"I have never known the time when I did not wear stays. My stays are part of me"

Anna Held's quote speaks with the idea of the permanence of certain aspects of life. She is suggesting that she has been using stays, a kind of corset, for her entire life, which it has become a part of her identity. This could be translated as a metaphor for the idea that specific aspects of life, such as household, culture, and values, become so instilled in us that they become a part of who we are. It could also be interpreted as a commentary on the idea of conformity, and how specific societal expectations end up being so ingrained in us that we accept them as part of our identity. Anna Held's quote is a suggestion that specific elements of life can end up being so familiar that they end up being a part of us, and that it is essential to be aware of this.