She had had her momentary flowering, a year, perhaps, of wildrose beauty, and then she had suddenly swollen like a fertilized fruit and grown hard and red and coarse, and then her life had been laundering, scrubbing, laundering, first for children, then for grandchildren, over thirty years. At the end of it she was still singing.

Summary

This quote describes the life of a woman who once experienced a brief period of youthful beauty and vitality. However, she soon became burdened with the responsibilities of raising her children and later caring for her grandchildren over several decades. Despite the arduous and monotonous nature of her life, she remained resilient and continued to find joy and fulfillment, symbolized by the fact that she continued to sing even at the end of her long journey. This quote celebrates the strength and perseverance of ordinary individuals who find beauty and purpose in the midst of life's everyday challenges.

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