--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our children forever changed our…" description: "\"“Our children forever changed our relationships with our mothers. Pity replaced the mild contempt with which we had previously regarded them, and we lo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/anthony-marra-7171_best-intentions_our-children-forever-changed-our-relatio_2322186.jpg" --- # Our children forever changed our relationships with our… ![“Our children forever changed our relationships with our mothers. Pity replaced the mild contempt with which we had previously regarded them, and we loved them as we never had before, as we could only love ourselves, because despite our best intentions we had become them.” quote by Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/anthony-marra-7171_best-intentions_our-children-forever-changed-our-relatio_2322186.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/anthony-marra-7171_best-intentions_our-children-forever-changed-our-relatio_2322186.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/anthony-marra-7171_best-intentions_our-children-forever-changed-our-relatio_2322186.jpg) > ““Our children forever changed our relationships with our mothers. Pity replaced the mild contempt with which we had previously regarded them, and we loved them as we never had before, as we could only love ourselves, because despite our best intentions we had become them.”” [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our children change how we view our mothers, turning pity into deeper love, reflecting our own self‑love and the unintended consequences of our intentions. **In simple terms:** Children reshape mother relationships, deepening love. Key Takeaway Embrace evolving family dynamics. Themes family growth self‑reflection Mood thoughtful introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - parenting - personal development - emotional healing Key Concepts psychology intergenerational relationships Questions to Reflect On - How has a child altered your view of a parent? - What does self‑love mean in family ties? A Different Perspective The shift may cause conflict if expectations clash. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best intentions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-intentions/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [“It would be nice to think that as I've got older times have changed, relationships have become more sophisticated, females less cruel, skins thicker,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/it-would-be-nice-to-think-that-as-i-ve-got-older-times-have-changed/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [Pain changed me. Life changed me. Relationships changed me. Fake Friends changed me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/pain-changed-me-life-changed-me-relationships-changed-me-fake-friends/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Think about it, I say. How many straight men maintain inappropriately intimate relationships with their mothers? How many shop with them? I want a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayelet-waldman/think-about-it-i-say-how-many-straight-men-maintain-inappropriately/) [Ayelet Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayelet-waldman/) > [How many straight men maintain inappropriately intimate relationships with their mothers? How many shop with them? I want a gay son. People laugh, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayelet-waldman/how-many-straight-men-maintain-inappropriately-intimate-relationships/) [Ayelet Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayelet-waldman/) > [Not until Freud's writings became popular did descriptions of infants center on relationships with their mothers. The idea that children have feelings of any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-scarr/not-until-freud-s-writings-became-popular-did-descriptions-of-infants/) [Sandra Scarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-scarr/) > [Sometimes when I hear people talking about their families, or their relationships with their mothers and fathers, I hear it but it's not something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-sharp/sometimes-when-i-hear-people-talking-about-their-families-or-their/) [Lesley Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-sharp/) > [I remember watching films in my teenage years, and you'd be in love with Leonardo DiCaprio, and then a song would come on. You'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lykke-li/i-remember-watching-films-in-my-teenage-years-and-you-d-be-in-love/) [Lykke Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lykke-li/) > [I was forever changed by my experience on 'Once and Again.' All of us who were on that show have deep connections... familial connections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-thompson/i-was-forever-changed-by-my-experience-on-once-and-again-all-of-us/) Susanna Thompson > [“He knew today that his life was forever changed in that one moment and he was clueless as to why or how it was.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-fiala/he-knew-today-that-his-life-was-forever-changed-in-that-one-moment/) PJ Fiala > [Chanel is here forever. She changed fashion, she changed culture, and she changed how people dress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-kirkland/chanel-is-here-forever-she-changed-fashion-she-changed-culture-and/) [Douglas Kirkland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-kirkland/) > [“You have touched my soul, and I have seen your heart, and I know I am forever changed by the essence of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-roads/you-have-touched-my-soul-and-i-have-seen-your-heart-and-i-know-i-am/) [Jenna Roads](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-roads/) > [“The life changing seems always bracketed by the mundane. The quotidian wrapped around the profound, like plain brown paper concealing the emotional version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-bolz-weber/the-life-changing-seems-always-bracketed-by-the-mundane-the-quotidian/) [Nadia Bolz-Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-bolz-weber/) > [“The Fallen ∞ Now that it’s over, My worlds forever changed. Without you, I feel empty, All this pain, still remains.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-l-ross/the-fallen-now-that-it-s-over-my-worlds-forever-changed-without-you-i/) [S.L. Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-l-ross/) > [Something happens, Blue thinks, and then it goes on happening forever. It can never be changed, can never be otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/something-happens-blue-thinks-and-then-it-goes-on-happening-forever/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [“In some ways, I think I'll never be over him', Langston said. 'That is such an unsatisfied answer' 'That's because you're interpreting it the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cohn/in-some-ways-i-think-i-ll-never-be-over-him-langston-said-that-is/) [Rachel Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cohn/) ## More by Anthony Marra > [“Carrying that lumber the forty meters from the forest had left his knuckles blistered, his underarms sopping, but now a few hours of flames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/carrying-that-lumber-the-forty-meters-from-the-forest-had-left-his/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [“The previous night, for the first time in a long time, he had felt whole, and his eyes returned to the rearview, where his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/the-previous-night-for-the-first-time-in-a-long-time-he-had-felt/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [“At the kitchen table she examined the glass of ice. Each cube was rounded by room temperature, dissolving in its own remains, and belatedly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/at-the-kitchen-table-she-examined-the-glass-of-ice-each-cube-was/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [“There was no one left to say whom you could love. p.294”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/there-was-no-one-left-to-say-whom-you-could-love-p-294/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [We twist our souls around each other’s miseries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/we-twist-our-souls-around-each-other-s-miseries/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [“The television dramas we grew up on, stories of star-crossed lovers, stories of love overcoming all obstacles, well, they’re all fairy tales, obviously, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/the-television-dramas-we-grew-up-on-stories-of-star-crossed-lovers/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [“He had always tried to treat Havaa as a child and she always went along with it, as though childhood and innocence were fantastical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/he-had-always-tried-to-treat-havaa-as-a-child-and-she-always-went/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [“He asked them to close their eyes, and hoped their mouths would follow suit.” p. 137”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/he-asked-them-to-close-their-eyes-and-hoped-their-mouths-would-follow/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [“Don't insult me. Everyone knows a turtle is a crustacean on its mother's side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/don-t-insult-me-everyone-knows-a-turtle-is-a-crustacean-on-its-mother/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [“Those smooth, spit-cleaned cheeks gave no indication of the dreams crowding her skull. Should she make it to adulthood, the girl would arrive with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/those-smooth-spit-cleaned-cheeks-gave-no-indication-of-the-dreams/) [anthony marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [“In all likelihood, Sonja had more academic journal subscriptions than friends. She could explain advanced calculus to her fifth-form algebra teacher but couldn't tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/in-all-likelihood-sonja-had-more-academic-journal-subscriptions-than/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [“Even after Sonja graduated secondary school at the top of her class and matriculated to the city university biology department, their parents found more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/even-after-sonja-graduated-secondary-school-at-the-top-of-her-class/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [“He was losing her incrementally...As a web is no more than holes woven together, they were bonded by what was no longer there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/he-was-losing-her-incrementally-as-a-web-is-no-more-than-holes-woven/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [“Too young to explain in words, the girl's face was old enough to show the loss that was that name.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/too-young-to-explain-in-words-the-girl-s-face-was-old-enough-to-show/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [“A lizard fucks a crab and nine months later a turtle pops out. It's called evolution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/a-lizard-fucks-a-crab-and-nine-months-later-a-turtle-pops-out-it-s/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) [Explore all 94 Anthony Marra quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) ## More Best intentions quotes > [Where the sky begins, the horizon ends, despite the best intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/where-the-sky-begins-the-horizon-ends-despite-the-best-intentions/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [“Our best intentions are the most impactful when they are formed by the actual needs and desires of our community.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-docusen/our-best-intentions-are-the-most-impactful-when-they-are-formed-by/) David Docusen > [Time and distance have a way of playing tricks with your best intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/time-and-distance-have-a-way-of-playing-tricks-with-your-best/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [I can only think seriously of trying to live up to an ideal, to improve myself, if I am split in two pieces. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/i-can-only-think-seriously-of-trying-to-live-up-to-an-ideal-to/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [Even with the best intentions, growing apart might just be an inevitable part of growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/even-with-the-best-intentions-growing-apart-might-just-be-an/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [“The greatest harm can result from the best intentions - Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/the-greatest-harm-can-result-from-the-best-intentions-zeddicus-zu-l/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [In terms of how the music developed, it was my normal process, which I would say is really a hybrid process of sketching on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-richter/in-terms-of-how-the-music-developed-it-was-my-normal-process-which-i/) [Max Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-richter/) > [Even if you have the best intentions, there may sometimes be a price or a cost or a pushback against what you're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-russo/even-if-you-have-the-best-intentions-there-may-sometimes-be-a-price/) [Anthony Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-russo/) > [“Only a foolish soul would love the stars. As beautiful as they are, they will burn you. Regardless of your best intentions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendal-rob/only-a-foolish-soul-would-love-the-stars-as-beautiful-as-they-are/) [Kendal Rob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendal-rob/) > [“Sometimes our best intentions are not enough, but always remain genuine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-michelle-carithers/sometimes-our-best-intentions-are-not-enough-but-always-remain-genuine/) M (Michelle) Carithers > [“So I found myself asking the question: what is the opposite of a mistake? And I realised there wasn’t a word, in fact, precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-boyd/so-i-found-myself-asking-the-question-what-is-the-opposite-of-a/) [William Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-boyd/) > [“I'm still of the same mind. For many years I've been ashamed, mortally ashamed, of having been, even with the best intentions, even at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-m-still-of-the-same-mind-for-many-years-i-ve-been-ashamed-mortally/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“...I feel like a traitor, a phony, a fake. But I am a hypocrite with the best intentions, and I need kissing desperately.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-j-ginger/i-feel-like-a-traitor-a-phony-a-fake-but-i-am-a-hypocrite-with-the/) Coco J. Ginger > [“Maybe you will never be able to forgive me, but I wanted you to know I had the best intentions-and I still love you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/maybe-you-will-never-be-able-to-forgive-me-but-i-wanted-you-to-know-i/) [Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/) > [“The maxim, by which we commonly conduct ourselves in our reasonings, is, that the objects, of which we have no experience, resemble those, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-maxim-by-which-we-commonly-conduct-ourselves-in-our-reasonings-is/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) [Browse all 158 Best intentions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-intentions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Our children forever changed our relationships with our mothers. 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