--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I grew up in a very modest house. We were…" description: "\"I grew up in a very modest house. We were poor-we lived on the poverty level. We all got jobs as young kids.\" — Chely Wright" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c50/chely-wright-23073_grew_i-grew-up-in-a-very-modest-house-we-were_589731.png" --- # I grew up in a very modest house. We were poor-we lived on… ![“I grew up in a very modest house. We were poor-we lived on the poverty level. We all got jobs as young kids.” quote by Chely Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c50/chely-wright-23073_grew_i-grew-up-in-a-very-modest-house-we-were_589731.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c50/chely-wright-23073_grew_i-grew-up-in-a-very-modest-house-we-were_589731.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c50/chely-wright-23073_grew_i-grew-up-in-a-very-modest-house-we-were_589731.png) > “I grew up in a very modest house. We were poor-we lived on the poverty level. We all got jobs as young kids.” [Chely Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Growing up in poverty taught early responsibility and the value of work from a young age. **In simple terms:** Early hardship builds work ethic. Key Takeaway Acknowledge past struggles to motivate present growth. Themes poverty resilience work ethic Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational autobiographical When to use this quote - career planning - education pursuits - financial literacy Key Concepts socioeconomic mobility child labor Questions to Reflect On - How has your background shaped your goals? - What steps can you take to break the cycle? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on hardship may overlook systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Grew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grew/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [House Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house-poor-4288431/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Modest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modest/) [Modest House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modest-house-4829356/) [Poor Lived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-lived-550293/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Poverty Level](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty-level-743998/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) ## Related quotes > [A gentleman doesn't have one set of manners for the house of a poor man and another for the house of someone with an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-maxwell/a-gentleman-doesn-t-have-one-set-of-manners-for-the-house-of-a-poor/) [William Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-maxwell/) > [When you feel house poor, you don't buy anything. Housing immediately impacts the job numbers because there are so many housing-related jobs within the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mellody-hobson/when-you-feel-house-poor-you-don-t-buy-anything-housing-immediately/) [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) > [Could I get mansions covering ten thousand miles, I'd house all the poor scholars and make them beam with smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fu-du/could-i-get-mansions-covering-ten-thousand-miles-i-d-house-all-the/) [Fu Du](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fu-du/) > [We didn't know we were poor because that's how everyone around us lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-adams/we-didn-t-know-we-were-poor-because-that-s-how-everyone-around-us/) [Eric Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-adams/) > [I'm from Gary, Indiana, and everybody's damn near at the poverty level. It's a rough city to grow up in, and it's a modern-day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-gibbs/i-m-from-gary-indiana-and-everybody-s-damn-near-at-the-poverty-level/) [Freddie Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-gibbs/) > [We were poor and lived modestly, but we always had food on the table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwane-casey/we-were-poor-and-lived-modestly-but-we-always-had-food-on-the-table/) [Dwane Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwane-casey/) > [For a good part of my childhood, we were super poor and lived in government housing. I don't characterize the American dream as being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/for-a-good-part-of-my-childhood-we-were-super-poor-and-lived-in/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) > [Many overlook the fact that Jesus was homeless. He did not only teach the poor; He lived among them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillon-burroughs/many-overlook-the-fact-that-jesus-was-homeless-he-did-not-only-teach/) [Dillon Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillon-burroughs/) > [A family living at the poverty level is unlikely to be able to afford a computer at home. Even with a computer, access to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-geller/a-family-living-at-the-poverty-level-is-unlikely-to-be-able-to-afford/) [Margaret Geller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-geller/) > [There's tens of millions of families with single mothers who are living at 100 to 200 percent below the poverty level and these are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/there-s-tens-of-millions-of-families-with-single-mothers-who-are/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) > [Illiteracy at the poverty level (mainly a matter of bad grammar) does not alarm me nearly as much as the illiteracy of the well-to-do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/illiteracy-at-the-poverty-level-mainly-a-matter-of-bad-grammar-does/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [I was born poor, I have lived poor, I wish to die poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-x/i-was-born-poor-i-have-lived-poor-i-wish-to-die-poor/) [Pope Pius X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-x/) > [It's really hard to be poor in New York - I was really poor when I lived in New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-radnor/it-s-really-hard-to-be-poor-in-new-york-i-was-really-poor-when-i/) [Josh Radnor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-radnor/) > [I grew up in Oregon. I have a younger brother and an older sister. We were very poor. VERY POOR. We lived in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-escola/i-grew-up-in-oregon-i-have-a-younger-brother-and-an-older-sister-we/) [Cole Escola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-escola/) > [I was pretty poor for a long time. Not \*poor\* poor. But college student poor. I lived for most of my adult life living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-was-pretty-poor-for-a-long-time-not-poor-poor-but-college-student/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## More by Chely Wright > [I think I'm no different from any artist in music. At least once, you want to see your name up on the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/i-think-i-m-no-different-from-any-artist-in-music-at-least-once-you/) [Chely Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/) > [If I wanted to be a pop singer, I would have done that 20 years ago. I love country music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/if-i-wanted-to-be-a-pop-singer-i-would-have-done-that-20-years-ago-i/) [Chely Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/) > [I hear the word 'tolerance'-tha t some people are trying to teach people to be tolerant of gays. I'm not satisfied with that word.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/i-hear-the-word-tolerance-tha-t-some-people-are-trying-to-teach/) [Chely Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/) > [I've learned a lot about my voice, and about things I can do with it. Maybe that's why my sound has become a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/i-ve-learned-a-lot-about-my-voice-and-about-things-i-can-do-with-it/) [Chely Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/) > [I would like to say when I turn the project over to the label that I have been successful. And that's truly the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/i-would-like-to-say-when-i-turn-the-project-over-to-the-label-that-i/) [Chely Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/) > [I've saved every dime I've made in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/i-ve-saved-every-dime-i-ve-made-in-my-life/) [Chely Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/) > [The hurt you've tried to hide can't help but show. I could cling to the past, but I'm afraid it wouldn't last. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/the-hurt-you-ve-tried-to-hide-can-t-help-but-show-i-could-cling-to/) [Chely Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/) > [I could kiss you in the rain forever Turn all your pain to pleasure Fill up all your days with sunlight Make the passion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/i-could-kiss-you-in-the-rain-forever-turn-all-your-pain-to-pleasure/) [Chely Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/) > [Being born in Kansas City, Missouri and raised in the very rural parts of Kansas led me to believe that everything was simple, everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/being-born-in-kansas-city-missouri-and-raised-in-the-very-rural-parts/) [Chely Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/) > [I'm a Scorpio, and who knows if there is any validity to it, but I'm very emotional. I have high highs and low lows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/i-m-a-scorpio-and-who-knows-if-there-is-any-validity-to-it-but-i-m/) [Chely Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/) > [I came along at a time when the industry was eating its young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/i-came-along-at-a-time-when-the-industry-was-eating-its-young/) [Chely Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/) > [If I have a hit, then I hope the people who like the hit song go out and buy my album so they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/if-i-have-a-hit-then-i-hope-the-people-who-like-the-hit-song-go-out/) [Chely Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/) > [I am a gay, Christian, farm girl from Kansas who sang Country Music and I did the very best I could do -- to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/i-am-a-gay-christian-farm-girl-from-kansas-who-sang-country-music-and/) [Chely Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/) > [I guess we guess our way through life. How many times do we really know for sure?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/i-guess-we-guess-our-way-through-life-how-many-times-do-we-really/) [Chely Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/) > [It's a great feeling to be recognized by your peers. It's an even better feeling to be welcomed and accepted by country radio and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/it-s-a-great-feeling-to-be-recognized-by-your-peers-it-s-an-even/) [Chely Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/) [Explore all 26 Chely Wright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/) ## More Grew quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [I grew up in the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-scaramucci/i-grew-up-in-the-middle-class/) [Anthony Scaramucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-scaramucci/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [The teacher is one who makes two ideas grow where only one grew before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-teacher-is-one-who-makes-two-ideas-grow-where-only-one-grew-before/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [I'm a strange mixture of my mother's curiosity; my father, who grew up the son of the manse in a Presbyterian family, who had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/i-m-a-strange-mixture-of-my-mother-s-curiosity-my-father-who-grew-up/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [I grew up in Mumbai.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/i-grew-up-in-mumbai/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [I think anyone that grew up in the '70s and '80s grew up with Bob Barker and Wink Martindale and I think that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/i-think-anyone-that-grew-up-in-the-70s-and-80s-grew-up-with-bob/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [I got to meet some of the best people I've ever met, and we all grew as people and as entertainers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-underwood/i-got-to-meet-some-of-the-best-people-i-ve-ever-met-and-we-all-grew/) [Carrie Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-underwood/) > [Once my family grew bigger I loved Portland more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasheed-wallace/once-my-family-grew-bigger-i-loved-portland-more/) [Rasheed Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasheed-wallace/) > [Grew up in a small town where there was only one crazy guy. He didn't even go insane doing anything good, like going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-posehn/grew-up-in-a-small-town-where-there-was-only-one-crazy-guy-he-didn-t/) [Brian Posehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-posehn/) > [I grew up with a religious background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-caruso/i-grew-up-with-a-religious-background/) [Alex Caruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-caruso/) > [I have to say, I grew up with fashion because my mother was a seamstress, and she had an atelier. She would cut the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donatella-versace/i-have-to-say-i-grew-up-with-fashion-because-my-mother-was-a/) [Donatella Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donatella-versace/) > [This role is more visible, and I grew up without a lot of that sort of modeling so I'm relieved and proud to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/this-role-is-more-visible-and-i-grew-up-without-a-lot-of-that-sort-of/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [I grew up on a set and saw my family doing it and thought, 'I can do that too.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-culkin/i-grew-up-on-a-set-and-saw-my-family-doing-it-and-thought-i-can-do/) [Rory Culkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-culkin/) > [My dad's Israeli. He was born in Baghdad to Iraqi Jews. Then, at age two, his parents wanted to move to their homeland and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-yamin/my-dad-s-israeli-he-was-born-in-baghdad-to-iraqi-jews-then-at-age-two/) [Elliott Yamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-yamin/) [Browse all 6,016 Grew quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grew/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I grew up in a very modest house. We were poor-we lived on the poverty level. We all got jobs as young kids.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chely Wright" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/i-grew-up-in-a-very-modest-house-we-were-poor-we-lived-on-the-poverty/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Grew" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/i-grew-up-in-a-very-modest-house-we-were-poor-we-lived-on-the-poverty/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c50/chely-wright-23073_grew_i-grew-up-in-a-very-modest-house-we-were_589731.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c50/chely-wright-23073_grew_i-grew-up-in-a-very-modest-house-we-were_589731.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c50/chely-wright-23073_grew_i-grew-up-in-a-very-modest-house-we-were_589731.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I grew up in a very modest house. We were poor-we lived on the poverty level. We all got jobs as young kids.” — Chely Wright", "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": "Chely Wright", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I grew up in a very...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/i-grew-up-in-a-very-modest-house-we-were-poor-we-lived-on-the-poverty/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/i-grew-up-in-a-very-modest-house-we-were-poor-we-lived-on-the-poverty/#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 } } ] } ```