--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you would ask me at 15 years old if I…" description: "\"If you would ask me at 15 years old if I would have traded prosthetics for flesh and bone legs, I wouldn't have hesitated for a second. I aspired to th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a40/aimee-mullins-9973_ask_if-you-would-ask-me-at-15-years-old-if-i_1017951.png" --- # If you would ask me at 15 years old if I would have traded… ![“If you would ask me at 15 years old if I would have traded prosthetics for flesh and bone legs, I wouldn't have hesitated for a second. I aspired to that kind of normalcy back then. But if you ask me today, I'm not so sure.” quote by Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a40/aimee-mullins-9973_ask_if-you-would-ask-me-at-15-years-old-if-i_1017951.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a40/aimee-mullins-9973_ask_if-you-would-ask-me-at-15-years-old-if-i_1017951.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a40/aimee-mullins-9973_ask_if-you-would-ask-me-at-15-years-old-if-i_1017951.png) > “If you would ask me at 15 years old if I would have traded prosthetics for flesh and bone legs, I wouldn't have hesitated for a second. I aspired to that kind of normalcy back then. But if you ask me today, I'm not so sure.” [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reflects on changing perspective about disability and normalcy over time **In simple terms:** Views on prosthetics changed with experience Key Takeaway Reevaluate assumptions as circumstances evolve Themes identity disability growth Mood thoughtful inspirational Type personal reflective When to use this quote - career decisions - medical choices - personal development - public speaking Key Concepts embodiment self-acceptance Questions to Reflect On - How does personal experience reshape views on normalcy? - What factors influence changing attitudes toward disability? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex medical decisions ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Normalcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normalcy/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [I feel so small I could sit on a dime an' my legs wouldn't even hang over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lasswell/i-feel-so-small-i-could-sit-on-a-dime-an-my-legs-wouldn-t-even-hang/) [Mary Lasswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lasswell/) > [Legs' wouldn't be 'Legs' unless it had that driving synth bass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dusty-hill/legs-wouldn-t-be-legs-unless-it-had-that-driving-synth-bass/) [Dusty Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dusty-hill/) > [I could be two sets, two legs down but I wouldn't think that. I take each leg as it comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fallon-sherrock/i-could-be-two-sets-two-legs-down-but-i-wouldn-t-think-that-i-take/) [Fallon Sherrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fallon-sherrock/) > [Unrequited love," I'd say. He'd look at me sideways in that cunning way he did and say, "what about it?" and I'd reply, "it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/unrequited-love-i-d-say-he-d-look-at-me-sideways-in-that-cunning-way/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [At some point in every person's life, you will need an assisted medical device - whether it's your glasses, your contacts, or as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/at-some-point-in-every-person-s-life-you-will-need-an-assisted/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [The idea of prosthetics is a tool. Most people's cell phones are prosthetics. If you leave your cell phone at home, you feel impacted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/the-idea-of-prosthetics-is-a-tool-most-people-s-cell-phones-are/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [I didn't see how wearing prosthetics was quite so different from being born with flaming red hair in a crowd of black-haired babies, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/i-didn-t-see-how-wearing-prosthetics-was-quite-so-different-from/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [Half of Hollywood has more prosthetic in their body than I do, but we don't think of them as disabled. You amputate part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/half-of-hollywood-has-more-prosthetic-in-their-body-than-i-do-but-we/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [Being a 'Lady' used to be something to which all young women aspired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-maccallum/being-a-lady-used-to-be-something-to-which-all-young-women-aspired/) [Martha MacCallum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-maccallum/) > [I don't think so, in so far as I always aspired to play the way I do now but just couldn't get the sounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lucas/i-don-t-think-so-in-so-far-as-i-always-aspired-to-play-the-way-i-do/) [Gary Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lucas/) > [I didn't aspire to be the CEO of Deloitte, but I aspired to be a leader in Deloitte.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-engelbert/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-the-ceo-of-deloitte-but-i-aspired-to-be-a/) [Cathy Engelbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-engelbert/) > [“I aspired to be the better me of my future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/i-aspired-to-be-the-better-me-of-my-future/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [The movie I end up with is the movie I aspired to make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/the-movie-i-end-up-with-is-the-movie-i-aspired-to-make/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [I aspired from early on to write a novel, to be in the 'New Yorker,' to be on Broadway, and at least in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-o-donnell/i-aspired-from-early-on-to-write-a-novel-to-be-in-the-new-yorker-to/) [Mark O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-o-donnell/) > [I always aspired to do something different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayushmann-khurrana/i-always-aspired-to-do-something-different/) [Ayushmann Khurrana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayushmann-khurrana/) ## More by Aimee Mullins > [It's an objective fact that I am a double amputee, but it's very subjective opinion as to whether that makes me disabled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/it-s-an-objective-fact-that-i-am-a-double-amputee-but-it-s-very/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [Kids are naturally curious about what they don't know, or don't understand, or what is foreign to them. They only learn to be frightened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/kids-are-naturally-curious-about-what-they-don-t-know-or-don-t/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [In sports, I refused to do any interviews that were just going to become human-interest stories. Don't turn me into a tragic heroine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/in-sports-i-refused-to-do-any-interviews-that-were-just-going-to/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [I haven't had an easy life, but at some point ,you have to take responsibility for yourself and shape who it is that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/i-haven-t-had-an-easy-life-but-at-some-point-you-have-to-take/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [I'm not running around as a continual ray of sunshine. It's just I don't believe in wasting time feeling sorry for myself. Get over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/i-m-not-running-around-as-a-continual-ray-of-sunshine-it-s-just-i-don/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [I didn't want to be written about as a human-interest story. I didn't want to be a passing thing. You know, now we move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/i-didn-t-want-to-be-written-about-as-a-human-interest-story-i-didn-t/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [Belief in oneself is incredibly infectious. It generates momentum, the collective force of which far outweighs any kernel of self-doubt that may creep in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/belief-in-oneself-is-incredibly-infectious-it-generates-momentum-the/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [I have learned not to overlook the advantages of being me. From when I was a softball player, and I held the stolen bases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/i-have-learned-not-to-overlook-the-advantages-of-being-me-from-when-i/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [We all bullet point our triumphs, but I am who I am because of everything you don't see on my CV. The stuff that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/we-all-bullet-point-our-triumphs-but-i-am-who-i-am-because-of/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [A lot of my life is about will - having the will to prove what my body can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/a-lot-of-my-life-is-about-will-having-the-will-to-prove-what-my-body/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [My varying pairs of legs can be quite practical or quite impractical, and I don't judge them either way. Some are for getting around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/my-varying-pairs-of-legs-can-be-quite-practical-or-quite-impractical/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [It's society that disables an individual by not investing in enough creativity to allow for someone to show us the quality that makes them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/it-s-society-that-disables-an-individual-by-not-investing-in-enough/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [If you watch any John Hughes film of the eighties, that was my childhood experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/if-you-watch-any-john-hughes-film-of-the-eighties-that-was-my/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [In athletics, the idea of possibility is presumed. It's not 'if;' it's 'how.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/in-athletics-the-idea-of-possibility-is-presumed-it-s-not-if-it-s-how/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [The legs that I have made are far more perfect than the ones nature would have given me - my mother's side of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/the-legs-that-i-have-made-are-far-more-perfect-than-the-ones-nature/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) [Explore all 69 Aimee Mullins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) ## More Ask quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. 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It was bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-pain/i-used-to-sit-in-front-of-mcdonald-s-and-ask-people-for-dollars-to/) [T-Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-pain/) > [If you ask why I do what I do - I want to make a difference. I don't just want to maintain the status…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-broad/if-you-ask-why-i-do-what-i-do-i-want-to-make-a-difference-i-don-t/) [Eli Broad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-broad/) > [Every morning when I pick up the newspaper and read about an earthquake in Japan or problems in European financial institutions, the first question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schapiro/every-morning-when-i-pick-up-the-newspaper-and-read-about-an/) [Mary Schapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schapiro/) > [I follow a simple formula when I compose. I ask myself, 'What would the audience want to hear?' and 'Why would they buy my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/i-follow-a-simple-formula-when-i-compose-i-ask-myself-what-would-the/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [If you ask an actor what he'd prefer to act on, he'd probably say a tangible, real set, or even better, a real location…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/if-you-ask-an-actor-what-he-d-prefer-to-act-on-he-d-probably-say-a/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [It turns out that this part of the brain is one of the first areas that's attacked by Alzheimer's disease. So we can now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-keefe/it-turns-out-that-this-part-of-the-brain-is-one-of-the-first-areas/) [John O'Keefe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-keefe/) > [I prefer department stores. In boutiques, they come up and ask you if you need help. I can't get lost in the experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-netrebko/i-prefer-department-stores-in-boutiques-they-come-up-and-ask-you-if/) [Anna Netrebko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-netrebko/) > [A lot of people ask: 'Will you play a psycho to really change your image and prove you can act?' But that's not what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-efron/a-lot-of-people-ask-will-you-play-a-psycho-to-really-change-your/) [Zac Efron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-efron/) > [I'm not in the movie business anymore, and hardly any 70 year olds are. 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