--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was very young, my father had an…" description: "\"When I was very young, my father had an accident. He fell down a flight of stairs, fractured his skull, and lost sight in one eye.\" — Janet Yellen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a34/janet-yellen-2828_accident_when-i-was-very-young-my-father-had-an-a_1289396.png" --- # When I was very young, my father had an accident. He fell… ![“When I was very young, my father had an accident. He fell down a flight of stairs, fractured his skull, and lost sight in one eye.” quote by Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a34/janet-yellen-2828_accident_when-i-was-very-young-my-father-had-an-a_1289396.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a34/janet-yellen-2828_accident_when-i-was-very-young-my-father-had-an-a_1289396.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a34/janet-yellen-2828_accident_when-i-was-very-young-my-father-had-an-a_1289396.png) > “When I was very young, my father had an accident. He fell down a flight of stairs, fractured his skull, and lost sight in one eye.” [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A childhood trauma of a father's accident illustrates how early loss can shape empathy and resilience later in life. **In simple terms:** Early loss can shape empathy and resilience. Key Takeaway Recognize how past pain informs present strength. Themes family trauma resilience Mood reflective empathetic Type narrative When to use this quote - counseling - parental support - personal storytelling Key Concepts psychology empathy post‑traumatic growth Questions to Reflect On - What lessons have you drawn from early family hardships? - How does this experience influence your decisions? A Different Perspective The anecdote may oversimplify complex grief processes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accident/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [In 2009, I fractured my skull in a freak accident at an L.A. restaurant. I suffered a seizure and was rushed into hospital. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-sumner/in-2009-i-fractured-my-skull-in-a-freak-accident-at-an-l-a-restaurant/) [Eliot Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-sumner/) > [I had a snowboarding accident. I fell off a horse. I've had a concussion, a fractured rib... I walk into walls. I'm always bruised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mila-kunis/i-had-a-snowboarding-accident-i-fell-off-a-horse-i-ve-had-a/) [Mila Kunis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mila-kunis/) > [Don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden: your Father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrix-potter/don-t-go-into-mr-mcgregor-s-garden-your-father-had-an-accident-there/) [Beatrix Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrix-potter/) > [I was probably about 13 or 14. I got pulled from a rope swing and some boy kicked me in the head and fractured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rylan-clark-neal/i-was-probably-about-13-or-14-i-got-pulled-from-a-rope-swing-and-some/) [Rylan Clark-Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rylan-clark-neal/) > [It didn't hurt, did it? When I hit you?" "Sure. Fractured skull. Concussion, the lot..." "But seriously, Kath. No hard feelings, right? I'm awfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/it-didn-t-hurt-did-it-when-i-hit-you-sure-fractured-skull-concussion/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [I've fractured my skull twice, damaged a kidney, snapped a cruciate ligament in my knee, and broken all manner of bones, including my jaw.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-the-eagle/i-ve-fractured-my-skull-twice-damaged-a-kidney-snapped-a-cruciate/) [Eddie the Eagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-the-eagle/) > [It was a big impact. I fractured the skull and it shattered into quite a few pieces. The plates I've had inserted will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-mason/it-was-a-big-impact-i-fractured-the-skull-and-it-shattered-into-quite/) [Ryan Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-mason/) > [“We've lost sight of How simple the task Really is— Hunt. Gather. Live. It's all been overly simplified In a complicated way. Now we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lynn-blumer/we-ve-lost-sight-of-how-simple-the-task-really-is-hunt-gather-live-it/) A. Lynn Blumer > [“she’d lost sight of the person she’d once meant to be, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever have the opportunity to find that person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/she-d-lost-sight-of-the-person-she-d-once-meant-to-be-and-she-wasn-t/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Having lost sight of our objectives, we redoubled our efforts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-kelly/having-lost-sight-of-our-objectives-we-redoubled-our-efforts/) [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) > [I was a daredevil before, and after I lost my sight I was the same. I loved riding bikes, scooters and horses. I even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-bocelli/i-was-a-daredevil-before-and-after-i-lost-my-sight-i-was-the-same-i/) [Andrea Bocelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-bocelli/) > [Actually, being blind is not so bad. If you're born this way, you never know anything else and you don't wonder about it. Though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-feliciano/actually-being-blind-is-not-so-bad-if-you-re-born-this-way-you-never/) [Jose Feliciano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-feliciano/) > [We've lost sight of our role in the region and our view of our colleagues in the region.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hewson/we-ve-lost-sight-of-our-role-in-the-region-and-our-view-of-our/) [John Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hewson/) > [I had a goal. I was on a mission. And somewhere along the line I lost sight of what I was supposed to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riddick-bowe/i-had-a-goal-i-was-on-a-mission-and-somewhere-along-the-line-i-lost/) [Riddick Bowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riddick-bowe/) > [“Who do you become when you've lost sight of who you are but the false you isn't one you can pretend to be anymore?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/who-do-you-become-when-you-ve-lost-sight-of-who-you-are-but-the-false/) [Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/) ## More by Janet Yellen > [Nationally, the share of mortgages that are underwater fell by about one-half between 2011 and 2014.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/nationally-the-share-of-mortgages-that-are-underwater-fell-by-about/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [Will capitalist economies operate at full employment in the absence of routine intervention? Certainly not. Are deviations from full employment a social problem? Obviously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/will-capitalist-economies-operate-at-full-employment-in-the-absence/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [Individuals out of work for an extended period can become less employable as they lose the specific skills acquired in their previous jobs and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/individuals-out-of-work-for-an-extended-period-can-become-less/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [For decades, the pace of technological change in manufacturing has outstripped that in the economy as a whole. And, so, firms - manufacturing firms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/for-decades-the-pace-of-technological-change-in-manufacturing-has/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [For my own part, I did not see and did not appreciate what the risks were with securitization, the credit ratings agencies, the shadow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/for-my-own-part-i-did-not-see-and-did-not-appreciate-what-the-risks/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [It's important for market participants to have a sense of how we think about the economy and the appropriate path of policy, to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/it-s-important-for-market-participants-to-have-a-sense-of-how-we/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [If there is a job that you feel passionate about, do what you can to pursue that job; if there is a purpose about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/if-there-is-a-job-that-you-feel-passionate-about-do-what-you-can-to/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [Although we work through financial markets, our goal is to help Main Street, not Wall Street.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/although-we-work-through-financial-markets-our-goal-is-to-help-main/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [I felt that the Fed had always been the agency that picked up the pieces when there was a financial crisis, and it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/i-felt-that-the-fed-had-always-been-the-agency-that-picked-up-the/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [Increased business sales would almost certainly raise the productive capacity of the economy by encouraging additional capital spending, especially if accompanied by reduced uncertainty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/increased-business-sales-would-almost-certainly-raise-the-productive/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [There were a lot of manufacturing jobs lost over a long period of time and particularly after - during the Great Recession. We've had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/there-were-a-lot-of-manufacturing-jobs-lost-over-a-long-period-of/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [Uncertainty about sales impedes business planning and could harm capital formation just as much as uncertainty about inflation can create uncertainty about relative prices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/uncertainty-about-sales-impedes-business-planning-and-could-harm/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [Stronger productivity growth would tend to raise the average level of interest rates and, therefore, would provide the Federal Reserve with greater scope to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/stronger-productivity-growth-would-tend-to-raise-the-average-level-of/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is committed to policies that promote maximum employment and price stability, consistent with our mandate from Congress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/the-federal-open-market-committee-fomc-is-committed-to-policies-that/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [To me, the greatest asset of the Fed is the people. We have a tremendously dedicated staff... They feel proud to work for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/to-me-the-greatest-asset-of-the-fed-is-the-people-we-have-a/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) [Explore all 148 Janet Yellen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) ## More Accident quotes > [Fame, we may understand, is no sure test of merit, but only a probability of such: it is an accident, not a property, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/fame-we-may-understand-is-no-sure-test-of-merit-but-only-a/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [I went to school at night in L.A. to brush up on my engineering while I applied to the astronaut program. I really did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-went-to-school-at-night-in-l-a-to-brush-up-on-my-engineering-while/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [“The accident in your rearview mirror already happened. The one in front of you is still preventable. Pay attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nakia-r-laushaul/the-accident-in-your-rearview-mirror-already-happened-the-one-in/) [Nakia R. Laushaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nakia-r-laushaul/) > [People dont get married by accident and they dont get divorced by accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hayes/people-dont-get-married-by-accident-and-they-dont-get-divorced-by/) [Darren Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hayes/) > [My father had Parkinson's, though he actually died following a bicycle accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kt-tunstall/my-father-had-parkinson-s-though-he-actually-died-following-a-bicycle/) [KT Tunstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kt-tunstall/) > [A tragic car accident put me in a wheelchair and dashed my hopes and dreams for the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-cawthorn/a-tragic-car-accident-put-me-in-a-wheelchair-and-dashed-my-hopes-and/) [Madison Cawthorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-cawthorn/) > [My musical career was an accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/my-musical-career-was-an-accident/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [The spirit in the body is like wine in a glass; when it spills, it seeps into air and earth and light….It’s a mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-michaels/the-spirit-in-the-body-is-like-wine-in-a-glass-when-it-spills-it/) [Anne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-michaels/) > [accident ruled every corner of the universe except the chambers of the human heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-guterson/accident-ruled-every-corner-of-the-universe-except-the-chambers-of/) [David Guterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-guterson/) > [There is a French expression that says: to be exposed to an accident, to cross a street without looking at the cars means exposing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/there-is-a-french-expression-that-says-to-be-exposed-to-an-accident/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [It's no accident that most self-help groups use 'anonymous' in their names; to Americans, the first step toward redemption is a ritual wiping out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/it-s-no-accident-that-most-self-help-groups-use-anonymous-in-their/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [High birth is an accident, not a virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-metastasio/high-birth-is-an-accident-not-a-virtue/) [Pietro Metastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-metastasio/) > [“I just got out of the hospital. I was in a speed reading accident. I hit a book mark and flew across the room.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-just-got-out-of-the-hospital-i-was-in-a-speed-reading-accident-i/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [However, I met with a horrible accident while riding my bike in Sangla Valley. The accident was a wakeup call for me stop getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhinav-shukla/however-i-met-with-a-horrible-accident-while-riding-my-bike-in-sangla/) [Abhinav Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhinav-shukla/) > [“Because the core of my personal philosophy is that everything that happens to us benefits us, I was also spared the futility of cursing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/because-the-core-of-my-personal-philosophy-is-that-everything-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 922 Accident quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accident/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was very young, my father had an accident. 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