--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was things just like not being able…" description: "\"There was things just like not being able to date or - I'm talking like 15, 16 - like just certain things that my friends started to do. Like, they sta..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/983/mahershala-ali-6687_able_there-was-things-just-like-not-being-abl_2505288.jpg" --- # There was things just like not being able to date or - I'm… ![“There was things just like not being able to date or - I'm talking like 15, 16 - like just certain things that my friends started to do. Like, they started to get phone calls from girls or like, you know, go and hang out 10, 11 at night, kind of going to the movies. There were just certain things…” quote by Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/983/mahershala-ali-6687_able_there-was-things-just-like-not-being-abl_2505288.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/983/mahershala-ali-6687_able_there-was-things-just-like-not-being-abl_2505288.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/983/mahershala-ali-6687_able_there-was-things-just-like-not-being-abl_2505288.jpg) > “There was things just like not being able to date or - I'm talking like 15, 16 - like just certain things that my friends started to do. Like, they started to get phone calls from girls or like, you know, go and hang out 10, 11 at night, kind of going to the movies. There were just certain things that - it's not that I couldn't do all of those things. It's just that every choice was really deliberate and conscious and thought out and sort of balanced against the religion in a way where I felt - I wasn't necessarily trying to convert at 12 like \[my mother\] was.” [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He explains deliberate, conscious decisions about social activities, balancing them with his religious values without feeling pressured to convert **In simple terms:** He made careful choices about social life, aligning them with his faith Key Takeaway Make intentional choices aligned with values Themes faith choice social pressure Mood reflective thoughtful Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - teenage social life - peer influence - religious practice Key Concepts Deliberate decision‑making religious identity Questions to Reflect On - What values guide your social decisions? - How do you handle peer pressure while staying true to yourself? A Different Perspective Balancing personal freedom with community expectations can be challenging ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Balanced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balanced/) [Balanced Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balanced-religion-1101731/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Conscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscious/) [Deliberate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deliberate/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Friends Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends-started-1101729/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Hanging out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hanging-out/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Like 15](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-15-673408/) [Like you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-you/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [My friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-friends/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Phone calls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phone-calls/) [Phones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phones/) [Religion Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-way-787901/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Trying Convert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-convert-1101730/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [“Faith is a choice; anyone who says otherwise is trying to convert you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/faith-is-a-choice-anyone-who-says-otherwise-is-trying-to-convert-you/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [My first love was basketball, but that wasn't gonna launch me, and I knew I had to get into other things. 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We weren't dreaming of playing for England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/me-and-my-friends-started-playing-because-we-loved-the-game-and-the/) [David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/) > [I was quite lonely because I didn't have a boyfriend or many friends, so I started spending my weekends doing races. Then I progressed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-piper/i-was-quite-lonely-because-i-didn-t-have-a-boyfriend-or-many-friends/) [Katie Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-piper/) > [When I first started blogging, I kept it a secret from my friends and then started to show a few people, and it snowballed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-woodward/when-i-first-started-blogging-i-kept-it-a-secret-from-my-friends-and/) [Ella Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-woodward/) > [I had not watched 'Friends' and have started watching it now as I have heard so much about it. I am glad I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jitendra-kumar/i-had-not-watched-friends-and-have-started-watching-it-now-as-i-have/) [Jitendra Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jitendra-kumar/) > [“We couldn’t stop following the news. Every ten seconds we refreshed our browsers and gawked at the headlines. Dully we read blogs of friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristopher-jansma/we-couldn-t-stop-following-the-news-every-ten-seconds-we-refreshed/) [Kristopher Jansma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristopher-jansma/) > [A couple of friends and I started a sketch comedy group when we were teenagers, just for fun and to start creating stuff. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-thompson/a-couple-of-friends-and-i-started-a-sketch-comedy-group-when-we-were/) [Reece Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-thompson/) > [I was never a part of the Actor's Studio, because two friends of mine started it in 1947 and by that time I'd gone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-widmark/i-was-never-a-part-of-the-actor-s-studio-because-two-friends-of-mine/) [Richard Widmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-widmark/) > [Some friends of mine have started what they call the Misery Club. They just drink and bemoan failed relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-whitehouse/some-friends-of-mine-have-started-what-they-call-the-misery-club-they/) [Paul Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-whitehouse/) ## More by Mahershala Ali > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I grew up in church. My mom's a minister, and my grandmother was an ordained minister. I was always very mindful of the presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-grew-up-in-church-my-mom-s-a-minister-and-my-grandmother-was-an/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [Like so many families, we were dealing with limited means. We weren't poor at all, but we had some challenging times financially. When my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/like-so-many-families-we-were-dealing-with-limited-means-we-weren-t/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I think how strict my mother's home could be with my mom and my stepfather, there was a fluidity and freedom in my dad's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-think-how-strict-my-mother-s-home-could-be-with-my-mom-and-my/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [My mother is an ordained minister. I'm a Muslim. She didn't do backflips when I called her to tell her I converted 17 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/my-mother-is-an-ordained-minister-i-m-a-muslim-she-didn-t-do/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [My experiences growing up - my father lived in New York, so I was going out there in the summers and meeting really interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/my-experiences-growing-up-my-father-lived-in-new-york-so-i-was-going/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I'm not shy about trying to find what truth there is in any genre, whether that be an action piece, a sci-fi piece, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-m-not-shy-about-trying-to-find-what-truth-there-is-in-any-genre/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [You are an American, so you're hurt that other American citizens have been hurt, but you end up having to shoulder the shame for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/you-are-an-american-so-you-re-hurt-that-other-american-citizens-have/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [My parents were in high school when I was born. My mom was 16, my dad was 17. They were kids, at the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/my-parents-were-in-high-school-when-i-was-born-my-mom-was-16-my-dad/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [Because on that watch list, they would be like, yeah, your name - they told me like, yeah, your name matches the name of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/because-on-that-watch-list-they-would-be-like-yeah-your-name-they/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I started traveling by myself as early as 5 to see my dad. I'd go to Toronto or Los Angeles, depending on what show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-started-traveling-by-myself-as-early-as-5-to-see-my-dad-i-d-go-to/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [One thing that the audience, and perhaps critics, aren't aware of is that, especially in a film like 'Moonlight,' you always shoot a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/one-thing-that-the-audience-and-perhaps-critics-aren-t-aware-of-is/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I think in some ways, I would go back home, and I didn't really quite fit in and couldn't - didn't have a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-think-in-some-ways-i-would-go-back-home-and-i-didn-t-really-quite/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I remember clearly, when I was about 4, my Aunt Linda said, 'I'm not babysitting him no more. He's bad.' It was one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-remember-clearly-when-i-was-about-4-my-aunt-linda-said-i-m-not/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [Theater will cast in a more open way; Denzel Washington might play Richard III. Television and film don't really cast openly like that. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/theater-will-cast-in-a-more-open-way-denzel-washington-might-play/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) [Explore all 98 Mahershala Ali quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) ## More Able 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/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. 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This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) [Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There was things just like not being able to date or - I'm talking like 15, 16 - like just certain things that my friends started to do. Like, they started to get phone calls from girls or like, you know, go and hang out 10, 11 at night, kind of going to the movies. There were just certain things that - it's not that I couldn't do all of those things. 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