--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My parents inspired me by their example…" description: "\"My parents inspired me by their example. They both grew up in the Depression, and both of them had to quit school when they were quite young to work, b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/699/joyce-carol-oates-344_carrying-on_my-parents-inspired-me-by-their-example_1392909.jpg" --- # My parents inspired me by their example. They both grew up… ![“My parents inspired me by their example. They both grew up in the Depression, and both of them had to quit school when they were quite young to work, because there actually was no choice. So they've always impressed me with their resilience, their good spirits, their courage. I just remember them…” quote by Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/699/joyce-carol-oates-344_carrying-on_my-parents-inspired-me-by-their-example_1392909.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/699/joyce-carol-oates-344_carrying-on_my-parents-inspired-me-by-their-example_1392909.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/699/joyce-carol-oates-344_carrying-on_my-parents-inspired-me-by-their-example_1392909.jpg) > “My parents inspired me by their example. They both grew up in the Depression, and both of them had to quit school when they were quite young to work, because there actually was no choice. So they've always impressed me with their resilience, their good spirits, their courage. I just remember them carrying on and just doing their lives. They really made a strong impression on me.” [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Resilience is forged through hardship; observing parents who faced economic adversity teaches courage and optimism. **In simple terms:** Hardship builds resilience and courage. Key Takeaway Learn perseverance from those who overcame adversity. Themes resilience family courage Mood grateful inspired Type biographical motivational When to use this quote - career challenges - financial setbacks - personal development - education pursuits Key Concepts socio‑economic history psychology Questions to Reflect On - How have you applied your parents' lessons? - What role does community play in resilience? A Different Perspective Hardship alone does not guarantee success; support matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Carrying on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carrying-on/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/example/) [Grew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grew/) [Grew up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grew-up/) [Impressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impressed/) [Impressed Resilience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impressed-resilience-4860545/) [Impression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impression/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Inspired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspired/) [Inspired Example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspired-example-1817519/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Parents Inspired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-inspired-4272616/) [Quitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quitting/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Resilience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resilience/) [Resilience Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resilience-good-3075360/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) ## Related quotes > [Sleep is a key part of the requirements for resilience and good decision-making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-g-stavridis/sleep-is-a-key-part-of-the-requirements-for-resilience-and-good/) [James G. Stavridis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-g-stavridis/) > [I'm inspired by the example of Prime Minister Abe, who overcame many challenges after his first term as prime minister to successfully return to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roos/i-m-inspired-by-the-example-of-prime-minister-abe-who-overcame-many/) [John Roos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roos/) > [It was probably my parents who inspired me most. My father was a scientist and answered my scientific questions, while my mother took me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-roman/it-was-probably-my-parents-who-inspired-me-most-my-father-was-a/) [Nancy Roman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-roman/) > [They never complained, that's what I love about my parents and it's something that inspired me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/they-never-complained-that-s-what-i-love-about-my-parents-and-it-s/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [The efforts of the medical profession in the US to control:...its...job it proposes to monopolize. It has been carrying on a vigorous campaign all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/the-efforts-of-the-medical-profession-in-the-us-to-control-its-job-it/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Understanding one another means that objects, including sounds, have the same value for both with respect to carrying on a common pursuit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/understanding-one-another-means-that-objects-including-sounds-have/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Christians would show sense if they dispatched these argumentative Scotists and pigheaded Ockhamists and undefeated Albertists along with the whole regiment of Sophists to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/christians-would-show-sense-if-they-dispatched-these-argumentative/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [The church must never become a government factory, carrying on a nationalized industry of religion with the people as the bolts and nuts; with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-archer/the-church-must-never-become-a-government-factory-carrying-on-a/) [Glenn Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-archer/) > [Beginnings could happen more than once or in different ways. You could think you were starting something afresh, when actually what you were doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/beginnings-could-happen-more-than-once-or-in-different-ways-you-could/) [Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/) > [The employers cannot carry on industry nor accumulate profits if they have not got the good will of the workers or their acquiescence in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-larkin/the-employers-cannot-carry-on-industry-nor-accumulate-profits-if-they/) [James Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-larkin/) > [There is no greater cause than making the world fit for children. I feel very strongly about carrying on the family tradition by working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tea-leoni/there-is-no-greater-cause-than-making-the-world-fit-for-children-i/) [Tea Leoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tea-leoni/) > [Kit, you're forty. You look thirty. You act...well, never mind. You're carrying on like you think you're seventy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/kit-you-re-forty-you-look-thirty-you-act-well-never-mind-you-re/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [Abstract anger is great for rhetorical carrying on. You can go on endlessly about the post office, but it doesn't mean you're mad at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/abstract-anger-is-great-for-rhetorical-carrying-on-you-can-go-on/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [It is God’s will through His wonderful grace, that the prayers of His saints should be one of the great principal means of carrying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/it-is-god-s-will-through-his-wonderful-grace-that-the-prayers-of-his/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [You can't just boss bacteria around like that," said the younger Mrs. Hempstock. "They don't like it." "Stuff and silliness," said the old lady.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-t-just-boss-bacteria-around-like-that-said-the-younger-mrs/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More by Joyce Carol Oates > [“A woman who has lost her husband is invalid, thus an invalid. In”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/a-woman-who-has-lost-her-husband-is-invalid-thus-an-invalid-in/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Running! If there's any activity happier, more exhilarating, more nourishing to the imagination, I can't think of what it might be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/running-if-there-s-any-activity-happier-more-exhilarating-more/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [You need so much energy and encouragement to write that if someone says something negative, some of that energy goes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/you-need-so-much-energy-and-encouragement-to-write-that-if-someone/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I learned long ago that being Lewis Carroll was infinitely more exciting than being Alice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-learned-long-ago-that-being-lewis-carroll-was-infinitely-more/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Paradox: how do we know what we have failed to see because we have no language to express it, thus we cannot know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/paradox-how-do-we-know-what-we-have-failed-to-see-because-we-have-no/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [At all crucial moments in our lives we want to speak without knowing what to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/at-all-crucial-moments-in-our-lives-we-want-to-speak-without-knowing/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [A writer’s life is in his work, and that is the place to find him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/a-writer-s-life-is-in-his-work-and-that-is-the-place-to-find-him/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [The challenge is to resist circumstances. Any idiot can be happy in a happy place, but moral courage is required to be happy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-challenge-is-to-resist-circumstances-any-idiot-can-be-happy-in-a/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [The first sentence cant be written until the final sentence is written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-first-sentence-cant-be-written-until-the-final-sentence-is-written/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [“Did you know, Marianne: how by breaking the code that day, you broke it forever? For us all?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/did-you-know-marianne-how-by-breaking-the-code-that-day-you-broke-it/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > ['The Accursed' is very much a novel about social injustice as the consequence of the terrible, tragic division of classes - the exploitation not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-accursed-is-very-much-a-novel-about-social-injustice-as-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Keep a light, hopeful heart. But expect the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/keep-a-light-hopeful-heart-but-expect-the-worst/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [And this is the forbidden truth, the unspeakable taboo - that evil is not always repellent but frequently attractive; that it has the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/and-this-is-the-forbidden-truth-the-unspeakable-taboo-that-evil-is/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I don't think that writer's block exists really. I think that when you're trying to do something prematurely, it just won't come. Certain subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-don-t-think-that-writer-s-block-exists-really-i-think-that-when-you/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [... such speculation is like staring into the hot white sun. you know the sun is there but you can't see a thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/such-speculation-is-like-staring-into-the-hot-white-sun-you-know-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) [Explore all 658 Joyce Carol Oates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## More Carrying on quotes > [You can't just boss bacteria around like that," said the younger Mrs. Hempstock. "They don't like it." "Stuff and silliness," said the old lady.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-t-just-boss-bacteria-around-like-that-said-the-younger-mrs/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [It is God’s will through His wonderful grace, that the prayers of His saints should be one of the great principal means of carrying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/it-is-god-s-will-through-his-wonderful-grace-that-the-prayers-of-his/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [Abstract anger is great for rhetorical carrying on. You can go on endlessly about the post office, but it doesn't mean you're mad at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/abstract-anger-is-great-for-rhetorical-carrying-on-you-can-go-on/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Kit, you're forty. You look thirty. You act...well, never mind. You're carrying on like you think you're seventy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/kit-you-re-forty-you-look-thirty-you-act-well-never-mind-you-re/) [Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/) > [There is no greater cause than making the world fit for children. I feel very strongly about carrying on the family tradition by working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tea-leoni/there-is-no-greater-cause-than-making-the-world-fit-for-children-i/) [Tea Leoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tea-leoni/) > [The employers cannot carry on industry nor accumulate profits if they have not got the good will of the workers or their acquiescence in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-larkin/the-employers-cannot-carry-on-industry-nor-accumulate-profits-if-they/) [James Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-larkin/) > [Beginnings could happen more than once or in different ways. You could think you were starting something afresh, when actually what you were doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-joyce/beginnings-could-happen-more-than-once-or-in-different-ways-you-could/) [Rachel Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-joyce/) > [The church must never become a government factory, carrying on a nationalized industry of religion with the people as the bolts and nuts; with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-archer/the-church-must-never-become-a-government-factory-carrying-on-a/) [Glenn Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-archer/) > [Christians would show sense if they dispatched these argumentative Scotists and pigheaded Ockhamists and undefeated Albertists along with the whole regiment of Sophists to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/christians-would-show-sense-if-they-dispatched-these-argumentative/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [Understanding one another means that objects, including sounds, have the same value for both with respect to carrying on a common pursuit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/understanding-one-another-means-that-objects-including-sounds-have/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The efforts of the medical profession in the US to control:...its...job it proposes to monopolize. It has been carrying on a vigorous campaign all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/the-efforts-of-the-medical-profession-in-the-us-to-control-its-job-it/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [There was a time when I didn’t at any minute have the slightest idea how I could reach the next one. Yes, one can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/there-was-a-time-when-i-didn-t-at-any-minute-have-the-slightest-idea/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [This is not a full circle. It's life carrying on. It's the next breath we all take. It's the choice we make to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-fuller/this-is-not-a-full-circle-it-s-life-carrying-on-it-s-the-next-breath/) [Alexandra Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-fuller/) > [I have known only one way of carrying on missionary work, viz., by personal example and discussion with searchers for knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-known-only-one-way-of-carrying-on-missionary-work-viz-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Avoid fried meats which angry up the blood. If your stomach disputes you, lie down and pacify it with cool thoughts. Keep the juices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satchel-paige/avoid-fried-meats-which-angry-up-the-blood-if-your-stomach-disputes/) [Satchel Paige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satchel-paige/) [Browse all 96 Carrying on quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carrying-on/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My parents inspired me by their example. They both grew up in the Depression, and both of them had to quit school when they were quite young to work, because there actually was no choice. So they've always impressed me with their resilience, their good spirits, their courage. I just remember them carrying on and just doing their lives. 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