--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One way and another I was having a ball…" description: "\"One way and another I was having a ball - playing gigs, jamming and listening to fine musicians. Then came a crisis at home. My stepfather fell sick, a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8af/mary-lou-williams-35256_balls_one-way-and-another-i-was-having-a-ball_702621.png" --- # One way and another I was having a ball - playing gigs… ![“One way and another I was having a ball - playing gigs, jamming and listening to fine musicians. Then came a crisis at home. My stepfather fell sick, and it meant I had to support the family.” quote by Mary Lou Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8af/mary-lou-williams-35256_balls_one-way-and-another-i-was-having-a-ball_702621.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8af/mary-lou-williams-35256_balls_one-way-and-another-i-was-having-a-ball_702621.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8af/mary-lou-williams-35256_balls_one-way-and-another-i-was-having-a-ball_702621.png) > “One way and another I was having a ball - playing gigs, jamming and listening to fine musicians. Then came a crisis at home. My stepfather fell sick, and it meant I had to support the family.” [Mary Lou Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She balanced a vibrant music career with family responsibilities, showing resilience amid personal crisis. **In simple terms:** She kept playing music despite family challenges. Key Takeaway Maintain passion while handling duties. Themes music family resilience Mood determined empathetic Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - touring - family caregiving - financial support - health emergencies Key Concepts career personal sacrifice creativity Questions to Reflect On - What strategies help you juggle passion and duty? - How can support networks aid artists in crisis? A Different Perspective Balancing art and family can strain mental health and finances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Balls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balls/) [Came Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/came-crisis-2819716/) [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Fell Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fell-sick-4620484/) [Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine/) [Gigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gigs/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Home Stepfather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home-stepfather-5559296/) [Listening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listening/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) [Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sick/) [Stepfather Fell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stepfather-fell-5559295/) [Stepfathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stepfathers/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Support Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support-family/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [“I was alone alright. 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I was constantly losing my parents, losing my home, constantly moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-gray/as-a-child-i-had-dealt-with-a-lot-of-loss-and-grief-i-was-constantly/) [Erin Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-gray/) > [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/) > [If you look up 'Intelligence' in the new volumes of the Encyclopeadia Britannica, you'll find it classified under the following three heads: Intelligence, Human;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/if-you-look-up-intelligence-in-the-new-volumes-of-the-encyclopeadia/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [We got latched together and I was hoping you could separate us? (Amanda) They were made by your stepfather. Any chance you have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/we-got-latched-together-and-i-was-hoping-you-could-separate-us-amanda/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) ## More by Mary Lou Williams > [I wonder what an agent would do if he had to travel with the band he's booking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-williams/i-wonder-what-an-agent-would-do-if-he-had-to-travel-with-the-band-he/) [Mary Lou Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-williams/) > [Anything you are shows up in your music - jazz is whatever you are, playing yourself, being yourself, letting your thoughts come through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-williams/anything-you-are-shows-up-in-your-music-jazz-is-whatever-you-are/) [Mary Lou Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-williams/) > [Quite a few musicians came to our house. 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For most dates I was paid the sum of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-williams/offers-for-me-to-play-dances-society-parties-even-churches-were-now/) [Mary Lou Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-williams/) > [If you work on your talent, the plans will fall in automatically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-williams/if-you-work-on-your-talent-the-plans-will-fall-in-automatically/) [Mary Lou Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-williams/) > [During the years I was with Andy Kirk we starved almost. I remember not eating for practically a month several times. But we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-williams/during-the-years-i-was-with-andy-kirk-we-starved-almost-i-remember/) [Mary Lou Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-williams/) > [Within a few hours I had them off, was about ready to play the shows. 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