--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am thinking about the way that life can…" description: "\"“I am thinking about the way that life can be so slippery; the way that a twelve-year-old girl looking into the mirror to count freckles reaches out to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ac/elizabeth-berg-853_aging_i-am-thinking-about-the-way-that-life-ca_3210561.jpg" --- # I am thinking about the way that life can be so slippery… ![“I am thinking about the way that life can be so slippery; the way that a twelve-year-old girl looking into the mirror to count freckles reaches out toward herself and that reflection has turned into that of a woman on her wedding day, righting her veil. And how, when that bride blinks, she reopens…” quote by Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ac/elizabeth-berg-853_aging_i-am-thinking-about-the-way-that-life-ca_3210561.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ac/elizabeth-berg-853_aging_i-am-thinking-about-the-way-that-life-ca_3210561.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ac/elizabeth-berg-853_aging_i-am-thinking-about-the-way-that-life-ca_3210561.jpg) > ““I am thinking about the way that life can be so slippery; the way that a twelve-year-old girl looking into the mirror to count freckles reaches out toward herself and that reflection has turned into that of a woman on her wedding day, righting her veil. And how, when that bride blinks, she reopens her eyes to see a frazzled young mother trying to get lipstick on straight for the parent/teacher conference that starts in three minutes. And how after that young woman bends down to retrieve the wild-haired doll her daughter has left on the bathroom floor, she rises up to a forty-seven-year-old, looking into the mirror to count age spots.”” [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s stages flow seamlessly, each role blending into the next, revealing continuity amid change. **In simple terms:** Life’s phases blend together. Key Takeaway Embrace each role fully. Themes identity growth time family transition Mood reflective nostalgic Type narrative philosophical When to use this quote - parenting - career - marriage - self‑reflection Key Concepts continuity role theory life cycle Questions to Reflect On - How do you honor past selves while embracing new ones? - What rituals help you navigate life transitions? A Different Perspective Each phase carries its own challenges and joys. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aging/) [Daughters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daughters/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Mothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mothers/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Wedding day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wedding-day/) [Young mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-mother/) [Young woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-woman/) ## Related quotes > [“She looked into the mirror, wiping the mascara that was running down her cheeks with her tears and she saw him standing behind her.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-vasu/she-looked-into-the-mirror-wiping-the-mascara-that-was-running-down/) [Akshay Vasu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-vasu/) > [The nurse is temporarily the consciousness of the unconscious, the love of life of the suicidal, the leg of the amputee, the eyes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-henderson/the-nurse-is-temporarily-the-consciousness-of-the-unconscious-the/) Virginia Henderson > [I was a young mother with a dependent. I went from nice flat and fire service job to cold and hungry with a child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-monroe/i-was-a-young-mother-with-a-dependent-i-went-from-nice-flat-and-fire/) [Jack Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-monroe/) > [“With a sigh the young mother returned to the hearthrug and, by way of carrying out her principles of stern neglect, butted her son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/with-a-sigh-the-young-mother-returned-to-the-hearthrug-and-by-way-of/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“I'm just saying, when a woman in a maiden, she's in the spotlight. Everybody cares what a pretty, young girl does and says. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufi-thorpe/i-m-just-saying-when-a-woman-in-a-maiden-she-s-in-the-spotlight/) [Rufi Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufi-thorpe/) > [“Here’s another example of the difference in our worldviews. A family in my sister’s neighborhood was recently stricken with a double tragedy, when both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/here-s-another-example-of-the-difference-in-our-worldviews-a-family/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I applaud young mothers who do make their child their motivation in life, instead of blaming their child for failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-applaud-young-mothers-who-do-make-their-child-their-motivation-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My mom is like super cool. I had a young mother. She had me at 16. So me and my mom's relationship is like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omarion/my-mom-is-like-super-cool-i-had-a-young-mother-she-had-me-at-16-so-me/) [Omarion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omarion/) > [I hate it when people talk down on young mothers. Most of us young mothers got more than the young people without kids .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-it-when-people-talk-down-on-young-mothers-most-of-us-young/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And really is there anything in the world more captivating than a beautiful young mother with a healthy baby in her arms? 'What”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/and-really-is-there-anything-in-the-world-more-captivating-than-a/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [My mom was a model. She had me at 20, so she was a young mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kors/my-mom-was-a-model-she-had-me-at-20-so-she-was-a-young-mother/) [Michael Kors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kors/) > [As a woman and as a mother, as a young mother, I felt guilty about being successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-allen/as-a-woman-and-as-a-mother-as-a-young-mother-i-felt-guilty-about/) [Lily Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-allen/) > [“What? I know I’m old enough to be his mother – his young mother,” she added. “I can still appreciate an attractive man!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-chase/what-i-know-i-m-old-enough-to-be-his-mother-his-young-mother-she/) [Samantha Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-chase/) > [Getting pregnant at a young age isn't cute but, being a good mother at a young age deserves respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/getting-pregnant-at-a-young-age-isn-t-cute-but-being-a-good-mother-at/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Recently a young mother asked for advice. What, she wanted to know, was she to do with a 7-year-old who was obstreperous, outspoken, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/recently-a-young-mother-asked-for-advice-what-she-wanted-to-know-was/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) ## More by Elizabeth Berg > [Never be afraid of doing the thing you know in your heart is right, even if others don't agree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/never-be-afraid-of-doing-the-thing-you-know-in-your-heart-is-right/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [If there were a category in the Olympics for laundry, my mother would have been a gold-medal winner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/if-there-were-a-category-in-the-olympics-for-laundry-my-mother-would/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [“If you say something over and over again, it begins to lose it's meaning... Say anything enough times and it becomes gibberish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/if-you-say-something-over-and-over-again-it-begins-to-lose-it-s/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [“You know, sometimes marriage is iron. Sometimes it’s tissue paper. And I think the times it’s tissue paper are when you need to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/you-know-sometimes-marriage-is-iron-sometimes-it-s-tissue-paper-and-i/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [“It's not that he doesn't smile; it's that if his smile were something you drew, you'd erase it, thinking, Wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/it-s-not-that-he-doesn-t-smile-it-s-that-if-his-smile-were-something/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [People say you should give until it hurts. I say you should give until it stops hurting. Know what I mean?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/people-say-you-should-give-until-it-hurts-i-say-you-should-give-until/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [“I should have said “powder room.” That would evoke the image of me sitting before a beautiful gold mirror, a vase of fresh flowers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-should-have-said-powder-room-that-would-evoke-the-image-of-me/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [Sometimes the best reading comes just by accident. Someone talks about a book, or you're just wandering the stacks in the library, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/sometimes-the-best-reading-comes-just-by-accident-someone-talks-about/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [“I don’t think Martha’s so bad. I think I want her for a friend instead of you. When I look at her magazine, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-don-t-think-martha-s-so-bad-i-think-i-want-her-for-a-friend-instead/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [\*We give so little when it's in us always to give so much more. It's bothering to listen with an open heart to someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/we-give-so-little-when-it-s-in-us-always-to-give-so-much-more-it-s/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [We're not just writers; we're readers probably more than anything else. That's how you learn how to write and how you learn to appreciate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/we-re-not-just-writers-we-re-readers-probably-more-than-anything-else/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I thought of the priest who'd told me that many religions hold that it is easier to be closely connected to people we love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-thought-of-the-priest-who-d-told-me-that-many-religions-hold-that/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [“How is it that we dare to honk at others in traffic, when we know nothing about where they have just come from or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/how-is-it-that-we-dare-to-honk-at-others-in-traffic-when-we-know/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [The truth is, we usually only show our unhappiness to another woman. I suppose this is one of our problems. And yet it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/the-truth-is-we-usually-only-show-our-unhappiness-to-another-woman-i/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) [Explore all 350 Elizabeth Berg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) ## More Aging quotes > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [In the past 40 years, the United States lost more than a million farmers and ranchers. Many of our farmers are aging. Today, only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/in-the-past-40-years-the-united-states-lost-more-than-a-million/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [We'll never be as young as we are tonight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/we-ll-never-be-as-young-as-we-are-tonight/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“Prayer of an Anonymous Abbess: Lord, thou knowest better than myself that I am growing older and will soon be old. Keep me from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prayer-of-an-anonymous-abbess-lord-thou-knowest-better-than-myself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The more I produce, the less I am certain. On the road along which the artist walks, night falls ever more densely. Finally, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-more-i-produce-the-less-i-am-certain-on-the-road-along-which-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [So often do you see collegians enter life with high resolve and lofty purpose and then watch them shrink and shrink to sordid, selfish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/so-often-do-you-see-collegians-enter-life-with-high-resolve-and-lofty/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [All the dangers in our world are like a blessed wake up call. They tell us to live life NOW... not tomorrow, not when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/all-the-dangers-in-our-world-are-like-a-blessed-wake-up-call-they/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [“You could see the signs of female aging as diseased, especially if you had a vested interest in making women too see them your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/you-could-see-the-signs-of-female-aging-as-diseased-especially-if-you/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) > [“It takes maturity to be able to laugh like a child again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moffat-machingura/it-takes-maturity-to-be-able-to-laugh-like-a-child-again/) [Moffat Machingura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moffat-machingura/) > [Seek ye counsel of the aged for their eyes have looked on the faces of the years and their ears have hardened to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/seek-ye-counsel-of-the-aged-for-their-eyes-have-looked-on-the-faces/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Growing old-it's not nice, but it's interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/growing-old-it-s-not-nice-but-it-s-interesting/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [Anything is possible in the life of a man if he lives long enough. Even maturity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howell-raines/anything-is-possible-in-the-life-of-a-man-if-he-lives-long-enough/) [Howell Raines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howell-raines/) > [I just want to be Patty McCormack. I want to spend every year aging the way she has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/i-just-want-to-be-patty-mccormack-i-want-to-spend-every-year-aging/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [Maturity is reached the day we don't need to be lied to about anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-yerby/maturity-is-reached-the-day-we-don-t-need-to-be-lied-to-about-anything/) [Frank Yerby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-yerby/) [Browse all 2,792 Aging quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aging/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I am thinking about the way that life can be so slippery; the way that a twelve-year-old girl looking into the mirror to count freckles reaches out toward herself and that reflection has turned into that of a woman on her wedding day, righting her veil. 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