---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My father left us when I was 10, so I had…"
description: "\"My father left us when I was 10, so I had to make enough money for us to be able to live in a house because my brother went in the service during Vietn..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/bob-seger-4275_able_my-father-left-us-when-i-was-10-so-i-had_2122058.jpg"
---

#  My father left us when I was 10, so I had to make enough…

![“My father left us when I was 10, so I had to make enough money for us to be able to live in a house because my brother went in the service during Vietnam and I was sole support of my mother. And she had no skills, really, except to clean other people's houses. So I had to have a bunch of jobs, you…” quote by Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/bob-seger-4275_able_my-father-left-us-when-i-was-10-so-i-had_2122058.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/bob-seger-4275_able_my-father-left-us-when-i-was-10-so-i-had_2122058.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/bob-seger-4275_able_my-father-left-us-when-i-was-10-so-i-had_2122058.jpg)

> “My father left us when I was 10, so I had to make enough money for us to be able to live in a house because my brother went in the service during Vietnam and I was sole support of my mother. And she had no skills, really, except to clean other people's houses. So I had to have a bunch of jobs, you know, as well as music.”

[Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A young man became primary provider after family loss, juggling many jobs and music to support mother and brother during Vietnam era.

**In simple terms:** He worked hard to support family after father left and brother served.

Key Takeaway

Take responsibility and persevere despite adversity.

Themes

family responsibility hardship resilience

Mood

determined reflective

Type

narrative inspirational

When to use this quote

- finding steady employment
- balancing multiple jobs
- supporting dependents
- managing financial crisis

Key Concepts

socioeconomic pressure family dynamics survival work ethic

Questions to Reflect On

- How did you balance work and music?
- What support could have eased your burden?

A Different Perspective

Limited resources and emotional strain can hinder personal growth.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Bunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bunch/) [Clean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clean/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Except](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/except/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Father Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father-left/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [House Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house-brother-4333675/) [Houses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/houses/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Make Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-money/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Mother Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-skills-4333676/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Other](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/other/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Houses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-houses-601298/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service/) [She](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/she/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) [Sole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sole/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) [Vietnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam/) [Well](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/well/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/)

## Related quotes

> [I cannot but think it an evil sign of a people when their houses are built to last for one generation only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/i-cannot-but-think-it-an-evil-sign-of-a-people-when-their-houses-are/)

[John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/)

> [Other people's houses were always fascinating. As soon as you went through the door for the first time, you got the feel of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosamunde-pilcher/other-people-s-houses-were-always-fascinating-as-soon-as-you-went/)

[Rosamunde Pilcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosamunde-pilcher/)

> [I love being in people's houses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-dooley/i-love-being-in-people-s-houses/)

[Stacey Dooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-dooley/)

> [“ I know what that is, 'he said. 'That's drugs, that is.' 'You're a genius, aren't you?' 'Dad will kill you' 'Then I'll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-parsons/i-know-what-that-is-he-said-that-s-drugs-that-is-you-re-a-genius-aren/)

[Tony Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-parsons/)

> [I always sang around the house. My brother and I would sing songs like 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' and stuff like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-louisa-kelly/i-always-sang-around-the-house-my-brother-and-i-would-sing-songs-like/)

[Jean Louisa Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-louisa-kelly/)

> [“Other people's houses are right on top of this one," he said. "I think they could take one step and be in our living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-feehan/other-people-s-houses-are-right-on-top-of-this-one-he-said-i-think/)

[Christine Feehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-feehan/)

> [The thing with films is that you have to make something that will get people out of their houses, away from the TV set.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/the-thing-with-films-is-that-you-have-to-make-something-that-will-get/)

[Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/)

> [The first thing I do when I go to people's houses is look at their television, turn it on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-first-thing-i-do-when-i-go-to-people-s-houses-is-look-at-their/)

[Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/)

> [Towns are full of people, houses full of tenants, hotels full of guests, trains full of travelers, cafés full of customers, parks full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/towns-are-full-of-people-houses-full-of-tenants-hotels-full-of-guests/)

[Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/)

> [“Gentlemen are often invited to stay in other people's houses. Rooms hardly ever are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/gentlemen-are-often-invited-to-stay-in-other-people-s-houses-rooms/)

[Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/)

> [I remember, as a kid, going into other people's houses. Everything was different. The smells in the kitchen were different; the clothing was different.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-remember-as-a-kid-going-into-other-people-s-houses-everything-was/)

[Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/)

> [People are renovating places and opening ambitious new venues. That's one thing that music does. It gets people out of their houses, and gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/people-are-renovating-places-and-opening-ambitious-new-venues-that-s/)

[David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/)

> [I'm not under any illusion that I'm an A-lister; I don't think I'm even on the alphabet scale. But I'm in people's houses every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rylan-clark-neal/i-m-not-under-any-illusion-that-i-m-an-a-lister-i-don-t-think-i-m/)

[Rylan Clark-Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rylan-clark-neal/)

> [My father left me with a saying that I've carried my entire life and tried to pass on to our kids: 'Tough times don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-schilling/my-father-left-me-with-a-saying-that-i-ve-carried-my-entire-life-and/)

[Curt Schilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-schilling/)

> [“The gifts and the lessons my father left me will last forever: Never take yourself too seriously, never miss a chance to laugh long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-serling/the-gifts-and-the-lessons-my-father-left-me-will-last-forever-never/)

[Anne Serling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-serling/)

## More by Bob Seger

> [Here comes old Rosie she's looking mighty fine, here comes hot Nancy she's steppin' right on time. There go the street lights bringing on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/here-comes-old-rosie-she-s-looking-mighty-fine-here-comes-hot-nancy/)

[Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

> [“He wants to dream like a young man with the wisdom of a old man, he wants his home and securities, he wants to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/he-wants-to-dream-like-a-young-man-with-the-wisdom-of-a-old-man-he/)

[Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

> [I love working with different musicians in the studio, that's a real joy working with someone for the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/i-love-working-with-different-musicians-in-the-studio-that-s-a-real/)

[Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

> [Moving eight miles a minute for months at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/moving-eight-miles-a-minute-for-months-at-a-time/)

[Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

> [Out past the cornfields where the woods got heavy, out in the back seat of my '60 Chevy. Workin' on mysteries without any clues,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/out-past-the-cornfields-where-the-woods-got-heavy-out-in-the-back/)

[Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

> [I can only get my drummer in the winter; he plays with Grand Funk all summer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/i-can-only-get-my-drummer-in-the-winter-he-plays-with-grand-funk-all/)

[Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

> [To a brighter light, to a promised land, you can feel the power, of the master's hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/to-a-brighter-light-to-a-promised-land-you-can-feel-the-power-of-the/)

[Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

> [I did this thing with Trisha Yearwood, a song called 'The Price.' I had been sitting on it for a while, because I figured,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/i-did-this-thing-with-trisha-yearwood-a-song-called-the-price-i-had/)

[Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

> [One victim lives in tragedy, another victim stops to stare, and still another walks on by pretending not to see](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/one-victim-lives-in-tragedy-another-victim-stops-to-stare-and-still/)

[Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

> [I think I'm going to Katmandu, that's really, really where I'm going to](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/i-think-i-m-going-to-katmandu-that-s-really-really-where-i-m-going-to/)

[Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

> [I wish I had a nickel for every time I fell and blamed someone else. I'd give a ton of money to the ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/i-wish-i-had-a-nickel-for-every-time-i-fell-and-blamed-someone-else-i/)

[Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

> [Most of the time, I'm here in Michigan and I'm taking out the garbage every Monday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/most-of-the-time-i-m-here-in-michigan-and-i-m-taking-out-the-garbage/)

[Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

> [It's a rite of passage for the everyman, to a higher ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/it-s-a-rite-of-passage-for-the-everyman-to-a-higher-ground/)

[Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

> [I really enjoy being with the people I play with. I enjoy their company. I love the crew, the band - we just move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/i-really-enjoy-being-with-the-people-i-play-with-i-enjoy-their/)

[Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

> [Some people say love is a losing game, you start with fire and you lose the flame. The ashes smolder, but the warmth's soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/some-people-say-love-is-a-losing-game-you-start-with-fire-and-you/)

[Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

[Explore all 113 Bob Seger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

## More Able quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/)

[Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/)

> [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/)

[Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/)

> [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/)

[Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/)

> [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/)

[Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/)

> [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/)

[Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/)

> [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/)

[Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/)

> [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/)

[Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/)

> [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/)

[Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/)

> [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/)

[Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/)

> [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/)

[Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/)

> [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/)

[Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/)

[Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "My father left us when I was 10, so I had to make enough money for us to be able to live in a house because my brother went in the service during Vietnam and I was sole support of my mother. And she had no skills, really, except to clean other people's houses. So I had to have a bunch of jobs, you know, as well as music.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bob Seger"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/my-father-left-us-when-i-was-10-so-i-had-to-make-enough-money-for-us/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Able"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/my-father-left-us-when-i-was-10-so-i-had-to-make-enough-money-for-us/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/bob-seger-4275_able_my-father-left-us-when-i-was-10-so-i-had_2122058.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/bob-seger-4275_able_my-father-left-us-when-i-was-10-so-i-had_2122058.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/bob-seger-4275_able_my-father-left-us-when-i-was-10-so-i-had_2122058.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“My father left us when I was 10, so I had to make enough money for us to be able to live in a house because…” — Bob Seger",
                "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": "Bob Seger",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "My father left us when I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/my-father-left-us-when-i-was-10-so-i-had-to-make-enough-money-for-us/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/my-father-left-us-when-i-was-10-so-i-had-to-make-enough-money-for-us/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
