--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All these years I kept my true nature…" description: "\"All these years I kept my true nature hidden, running along like a small shadow so nobody could catch me. -Ying Ying\" — Amy Tan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/amy-tan-730_catch-me_all-these-years-i-kept-my-true-nature-hi_426506.jpg" --- # All these years I kept my true nature hidden, running… ![“All these years I kept my true nature hidden, running along like a small shadow so nobody could catch me. -Ying Ying” quote by Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/amy-tan-730_catch-me_all-these-years-i-kept-my-true-nature-hi_426506.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/amy-tan-730_catch-me_all-these-years-i-kept-my-true-nature-hi_426506.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/amy-tan-730_catch-me_all-these-years-i-kept-my-true-nature-hi_426506.jpg) > “All these years I kept my true nature hidden, running along like a small shadow so nobody could catch me. -Ying Ying” [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker hides their authentic self, moving stealthily to avoid being discovered or judged. **In simple terms:** Hiding true self to avoid being seen. Key Takeaway Embrace authenticity and stop hiding. Themes identity vulnerability self‑acceptance Mood reflective melancholic Type personal literary When to use this quote - personal relationships - workplace dynamics - creative expression - family gatherings Key Concepts psychology social pressure self‑protection Questions to Reflect On - What parts of yourself are you hiding? - How would life change if you revealed them? A Different Perspective Living in concealment can damage mental health and relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Catch me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catch-me/) [Catch Ying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catch-ying-3769328/) [Hidden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hidden/) [Hidden Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hidden-running-3769326/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shadow/) [Shadow Catch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shadow-catch-3769327/) [True nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-nature/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [Love is like a shadow, one can only catch it by falling into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose/love-is-like-a-shadow-one-can-only-catch-it-by-falling-into-it/) [Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose/) > [For all these years I kept my mouth closed so selfish desires would not fall out. And because I remained quiet for so long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/for-all-these-years-i-kept-my-mouth-closed-so-selfish-desires-would/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [If my forgeries looked as bad as the CBS documents, it would have been 'Catch Me In Two Days'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-abagnale/if-my-forgeries-looked-as-bad-as-the-cbs-documents-it-would-have-been/) [Frank Abagnale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-abagnale/) > [On any given night, catch me on the floor, working up a sweat, that’s what music’s for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/on-any-given-night-catch-me-on-the-floor-working-up-a-sweat-that-s/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [How can time be so wrong for love to come along? Catch me I'm falling for you...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-gonzaga/how-can-time-be-so-wrong-for-love-to-come-along-catch-me-i-m-falling/) [Toni Gonzaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-gonzaga/) > [Lord, catch me off guard today. Surprise me with some moment of beauty or pain so that at least for the moment, I may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/lord-catch-me-off-guard-today-surprise-me-with-some-moment-of-beauty/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Listen: People are always saying, 'Rickey says Rickey.' But it's been blown way out of proportion. People might catch me, when they know I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/listen-people-are-always-saying-rickey-says-rickey-but-it-s-been/) [Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) > [ My mom had bought this camera to take classes herself and I remember working with her on it, understanding how the stop-motion \[worked\], having… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vespa/my-mom-had-bought-this-camera-to-take-classes-herself-and-i-remember/) [Jeff Vespa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vespa/) > [Catch me, as if I have surely been out committing a violation against you, my sin of insisting on existing without you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-castillo/catch-me-as-if-i-have-surely-been-out-committing-a-violation-against/) [Ana Castillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-castillo/) > [English had hit upon a splendid joke. The intended to catch me or to bring me down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manfred-von-richthofen/english-had-hit-upon-a-splendid-joke-the-intended-to-catch-me-or-to/) [Manfred von Richthofen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manfred-von-richthofen/) > [I'm a bad walker but I can dance tango. You know why? Put your hand up. Push on my fingertips and just hold it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-gardot/i-m-a-bad-walker-but-i-can-dance-tango-you-know-why-put-your-hand-up/) [Melody Gardot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-gardot/) > [If we do not catch men, we are in great danger of losing even the desire to catch them. Our purposed activity is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/if-we-do-not-catch-men-we-are-in-great-danger-of-losing-even-the/) [John Henry Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/) > [He was not a runner, my father, but he was quick. I always remember it was very difficult to escape from him when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/he-was-not-a-runner-my-father-but-he-was-quick-i-always-remember-it/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) > [Super-cali-fragalistic-expiali-docious, Docious-ali-expi-fragalistic-cali-super. Cancun...catch me in the room, eatin' grouper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ghostface-killah/super-cali-fragalistic-expiali-docious-docious-ali-expi-fragalistic/) [Ghostface Killah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ghostface-killah/) > [When I go to sleep, someone wakes up to get their hustle on, that's why I get my 2 hours, their 2 hours and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/behdad-sami/when-i-go-to-sleep-someone-wakes-up-to-get-their-hustle-on-that-s-why/) [Behdad Sami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/behdad-sami/) ## More by Amy Tan > [So sad! This is the saddest part when you lose someone you love- that person keeps changing. And later you wonder, Is this the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/so-sad-this-is-the-saddest-part-when-you-lose-someone-you-love-that/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [Too many good things all seem the same after a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/too-many-good-things-all-seem-the-same-after-a-while/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [“bad, how likely is it to come”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/bad-how-likely-is-it-to-come/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [“A mother is always the beginning. She is how things begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/a-mother-is-always-the-beginning-she-is-how-things-begin/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [Shanghainese people are good negotiators, they're very persistent, and you grow up in an atmosphere like that - very competitive. That becomes part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/shanghainese-people-are-good-negotiators-they-re-very-persistent-and/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [But now that I am old, moving every year closer to the end of my life, I also feel closer to the beginning. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/but-now-that-i-am-old-moving-every-year-closer-to-the-end-of-my-life/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [You should think about your character. Know where you are changing, how you will be changed, what cannot be changed back again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/you-should-think-about-your-character-know-where-you-are-changing-how/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [Now you see,' said the turtle, drifting back into the pond, 'why it is useless to cry. Your tears do not wash away your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/now-you-see-said-the-turtle-drifting-back-into-the-pond-why-it-is/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [I hid my deepest feelings so well I forgot where I placed them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/i-hid-my-deepest-feelings-so-well-i-forgot-where-i-placed-them/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [“Lebih baik jadi orang yang TIDAK TERLUPAKAN daripada orang yang MEMBOSANKAN -”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/lebih-baik-jadi-orang-yang-tidak-terlupakan-daripada-orang-yang/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [After all, Bao Bomu says, what is the past but what we choose to remember?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/after-all-bao-bomu-says-what-is-the-past-but-what-we-choose-to/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [We all become different readers in how we respond to books, why we need them, what we take from them. We become different in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/we-all-become-different-readers-in-how-we-respond-to-books-why-we/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [“I was no longer scared. I could see what was inside me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/i-was-no-longer-scared-i-could-see-what-was-inside-me/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [When I go back and read my journals or fiction, I am always surprised. I may not remember having those thoughts, but they still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/when-i-go-back-and-read-my-journals-or-fiction-i-am-always-surprised/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [“I am ashamed she is ashamed. Because she is my daughter and I am proud of her, and I am her mother but she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/i-am-ashamed-she-is-ashamed-because-she-is-my-daughter-and-i-am-proud/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) [Explore all 383 Amy Tan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) ## More Catch me quotes > [When I go to sleep, someone wakes up to get their hustle on, that's why I get my 2 hours, their 2 hours and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/behdad-sami/when-i-go-to-sleep-someone-wakes-up-to-get-their-hustle-on-that-s-why/) [Behdad Sami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/behdad-sami/) > [Super-cali-fragalistic-expiali-docious, Docious-ali-expi-fragalistic-cali-super. Cancun...catch me in the room, eatin' grouper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ghostface-killah/super-cali-fragalistic-expiali-docious-docious-ali-expi-fragalistic/) [Ghostface Killah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ghostface-killah/) > [He was not a runner, my father, but he was quick. I always remember it was very difficult to escape from him when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/he-was-not-a-runner-my-father-but-he-was-quick-i-always-remember-it/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) > [If we do not catch men, we are in great danger of losing even the desire to catch them. Our purposed activity is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/if-we-do-not-catch-men-we-are-in-great-danger-of-losing-even-the/) [John Henry Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/) > [I'm a bad walker but I can dance tango. You know why? Put your hand up. Push on my fingertips and just hold it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-gardot/i-m-a-bad-walker-but-i-can-dance-tango-you-know-why-put-your-hand-up/) [Melody Gardot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-gardot/) > [English had hit upon a splendid joke. The intended to catch me or to bring me down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manfred-von-richthofen/english-had-hit-upon-a-splendid-joke-the-intended-to-catch-me-or-to/) [Manfred von Richthofen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manfred-von-richthofen/) > [Catch me, as if I have surely been out committing a violation against you, my sin of insisting on existing without you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-castillo/catch-me-as-if-i-have-surely-been-out-committing-a-violation-against/) [Ana Castillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-castillo/) > [ My mom had bought this camera to take classes herself and I remember working with her on it, understanding how the stop-motion \[worked\], having… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vespa/my-mom-had-bought-this-camera-to-take-classes-herself-and-i-remember/) [Jeff Vespa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vespa/) > [Listen: People are always saying, 'Rickey says Rickey.' But it's been blown way out of proportion. People might catch me, when they know I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/listen-people-are-always-saying-rickey-says-rickey-but-it-s-been/) [Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) > [Lord, catch me off guard today. Surprise me with some moment of beauty or pain so that at least for the moment, I may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/lord-catch-me-off-guard-today-surprise-me-with-some-moment-of-beauty/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [How can time be so wrong for love to come along? Catch me I'm falling for you...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-gonzaga/how-can-time-be-so-wrong-for-love-to-come-along-catch-me-i-m-falling/) [Toni Gonzaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-gonzaga/) > [On any given night, catch me on the floor, working up a sweat, that’s what music’s for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/on-any-given-night-catch-me-on-the-floor-working-up-a-sweat-that-s/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [If my forgeries looked as bad as the CBS documents, it would have been 'Catch Me In Two Days'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-abagnale/if-my-forgeries-looked-as-bad-as-the-cbs-documents-it-would-have-been/) [Frank Abagnale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-abagnale/) > [“I don't know if anyone's ever told you this", he begins. He doesn't blush, and his eyes don't dart away. Instead I find myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/i-don-t-know-if-anyone-s-ever-told-you-this-he-begins-he-doesn-t/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) > [Do not become self-sufficient . Self-sufficienc y is Satan’s net where he catches men, like poor silly fish, and destroys them. Be not self-sufficient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/do-not-become-self-sufficient-self-sufficienc-y-is-satan-s-net-where/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) [Browse all 98 Catch me quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catch-me/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All these years I kept my true nature hidden, running along like a small shadow so nobody could catch me. -Ying Ying", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Amy Tan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/all-these-years-i-kept-my-true-nature-hidden-running-along-like-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Catch me" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/all-these-years-i-kept-my-true-nature-hidden-running-along-like-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/amy-tan-730_catch-me_all-these-years-i-kept-my-true-nature-hi_426506.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/amy-tan-730_catch-me_all-these-years-i-kept-my-true-nature-hi_426506.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/193/amy-tan-730_catch-me_all-these-years-i-kept-my-true-nature-hi_426506.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“All these years I kept my true nature hidden, running along like a small shadow so nobody could catch me…” — Amy Tan", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Amy Tan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "All these years I kept my...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/all-these-years-i-kept-my-true-nature-hidden-running-along-like-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/all-these-years-i-kept-my-true-nature-hidden-running-along-like-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```