--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Looking back I realize I was just a child…" description: "\"Looking back I realize I was just a child and smile. Looking now at my reflection I realize I'm still a child and smile. Looking into tomorrow makes me..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/irina-47026_being-a-child_looking-back-i-realize-i-was-just-a-chil_2243133.jpg" --- # Looking back I realize I was just a child and smile… ![“Looking back I realize I was just a child and smile. Looking now at my reflection I realize I'm still a child and smile. Looking into tomorrow makes me realize that being a child all your life is a matter of choice...and I smile again. Because I'm proud of what I chose!” quote by Irina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/irina-47026_being-a-child_looking-back-i-realize-i-was-just-a-chil_2243133.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/irina-47026_being-a-child_looking-back-i-realize-i-was-just-a-chil_2243133.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/irina-47026_being-a-child_looking-back-i-realize-i-was-just-a-chil_2243133.jpg) > “Looking back I realize I was just a child and smile. Looking now at my reflection I realize I'm still a child and smile. Looking into tomorrow makes me realize that being a child all your life is a matter of choice...and I smile again. Because I'm proud of what I chose!” [Irina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects on maintaining childlike wonder and joy throughout life, seeing it as a conscious choice that brings pride. **In simple terms:** Keeping a childlike joy is a conscious choice that brings pride. Key Takeaway Choose to stay playful and proud. Themes joy choice self‑reflection growth Mood reflective hopeful Type personal motivational When to use this quote - daily meditation - creative pursuits - parenting - career transitions Key Concepts mindfulness personal agency lifelong learning Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance playfulness with maturity? - What choices keep you feeling youthful? A Different Perspective Choosing childlike wonder may hinder adult responsibilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Reflection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reflection/) ## Related quotes > [“Upon reflection, I realize that your image of me right now might be a bit skewed. Actually, kind of fucked. I am neither a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kergan-edwards-stout/upon-reflection-i-realize-that-your-image-of-me-right-now-might-be-a/) [Kergan Edwards-Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kergan-edwards-stout/) > [Sometimes, I wish I were six and my biggest problem was what dress to wear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickeybro/sometimes-i-wish-i-were-six-and-my-biggest-problem-was-what-dress-to/) [MickeyBro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickeybro/) > [Very unconscious people experience their own ego through its reflection in others. When you realize that what you react to in others is also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/very-unconscious-people-experience-their-own-ego-through-its/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“And that was is. Life sometimes flips on you like that. One minute you're looking at your reflection in the water, not entirely sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-pettersson/and-that-was-is-life-sometimes-flips-on-you-like-that-one-minute-you/) [Vicki Pettersson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicki-pettersson/) > [I am generally a very happy and easygoing person. I also believe it's always better to meet people with a smile rather than looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-klum/i-am-generally-a-very-happy-and-easygoing-person-i-also-believe-it-s/) [Heidi Klum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-klum/) > [When I see you smile that smile I'm looking for with those sweet kissable lips and with that lovely red tongue to go along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrcountry/when-i-see-you-smile-that-smile-i-m-looking-for-with-those-sweet/) MrCountry > [The most difficult thing in the world, it seems to me, is to realize that I am a child of God; to keep that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/the-most-difficult-thing-in-the-world-it-seems-to-me-is-to-realize/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“I'm starting to realize that I can't be a child forever, that I don't want to be a child forever. I've had my turn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-collins/i-m-starting-to-realize-that-i-can-t-be-a-child-forever-that-i-don-t/) [Michael J. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-collins/) > [“When you smile looking back, upon the person whom you have loved forever, you have created Dignity, and self enlightment”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-pabon/when-you-smile-looking-back-upon-the-person-whom-you-have-loved/) Alexa Pabon > [“Dads. Do you not realize that a child is what you tell them they are? That people almost always become what they are labeled?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pearce/dads-do-you-not-realize-that-a-child-is-what-you-tell-them-they-are/) [Dan Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pearce/) > [Listen to your child enough and you will come to realize that he or she is quite an extraordinary individual. And the more extraordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/listen-to-your-child-enough-and-you-will-come-to-realize-that-he-or/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [There is always a reason to smile. There is always someone out there looking out for you. Loyalty comes in many forms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-always-a-reason-to-smile-there-is-always-someone-out-there/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The first time I made myself up, I was looking at my reflection in the mirror and it wasnt me looking back. It allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-baker/the-first-time-i-made-myself-up-i-was-looking-at-my-reflection-in-the-2/) [Rick Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-baker/) > [The first time I made myself up, I was looking at my reflection in the mirror and it wasn't me looking back. It allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-baker/the-first-time-i-made-myself-up-i-was-looking-at-my-reflection-in-the/) [Rick Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-baker/) > [“Usually I avoided looking at my reflection. I wasn’t somebody I wanted to see on a regular basis.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/usually-i-avoided-looking-at-my-reflection-i-wasn-t-somebody-i-wanted/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) ## More by Irina > [I never knew exactly what to say when someone was sad because I wanted them to realize how beautiful life is on their own.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irina/i-never-knew-exactly-what-to-say-when-someone-was-sad-because-i/) [Irina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina/) > [I HATE YOU! Why must you invade my heart and then just leave my castle, leaving so much mud behind?? At least help me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irina/i-hate-you-why-must-you-invade-my-heart-and-then-just-leave-my-castle/) [Irina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina/) > [Indifference was always a pinch that I just couldn't cross. It might've been, or it was just my dirty pride that clung on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irina/indifference-was-always-a-pinch-that-i-just-couldn-t-cross-it-might/) [Irina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina/) > [I was always used like a trophee daughter and no one ever thought that I'm a human being. I was yet a simple object.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irina/i-was-always-used-like-a-trophee-daughter-and-no-one-ever-thought/) [Irina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina/) > [You want a reason to live? Look in the mirror darling. Those eyes you see can be the eyes someone can't forget even for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irina/you-want-a-reason-to-live-look-in-the-mirror-darling-those-eyes-you/) [Irina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina/) > [Let's make this clear: I'm here for you You're here for me. I can be blue And you can see. You can be though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irina/let-s-make-this-clear-i-m-here-for-you-you-re-here-for-me-i-can-be/) [Irina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina/) > [When people tell me to have hope that god will help and guide me in life...I am everytime amazed by how deep the seed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irina/when-people-tell-me-to-have-hope-that-god-will-help-and-guide-me-in/) [Irina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina/) [Explore all 8 Irina quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina/) ## More Being a child quotes > [Sometimes, I wish I were six and my biggest problem was what dress to wear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickeybro/sometimes-i-wish-i-were-six-and-my-biggest-problem-was-what-dress-to/) [MickeyBro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickeybro/) Browse all 2 Being a child quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Looking back I realize I was just a child and smile. 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