--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They said if I stayed in the orphanage…" description: "\"They said if I stayed in the orphanage for another month or so, I basically would not have been able to be alive.\" — Oksana Masters" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/oksana-masters-11971_alive_they-said-if-i-stayed-in-the-orphanage-f_2441665.jpg" --- # They said if I stayed in the orphanage for another month… ![“They said if I stayed in the orphanage for another month or so, I basically would not have been able to be alive.” quote by Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/oksana-masters-11971_alive_they-said-if-i-stayed-in-the-orphanage-f_2441665.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/oksana-masters-11971_alive_they-said-if-i-stayed-in-the-orphanage-f_2441665.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/oksana-masters-11971_alive_they-said-if-i-stayed-in-the-orphanage-f_2441665.jpg) > “They said if I stayed in the orphanage for another month or so, I basically would not have been able to be alive.” [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Surviving a harsh childhood required escaping a dangerous environment to stay alive. **In simple terms:** Escaping danger was essential for survival. Key Takeaway Recognize when a situation threatens your life and act. Themes survival resilience adversity Mood determined hopeful Type personal reflective When to use this quote - leaving abusive homes - seeking safe shelters - making life‑changing decisions Key Concepts psychological trauma protective instincts risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - What signs indicated staying was unsafe? - How can societies better protect vulnerable children? A Different Perspective The quote may oversimplify complex systemic issues that keep children in orphanages. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Another](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/another/) [Basically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basically/) [Month](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/month/) [Month Basically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/month-basically-492734/) [Orphanage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orphanage/) [Orphanage Month](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orphanage-month-492733/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Stayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stayed/) [Stayed Orphanage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stayed-orphanage-492732/) ## Related quotes > [Growing up in a very poor orphanage in Ukraine, there wasn't much food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/growing-up-in-a-very-poor-orphanage-in-ukraine-there-wasn-t-much-food/) [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) > [My mom literally saved my life. I wasn't supposed to make it out of the orphanage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/my-mom-literally-saved-my-life-i-wasn-t-supposed-to-make-it-out-of/) [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) > [It was honestly like 'Annie.' One day I was alone in a cold, dark Eastern European orphanage, and then the next day I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/it-was-honestly-like-annie-one-day-i-was-alone-in-a-cold-dark-eastern/) [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) > [My objection to the church isn't that the preachers are cruel, hypocritical, actually wicked, though some of them are that, too - think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/my-objection-to-the-church-isn-t-that-the-preachers-are-cruel/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [“I reached down and picked up a baseball bat at my feet and I flung it as hard as it could. It circled and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-anderson-kurk/i-reached-down-and-picked-up-a-baseball-bat-at-my-feet-and-i-flung-it/) [Laura Anderson Kurk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-anderson-kurk/) > [My father took me back home, back to Greenwich Village, and he thought by taking me out of the orphanage he'd be out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-corso/my-father-took-me-back-home-back-to-greenwich-village-and-he-thought/) [Gregory Corso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-corso/) > [I feel like everybody needs to take a sabbatical and go to Russia and Africa and work in orphanages and really witness true suffering.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/i-feel-like-everybody-needs-to-take-a-sabbatical-and-go-to-russia-and/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [We talk about orphanages, we talk about their countries and differences, and it’s a source of excitement and pride. I’ve heard Maddox explain to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/we-talk-about-orphanages-we-talk-about-their-countries-and/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [“Edward had used work and accomplishments throughout his life to keep the misery at bay. He’d endured so much heartache in the first eighteen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-decker/edward-had-used-work-and-accomplishments-throughout-his-life-to-keep/) [Steven Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-decker/) > [The earth is a great big orphanage for most animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-roberts/the-earth-is-a-great-big-orphanage-for-most-animals/) [Eric Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-roberts/) > [My favorite of my books is DAVE AT NIGHT, because it's loosely based on my father's childhood in an orphanage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-carson-levine/my-favorite-of-my-books-is-dave-at-night-because-it-s-loosely-based/) [Gail Carson Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-carson-levine/) > [I didn't pay much attention to the whistles and whoops, in fact, I didn't quite hear them. I was full of a strange feeling,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/i-didn-t-pay-much-attention-to-the-whistles-and-whoops-in-fact-i-didn/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [With all the chaos, pain and suffering in the world, the fact that my adoption of a child from who was living in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/with-all-the-chaos-pain-and-suffering-in-the-world-the-fact-that-my/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [Even when I was in the orphanage, when I was roaming the street trying to find enough to eat, even then I thought of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-chaplin/even-when-i-was-in-the-orphanage-when-i-was-roaming-the-street-trying/) [Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-chaplin/) > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) ## More by Oksana Masters > [It's hard to understand the athlete's lifestyle. You literally eat, sleep, train. You go to training camps in the winter where there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/it-s-hard-to-understand-the-athlete-s-lifestyle-you-literally-eat/) [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) > [Time trialing is one of those things that you've got to train for... Being a new rider, it's still really hard for me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/time-trialing-is-one-of-those-things-that-you-ve-got-to-train-for/) [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) > [With cycling, I can still be active and compete, and ultimately, that's what I love to do, to be competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/with-cycling-i-can-still-be-active-and-compete-and-ultimately-that-s/) [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) > [I was born with legs, but they were so deformed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/i-was-born-with-legs-but-they-were-so-deformed/) [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) > [I wear my prosthetics legs every day, and when I train in the gym, I call them my Lamborghini, because both legs and sockets,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/i-wear-my-prosthetics-legs-every-day-and-when-i-train-in-the-gym-i/) [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) > [You don't get any second chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/you-don-t-get-any-second-chances/) [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) > [I never in a million years thought I would be able to be a Paralympic athlete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/i-never-in-a-million-years-thought-i-would-be-able-to-be-a-paralympic/) [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) > [I never thought I'd be able to go back to Ukraine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/i-never-thought-i-d-be-able-to-go-back-to-ukraine/) [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) > [I definitely went through a period where I don't want to say I hated myself, but I hated what I saw in the mirror.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/i-definitely-went-through-a-period-where-i-don-t-want-to-say-i-hated/) [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) > [In 2012, I was invited to a ski event called the Hartford Ski Spectacular to learn how to sit-ski for the first time. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/in-2012-i-was-invited-to-a-ski-event-called-the-hartford-ski/) [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) > [I was a troublemaker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/i-was-a-troublemaker/) [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) > [It's extremely important for my sit ski to be perfectly fit to me. If it's too big, and I shift around, the energy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/it-s-extremely-important-for-my-sit-ski-to-be-perfectly-fit-to-me-if/) [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) > [That's what I'm focused on, having that perfect race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/that-s-what-i-m-focused-on-having-that-perfect-race/) [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) > [I like to keep my hair and makeup routines easy and simple on race days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/i-like-to-keep-my-hair-and-makeup-routines-easy-and-simple-on-race/) [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) > [I usually like to keep my hair and makeup routines pretty simple after I work out but always need a little bit of mascara…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/i-usually-like-to-keep-my-hair-and-makeup-routines-pretty-simple/) [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) [Explore all 57 Oksana Masters quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They said if I stayed in the orphanage for another month or so, I basically would not have been able to be alive.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oksana Masters" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/they-said-if-i-stayed-in-the-orphanage-for-another-month-or-so-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/they-said-if-i-stayed-in-the-orphanage-for-another-month-or-so-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/oksana-masters-11971_alive_they-said-if-i-stayed-in-the-orphanage-f_2441665.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/oksana-masters-11971_alive_they-said-if-i-stayed-in-the-orphanage-f_2441665.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/oksana-masters-11971_alive_they-said-if-i-stayed-in-the-orphanage-f_2441665.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They said if I stayed in the orphanage for another month or so, I basically would not have been able to be…” — Oksana Masters", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Oksana Masters", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "They said if I stayed in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/they-said-if-i-stayed-in-the-orphanage-for-another-month-or-so-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/they-said-if-i-stayed-in-the-orphanage-for-another-month-or-so-i/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```