--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ... we are each shaped from our birth…" description: "\"... we are each shaped from our birth, not only by the blood and inheritance that lies behind us, but also by those we love and by whom we are loved in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/281/andre-norton-20872_behinds_we-are-each-shaped-from-our-birth-not-on_2558633.jpg" --- # ... we are each shaped from our birth, not only by the… ![“... we are each shaped from our birth, not only by the blood and inheritance that lies behind us, but also by those we love and by whom we are loved in turn, by the knowledge given to our thirsty minds, to the learning of ourselves.” quote by Andre Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/281/andre-norton-20872_behinds_we-are-each-shaped-from-our-birth-not-on_2558633.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/281/andre-norton-20872_behinds_we-are-each-shaped-from-our-birth-not-on_2558633.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/281/andre-norton-20872_behinds_we-are-each-shaped-from-our-birth-not-on_2558633.jpg) > “... we are each shaped from our birth, not only by the blood and inheritance that lies behind us, but also by those we love and by whom we are loved in turn, by the knowledge given to our thirsty minds, to the learning of ourselves.” [Andre Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-norton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our identity is shaped by birth, relationships, love, and learning, not just genetics. **In simple terms:** Identity comes from family, love, and knowledge. Key Takeaway Recognize all influences on who you are. Themes identity relationships learning inheritance Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - education - family dynamics - self‑reflection Key Concepts psychology social development self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - How do your relationships shape your self‑concept? - What knowledge has most changed you? A Different Perspective Genetics alone do not determine destiny. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Birth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth/) [Inheritance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inheritance/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Those we love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/those-we-love/) ## Related quotes > [For knowledge is not given as gift...but through study...The free mind, not afraid of labor, presses on to attain the good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-cereta/for-knowledge-is-not-given-as-gift-but-through-study-the-free-mind/) [Laura Cereta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-cereta/) > [“But God caused knowledge to be given to Adam and those with him, so that the kings of chaos and the underworld might not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodolphe-kasser/but-god-caused-knowledge-to-be-given-to-adam-and-those-with-him-so/) [Rodolphe Kasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodolphe-kasser/) > [Any who may wish to profit himself alone from the knowledge given him, rather than serve others through the knowledge he has gained from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-selassie/any-who-may-wish-to-profit-himself-alone-from-the-knowledge-given-him/) [Haile Selassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-selassie/) > [The Curse of Knowledge: when we are given knowledge, it is impossible to imagine what it's like to LACK that knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-heath/the-curse-of-knowledge-when-we-are-given-knowledge-it-is-impossible/) [Chip Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-heath/) > [“Everything will be clear to you in time. But you must have a chance to digest the knowledge that we have given to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-l-weiss/everything-will-be-clear-to-you-in-time-but-you-must-have-a-chance-to/) [Brian L. Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-l-weiss/) > [Knowledge comes from learning.When knowledge is given wings of experience,wisdom blossoms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/knowledge-comes-from-learning-when-knowledge-is-given-wings-of/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [“Do not quarrel or restlessly seek for more knowledge, until you have given proper honor to what you already know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/do-not-quarrel-or-restlessly-seek-for-more-knowledge-until-you-have/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“If we seek the knowledge God, all other knowledge will be given to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/if-we-seek-the-knowledge-god-all-other-knowledge-will-be-given-to-us/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [A temple is a place in which those whom He has chosen are endowed with power from on high—a power which enables us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-b-haight/a-temple-is-a-place-in-which-those-whom-he-has-chosen-are-endowed/) [David B. Haight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-b-haight/) > [The heart and life of a woman is much more vast than that. All women are made in the image of God in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stasi-eldredge/the-heart-and-life-of-a-woman-is-much-more-vast-than-that-all-women/) [Stasi Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stasi-eldredge/) > [Making those we love happy sounds innocent as a dove, but it can be as destructive as a lion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florida-scott-maxwell/making-those-we-love-happy-sounds-innocent-as-a-dove-but-it-can-be-as/) [Florida Scott-Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florida-scott-maxwell/) > [ Our best hope for the future \[...\] lies in an appreciation of the fact that, even if we don’t empathize with distant strangers, their… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/our-best-hope-for-the-future-lies-in-an-appreciation-of-the-fact-that/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [Love is the perception of individuals. Love is the extremely difficult realisation that something other than oneself is real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/love-is-the-perception-of-individuals-love-is-the-extremely-difficult/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [I think I am in my last days, but it doesn't really matter because I have had such a beautiful life. I have lived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-herz-sommer/i-think-i-am-in-my-last-days-but-it-doesn-t-really-matter-because-i/) [Alice Herz-Sommer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-herz-sommer/) > [Our families and our homes are the center of American life, Everything we do is to make those homes-and the lives in them-more beautiful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-stewart/our-families-and-our-homes-are-the-center-of-american-life-everything/) [Martha Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-stewart/) ## More by Andre Norton > [There's no night without stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/there-s-no-night-without-stars/) [Andre Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-norton/) > [“In the past Terra had been racked by wars of religion, one fanatically held opinion opposed to another. There was no righteousness in such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/in-the-past-terra-had-been-racked-by-wars-of-religion-one-fanatically/) [Andre Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-norton/) > [The knife flaying the elephant does not have to be large, only sharp!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/the-knife-flaying-the-elephant-does-not-have-to-be-large-only-sharp/) [Andre Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-norton/) > [Do not fear so, here is one who would be a blade at your back. A shield across your breast. Here is kin, here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/do-not-fear-so-here-is-one-who-would-be-a-blade-at-your-back-a-shield/) [Andre Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-norton/) > [“It’s invisible because it’s a color beyond our range of sight. It must have stayed in here all these years. And it kills—it must—when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/it-s-invisible-because-it-s-a-color-beyond-our-range-of-sight-it-must/) [Andre Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-norton/) > [“As for courage and will - we cannot measure how much of each lies within us; we can only trust there will be sufficient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/as-for-courage-and-will-we-cannot-measure-how-much-of-each-lies/) [Andre Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-norton/) > [“Maybe there has been a rebellion in this sector. The winner may be systematically mopping up all Patrol bases. That would leave him free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/maybe-there-has-been-a-rebellion-in-this-sector-the-winner-may-be/) [Andre Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-norton/) > [“We have met and hated, fought and died before - you and I.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/we-have-met-and-hated-fought-and-died-before-you-and-i/) [Andre Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-norton/) > [There is no cure for narrowness of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/there-is-no-cure-for-narrowness-of-mind/) [Andre Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-norton/) > [“Smiths were sacred in the old days. We know that they made a secret of their trade which overrode the bounds of district, tribe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/smiths-were-sacred-in-the-old-days-we-know-that-they-made-a-secret-of/) [Andre Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-norton/) > [Always the cat remains a little beyond the limits we try to set for him in our blind folly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/always-the-cat-remains-a-little-beyond-the-limits-we-try-to-set-for/) [Andre Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-norton/) > [Perhaps it is because cats do not live by human patterns, do not fit themselves into prescribed behavior, that they are so united to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/perhaps-it-is-because-cats-do-not-live-by-human-patterns-do-not-fit/) [Andre Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-norton/) > [“I believe that those in the city must be left to work out their own destiny," the hist-techneer said at last. "In a manner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/i-believe-that-those-in-the-city-must-be-left-to-work-out-their-own/) [Andre Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-norton/) > [“He discovered that lack of sight confuses the ear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/he-discovered-that-lack-of-sight-confuses-the-ear/) [Andre Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-norton/) > [A treasure...at the top of any list of fantasy to be cherished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/a-treasure-at-the-top-of-any-list-of-fantasy-to-be-cherished/) [Andre Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-norton/) [Explore all 29 Andre Norton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-norton/) ## More Behinds quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm really thankful to God, man. Like now, I'm really making a real comeback with my group. With or without a record, with or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-turner/i-m-really-thankful-to-god-man-like-now-i-m-really-making-a-real/) [Ike Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-turner/) > [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "... we are each shaped from our birth, not only by the blood and inheritance that lies behind us, but also by those we love and by whom we are loved in turn, by the knowledge given to our thirsty minds, to the learning of ourselves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Andre Norton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/we-are-each-shaped-from-our-birth-not-only-by-the-blood-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behinds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/we-are-each-shaped-from-our-birth-not-only-by-the-blood-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/281/andre-norton-20872_behinds_we-are-each-shaped-from-our-birth-not-on_2558633.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/281/andre-norton-20872_behinds_we-are-each-shaped-from-our-birth-not-on_2558633.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/281/andre-norton-20872_behinds_we-are-each-shaped-from-our-birth-not-on_2558633.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“... we are each shaped from our birth, not only by the blood and inheritance that lies behind us, but also…” — Andre Norton", "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": "Andre Norton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-norton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "... we are each shaped from...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/we-are-each-shaped-from-our-birth-not-only-by-the-blood-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-norton/we-are-each-shaped-from-our-birth-not-only-by-the-blood-and/#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 } } ] } ```