--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We usually got up at five o’clock. For…" description: "\"“We usually got up at five o’clock. For breakfast, we ate Chinese cabbage that we grew in our garden. It was boiled in water and thickened with cornsta..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e1/masaji-ishikawa-5495_asking-for-help_we-usually-got-up-at-five-o-clock-for-br_3214841.jpg" --- # We usually got up at five o’clock. For breakfast, we ate… ![“We usually got up at five o’clock. For breakfast, we ate Chinese cabbage that we grew in our garden. It was boiled in water and thickened with cornstarch. Sounds pretty ghastly, right? It was. But if we could get down a bowlful of the stuff, it made our stomachs feel full. My father used to leave…” quote by Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e1/masaji-ishikawa-5495_asking-for-help_we-usually-got-up-at-five-o-clock-for-br_3214841.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e1/masaji-ishikawa-5495_asking-for-help_we-usually-got-up-at-five-o-clock-for-br_3214841.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e1/masaji-ishikawa-5495_asking-for-help_we-usually-got-up-at-five-o-clock-for-br_3214841.jpg) > ““We usually got up at five o’clock. For breakfast, we ate Chinese cabbage that we grew in our garden. It was boiled in water and thickened with cornstarch. Sounds pretty ghastly, right? It was. But if we could get down a bowlful of the stuff, it made our stomachs feel full. My father used to leave the house first. Then I’d carry my son off to try to find someone who could breast-feed him. I’d go from house to house, asking for help. I couldn’t pay anything, so all I could do was hope to find some kindhearted soul.”” [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes humble survival through gardening, simple meals, and community help during hardship. **In simple terms:** Survival through simple food and kindness. Key Takeaway Seek community support in tough times. Themes survival community humility Mood hopeful reflective Type memoir inspirational When to use this quote - poverty - family - garden - neighbor assistance Key Concepts sociology resilience Questions to Reflect On - What resources could improve such lives? - How does community aid change outcomes? A Different Perspective May romanticize hardship, ignoring systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asking for help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking-for-help/) [Ate Chinese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ate-chinese-6020995/) [Breakfast Ate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakfast-ate-483437/) [Cabbage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cabbage/) [Cabbage Grew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cabbage-grew-6020994/) [Chinese Cabbage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chinese-cabbage-6020996/) ## Related quotes > [“I made him ricotta pancakes with pecan syrup for breakfast. And he ate them, knowing he’d be dumping me right afterward. What kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-made-him-ricotta-pancakes-with-pecan-syrup-for-breakfast-and-he-ate/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I remember playing a high school basketball game where I didn't eat anything for breakfast. I ate, you know, like a PB and J…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-luck/i-remember-playing-a-high-school-basketball-game-where-i-didn-t-eat/) [Andrew Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-luck/) > [“Asking for help does not mean that we are weak or incompetent. It usually indicates an advanced level of honesty and intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-wilson-schaef/asking-for-help-does-not-mean-that-we-are-weak-or-incompetent-it/) [Anne Wilson Schaef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-wilson-schaef/) > [“ The History of Social Anxiety The fact that some people are shyer than others has been observed since ancient times. However, the medical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-moehn/the-history-of-social-anxiety-the-fact-that-some-people-are-shyer/) [Heather Moehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-moehn/) > [“One common thing about great achievers is that, they keep asking useful questions every day. They ask questions like; “What do I want and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/one-common-thing-about-great-achievers-is-that-they-keep-asking/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“by asking for help, you’re creating an opportunity for them to express their values and feel valued. By asking for a five-minute favor, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/by-asking-for-help-you-re-creating-an-opportunity-for-them-to-express/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [My hope is that Unbreakable will inspire women to believe in themselves, to value themselves and to know that asking for help does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-leigh-nel-peters/my-hope-is-that-unbreakable-will-inspire-women-to-believe-in/) [Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-leigh-nel-peters/) > [Needing help doesn't make you weak, in fact quite the opposite. It makes you strong, smart, resourceful, and realistic. Being prideful is a weakness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/needing-help-doesn-t-make-you-weak-in-fact-quite-the-opposite-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One of the biggest defects in life is the inability to ask for help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/one-of-the-biggest-defects-in-life-is-the-inability-to-ask-for-help/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Never hesitate to show your own staff that you need help. They need to be reminded how important they are to the process. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgette-mosbacher/never-hesitate-to-show-your-own-staff-that-you-need-help-they-need-to/) [Georgette Mosbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgette-mosbacher/) > [“By seeking out a therapist, social worker, or even just someone to talk to who isn't family or friends, will help a great deal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-corter/by-seeking-out-a-therapist-social-worker-or-even-just-someone-to-talk/) [Jennifer Corter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-corter/) > [“The only mistake you can make is not asking for help.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandeep-jauhar/the-only-mistake-you-can-make-is-not-asking-for-help/) [Sandeep Jauhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandeep-jauhar/) > [I find it strange that when you call some and your asking for help in some way they will often end the call with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/i-find-it-strange-that-when-you-call-some-and-your-asking-for-help-in/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [My main goal was to not tell my mom anything or anyone anything. Even within our family, we like to do it ourselves, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-hervey/my-main-goal-was-to-not-tell-my-mom-anything-or-anyone-anything-even/) [Jillian Hervey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-hervey/) > [“ Fear of Asking for Help If you have social anxiety, it is probably very difficult to ask a teacher or classmate for help.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-moehn/fear-of-asking-for-help-if-you-have-social-anxiety-it-is-probably/) [Heather Moehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-moehn/) ## More by Masaji Ishikawa > [“People came to our house from far and wide. Party and military bigwigs, some guy known as the “combat commander,” the village headman, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/people-came-to-our-house-from-far-and-wide-party-and-military-bigwigs/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“This was laughable, of course, but that’s always the way with totalitarian regimes. Language gets turned on its head. Serfdom is freedom. Repression is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/this-was-laughable-of-course-but-that-s-always-the-way-with/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“I was amazed we’d got through the checkpoint so easily. I couldn’t help asking about it. “Well, these soldiers, you see . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/i-was-amazed-we-d-got-through-the-checkpoint-so-easily-i-couldn-t/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“My family was poor, but my childhood days in Mizonokuchi were the happiest of my life. Even now, when I think about my hometown,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/my-family-was-poor-but-my-childhood-days-in-mizonokuchi-were-the/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“People ridiculed me. “What on earth are you doing?” they asked. “Why are you working so hard?” They didn’t understand that driving that tractor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/people-ridiculed-me-what-on-earth-are-you-doing-they-asked-why-are/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“I mean, this was the second half of the twentieth century, for pity’s sake, and they still saw communism as the road to utopia.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/i-mean-this-was-the-second-half-of-the-twentieth-century-for-pity-s/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“But the reality hit home late that night. I had a wife. And now two children. And however hard I worked, I would always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/but-the-reality-hit-home-late-that-night-i-had-a-wife-and-now-two/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“So we became masters at faking it. Everyone did. To do anything else could have gotten us killed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/so-we-became-masters-at-faking-it-everyone-did-to-do-anything-else/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“I still hope to rescue my remaining children. It is a terrible curse to not even know if they are still alive. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/i-still-hope-to-rescue-my-remaining-children-it-is-a-terrible-curse/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“But that’s the trouble with propaganda. It constantly contradicts itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/but-that-s-the-trouble-with-propaganda-it-constantly-contradicts/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“The consul was at a loss for words the first time he set eyes on me. “My God! How could they treat you like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/the-consul-was-at-a-loss-for-words-the-first-time-he-set-eyes-on-me/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“We were nothing but a bunch of ravenous ghosts. The barely living dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/we-were-nothing-but-a-bunch-of-ravenous-ghosts-the-barely-living-dead/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“Did the International Committee of the Red Cross know anything about this? Did the United States? The UN? Yes, yes, and yes. And what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/did-the-international-committee-of-the-red-cross-know-anything-about/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“When we got back to our house, the villagers who’d had helped carry her coffin as far as the mountainside were there, partaking enthusiastically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/when-we-got-back-to-our-house-the-villagers-who-d-had-helped-carry/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [“Much later, I checked out the Ten Commandments of the Abrahamic religions. You know how many of them contain a reference to God? About…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/much-later-i-checked-out-the-ten-commandments-of-the-abrahamic/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) [Explore all 100 Masaji Ishikawa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) ## More Asking for help quotes > [“ Fear of Asking for Help If you have social anxiety, it is probably very difficult to ask a teacher or classmate for help.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-moehn/fear-of-asking-for-help-if-you-have-social-anxiety-it-is-probably/) [Heather Moehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-moehn/) > [My main goal was to not tell my mom anything or anyone anything. Even within our family, we like to do it ourselves, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-hervey/my-main-goal-was-to-not-tell-my-mom-anything-or-anyone-anything-even/) [Jillian Hervey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-hervey/) > [I find it strange that when you call some and your asking for help in some way they will often end the call with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/i-find-it-strange-that-when-you-call-some-and-your-asking-for-help-in/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [“The only mistake you can make is not asking for help.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandeep-jauhar/the-only-mistake-you-can-make-is-not-asking-for-help/) [Sandeep Jauhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandeep-jauhar/) > [“By seeking out a therapist, social worker, or even just someone to talk to who isn't family or friends, will help a great deal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-corter/by-seeking-out-a-therapist-social-worker-or-even-just-someone-to-talk/) [Jennifer Corter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-corter/) > [Never hesitate to show your own staff that you need help. They need to be reminded how important they are to the process. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgette-mosbacher/never-hesitate-to-show-your-own-staff-that-you-need-help-they-need-to/) [Georgette Mosbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgette-mosbacher/) > [One of the biggest defects in life is the inability to ask for help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/one-of-the-biggest-defects-in-life-is-the-inability-to-ask-for-help/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Needing help doesn't make you weak, in fact quite the opposite. It makes you strong, smart, resourceful, and realistic. Being prideful is a weakness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/needing-help-doesn-t-make-you-weak-in-fact-quite-the-opposite-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My hope is that Unbreakable will inspire women to believe in themselves, to value themselves and to know that asking for help does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-leigh-nel-peters/my-hope-is-that-unbreakable-will-inspire-women-to-believe-in/) [Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-leigh-nel-peters/) > [“by asking for help, you’re creating an opportunity for them to express their values and feel valued. By asking for a five-minute favor, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/by-asking-for-help-you-re-creating-an-opportunity-for-them-to-express/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [“One common thing about great achievers is that, they keep asking useful questions every day. They ask questions like; “What do I want and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/one-common-thing-about-great-achievers-is-that-they-keep-asking/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“ The History of Social Anxiety The fact that some people are shyer than others has been observed since ancient times. However, the medical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-moehn/the-history-of-social-anxiety-the-fact-that-some-people-are-shyer/) [Heather Moehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-moehn/) > [“Asking for help does not mean that we are weak or incompetent. It usually indicates an advanced level of honesty and intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-wilson-schaef/asking-for-help-does-not-mean-that-we-are-weak-or-incompetent-it/) [Anne Wilson Schaef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-wilson-schaef/) > [“Asking for help is an affirmation that you believe in yourself, you recognize an answer is available, and you are open to receive it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cohen/asking-for-help-is-an-affirmation-that-you-believe-in-yourself-you/) [Alan Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cohen/) > [It's never easy asking for help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-blumenthal/it-s-never-easy-asking-for-help/) [Neil Blumenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-blumenthal/) [Browse all 107 Asking for help quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking-for-help/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We usually got up at five o’clock. 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