--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My parents lived likeas the neighbours…" description: "\"My parents lived likeas the neighbours described thema pair of chopsticks, always in harmony.\" — Anchee Min" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d3/anchee-min-22256_chopsticks_my-parents-lived-likeas-the-neighbours-d_2114073.png" --- # My parents lived likeas the neighbours described thema… ![“My parents lived likeas the neighbours described thema pair of chopsticks, always in harmony.” quote by Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d3/anchee-min-22256_chopsticks_my-parents-lived-likeas-the-neighbours-d_2114073.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d3/anchee-min-22256_chopsticks_my-parents-lived-likeas-the-neighbours-d_2114073.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d3/anchee-min-22256_chopsticks_my-parents-lived-likeas-the-neighbours-d_2114073.png) > “My parents lived likeas the neighbours described thema pair of chopsticks, always in harmony.” [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Parents are likened to chopsticks, symbolizing perfect harmony and interdependence in family life. **In simple terms:** Parents in perfect harmony like chopsticks. Key Takeaway Cultivate balanced, supportive relationships. Themes family harmony interdependence balance Mood harmonious reflective Type cultural relational When to use this quote - marriage - parenting - team projects Key Concepts cultural metaphor family dynamics cooperation Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain harmony? - What signs indicate imbalance? A Different Perspective Harmony can mask underlying tension. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chopsticks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chopsticks/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Harmony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harmony/) [Neighbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbour/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) ## Related quotes > [“Dean took out other pictures. I realized these were all the snapshots which our children would look at someday with wonder, thinking their parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/dean-took-out-other-pictures-i-realized-these-were-all-the-snapshots/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I was so fortunate. My parents lived lives of service. They helped other people, that was their second nature; it came to them so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bush/i-was-so-fortunate-my-parents-lived-lives-of-service-they-helped/) [Laura Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bush/) > [“I realized these were all the snapshots which our children would look at someday with wonder, thinking their parents had lived smooth, well-ordered, stabilized-within-the-photo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-realized-these-were-all-the-snapshots-which-our-children-would-look/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I spent grade nine and ten going to school in Victoria. My parents lived there for 10 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-hawley-weld/i-spent-grade-nine-and-ten-going-to-school-in-victoria-my-parents/) [Sophie Hawley-Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-hawley-weld/) > [My parents lived, breathed, ate and slept theatre. Emotions were right on the surface. Growing up, the unreal had as much importance as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-follows/my-parents-lived-breathed-ate-and-slept-theatre-emotions-were-right/) [Megan Follows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-follows/) > [Yeah, I was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa. My parents lived in a little town called Eagle Grove. My mom taught high school and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-porter/yeah-i-was-born-in-fort-dodge-iowa-my-parents-lived-in-a-little-town/) [Katie Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-porter/) > [My mom grew up in Idaho, went to Brigham Young University: they're very Molly Mormon. And my father is, like, first generation Albanian, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-dushku/my-mom-grew-up-in-idaho-went-to-brigham-young-university-they-re-very/) [Eliza Dushku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-dushku/) > [“They’d crossed over to that continent where grieving parents lived. It looked the same as the rest of the world, but wasn’t. Colors bled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/they-d-crossed-over-to-that-continent-where-grieving-parents-lived-it/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [Most people think that aging is genetic and yet if your parents lived to age 80+ that will add three years to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/most-people-think-that-aging-is-genetic-and-yet-if-your-parents-lived/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I was well brought up, my parents are still together. I lived in a council estate, but I don't anymore; I saw my parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinie-tempah/i-was-well-brought-up-my-parents-are-still-together-i-lived-in-a/) [Tinie Tempah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinie-tempah/) > [My parents lived very long lives. And good lives, too. They're great people, but good lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/my-parents-lived-very-long-lives-and-good-lives-too-they-re-great/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I moved up over Lower East Side and I was adopted by eight foster parents; I lived all over New York City with these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-corso/i-moved-up-over-lower-east-side-and-i-was-adopted-by-eight-foster/) [Gregory Corso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-corso/) > [Growing up, I wouldn't say I was poor. But my parents, although we lived in a nice, middle-class home, they had their struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-idk/growing-up-i-wouldn-t-say-i-was-poor-but-my-parents-although-we-lived/) Jay IDK > [The girls gave their hearts into their mother's keeping-their souls into their father's; and to both parents, who lived and labored so faithfully for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/the-girls-gave-their-hearts-into-their-mother-s-keeping-their-souls/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Both my parents lived through a world war. My grandparents lived through two world wars. And they didn't go around saying, 'Look for happiness.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viv-albertine/both-my-parents-lived-through-a-world-war-my-grandparents-lived/) [Viv Albertine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viv-albertine/) ## More by Anchee Min > [Do you know who Karl Marx is? He is this strange little man, long dead, who lived his narrow little life, and somehow managed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/do-you-know-who-karl-marx-is-he-is-this-strange-little-man-long-dead/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [No matter how American I become, I'm considered part of the Chinese community by my own family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/no-matter-how-american-i-become-i-m-considered-part-of-the-chinese/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [“Zabranjeni grad je pjesma u svojem najčistijem obliku. On je moj duhovni vrt gdje mogu leći među cvijeće i otpočinuti.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/zabranjeni-grad-je-pjesma-u-svojem-naj-istijem-obliku-on-je-moj/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [If you can't go back to your mother's womb, you'd better learn to be a good fighter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/if-you-can-t-go-back-to-your-mother-s-womb-you-d-better-learn-to-be-a/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [My mind swirled with memories of the life I had led. The constant struggle to keep up appearances, the pretenses, the smiles that had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/my-mind-swirled-with-memories-of-the-life-i-had-led-the-constant/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [“Vjetar pokazuje svoje tijelo kroz drhtavo lišće.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/vjetar-pokazuje-svoje-tijelo-kroz-drhtavo-li-e/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [“Imi spuse ca era adevarat ca nici una dintre operele exemplare nu vorbea despre dragoste. I-am spus: Eu nu cred ca eroii nu au…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/imi-spuse-ca-era-adevarat-ca-nici-una-dintre-operele-exemplare-nu/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [If one wants to get a boat ride, one must be near the river.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/if-one-wants-to-get-a-boat-ride-one-must-be-near-the-river/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [I think about giving up. I almost do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/i-think-about-giving-up-i-almost-do/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [The sun doesn't just hang on one family's tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/the-sun-doesn-t-just-hang-on-one-family-s-tree/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [My goal was to do anything that would lead to a job. I know that writing would not lead to a job. It's too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/my-goal-was-to-do-anything-that-would-lead-to-a-job-i-know-that/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [When Chinese get together - what's buried stays buried. We don't even discuss our embarrassing early days struggling in Chicago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/when-chinese-get-together-what-s-buried-stays-buried-we-don-t-even/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [“I led my schoolmates in collecting pennies. We wanted to donate the pennies to the starving children in America.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/i-led-my-schoolmates-in-collecting-pennies-we-wanted-to-donate-the/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [I understood that without English I would never get far, so my dream was to become a receptionist, and so I started to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/i-understood-that-without-english-i-would-never-get-far-so-my-dream/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [lack of will power leads to more failure than lack of intelligence or ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/lack-of-will-power-leads-to-more-failure-than-lack-of-intelligence-or/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) [Explore all 25 Anchee Min quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) ## More Chopsticks quotes > [I bought a piano once because I had the dream of playing As Time Goes By as some girl's leaning on it drinking a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-bought-a-piano-once-because-i-had-the-dream-of-playing-as-time-goes/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [I started out playing 'Chopsticks.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/i-started-out-playing-chopsticks/) [Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) > [I joke that I came out of my mother with chopsticks in my hands. But one of my earliest memories is of my dad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gok-wan/i-joke-that-i-came-out-of-my-mother-with-chopsticks-in-my-hands-but/) [Gok Wan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gok-wan/) > [All too frequently the amateur will purchase a fine modern camera and proceed to use it for making the most elementary simple snapshots. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-haskins/all-too-frequently-the-amateur-will-purchase-a-fine-modern-camera-and/) Sam Haskins > [I don't want to get burned when I'm cooking. To avoid getting hit when pan-frying, I stand far away and use chopsticks that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-huang/i-don-t-want-to-get-burned-when-i-m-cooking-to-avoid-getting-hit-when/) [Eddie Huang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-huang/) > [I remember watching steak being cooked on TV and wanting to try it. As a special treat, my mother cooked it for me, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nobu-matsuhisa/i-remember-watching-steak-being-cooked-on-tv-and-wanting-to-try-it-as/) [Nobu Matsuhisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nobu-matsuhisa/) > [I only started to understand the concept of "environmental protection" 14 years ago. I was an ambassador for a charity event, and the staff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-bingbing/i-only-started-to-understand-the-concept-of-environmental-protection/) [Li Bingbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-bingbing/) > [Chopsticks box! I didn't know before and put them on the table and my Japan friends scolded me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seungri/chopsticks-box-i-didn-t-know-before-and-put-them-on-the-table-and-my/) [Seungri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seungri/) > [Trying to hit Phil Niekro is like trying to eat jello with chopsticks. Sometimes you get a piece but most of the time you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-murcer/trying-to-hit-phil-niekro-is-like-trying-to-eat-jello-with-chopsticks/) Bobby Murcer > [There is a unique freshness when eating buckwheat noodles cold with plenty of herbs and citrus acidity. I can't think of any better use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yotam-ottolenghi/there-is-a-unique-freshness-when-eating-buckwheat-noodles-cold-with/) [Yotam Ottolenghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yotam-ottolenghi/) > [Tip your drag queens, bartenders, and don't rub your chopsticks together at the sushi restaurant. Also, just in general, don't be a dirtbag human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aquaria/tip-your-drag-queens-bartenders-and-don-t-rub-your-chopsticks/) [Aquaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aquaria/) > [Sybil tells me your little festival is an annual occurrence," she said, the cadence of her voice swooning like a lullaby. "Yes," Kai said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/sybil-tells-me-your-little-festival-is-an-annual-occurrence-she-said/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) > [“If I ever go to China, I’m going to find a piano and play “Chopsticks”--only not with my fingers, but rather I’ll be using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/if-i-ever-go-to-china-i-m-going-to-find-a-piano-and-play-chopsticks/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Just these,” Nina replied, holding up a fist full of balsa wood chopsticks. “That’s okay,” Walter said, tipping the box to his lips like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christa-faust/just-these-nina-replied-holding-up-a-fist-full-of-balsa-wood/) [Christa Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christa-faust/) > [I got so used to using chopsticks that using a fork and knife is weird.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephon-marbury/i-got-so-used-to-using-chopsticks-that-using-a-fork-and-knife-is-weird/) [Stephon Marbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephon-marbury/) [Browse all 45 Chopsticks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chopsticks/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My parents lived likeas the neighbours described thema pair of chopsticks, always in harmony.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anchee Min" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/my-parents-lived-likeas-the-neighbours-described-thema-pair-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chopsticks" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/my-parents-lived-likeas-the-neighbours-described-thema-pair-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d3/anchee-min-22256_chopsticks_my-parents-lived-likeas-the-neighbours-d_2114073.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d3/anchee-min-22256_chopsticks_my-parents-lived-likeas-the-neighbours-d_2114073.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d3/anchee-min-22256_chopsticks_my-parents-lived-likeas-the-neighbours-d_2114073.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My parents lived likeas the neighbours described thema pair of chopsticks, always in harmony.” — Anchee Min", "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": "Anchee Min", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My parents lived likeas the neighbours...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/my-parents-lived-likeas-the-neighbours-described-thema-pair-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/my-parents-lived-likeas-the-neighbours-described-thema-pair-of/#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 } } ] } ```