixed and administered by her hand. she not only renders smooth or rough our path to the grave, but helps or hinders our progress to immortality. in heaven we shall bless God for her aid in assisting us to reach that blissful state; or, amidst the torments of unutterable woe in another region, we shall deplore the fatality of her influence."

 

whether it be parents, roommates or husbands, what ability we have to influence those around us especially in our own homes.  i wish i knew what book i originally found this in but i seemed to have written it down and forgotten that important bit.