---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [...] She started disappearing as soon as…"
description: "\"“[...] She started disappearing as soon as she was born. Just to get away from you.”\" — Catherynne M. Valente"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f6/catherynne-m-valente-375_disappearing_she-started-disappearing-as-soon-as-she_1107961.png"
---

#  \[...\] She started disappearing as soon as she was born…

![“[...] She started disappearing as soon as she was born. Just to get away from you.” quote by Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f6/catherynne-m-valente-375_disappearing_she-started-disappearing-as-soon-as-she_1107961.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f6/catherynne-m-valente-375_disappearing_she-started-disappearing-as-soon-as-she_1107961.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f6/catherynne-m-valente-375_disappearing_she-started-disappearing-as-soon-as-she_1107961.png)

> ““\[...\] She started disappearing as soon as she was born. Just to get away from you.””

[Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

## About This Quote

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

A child’s instinct to escape parental presence reflects deep yearning for autonomy and distance.

**In simple terms:** A child wants to get away from a parent.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and respect the need for personal space.

Themes

family autonomy boundaries

Mood

reflective empathetic

Type

advice psychological

When to use this quote

- parent‑child relationships
- adolescent independence
- emotional distance

Key Concepts

psychology attachment theory

Questions to Reflect On

- What boundaries are you unintentionally imposing?
- How can you honor their need for space?

A Different Perspective

The desire may stem from fear rather than freedom.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [When I was about eight, my mom started disappearing for days at a time, probably with one of the guys she was dating. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stormy-daniels/when-i-was-about-eight-my-mom-started-disappearing-for-days-at-a-time/)

[Stormy Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stormy-daniels/)

> [“As soon as you were born you were captured by fresh air that you screamed against the minute you came out. Then you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sillitoe/as-soon-as-you-were-born-you-were-captured-by-fresh-air-that-you/)

[Alan Sillitoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sillitoe/)

> [We have fear as soon as we are born, we are born into a state of physical helplessness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/we-have-fear-as-soon-as-we-are-born-we-are-born-into-a-state-of/)

[Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/)

> [As soon as you're born you start dying, so you might as well have a good time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cake/as-soon-as-you-re-born-you-start-dying-so-you-might-as-well-have-a/)

[Cake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cake/)

> [As soon as one is born, one starts dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luigi-pirandello/as-soon-as-one-is-born-one-starts-dying/)

[Luigi Pirandello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luigi-pirandello/)

> [We begin to die as soon as we are born, and the end is linked to the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/we-begin-to-die-as-soon-as-we-are-born-and-the-end-is-linked-to-the/)

[Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/)

> [“All I wanted - all I’d ever wanted - was just to get away. To be somewhere small where I could crowd in and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/all-i-wanted-all-i-d-ever-wanted-was-just-to-get-away-to-be-somewhere/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [I don't care who you are, just go away, leave me alone. For once in my life, let me be happy..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinier/i-don-t-care-who-you-are-just-go-away-leave-me-alone-for-once-in-my/)

Chinier

> [“I cannot stand this any longer. I don’t know where I’m going. I suspect that I am not going anywhere at all, just away”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-cannot-stand-this-any-longer-i-don-t-know-where-i-m-going-i-suspect/)

[veronica roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [When I was younger, if someone had told me I had only two years to live, I'd have gone to an island that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cagney/when-i-was-younger-if-someone-had-told-me-i-had-only-two-years-to/)

[James Cagney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cagney/)

> [I can't stand another night in a hotel. Just being away. You miss the kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/i-can-t-stand-another-night-in-a-hotel-just-being-away-you-miss-the/)

[Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/)

> [Real feeling don't just go away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/real-feeling-don-t-just-go-away/)

[Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/)

> [“He Is Not Dead I cannot say, and I will not say That he is dead. He is just away. With a cheery smile,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whitcomb-riley/he-is-not-dead-i-cannot-say-and-i-will-not-say-that-he-is-dead-he-is/)

[James Whitcomb Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whitcomb-riley/)

> [“Evil doesn't just go away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-graham/evil-doesn-t-just-go-away/)

[Heather Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-graham/)

> [“Only mothers can’t say they don’t want their children and just go away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/only-mothers-can-t-say-they-don-t-want-their-children-and-just-go-away/)

[Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/)

## More by Catherynne M. Valente

> [When I saw him I thought I could curl up inside him and go to sleep and never wake up." "Men are no good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/when-i-saw-him-i-thought-i-could-curl-up-inside-him-and-go-to-sleep/)

[Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

> [We all just keep moving, September. We keep moving until we stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/we-all-just-keep-moving-september-we-keep-moving-until-we-stop/)

[Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

> [“You couldn't ever really fix a sad story. You could only make another. And another. And another, until you found the right one at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/you-couldn-t-ever-really-fix-a-sad-story-you-could-only-make-another/)

[Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

> [“He considers it for a moment and spits out the seeds, which sprout, quickly, into tiny junkblossoms sizzling with recursive algorithms. The algorithms wriggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/he-considers-it-for-a-moment-and-spits-out-the-seeds-which-sprout/)

[Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

> [“Truly, Mallow yearned to know everything. Curiosity was part of her, like her short blond hair and bitten fingernails.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/truly-mallow-yearned-to-know-everything-curiosity-was-part-of-her/)

[Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

> [“The cicada lies in the earth for seventeen years. It is warm and dark there, it is soft and wet. Its little legs curl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/the-cicada-lies-in-the-earth-for-seventeen-years-it-is-warm-and-dark/)

[Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

> [We all live inside the terrible engine of authority, and it grinds and shrieks and burns so that no one will say: lines on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/we-all-live-inside-the-terrible-engine-of-authority-and-it-grinds-and/)

[Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

> [Her heart was bruised by the kiss, smashed and surprised and unsettled by it. September thought kisses were all nice, sweet things asked for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/her-heart-was-bruised-by-the-kiss-smashed-and-surprised-and-unsettled/)

[Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

> [“September put her hand on the grip of the Rivet Gun. She’d only just gotten it, and she’d promised to take copious notes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/september-put-her-hand-on-the-grip-of-the-rivet-gun-she-d-only-just/)

[Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

> [Just tell yourself a story that'll satisfy you and pretend he told it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/just-tell-yourself-a-story-that-ll-satisfy-you-and-pretend-he-told-it/)

[Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

> [“You see, the future is a kind of stew, a soup, a vichyssoise of the present and the past. That's how you get the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/you-see-the-future-is-a-kind-of-stew-a-soup-a-vichyssoise-of-the/)

[Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

> [Fairy tales have always been about getting through the worst of everything, the darkest and the deepest and the bloodiest of events. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/fairy-tales-have-always-been-about-getting-through-the-worst-of/)

[Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

> [“There is a place, September, oh, very far from Pandemonium. A place where it is always autumn, where there is always cider and pumpkin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/there-is-a-place-september-oh-very-far-from-pandemonium-a-place-where/)

[Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

> [“I was happy, the sun was high. I had enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/i-was-happy-the-sun-was-high-i-had-enough/)

[Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

> [Who are you?" "I am Death," said the creature. "I thought that was obvious." "But you're so small!" "Only because you are small. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/who-are-you-i-am-death-said-the-creature-i-thought-that-was-obvious/)

[Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

[Explore all 621 Catherynne M. Valente quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

## More Disappearing quotes

> [“I am disappearing, maybe I'm already gone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/i-am-disappearing-maybe-i-m-already-gone/)

[Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/)

> [When I heard that the bees were in trouble, the fact that they're disappearing and not coming back to the hive, which is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-schwartzberg/when-i-heard-that-the-bees-were-in-trouble-the-fact-that-they-re/)

[Louie Schwartzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-schwartzberg/)

> [We live in a moment of history where change is so speeded up that we begin to see the present only when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/we-live-in-a-moment-of-history-where-change-is-so-speeded-up-that-we/)

[R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/)

> [“Those moments aren't ours any more. They're shut up in a box, buried at the back of a cupboard, out of reach. They're frozen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delphine-de-vigan/those-moments-aren-t-ours-any-more-they-re-shut-up-in-a-box-buried-at/)

[Delphine de Vigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delphine-de-vigan/)

> [“Life is a race against disappearing time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/life-is-a-race-against-disappearing-time/)

[Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/)

> [“If some essential part of me was already disappearing as my children moved into increasingly wider orbits, well then, I wanted to rech out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kenison/if-some-essential-part-of-me-was-already-disappearing-as-my-children/)

[Katrina Kenison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kenison/)

> [“I felt like I was sort of disappearing. It was that kind of a crazy afternoon, terrifically cold, and no sun out or anything,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-i-was-sort-of-disappearing-it-was-that-kind-of-a-crazy/)

[J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/)

> [Disappearing controversial words and works doesn't make us smarter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-katharine-ham/disappearing-controversial-words-and-works-doesn-t-make-us-smarter/)

[Mary Katharine Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-katharine-ham/)

> [Man often thinks of either his past or his future and in the mean time today passes like a fast train, disappearing forever on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/man-often-thinks-of-either-his-past-or-his-future-and-in-the-mean/)

[Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [I have a novel that I can write. It's about three soldiers from Somalia. Some babies have been disappearing up on 144th Street, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-have-a-novel-that-i-can-write-it-s-about-three-soldiers-from/)

[Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/)

> [So much of my work has been about disappearing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ligon/so-much-of-my-work-has-been-about-disappearing/)

[Glenn Ligon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ligon/)

> [Elvis' disappearing body is like a flashing event horizon at the edge of the black hole that is America today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-kroker/elvis-disappearing-body-is-like-a-flashing-event-horizon-at-the-edge/)

[Arthur Kroker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-kroker/)

> [“The race we are in is a race against the disappearing life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-race-we-are-in-is-a-race-against-the-disappearing-life/)

[Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/)

> [“There's so much I want to tell you about the way I'm disappearing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-prayers-and-tears-of-arthur-digby-sellers/there-s-so-much-i-want-to-tell-you-about-the-way-i-m-disappearing/)

The Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers

> [The people of Shishmaref want their community to survive, but they are holding on to their legacy by a very delicate thread indeed. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-j-berg/the-people-of-shishmaref-want-their-community-to-survive-but-they-are/)

[Amy J. Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-j-berg/)

Browse all 166 Disappearing quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“[...] She started disappearing as soon as she was born. Just to get away from you.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Catherynne M. Valente"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/she-started-disappearing-as-soon-as-she-was-born-just-to-get-away/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Disappearing"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/she-started-disappearing-as-soon-as-she-was-born-just-to-get-away/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f6/catherynne-m-valente-375_disappearing_she-started-disappearing-as-soon-as-she_1107961.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f6/catherynne-m-valente-375_disappearing_she-started-disappearing-as-soon-as-she_1107961.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f6/catherynne-m-valente-375_disappearing_she-started-disappearing-as-soon-as-she_1107961.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“[...] She started disappearing as soon as she was born. Just to get away from you.” — Catherynne M. Valente",
                "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": "Catherynne M. Valente",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“[...] She started disappearing as soon...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/she-started-disappearing-as-soon-as-she-was-born-just-to-get-away/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/she-started-disappearing-as-soon-as-she-was-born-just-to-get-away/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```