--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why does it always seem that I have only…" description: "\"“Why does it always seem that I have only the shadow of my father? I'm like a child constantly grabbing at his coattails and missing.”\" — Libba Bray" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/libba-bray-259_children_why-does-it-always-seem-that-i-have-only_3137353.png" --- # Why does it always seem that I have only the shadow of my… ![“Why does it always seem that I have only the shadow of my father? I'm like a child constantly grabbing at his coattails and missing.” quote by Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/libba-bray-259_children_why-does-it-always-seem-that-i-have-only_3137353.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/libba-bray-259_children_why-does-it-always-seem-that-i-have-only_3137353.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/libba-bray-259_children_why-does-it-always-seem-that-i-have-only_3137353.png) > ““Why does it always seem that I have only the shadow of my father? I'm like a child constantly grabbing at his coattails and missing.”” [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeking a father's approval can feel like chasing a shadow, leading to frustration and self‑doubt. **In simple terms:** Chasing a father's approval can be elusive. Key Takeaway Find self‑worth beyond parental shadows. Themes family identity self‑esteem growth Mood introspective determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career choices - personal relationships - creative pursuits Key Concepts psychology developmental theory literature Questions to Reflect On - How can you define yourself independently of your father? - What steps help you move beyond his shadow? A Different Perspective Relying on a missing figure can limit personal agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shadow/) ## Related quotes > [People are way too hard on themselves. Comparing yourself to other people can be damaging; the most important thing is just to be you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-tyler/people-are-way-too-hard-on-themselves-comparing-yourself-to-other/) [Liv Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-tyler/) > [With the right support, a deaf child can do exactly the same as a hearing child, yet constantly, they're being failed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-shenton/with-the-right-support-a-deaf-child-can-do-exactly-the-same-as-a/) [Rachel Shenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-shenton/) > [It is the same for all men. None of us can escape this shadow of the father, even if that shadow fills us with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-nerburn/it-is-the-same-for-all-men-none-of-us-can-escape-this-shadow-of-the/) [Kent Nerburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-nerburn/) > [I began thinking about why am I constructing almost a shadow father or ghost father in my head into Graham Greene in response to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/i-began-thinking-about-why-am-i-constructing-almost-a-shadow-father/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [I would want my children to grow up and do what they wish to in a field that they choose to step in. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahrukh-khan/i-would-want-my-children-to-grow-up-and-do-what-they-wish-to-in-a/) [Shahrukh Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahrukh-khan/) > [God has always been to me not so much like a father as like a dear and tender mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/god-has-always-been-to-me-not-so-much-like-a-father-as-like-a-dear/) [Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/) > [I wouldn't say it's to the point where I hate him or nothing like that because he's not with my mom or he wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasheed-wallace/i-wouldn-t-say-it-s-to-the-point-where-i-hate-him-or-nothing-like/) [Rasheed Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasheed-wallace/) > [I'm not opposed to adoption. It's not in my immediate future because I'm on the move a lot and if I were going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/i-m-not-opposed-to-adoption-it-s-not-in-my-immediate-future-because-i/) [John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/) > [Being a father is the hardest job on the planet, because we don't have parental instincts like women have. You have to learn how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malik-yusef/being-a-father-is-the-hardest-job-on-the-planet-because-we-don-t-have/) [Malik Yusef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malik-yusef/) > ['Like Father, Like Son' gave me the opportunity to show when it is not good with a father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hirokazu-kore-eda/like-father-like-son-gave-me-the-opportunity-to-show-when-it-is-not/) [Hirokazu Kore-eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hirokazu-kore-eda/) > [My father was like Willy Loman, you know: he never really made it - and he was from a family where there were people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-klein/my-father-was-like-willy-loman-you-know-he-never-really-made-it-and/) [William Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-klein/) > [Father of four. I like the sound of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederik-crown-prince-of-denmark/father-of-four-i-like-the-sound-of-that/) [Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederik-crown-prince-of-denmark/) > [Sometimes, you know, the president is a father-like figure in American society, to most Americans, even today, no matter how cynical we've become. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/sometimes-you-know-the-president-is-a-father-like-figure-in-american/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [What's Shobhaa De's problem with me and my son? What does she mean by saying, 'Like father, like son?' Let the truth come out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aditya-pancholi/what-s-shobhaa-de-s-problem-with-me-and-my-son-what-does-she-mean-by/) [Aditya Pancholi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aditya-pancholi/) > [Like father...like son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-grabil/like-father-like-son/) [Katie Grabil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-grabil/) ## More by Libba Bray > [“I have never felt more ridiculous. If this is what it means to be a woman I am not the slightest bit interested.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/i-have-never-felt-more-ridiculous-if-this-is-what-it-means-to-be-a/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [There are no safe choices. Only other choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/there-are-no-safe-choices-only-other-choices/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“The King of Crows raked his fingers across the dark until it bled. He licked the blood from his fingers with a forked tongue.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/the-king-of-crows-raked-his-fingers-across-the-dark-until-it-bled-he/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [It is how it has always been. We will accept the legacy of our ancestors,' Asha says, smiling, and in her smile I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/it-is-how-it-has-always-been-we-will-accept-the-legacy-of-our/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [The trouble with morning is that it comes well before noon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/the-trouble-with-morning-is-that-it-comes-well-before-noon/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“Spare a copper for our cause?" the girl with the coin cup asks, her voice weary. "I can spare more than that," I say.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/spare-a-copper-for-our-cause-the-girl-with-the-coin-cup-asks-her/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [As one, they leap, laughing, and that is where we leave them - mouths open, arms spread wide, fingers splayed to take in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/as-one-they-leap-laughing-and-that-is-where-we-leave-them-mouths-open/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [I am for hockey. I find I should like to hit something with a stick. -Gemma Doyle Trilogy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/i-am-for-hockey-i-find-i-should-like-to-hit-something-with-a-stick/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [There are times when I wish I could go back and change the course of my life. Make different choices...But the past cannot be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/there-are-times-when-i-wish-i-could-go-back-and-change-the-course-of/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“Sexuality is not meant to be this way - an honest, consensual expression in which a girl might take an active role when she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/sexuality-is-not-meant-to-be-this-way-an-honest-consensual-expression/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [There is no greater power on this earth than story.” Will paced the length of the room. “People think boundaries and borders build nations.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/there-is-no-greater-power-on-this-earth-than-story-will-paced-the/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [Heaven's brightest and best-loved angel, who was cast out for inspiring a rebellion against God. Having lost Heaven, Lucifer and his rebel angels vowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/heaven-s-brightest-and-best-loved-angel-who-was-cast-out-for/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“The light is so bright it hurts my eyes. But I don't dare close them. I won't. Instead, I try to adjust to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/the-light-is-so-bright-it-hurts-my-eyes-but-i-don-t-dare-close-them-i/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“Miss Moore speaks slowly, deliberately. "I know because I read." She pulls back and stands, hands on hips, offering us a challenge. "May I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/miss-moore-speaks-slowly-deliberately-i-know-because-i-read-she-pulls/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“Duff's little moans traveled up her spine, made her head buzz. And another thought grabbed hold: She was doing this. She had the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/duff-s-little-moans-traveled-up-her-spine-made-her-head-buzz-and/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) [Explore all 774 Libba Bray quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Why does it always seem that I have only the shadow of my father? I'm like a child constantly grabbing at his coattails and missing.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Libba Bray" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/why-does-it-always-seem-that-i-have-only-the-shadow-of-my-father-i-m/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Children" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/why-does-it-always-seem-that-i-have-only-the-shadow-of-my-father-i-m/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/libba-bray-259_children_why-does-it-always-seem-that-i-have-only_3137353.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/libba-bray-259_children_why-does-it-always-seem-that-i-have-only_3137353.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/libba-bray-259_children_why-does-it-always-seem-that-i-have-only_3137353.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Why does it always seem that I have only the shadow of my father? I'm like a child constantly grabbing at…” — Libba Bray", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Libba Bray", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Why does it always seem that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/why-does-it-always-seem-that-i-have-only-the-shadow-of-my-father-i-m/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/why-does-it-always-seem-that-i-have-only-the-shadow-of-my-father-i-m/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```