--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Families that I lived with a little bit…" description: "\"Families that I lived with a little bit in junior high and quite a bit in high school and college. Just to have a safe, sane space with food and things..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d9/jon-gordon-1655_art_families-that-i-lived-with-a-little-bit_467455.png" --- # Families that I lived with a little bit in junior high and… ![“Families that I lived with a little bit in junior high and quite a bit in high school and college. Just to have a safe, sane space with food and things like that. That's what I needed. And people were really kind and really generous. So I think the world kind of opened up my first years of…” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d9/jon-gordon-1655_art_families-that-i-lived-with-a-little-bit_467455.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d9/jon-gordon-1655_art_families-that-i-lived-with-a-little-bit_467455.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d9/jon-gordon-1655_art_families-that-i-lived-with-a-little-bit_467455.png) > “Families that I lived with a little bit in junior high and quite a bit in high school and college. Just to have a safe, sane space with food and things like that. That's what I needed. And people were really kind and really generous. So I think the world kind of opened up my first years of performing arts, studying classical saxophone with Caesar DiMauro.” [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects on the importance of safe, supportive environments and kindness in nurturing artistic growth. **In simple terms:** Safe spaces and kindness foster artistic development. Key Takeaway Cultivate supportive communities for creators. Themes community kindness artistic growth support Mood inspirational grateful Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - school environment - music lessons - performance venues - peer mentorship Key Concepts psychological safety generosity Questions to Reflect On - How can we create more inclusive spaces? - What role does generosity play in artistic success? A Different Perspective Not all environments are equally safe. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Bits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Families Lived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/families-lived-434107/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Generous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generous/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Junior high](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/junior-high/) [Juniors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/juniors/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Little bit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-bit/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed/) [Needed People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed-people-848529/) [Opened Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opened-years-4048368/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Performing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performing/) [Performing arts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performing-arts/) [Really Generous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-generous-727049/) [Safe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe/) [Sane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sane/) [Saxophone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saxophone/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Study](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I was finishing up at High School of Performing Arts and finally, by the end of junior year and start of senior year, made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/i-was-finishing-up-at-high-school-of-performing-arts-and-finally-by/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [ \[Larry Laurenzano\] gave me a junior high school saxophone to take to high school, because I was always taking one of our school horns… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/larry-laurenzano-gave-me-a-junior-high-school-saxophone-to-take-to/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [When we lived in a society where we had large families that lived together, especially in agricultural societies like my grandfather and father grew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/when-we-lived-in-a-society-where-we-had-large-families-that-lived/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [“Everywhere, all through the city, space was at a premium. Extended families lived in decaying apartments designed for half as many. Men and women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/everywhere-all-through-the-city-space-was-at-a-premium-extended/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [Seeing is believing to most families who have lived with a drinker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-w/seeing-is-believing-to-most-families-who-have-lived-with-a-drinker/) [Bill W](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-w/) > [Chris Martin has been really, really generous with his time and investment in my music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/griff/chris-martin-has-been-really-really-generous-with-his-time-and/) [Griff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/griff/) > [“It's true; life really is generous to those who pursue their Personal Legend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-s-true-life-really-is-generous-to-those-who-pursue-their-personal/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I love the industry I'm in, and it's been really generous to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-okonedo/i-love-the-industry-i-m-in-and-it-s-been-really-generous-to-me/) [Sophie Okonedo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-okonedo/) > [There's a really generous readership with YA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-h-k-choi/there-s-a-really-generous-readership-with-ya/) [Mary H.K. Choi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-h-k-choi/) > [It's true; life really is generous to those who pursue their destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-s-true-life-really-is-generous-to-those-who-pursue-their-destiny/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [How can you say something's important if you don't first withdraw and feel how rich you've become? That way you can become really generous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-moreau/how-can-you-say-something-s-important-if-you-don-t-first-withdraw-and/) [Jeanne Moreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-moreau/) > [“life is really generous to those who pursue their Personal Legend”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/life-is-really-generous-to-those-who-pursue-their-personal-legend/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Life really is generous to those who pursue their destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/life-really-is-generous-to-those-who-pursue-their-destiny/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Justin Di Cioccio led a jazz program at Music and Art, but there was no jazz in Performing Arts. After they joined, it became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/justin-di-cioccio-led-a-jazz-program-at-music-and-art-but-there-was/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [Another classical music teacher from Performing Arts that I've stayed in contact with is Jonathan Strasser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/another-classical-music-teacher-from-performing-arts-that-i-ve-stayed/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) ## More by Jon Gordon > [Joe Henderson, who I maybe, to me, if I had to pick one improviser in my life that I saw live that blew my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/joe-henderson-who-i-maybe-to-me-if-i-had-to-pick-one-improviser-in-my/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [Benny Carter came up to me and said to me, "You know, in the whole history of the alto, I think Phil is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/benny-carter-came-up-to-me-and-said-to-me-you-know-in-the-whole/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [“know that I’m not a human being having a spiritual experience. I’m a spiritual being having a human experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/know-that-i-m-not-a-human-being-having-a-spiritual-experience-i-m-a/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [It's very unlikely you're a genius, but, if you're ready to work at it hard and you want to listen to music all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/it-s-very-unlikely-you-re-a-genius-but-if-you-re-ready-to-work-at-it/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [The first jazz cruise that I was on was '91. I played with Maria Schneider and John Fedchock's band. Got to meet some amazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/the-first-jazz-cruise-that-i-was-on-was-91-i-played-with-maria/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [I just lucked into a lot of good people man. In my life and through friends, and in the music, that really embraced me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/i-just-lucked-into-a-lot-of-good-people-man-in-my-life-and-through/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [Every morning you have a choice. Are you going to be a positive thinker or a negative thinker? Positive thinking will energize you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/every-morning-you-have-a-choice-are-you-going-to-be-a-positive/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [I was occasionally getting calls for some things. But I would say, 22 to 29 was a lot of scuffling. Hoping to get called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/i-was-occasionally-getting-calls-for-some-things-but-i-would-say-22/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [Dust on gold doesn't change the nature of gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/dust-on-gold-doesn-t-change-the-nature-of-gold/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [There are a lot of people that impacted me. I remember hearing Oscar Peterson live at the Blue Note, which was very expensive, but...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/there-are-a-lot-of-people-that-impacted-me-i-remember-hearing-oscar/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [There's a lot of good people out here that want to help you grow and to help the music to continue to grow and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/there-s-a-lot-of-good-people-out-here-that-want-to-help-you-grow-and/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [ Ernie Hayes, Jimmy Lewis, and either Belton Evans or Khalil Mahdi on drums \[were in Sweet Basil\]. All those guys really took care of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/ernie-hayes-jimmy-lewis-and-either-belton-evans-or-khalil-mahdi-on/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [A true leader doesn't lead to gain power. They lead to empower and give power away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/a-true-leader-doesn-t-lead-to-gain-power-they-lead-to-empower-and/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [ We had Bob's \[Gordon\] records, and he's on Clifford Brown's first record as a leader. I believe it was Clifford Brown's first record as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/we-had-bob-s-gordon-records-and-he-s-on-clifford-brown-s-first-record/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [Another classical music teacher from Performing Arts that I've stayed in contact with is Jonathan Strasser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/another-classical-music-teacher-from-performing-arts-that-i-ve-stayed/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) [Explore all 219 Jon Gordon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Families that I lived with a little bit in junior high and quite a bit in high school and college. 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