--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I watched her with the crab as she…" description: "\"“I watched her with the crab as she ignored all my admonitions that the poor crab just needed to be set free if he was to have any chance of surviving...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/melanie-shankle-30196_freedom_i-watched-her-with-the-crab-as-she-ignor_1367907.jpg" --- # I watched her with the crab as she ignored all my… ![“I watched her with the crab as she ignored all my admonitions that the poor crab just needed to be set free if he was to have any chance of surviving. And God showed up there on that beach to teach me a lesson. Nothing survives when it's being smothered. Life, real life, requires being free to…” quote by Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/melanie-shankle-30196_freedom_i-watched-her-with-the-crab-as-she-ignor_1367907.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/melanie-shankle-30196_freedom_i-watched-her-with-the-crab-as-she-ignor_1367907.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/melanie-shankle-30196_freedom_i-watched-her-with-the-crab-as-she-ignor_1367907.jpg) > ““I watched her with the crab as she ignored all my admonitions that the poor crab just needed to be set free if he was to have any chance of surviving. And God showed up there on that beach to teach me a lesson. Nothing survives when it's being smothered. Life, real life, requires being free to move about in the great big ocean, not being cradled in little hot hands that will stifle independence and creativity. We can't keep our crabs (or our kids) in a bucket and expect them to go far in life.”” [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The anecdote illustrates that overprotectiveness stifles growth; freedom is essential for thriving. **In simple terms:** Overprotecting limits growth; freedom nurtures life. Key Takeaway Allow independence to flourish. Themes freedom growth parenting creativity Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - parenting - education - creative pursuits - team management Key Concepts psychology metaphor Questions to Reflect On - How much guidance is healthy? - When does protection become smothering? A Different Perspective Too much freedom can lead to neglect of guidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crab Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crab-just-4702909/) [Crabs Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crabs-kids-4702907/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Letting go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letting-go/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Motherhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motherhood/) [Poor Crab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-crab-4702908/) [Real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-life/) [Set free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/set-free/) [Surviving God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surviving-god-4702910/) [Watched Crab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watched-crab-4702906/) ## Related quotes > [Have you ever watched a crab on the shore crawling backward in search of the Atlantic Ocean, and missing? That's the way the mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/have-you-ever-watched-a-crab-on-the-shore-crawling-backward-in-search/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“She opened her eyes slowly and saw that a pale lavender moth had come to a rest on the back of her hand. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-addison-allen/she-opened-her-eyes-slowly-and-saw-that-a-pale-lavender-moth-had-come/) [Sarah Addison Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-addison-allen/) > [“we are set free from all the illusions we fostered for so many years of our life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-wencel/we-are-set-free-from-all-the-illusions-we-fostered-for-so-many-years/) [Cornelius Wencel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-wencel/) > [“Then you know Prometheus was rescued in the end. His chains were broken, and he was finally set free." The old man squinted one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-selznick/then-you-know-prometheus-was-rescued-in-the-end-his-chains-were/) [Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-selznick/) > [Narcissus does not fall in love with his reflection because it is beautiful, but because it is his. If it were his beauty that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/narcissus-does-not-fall-in-love-with-his-reflection-because-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Should I really set her free, and free myself too of the fear - the fear of missing her, forever? Is that what my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prashant-chopra/should-i-really-set-her-free-and-free-myself-too-of-the-fear-the-fear/) [Prashant Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prashant-chopra/) > [When I started this song I was still thirty-three The age that Mozart died and sweet Jesus was set free Keats and Shelley too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-chapin/when-i-started-this-song-i-was-still-thirty-three-the-age-that-mozart/) [Harry Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-chapin/) > [“A conviction, unformulated but strong, rose to the working level of her mind - that painting did something more important for Nicholas than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-bridge/a-conviction-unformulated-but-strong-rose-to-the-working-level-of-her/) [Ann Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-bridge/) > [“To say to the slave who has not been emancipated 'Do not behave as a slave' is to mock his enslavement. But to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-murray/to-say-to-the-slave-who-has-not-been-emancipated-do-not-behave-as-a/) [John Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-murray/) > [How can I set free anyone who doesn't have the guts to stand up alone and declare his own freedom? I think it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/how-can-i-set-free-anyone-who-doesn-t-have-the-guts-to-stand-up-alone/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/) > [“As has been said, the truth will set you free - but first it will make you miserable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-watts/as-has-been-said-the-truth-will-set-you-free-but-first-it-will-make/) [Malcolm Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-watts/) > [Forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free and realizing you were the prisoner!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forgiveness-is-unlocking-the-door-to-set-someone-free-and-realizing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The truth alone will not set you free, but holding on to the truth in the face of the lie, over and over again,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-reimer/the-truth-alone-will-not-set-you-free-but-holding-on-to-the-truth-in/) [Rob Reimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-reimer/) > [“Her. Her. Her. Future breezes implore me to stay. But I'm no future. I'm no past. Only ever contemporary of this path. I'll sacrifice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/her-her-her-future-breezes-implore-me-to-stay-but-i-m-no-future-i-m/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [If you love anything set it free unless it is a tiger..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kshitij-roshan/if-you-love-anything-set-it-free-unless-it-is-a-tiger/) [Kshitij Roshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kshitij-roshan/) ## More by Melanie Shankle > [“...true success and prosperity comes when you are right where God wants you to be, doing what He wants you to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/true-success-and-prosperity-comes-when-you-are-right-where-god-wants/) [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) > [“Not one thing we've done changes that we are his. That he created us and loves us with a love more fierce and loyal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/not-one-thing-we-ve-done-changes-that-we-are-his-that-he-created-us/) [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) > [“Friends are God’s way of apologizing for your relatives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/friends-are-god-s-way-of-apologizing-for-your-relatives/) [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) > [“As a new mom, your life changes overnight. Your priorities change, you forget to brush your teeth, you aren’t sure how you’re ever going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/as-a-new-mom-your-life-changes-overnight-your-priorities-change-you/) [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) > [“I think it can be easy to settle for less than you deserve just because less is right in front of you and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/i-think-it-can-be-easy-to-settle-for-less-than-you-deserve-just/) [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) > [“But ultimately we attempted to find some middle ground because at the end of the day we love each other in spite of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/but-ultimately-we-attempted-to-find-some-middle-ground-because-at-the/) [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) > [“Real motherhood is different. It's better and it's messier and it's more complicated. It will break your heart and make you laugh harder than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/real-motherhood-is-different-it-s-better-and-it-s-messier-and-it-s/) [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) > [“Our job as mothers is to do the best we can to teach our children that life is better and friendships are richer when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/our-job-as-mothers-is-to-do-the-best-we-can-to-teach-our-children/) [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) > [“When I look back on the sixteen years Perry and I have been married, I can see the places where we've made each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/when-i-look-back-on-the-sixteen-years-perry-and-i-have-been-married-i/) [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) > [“When I look in his eyes, I don’t see perfection. I don’t see a love story that would necessarily be something people would watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/when-i-look-in-his-eyes-i-don-t-see-perfection-i-don-t-see-a-love/) [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) > [“What if we lived as though we truly believed God has given us a life without walls, that he has plans for us that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/what-if-we-lived-as-though-we-truly-believed-god-has-given-us-a-life/) [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) > [“...motherhood is the thing in a woman's life that catches her by total and complete surprise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/motherhood-is-the-thing-in-a-woman-s-life-that-catches-her-by-total/) [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) > [“I wish I would've learned earlier on to be myself and express what mattered to me and how I actually felt about things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/i-wish-i-would-ve-learned-earlier-on-to-be-myself-and-express-what/) [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) > [“God gives us these raw, little people, and we have to form them and mold them and teach them how to operate in society.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/god-gives-us-these-raw-little-people-and-we-have-to-form-them-and/) [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) > [“And you know what I realize now? That we're all waiting on something, no matter where we are in life. It's the human condition.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shankle/and-you-know-what-i-realize-now-that-we-re-all-waiting-on-something/) [Melanie Shankle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) [Explore all 17 Melanie Shankle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shankle/) ## More Freedom quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [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/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“No one was more surprised than I to realize that my newfound freedom had been purchased by giving up on eternity and settling for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jessop/no-one-was-more-surprised-than-i-to-realize-that-my-newfound-freedom/) [Carolyn Jessop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jessop/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“In any case, white people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-any-case-white-people-who-had-robbed-black-people-of-their-liberty/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [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/) > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [“It breaks my heart. Better than your words, your eye tells me all your peril. You are not yet free, you still search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-breaks-my-heart-better-than-your-words-your-eye-tells-me-all-your/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) [Browse all 30,110 Freedom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I watched her with the crab as she ignored all my admonitions that the poor crab just needed to be set free if he was to have any chance of surviving. And God showed up there on that beach to teach me a lesson. Nothing survives when it's being smothered. Life, real life, requires being free to move about in the great big ocean, not being cradled in little hot hands that will stifle independence and creativity. 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