--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a young mother at home with a…" description: "\"When I was a young mother at home with a two year old and a five year old, living on the Eastside in one of those neighborhoods where all the houses lo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/deb-caletti-697_cars_when-i-was-a-young-mother-at-home-with-a_2147184.jpg" --- # When I was a young mother at home with a two year old and… ![“When I was a young mother at home with a two year old and a five year old, living on the Eastside in one of those neighborhoods where all the houses look the same, where all the cars look the same and the lawns look the same, I was writing in secret.” quote by Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/deb-caletti-697_cars_when-i-was-a-young-mother-at-home-with-a_2147184.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/deb-caletti-697_cars_when-i-was-a-young-mother-at-home-with-a_2147184.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/deb-caletti-697_cars_when-i-was-a-young-mother-at-home-with-a_2147184.jpg) > “When I was a young mother at home with a two year old and a five year old, living on the Eastside in one of those neighborhoods where all the houses look the same, where all the cars look the same and the lawns look the same, I was writing in secret.” [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Amidst a uniform, challenging neighborhood, she secretly writes, using writing as an escape and empowerment. **In simple terms:** She writes in secret despite a repetitive environment. Key Takeaway Use creative outlets to transcend constraints. Themes creativity resilience urban life secret pursuits empowerment Mood hopeful determined Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - parenting - urban community - writing workshops - personal journaling Key Concepts Self‑expression social mobility identity formation Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to create privately? - How can hidden talents be shared? A Different Perspective Secrecy may limit support networks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Young mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-mother/) ## Related quotes > [Here's the secret of writing: there is no secret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-fletcher/here-s-the-secret-of-writing-there-is-no-secret/) [Ralph Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-fletcher/) > [I was really interested in piano and sort of discovered that I was a writer when I was about 13 and started writing. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ottessa-moshfegh/i-was-really-interested-in-piano-and-sort-of-discovered-that-i-was-a/) [Ottessa Moshfegh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ottessa-moshfegh/) > [Well, the secret to writing is writing. It's only a secret to people who don't want to hear it. Writing is how you be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/well-the-secret-to-writing-is-writing-it-s-only-a-secret-to-people/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [A lot of people talk about writing. The secret is to write, not talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-collins/a-lot-of-people-talk-about-writing-the-secret-is-to-write-not-talk/) [Jackie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-collins/) > [It didn't occur to me that my books would be widely read at all, and that enabled me to write anything I wanted to.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-erdrich/it-didn-t-occur-to-me-that-my-books-would-be-widely-read-at-all-and/) [Louise Erdrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-erdrich/) > [The act of writing itself is done in secret, like masturbation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-act-of-writing-itself-is-done-in-secret-like-masturbation/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Nu shu means women's writing. And it was a secret writing system that was invented by women, used by women and kept a secret…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/nu-shu-means-women-s-writing-and-it-was-a-secret-writing-system-that/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [I have friends who are capable of writing a very rough draft and then going back and embroidering - they're sort of the cathedral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-russell/i-have-friends-who-are-capable-of-writing-a-very-rough-draft-and-then/) [Karen Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-russell/) > [“Every day we live, we are writing our own secret book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrys-fey/every-day-we-live-we-are-writing-our-own-secret-book/) [Chrys Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrys-fey/) > [The act of writing is for me often nothing more than the secret or conscious desire to carve words on a tombstone: to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/the-act-of-writing-is-for-me-often-nothing-more-than-the-secret-or/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“We stared at the house for a while. The weird thing about houses is that they almost look like nothing is happening inside of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/we-stared-at-the-house-for-a-while-the-weird-thing-about-houses-is/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“The weird thing about houses is that they almost always look like nothing is happening inside of them, even though they contain most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/the-weird-thing-about-houses-is-that-they-almost-always-look-like/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Women view men like houses. They look for fixer-uppers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/women-view-men-like-houses-they-look-for-fixer-uppers/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [When I go to another country, I try to be a big sponge and look at what the houses may look like and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-brett/when-i-go-to-another-country-i-try-to-be-a-big-sponge-and-look-at/) [Jan Brett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-brett/) > [“If engineering cannot tell us what our houses should look like, nor in a pluralistic and non-deferential world can precedent or tradition, we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/if-engineering-cannot-tell-us-what-our-houses-should-look-like-nor-in/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) ## More by Deb Caletti > [“More, much more, will happen after this. Things involving maps and books and true love and tragedy, tragedy like you wouldn't believe. But fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/more-much-more-will-happen-after-this-things-involving-maps-and-books/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“Hannah and Kayla are talking without saying anything. Their conversation goes like this: Hannah: Uh-huh. Kayla: It was like, ugh! Hannah: I know. Kayla:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/hannah-and-kayla-are-talking-without-saying-anything-their/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [Another person is, at the heart of it, unknowable. And if you cannot know a person enough to always guess what they’re capable of,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/another-person-is-at-the-heart-of-it-unknowable-and-if-you-cannot/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [That's what people do who love you. They put their arms around you and love you when you're not so lovable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/that-s-what-people-do-who-love-you-they-put-their-arms-around-you-and/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [If fate is a shape-shifter, then loves is too. It can be, anyway, in its most dangerous form. It´s your best day and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/if-fate-is-a-shape-shifter-then-loves-is-too-it-can-be-anyway-in-its/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [If you don't participate, you're just taking up oxygen. (Bunny) Life is a banquet. Approach it with hunger. (Chuck)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/if-you-don-t-participate-you-re-just-taking-up-oxygen-bunny-life-is-a/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“You wanted more from people sometimes. And sometimes,you wanted more from yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/you-wanted-more-from-people-sometimes-and-sometimes-you-wanted-more/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [Because that’s how it works after something terrible has happened. You know this is true if something terrible has ever happened to you. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/because-that-s-how-it-works-after-something-terrible-has-happened-you/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“Good guy. There was efficiency to male language. Those two words were what guys said about other guys that they really respected. Guys they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/good-guy-there-was-efficiency-to-male-language-those-two-words-were/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“In a world of insanity, nothing is sacred. It's an insane world, nothing is sacred.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/in-a-world-of-insanity-nothing-is-sacred-it-s-an-insane-world-nothing/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“And because he was nice in the beginning did not mean he was a good man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/and-because-he-was-nice-in-the-beginning-did-not-mean-he-was-a-good/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“I like those very realistic paintings that look like photographs, or novels that are so much like actual life that you feel understood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/i-like-those-very-realistic-paintings-that-look-like-photographs-or/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [This is what happens when nice people are pushed too far. We give too many chances, and so when we've finally had enough, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/this-is-what-happens-when-nice-people-are-pushed-too-far-we-give-too/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“I confess I had a Child of Divorce Reunion Fantasy Number One Thousand, where I for a moment imagined my father finding out that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/i-confess-i-had-a-child-of-divorce-reunion-fantasy-number-one/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [so what brings you to the doctor today?" "hmm, im afraid i have the chronic desire to save people" "i know about that. i've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/so-what-brings-you-to-the-doctor-today-hmm-im-afraid-i-have-the/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) [Explore all 404 Deb Caletti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) ## More Cars quotes > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [In China, people are moving from bigger cars to small hatches, and interestingly, the Indian market is graduating to bigger cars and sedans. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfried-vahland/in-china-people-are-moving-from-bigger-cars-to-small-hatches-and/) [Winfried Vahland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winfried-vahland/) > [I've driven Ferrari 488 GTB, the 488 Spider, the Mclaren 570s and 540c, the Bentley GT3R, GT Speed and V8s, Mercedes AMG GTs, Lamborghini…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/i-ve-driven-ferrari-488-gtb-the-488-spider-the-mclaren-570s-and-540c/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [I hate cars that much, I don't even own one. The last one I bought was a Honda CR-V which I didn't even take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hopkins/i-hate-cars-that-much-i-don-t-even-own-one-the-last-one-i-bought-was/) [Katie Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hopkins/) > [There are a lot of impractical things about owning a Porsche. But they're all offset by the driving experience. It really is unique. Lamborghinis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-o-leary/there-are-a-lot-of-impractical-things-about-owning-a-porsche-but-they/) [Kevin O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-o-leary/) > [“police cars, but since he was driving”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-cole/police-cars-but-since-he-was-driving/) [Bobby Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-cole/) > [“A car is one of the most interesting inventions, but driving is one of the most boring activities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-car-is-one-of-the-most-interesting-inventions-but-driving-is-one-of/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [No action hero is more closely associated with cars than James Bond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hammond/no-action-hero-is-more-closely-associated-with-cars-than-james-bond/) [Richard Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hammond/) > [Yeah, I'm the Brit who isn't Lewis Hamilton that woke up and realised he was good. I got that tag because I was young,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenson-button/yeah-i-m-the-brit-who-isn-t-lewis-hamilton-that-woke-up-and-realised/) [Jenson Button](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenson-button/) > [My dad worked for different companies that made whiskey for a long time, so we were definitely whiskey drinkers. Growing up, my friends would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krieger/my-dad-worked-for-different-companies-that-made-whiskey-for-a-long/) [Mike Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krieger/) > [Autonomous vehicles, because they'll be able to operate at a lower cost, will be able to pull more consumers into the Lyft network. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-zimmer/autonomous-vehicles-because-they-ll-be-able-to-operate-at-a-lower/) [John Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-zimmer/) > [The P2 is the best car I have driven so far. Once you get your head round it, it's fun to drive, it's responsive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hoy/the-p2-is-the-best-car-i-have-driven-so-far-once-you-get-your-head/) [Chris Hoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hoy/) > [But the thing about bad guys is that they have the biggest bosomed blond, they have great clothes and cars, and get great death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-roberts/but-the-thing-about-bad-guys-is-that-they-have-the-biggest-bosomed/) [Eric Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-roberts/) > [When I was four or five, I would organise my cars and my action figures. I needed some kind of structure, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-skarsgard/when-i-was-four-or-five-i-would-organise-my-cars-and-my-action/) [Alexander Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-skarsgard/) > [I don't know anything about cars. A business is a business, and I think I can learn about cars. I'm not that old, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-whitacre-jr/i-don-t-know-anything-about-cars-a-business-is-a-business-and-i-think/) [Edward Whitacre, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-whitacre-jr/) Browse all 1,333 Cars quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was a young mother at home with a two year old and a five year old, living on the Eastside in one of those neighborhoods where all the houses look the same, where all the cars look the same and the lawns look the same, I was writing in secret.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Deb Caletti" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/when-i-was-a-young-mother-at-home-with-a-two-year-old-and-a-five-year/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cars" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/when-i-was-a-young-mother-at-home-with-a-two-year-old-and-a-five-year/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/deb-caletti-697_cars_when-i-was-a-young-mother-at-home-with-a_2147184.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/deb-caletti-697_cars_when-i-was-a-young-mother-at-home-with-a_2147184.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/deb-caletti-697_cars_when-i-was-a-young-mother-at-home-with-a_2147184.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was a young mother at home with a two year old and a five year old, living on the Eastside in one of…” — Deb Caletti", "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": "Deb Caletti", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was a young mother...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/when-i-was-a-young-mother-at-home-with-a-two-year-old-and-a-five-year/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/when-i-was-a-young-mother-at-home-with-a-two-year-old-and-a-five-year/#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 } } ] } ```