Yes, I Am Queen of Sheba

I love the 1958 movie Long, Hot Summer, starring the beautiful, blue-eyed Paul Newman (Ben Quick); a very young Joanne Woodward (Clara Varner); and a husky, swarthy, bearish Orson Welles (Will Varner).

This movie has a definite tone of the America South. And the dialogue is, well, good. Here is one of my favorite pieces expressed passionately by Miss Clara to Mr. Quick:

Mr. Quick, I am a human being. Do you know what that means? It means I set a price on myself: a high, high price. You may be surprised to know it, but I’ve got quite a lot to give. I’ve got things I’ve been saving up my whole life. Things like love and understanding and — and jokes and good times and good cooking. I’m prepared to be the Queen of Sheba for some lucky man, or at the very least the best wife that any man could hope for. Now, that’s my human history and it’s not going to be bought and sold and it’s certainly not gonna be given away to any passin’ stranger.

PSST! You decide.

You decide your worth.

Not he or she or “they,” but —

You.

Whatever the price on your head, you decide.

So how much do you think you are worth?

Are you bargain basement? Are you on clearance? Or are you priced above stunning Pigeon Blood Red rubies accented with diamonds and set in an  intricately hand-engraved platinum setting?

Yes, you decide.

Call to action: What is your price and when did you decide your worth?

Check out this related post: Priced Above Rubies

5 thoughts on “Yes, I Am Queen of Sheba”

  1. I have seen this movie several times and I really love this scene. I strongly believe that we as women at times do not think very highly of ourselves. It is the insecurity that is in us that allows us to give in by telling ourselves that maybe this is as good as we can get. Ladies, please wake up and let us not sell our self short. Let us hold on to our dreams.

    Reply
    • Thank you, Leslie, for the encouragement. I would rather be alone than to settle for too little. If I can’t get someone truly worthwhile and interesting to me, then I would rather spend my time reading and thinking without the distraction.

      Reply
  2. We women need to know our own worth and value. If we don’t value ourselves, how can we hope to have men respect and cherish us for all that we are and all that we can be.

    Reply
    • Welcome, Nahla. I am so glad that you joined the conversation and added your two cents. You are so right. Today, I feel that we women no inspire men to awe, because we devalue ourselves or allow ourselves to be devalued. This is sad, because I believe that we women can be the key to a better tomorrow.

      Reply

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