--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was ten years old, and I was still…" description: "\"“I was ten years old, and I was still playing conkers and knocking off sweet shops while she was sitting on the linoleum floor of her cell sawing at he..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/neil-gaiman-29_broken-glass_i-was-ten-years-old-and-i-was-still-play_1824561.jpg" --- # I was ten years old, and I was still playing conkers and… ![“I was ten years old, and I was still playing conkers and knocking off sweet shops while she was sitting on the linoleum floor of her cell sawing at her wrists with a bit of broken glass she'd got from heaven-knows-were. Cut her fingers up, too, but she did it all right. They found her in the…” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/neil-gaiman-29_broken-glass_i-was-ten-years-old-and-i-was-still-play_1824561.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/neil-gaiman-29_broken-glass_i-was-ten-years-old-and-i-was-still-play_1824561.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/neil-gaiman-29_broken-glass_i-was-ten-years-old-and-i-was-still-play_1824561.jpg) > ““I was ten years old, and I was still playing conkers and knocking off sweet shops while she was sitting on the linoleum floor of her cell sawing at her wrists with a bit of broken glass she'd got from heaven-knows-were. Cut her fingers up, too, but she did it all right. They found her in the morning, sticky, red, and cold.”” [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A harrowing scene depicts a girl’s self‑harm amid neglect, highlighting trauma and societal failure. **In simple terms:** A girl suffers self‑harm in a neglected environment. Key Takeaway Recognize signs of trauma and intervene early. Themes trauma neglect mental health violence Mood somber urgent Type warning narrative When to use this quote - social work - counseling - school awareness programs - community support Key Concepts psychological distress social failure child welfare Questions to Reflect On - What community resources can prevent such tragedies? - How can we better support at‑risk youth? A Different Perspective Complex trauma often stems from systemic neglect, not just individual choice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“She moved her hand and let it rest against his. He did not withdraw his fingers and he did not pretend indifference. 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I didn't think my heart could break any more than it already has. The pieces still inside of me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-ward/what-do-i-do-now-i-didn-t-think-my-heart-could-break-any-more-than-it/) [H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) > [Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on the broken glass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/don-t-tell-me-the-moon-is-shining-show-me-the-glint-of-light-on-the/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) ## More by Neil Gaiman > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. For some days the needle had been over in the red, occasionally banging jerkily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/like-all-sentient-beings-fat-charlie-had-a-weirdness-quotient-for/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Shadow crawled across the floor to the yellow foam-rubber pad and climbed onto it, pulling the thin blanket over himself, and closed his eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-crawled-across-the-floor-to-the-yellow-foam-rubber-pad-and/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [ “\[T\]hey could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/t-hey-could-not-help-being-amused-every-time-another-little-human/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [So many things to see, people to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/so-many-things-to-see-people-to-do/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/) [neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More Broken glass quotes > [“What do I do now? I didn't think my heart could break any more than it already has. The pieces still inside of me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-m-ward/what-do-i-do-now-i-didn-t-think-my-heart-could-break-any-more-than-it/) [H.M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-m-ward/) > [“Ready for the cheap escape On the brink of self destruction Widespread panic Broken glass inside my head Bleeding down these thoughts ~”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-gambhir/ready-for-the-cheap-escape-on-the-brink-of-self-destruction/) [Tanya Gambhir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-gambhir/) > [“The trouble with rules, though, is that you'll always be tempted to break one- for the right reasons, due to unavoidable circumstances, because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kade/the-trouble-with-rules-though-is-that-you-ll-always-be-tempted-to/) [Stacey Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kade/) > [The universe always moves from an ordered state to a disordered one; that a glass may fall to the ground and shatter yet you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/the-universe-always-moves-from-an-ordered-state-to-a-disordered-one/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [Alcohol whipped me. Alcohol and I had many, many marvelous times together. We laughed, we talked, we danced at the party together; then one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-crews/alcohol-whipped-me-alcohol-and-i-had-many-many-marvelous-times/) [Harry Crews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-crews/) > [I wake up just like every other day with a fake smile on my face trying to brighten other peoples day but at night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wake-up-just-like-every-other-day-with-a-fake-smile-on-my-face/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on the broken glass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/don-t-tell-me-the-moon-is-shining-show-me-the-glint-of-light-on-the/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [“We heard the Sermon on the Mount and I knew it was too complex, It didn't amount to anything more than what the broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/we-heard-the-sermon-on-the-mount-and-i-knew-it-was-too-complex-it/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [As it enters the ear, does it come in like broken glass, or does it come in like honey?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-condon/as-it-enters-the-ear-does-it-come-in-like-broken-glass-or-does-it/) [Eddie Condon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-condon/) > [“Dear Mr. Weston, Hello again. We were beginning to wonder what had happened to you. I guess things have been pretty quiet since the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/dear-mr-weston-hello-again-we-were-beginning-to-wonder-what-had/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“Amory had loved himself in Eleanor, so now what he hated was only a mirror. Their poses were strewn about the pale dawn like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/amory-had-loved-himself-in-eleanor-so-now-what-he-hated-was-only-a/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club. Jack London. My favorite quote. : ) Don't tell me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggi-allder/you-can-t-wait-for-inspiration-you-have-to-go-after-it-with-a-club/) Reggi Allder > [“Come on," he says. "And try to avoid the broken glass. Can't have you going to the nurse and meeting some other guy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-hathaway/come-on-he-says-and-try-to-avoid-the-broken-glass-can-t-have-you/) [Jill Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-hathaway/) > [“Afghan Girl Ice blue eyes that look to the morning sky as I knit the pieces and remnants of my life. I have No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-stewart/afghan-girl-ice-blue-eyes-that-look-to-the-morning-sky-as-i-knit-the/) [Edna Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-stewart/) > [“There was a low growling sound and the Munstermobile came gliding up out of the parking garage, dripping water from its gleaming surface like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/there-was-a-low-growling-sound-and-the-munstermobile-came-gliding-up/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) Browse all 217 Broken glass quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I was ten years old, and I was still playing conkers and knocking off sweet shops while she was sitting on the linoleum floor of her cell sawing at her wrists with a bit of broken glass she'd got from heaven-knows-were. Cut her fingers up, too, but she did it all right. 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