But Mrs. Meany, see, the women went on, leaning forward, despite how her heart was broken, pulled herself together, anyway, to put on a good face for the rest of the family at home. And she went back, Sunday after Sunday, right up until the Sunday before she died. Mrs. Meany put her beautiful love - a mother's love - against the terrible scenes that brewed like sewage in that poor girl's troubled mind. She persevered, she baked her cakes, she hauled herself (the goiter swinging) on and off the ferry, and she sat, brokenhearted, holding her daughter's hand, even as Lucy shouted her terrible words, proving to anyone with eyes to see that a mother's love was a beautiful, light, relentless thing that the devil could not diminish. Alice McDermott
About This Quote

Mrs. Meany was a woman who was willing to do anything for her daughter, Lucy, even if it meant risking everything that she held dear. She had to be strong for her daughter. Her love was unwavering.

When she had to be strong for her daughter, she was not afraid of what others would think of her. She was willing to sacrifice everything for her daughter, but it came at a price. It was an enormous sacrifice on Mrs.

Meany's part to continue to go back on the ferry after Lucy's tirade, even though it meant taking the chance of being ridiculed by the passengers on board if they knew what had happened after she got off the ferry. Her love for her daughter drove her forward without fear of failure or ridicule because she knew that if she gave up now on her daughter, then Lucy would never have known that her mother cared about her.

Source: Someone

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