--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Without (my wife) Laurie, I would never…" description: "\"Without (my wife) Laurie, I would never be here right now, I know that. I would either be in a coffin, or stashed away doing a life sentence some place..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f1/art-pepper-61398_alive_without-my-wife-laurie-i-would-never-be_175094.jpg" --- # Without (my wife) Laurie, I would never be here right now… ![“Without (my wife) Laurie, I would never be here right now, I know that. I would either be in a coffin, or stashed away doing a life sentence some place. Or running and hiding some place, if I was still alive. I'm certain I wouldn't be playing music. She's just been perfect for me. And she's a…” quote by Art Pepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f1/art-pepper-61398_alive_without-my-wife-laurie-i-would-never-be_175094.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f1/art-pepper-61398_alive_without-my-wife-laurie-i-would-never-be_175094.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f1/art-pepper-61398_alive_without-my-wife-laurie-i-would-never-be_175094.jpg) > “Without (my wife) Laurie, I would never be here right now, I know that. I would either be in a coffin, or stashed away doing a life sentence some place. Or running and hiding some place, if I was still alive. I'm certain I wouldn't be playing music. She's just been perfect for me. And she's a protector also; she protects me from myself, from temptations, and bad associations. She's constantly shielding me from walking the red hot coals of existing as a game.” [Art Pepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-pepper/) ## 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 credits his wife Laurie with saving his life, protecting him from self‑destructive choices and enabling his music career. **In simple terms:** Laurie saved him from ruin and supports his art. Key Takeaway Recognize and cherish those who protect and inspire you. Themes gratitude relationships self‑preservation creativity support Mood thankful reflective Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - career challenges - personal crises - addiction recovery - artist’s block - relationship dynamics Key Concepts protective love personal redemption creative inspiration Questions to Reflect On - Who in your life acts as a protector? - How can you honor that support? A Different Perspective Even with support, personal responsibility remains essential for lasting change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Bad ass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-ass/) [Coffins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coffins/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Perfect for me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-for-me/) [Playing music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-music/) [Protector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protector/) [Red](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/red/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Temptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temptation/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) ## Related quotes > [Music didn't really hit me again until the '90s, when the dancehall scene got going. The '90s were perfect for me. I would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-up/music-didn-t-really-hit-me-again-until-the-90s-when-the-dancehall/) [Ari Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-up/) > [Punk music is perfect for me because I'm not, like, a master at any instrument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-paxton/punk-music-is-perfect-for-me-because-i-m-not-like-a-master-at-any/) [James Paxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-paxton/) > [I've spent a lot of time researching the subject and government deception. So to be involved in Star Trek is perfect for me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-schultz/i-ve-spent-a-lot-of-time-researching-the-subject-and-government/) [Dwight Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-schultz/) > [You were perfect – perfect for me – and I love you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-lynn/you-were-perfect-perfect-for-me-and-i-love-you/) [J. Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-lynn/) > [A bad boy with a good heart, I think that would be perfect for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-electra/a-bad-boy-with-a-good-heart-i-think-that-would-be-perfect-for-me/) [Carmen Electra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-electra/) > [I like you not because you are perfect, but because you are so perfect for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/i-like-you-not-because-you-are-perfect-but-because-you-are-so-perfect/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [Cincinnati is perfect for me. I've met a lot of good people there who like to fish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-dunn/cincinnati-is-perfect-for-me-i-ve-met-a-lot-of-good-people-there-who/) [Adam Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-dunn/) > [I think it's essential for comic writers to have a hate figure, a despot, a regime to react against, and I think Thatcher was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-townsend/i-think-it-s-essential-for-comic-writers-to-have-a-hate-figure-a/) [Sue Townsend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-townsend/) > [“I saw something in you that I couldn't live without. I chose you, inside of me, and you chose me. It's not one sided,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-crane/i-saw-something-in-you-that-i-couldn-t-live-without-i-chose-you/) [Shelly Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-crane/) > [Alcohol is perfect for me to curb the nerves a little bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/alcohol-is-perfect-for-me-to-curb-the-nerves-a-little-bit/) [Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/) > [I didn't work hard to make Ruby perfect for everyone, because you feel differently from me. No language can be perfect for everyone. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukihiro-matsumoto/i-didn-t-work-hard-to-make-ruby-perfect-for-everyone-because-you-feel/) [Yukihiro Matsumoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukihiro-matsumoto/) > [I love writing. I'm not particularly comfortable in the actual world - I'm much more comfortable on the page. So if I could have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sorkin/i-love-writing-i-m-not-particularly-comfortable-in-the-actual-world-i/) [Aaron Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sorkin/) > [I think I can pinpoint the moment when my first band recorded, when I was 14 and 15 years old. I always enjoyed writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-congleton/i-think-i-can-pinpoint-the-moment-when-my-first-band-recorded-when-i/) [John Congleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-congleton/) > [If you're 14 and you're skinny, you can't be on the football team, basically. It's just not even really possible. But skating is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/if-you-re-14-and-you-re-skinny-you-can-t-be-on-the-football-team/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [I feel like I'm a stay-at-home mom, which I was for the five years before this. She's absolutely been my focus. That's the choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teri-hatcher/i-feel-like-i-m-a-stay-at-home-mom-which-i-was-for-the-five-years/) [Teri Hatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teri-hatcher/) ## More by Art Pepper > [Alto (saxophone) is just a very hard instrument; there's so few people that play it really well. I feel it's the best one, too,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-pepper/alto-saxophone-is-just-a-very-hard-instrument-there-s-so-few-people/) [Art Pepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-pepper/) > [“I guess it's like James Joyce when he was a kid, you know. He hung out with all the great writers of the day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-pepper/i-guess-it-s-like-james-joyce-when-he-was-a-kid-you-know-he-hung-out/) [Art Pepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-pepper/) > [The way so many musicians slavishly imitated Coltrane, that's the way it was with Charlie Parker - only even more so, if that can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-pepper/the-way-so-many-musicians-slavishly-imitated-coltrane-that-s-the-way/) [Art Pepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-pepper/) > [I enjoy playing with a big band occasionally, but it's too restricting; you really don't have a chance to stretch out and do what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-pepper/i-enjoy-playing-with-a-big-band-occasionally-but-it-s-too-restricting/) [Art Pepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-pepper/) [Explore all 5 Art Pepper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-pepper/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Without (my wife) Laurie, I would never be here right now, I know that. I would either be in a coffin, or stashed away doing a life sentence some place. Or running and hiding some place, if I was still alive. I'm certain I wouldn't be playing music. She's just been perfect for me. And she's a protector also; she protects me from myself, from temptations, and bad associations. 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