--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My parents, like others of \"The Greatest…" description: "\"My parents, like others of \"The Greatest Generation\" who lived through the Great Depression and World War II, wanted to provide the best possible life ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b4/dan-millman-1475_blue_my-parents-like-others-of-the-greatest-g_2812937.png" --- # My parents, like others of "The Greatest Generation" who… ![“My parents, like others of "The Greatest Generation" who lived through the Great Depression and World War II, wanted to provide the best possible life for their children. My mother and father both attended college but dropped out to earn a living during the Depression, working the rest of their…” quote by Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b4/dan-millman-1475_blue_my-parents-like-others-of-the-greatest-g_2812937.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b4/dan-millman-1475_blue_my-parents-like-others-of-the-greatest-g_2812937.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b4/dan-millman-1475_blue_my-parents-like-others-of-the-greatest-g_2812937.png) > “My parents, like others of "The Greatest Generation" who lived through the Great Depression and World War II, wanted to provide the best possible life for their children. My mother and father both attended college but dropped out to earn a living during the Depression, working the rest of their lives at blue-collar work.” [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Parents sacrificed education for survival, shaping values of hard work and resilience for their children. **In simple terms:** Parents gave up school to support family, teaching resilience. Key Takeaway Honor their sacrifices by living purposefully. Themes family sacrifice resilience education generational values Mood grateful thoughtful Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - financial planning - personal growth - community service Key Concepts Hardship social mobility legacy Questions to Reflect On - How does your family's history influence your goals? - What legacy do you wish to create? A Different Perspective Modern safety nets may reduce perceived need for such sacrifices today. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blue/) [Blue collar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blue-collar/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Collars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collars/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Generation Lived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generation-lived-1698970/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Great depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-depression/) [Greatest generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-generation/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Mother and father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-and-father/) [Mother Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-father/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War of the worlds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-of-the-worlds/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war/) [World war i](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war-i/) [World war ii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war-ii/) ## Related quotes > [The greatest generation was formed first by the Great Depression. They shared everything - meals, jobs, clothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brokaw/the-greatest-generation-was-formed-first-by-the-great-depression-they/) [Tom Brokaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brokaw/) > [“The Awakening Land" p615 What was the world coming to and what hearty pleasures folks today missed out of life! One bag of meal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-richter/the-awakening-land-p615-what-was-the-world-coming-to-and-what-hearty/) [Conrad Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-richter/) > [I'm sure there were plenty of loving, attentive mothers in the 'me generation,' but none of them lived at my house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-gore/i-m-sure-there-were-plenty-of-loving-attentive-mothers-in-the-me/) [Ariel Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-gore/) > [Chinese people of my parents' generation who lived through the Cultural Revolution knew so much of death at such a young age, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-zhang/chinese-people-of-my-parents-generation-who-lived-through-the/) [Jenny Zhang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-zhang/) > [“Jesus’ personal plan to influence the generation He lived in was not to gather a large crowd once a week, but to reach just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-o-gleason/jesus-personal-plan-to-influence-the-generation-he-lived-in-was-not/) [Stan O. Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-o-gleason/) > [My personality is that I'm a human being like everybody else, just a citizen and a blue collar guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/my-personality-is-that-i-m-a-human-being-like-everybody-else-just-a/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [My family was blue collar, a middle-class kind of thing. My father was born in Detroit, Italian-American. My mother is English. She acted on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-bracco/my-family-was-blue-collar-a-middle-class-kind-of-thing-my-father-was/) [Lorraine Bracco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-bracco/) > [If blue collar jobs are leaving and white collar jobs are outsourced what color collar jobs are left?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-edwards/if-blue-collar-jobs-are-leaving-and-white-collar-jobs-are-outsourced/) [Bob Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-edwards/) > [My father's family came from Virginia and Philadelphia. He wasn't a brother who talked a lot. He was a workingman, a quiet, blue-collar dude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/my-father-s-family-came-from-virginia-and-philadelphia-he-wasn-t-a/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [I've tried not to get sucked into the Hollywood hierarchy system. Personally, I don't like it when people are deferential to me because I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cameron/i-ve-tried-not-to-get-sucked-into-the-hollywood-hierarchy-system/) [James Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cameron/) > [Where's our Paul Newmans? Where's our Robert Redfords? We've got Jason Statham, who is great... blue collar and cool, which is fantastic. And we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/where-s-our-paul-newmans-where-s-our-robert-redfords-we-ve-got-jason/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [My mom was the picture of the blue-collar mom: Two and three and four jobs to make sure that me and my sister never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/my-mom-was-the-picture-of-the-blue-collar-mom-two-and-three-and-four/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [The citizens of Love Canal provided an example of how a blue-collar community with few resources can win against great odds (a multi-billion-dollar international…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-gibbs/the-citizens-of-love-canal-provided-an-example-of-how-a-blue-collar/) [Lois Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-gibbs/) > [I say that in jest a little bit, but Donald Trump is a blue collar guy with a balance sheet. That's the way he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump-jr/i-say-that-in-jest-a-little-bit-but-donald-trump-is-a-blue-collar-guy/) [Donald Trump, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump-jr/) > [Zombies are the blue-collar monsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-romero/zombies-are-the-blue-collar-monsters/) [George A. Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-romero/) ## More by Dan Millman > [...when you resist what happens, your mind begins to race; the same thoughts that impinge upon you are actually created by you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/when-you-resist-what-happens-your-mind-begins-to-race-the-same/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [Life is not suffering; it's just that you will suffer it, rather than enjoy it, until you let go of your mind's attachments and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/life-is-not-suffering-it-s-just-that-you-will-suffer-it-rather-than/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [Coming to appreciate your worth can, in some cases, dramatically improve your circumstances by changing the choices you make and the actions you take.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/coming-to-appreciate-your-worth-can-in-some-cases-dramatically/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [Inward spiritual practices such as meditation, breathing techniques and self-analysis generate insights and enhance abilities, but none are so useful as learning to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/inward-spiritual-practices-such-as-meditation-breathing-techniques/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [We are both burdened and blessed by the great responsibility of the will - the power of choice. Our future is determined, in large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/we-are-both-burdened-and-blessed-by-the-great-responsibility-of-the/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [Stay present. You'll always have time to worry later on if you want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/stay-present-you-ll-always-have-time-to-worry-later-on-if-you-want-to/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [While some of us act without thinking, too many of us think without acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/while-some-of-us-act-without-thinking-too-many-of-us-think-without/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [Do you have the courage for it? Do you have the love? If you have enough of one, you will develop the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/do-you-have-the-courage-for-it-do-you-have-the-love-if-you-have/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [As a peaceful warrior, I would choose when, where and how I would behave. With that commitment, I began to live the life of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/as-a-peaceful-warrior-i-would-choose-when-where-and-how-i-would/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [Life is constantly supporting us and giving us gifts. It's a matter of opening ourselves to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/life-is-constantly-supporting-us-and-giving-us-gifts-it-s-a-matter-of/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [“We must pass through solitude and difficulty, isolation and silence, to find that enchanted place where we can dance our clumsy dance and sing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/we-must-pass-through-solitude-and-difficulty-isolation-and-silence-to/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [Words mean little unless you realize the truth of it yourself. And when you do, you'll be free at last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/words-mean-little-unless-you-realize-the-truth-of-it-yourself-and/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [“There is no need to search . . . achievement leads nowhere . . . makes no difference at all. Just be happy now.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/there-is-no-need-to-search-achievement-leads-nowhere-makes-no/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [I had lost my mind and fallen into my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/i-had-lost-my-mind-and-fallen-into-my-heart/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [Ships are safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for. So set sail on the stormy sea of love. You're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/ships-are-safe-in-harbor-but-that-s-not-what-ships-are-for-so-set/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) [Explore all 231 Dan Millman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) ## More Blue quotes > [When I haven't any blue I use red.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/when-i-haven-t-any-blue-i-use-red/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [If you're white and you're wrong, then you're wrong; if you're black and you're wrong, you're wrong. People are people. Black, blue, pink, green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-marley/if-you-re-white-and-you-re-wrong-then-you-re-wrong-if-you-re-black/) [Bob Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-marley/) > [Memory revises me. Even now a letter comes from a place I don’t know, from someone with my name and postmarked years ago, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-young-lee/memory-revises-me-even-now-a-letter-comes-from-a-place-i-don-t-know/) [Li-Young Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-young-lee/) > [Human beings should stick together. Honestly, if I see a red-haired person with blue eyes now, I say, 'Is your granny black?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/human-beings-should-stick-together-honestly-if-i-see-a-red-haired/) [Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/) > [The Louvre! The Louvre has me in its clutches. Every time I'm there rich blessings rain down upon me. I am coming to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-modersohn-becker/the-louvre-the-louvre-has-me-in-its-clutches-every-time-i-m-there/) [Paula Modersohn-Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-modersohn-becker/) > [We live in a state with a wonderful climate and plenty of natural beauty, from the shores of Cumberland Island to the Chattahoochee River…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-barnes/we-live-in-a-state-with-a-wonderful-climate-and-plenty-of-natural/) [Roy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-barnes/) > [I had never done anything with blue screen before, or prosthetics, or anything like that. Lord of the Rings was like stepping into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-had-never-done-anything-with-blue-screen-before-or-prosthetics-or/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [UN peacekeeping operations are now increasingly complex and multi-dimensional, going beyond monitoring a ceasefire to actually bringing failed States back to life, often after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/un-peacekeeping-operations-are-now-increasingly-complex-and-multi/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Mother, she likes the blue material just fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/mother-she-likes-the-blue-material-just-fine/) [Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/) > [You know, I'm the only one in this family who has no problems, . . . And you know why? Because any time I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-i-m-the-only-one-in-this-family-who-has-no-problems-and-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [it'll be this kind of deep blue”she said. “The kind of color that somehow sucks your eyes and your ears and all your words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banana-yoshimoto/it-ll-be-this-kind-of-deep-blue-she-said-the-kind-of-color-that/) [Banana Yoshimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banana-yoshimoto/) > [It is moonlight. Alone in the silence I ascend my stairs once more, While waves remote in pale blue starlight Crash on a white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-aiken/it-is-moonlight-alone-in-the-silence-i-ascend-my-stairs-once-more/) [Conrad Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-aiken/) > [The grape Hyacinth is the favorite spring flower of my garden - but no! I though a minute ago the Scilla was! and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-morse-earle/the-grape-hyacinth-is-the-favorite-spring-flower-of-my-garden-but-no/) [Alice Morse Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-morse-earle/) > [I swam with my first shark in the 1980s. I was 20 miles off the coast of Rhode Island, working with a group of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-skerry/i-swam-with-my-first-shark-in-the-1980s-i-was-20-miles-off-the-coast/) [Brian Skerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-skerry/) [Browse all 3,452 Blue quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blue/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My parents, like others of \"The Greatest Generation\" who lived through the Great Depression and World War II, wanted to provide the best possible life for their children. My mother and father both attended college but dropped out to earn a living during the Depression, working the rest of their lives at blue-collar work.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dan Millman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/my-parents-like-others-of-the-greatest-generation-who-lived-through/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blue" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/my-parents-like-others-of-the-greatest-generation-who-lived-through/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b4/dan-millman-1475_blue_my-parents-like-others-of-the-greatest-g_2812937.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b4/dan-millman-1475_blue_my-parents-like-others-of-the-greatest-g_2812937.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b4/dan-millman-1475_blue_my-parents-like-others-of-the-greatest-g_2812937.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My parents, like others of \"The Greatest Generation\" who lived through the Great Depression and World War…” — Dan Millman", "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": "Dan Millman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My parents, like others of \"The...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/my-parents-like-others-of-the-greatest-generation-who-lived-through/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/my-parents-like-others-of-the-greatest-generation-who-lived-through/#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 } } ] } ```