The following is an excerpt from Savvy Auntie: The Ultimate Guide for Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers and All Women Who Love Kids by Melanie Notkin (William Morrow/HarperCollins).

In honor of Women's History Month, here are some inspirational quotes from some of our fearless Savvy "Auntcestors."

Where would we—the entire planet, that is—be without these selfless, tireless women? Some of the most important, iconic aunties to the world were real-life ABRs; others were ABCs; all of them were driven to make the world a better place, one person at a time. And based on some of their best bons mots, we’re pretty sure they would’ve liked being called Savvy Aunties, too.

Florence Nightingale (1820–1910), nurse during the Crimean War: “The real fathers and mothers of the human race are not the fathers and mothers of the flesh. For every one of my 18,000 children, I have expended more motherly feeling and action in a week than my mother has expended on me in 37 years.”

Mother Teresa (1910–1997), Catholic nun, humanitarian: “Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.”

Helen Keller (1880–1968), seeing- and hearing-impaired activist: “It is not possible for civilization to flow backwards while there is youth in the world. Youth may be headstrong, but it will advance its allotted length.”

Anne Sullivan (1866–1936), Helen Keller’s teacher: “Children require guidance and sympathy far more than instruction.”

Emily Dickinson (1830–1886), poet: “My friends are my estate.”

Jane Austen (1775–1817), novelist: “I have been a selfish being all my life, in practice, though not in principle.”

Shirley Chisholm (1924–2005): “The emotional, sexual and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says: ‘It’s a girl.’”

Margaret Mead (1901–1978), anthropologist: “I must admit that I personally measure success in terms of the contributions an individual makes to her or his fellow human beings.”

Grandma Moses (1860–1961), painter: “I look back on my life like a good day’s work, it is done and I am satisfied with it.”

Rosa Parks (1913–2005), civil rights activist: “Memories of our lives, of our works and our deeds will continue in others.”

Amelia Earhart (1897–1939), aviator: “I want to do it because I want to do it.”

Joan of Arc (1412–1431), French martyr and Catholic saint: “One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it.”

Photo: Ana Schechter
Published: March 2, 2016