--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole…" description: "\"I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole design and shape I do not know. Nevertheless, with what I have - I can reflect light into the dark places of th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/699/robert-fulghum-1807_black_i-am-a-fragment-of-a-mirror-whose-whole_860489.jpg" --- # I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole design and shape I… ![“I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole design and shape I do not know. Nevertheless, with what I have - I can reflect light into the dark places of this world - into the black places in the hearts of men - and change somethings in some people. Perhaps others may see and do likewise. This is what…” quote by Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/699/robert-fulghum-1807_black_i-am-a-fragment-of-a-mirror-whose-whole_860489.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/699/robert-fulghum-1807_black_i-am-a-fragment-of-a-mirror-whose-whole_860489.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/699/robert-fulghum-1807_black_i-am-a-fragment-of-a-mirror-whose-whole_860489.jpg) > “I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole design and shape I do not know. Nevertheless, with what I have - I can reflect light into the dark places of this world - into the black places in the hearts of men - and change somethings in some people. Perhaps others may see and do likewise. This is what I am about. This is the meaning of my life.” [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A person can use their limited abilities to bring light into darkness, influencing others positively. **In simple terms:** Use what you have to help others. Key Takeaway Share your light. Themes purpose influence compassion Mood hopeful reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - volunteering - mentoring - creative expression Key Concepts self‑efficacy altruism Questions to Reflect On - How can you maximize influence with little? - What darkness can you illuminate? A Different Perspective Limited resources may restrict impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Dark place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-place/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Fragment Mirror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fragment-mirror-847725/) [Fragments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fragments/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Meaning life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning-life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mirror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirror/) [Mirror Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirror-design-847726/) [Mirrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirrors/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reflect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reflect/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [This world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [All comedy comes from a dark place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katt-williams/all-comedy-comes-from-a-dark-place/) [Katt Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katt-williams/) > [The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-world-is-indeed-full-of-peril-and-in-it-there-are-many-dark/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Yes, for every child, rich or poor, there's a time of running through a dark place; and there's no word for a child's fear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agee/yes-for-every-child-rich-or-poor-there-s-a-time-of-running-through-a/) [James Agee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agee/) > [“Don’t be afraid of your dark places,” Mom told her. “If you can shine a light on them, you’ll find treasure there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/don-t-be-afraid-of-your-dark-places-mom-told-her-if-you-can-shine-a/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > ['This will pass and it always does.' 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There are no granite tombs or crumbling concrete, just a sun-washed treeless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-caldwell-crosby/in-the-middle-of-the-cemetery-is-a-grassy-plane-strangely-vacant/) [Molly Caldwell Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-caldwell-crosby/) > [“I see now that when Norma flowered in our garden I became a weed, allowed to exist only where I would not be seen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-keyes/i-see-now-that-when-norma-flowered-in-our-garden-i-became-a-weed/) [Daniel Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-keyes/) > [“Hope brings light into dark places.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/hope-brings-light-into-dark-places/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Social media has become a dark place, and the sites need to clean up their act if they want people to keep using them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-reid/social-media-has-become-a-dark-place-and-the-sites-need-to-clean-up/) [Susanna Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-reid/) > [All I would say is that when I've been very down or having kind of a tough time in my life, certain films or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-friend/all-i-would-say-is-that-when-i-ve-been-very-down-or-having-kind-of-a/) [Rupert Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-friend/) ## More by Robert Fulghum > [to understand our love they'd have to turn the world upside down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/to-understand-our-love-they-d-have-to-turn-the-world-upside-down/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/what-does-it-profit-a-man-if-he-gains-the-whole-world-and-loses-his/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [“Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will break our hearts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/sticks-and-stones-may-break-our-bones-but-words-will-break-our-hearts/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [Life is. I am. Anything might happen. And I believe I may invest my life with meaning. The uncertainty is a blessing in disguise.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/life-is-i-am-anything-might-happen-and-i-believe-i-may-invest-my-life/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [Weddings seem to be magnets for mishap and for whatever craziness lurks in family closets. In more ways than one, weddings bring out the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/weddings-seem-to-be-magnets-for-mishap-and-for-whatever-craziness/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [I don't think there is a hidden purpose to the universe that you have to puzzle out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/i-don-t-think-there-is-a-hidden-purpose-to-the-universe-that-you-have/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [The name is not important anymore - it's the tone that counts. I feel like an old dog I know. He will come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/the-name-is-not-important-anymore-it-s-the-tone-that-counts-i-feel/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [“Nobody goes "AAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" when they sing it. Maybe because it puts the life adventure in such clear and simple terms. The small creature is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/nobody-goes-aaaaaaagggggggghhhhhhhhh-when-they-sing-it-maybe-because/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there at the sandpile at Sunday School.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/wisdom-was-not-at-the-top-of-the-graduate-school-mountain-but-there/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [You are free to give life meaning, whatever meaning you want to give it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/you-are-free-to-give-life-meaning-whatever-meaning-you-want-to-give-it/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [If we could just figure out how to have more fun at it, maybe more of us would join the ranks of those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/if-we-could-just-figure-out-how-to-have-more-fun-at-it-maybe-more-of/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [Sometimes during the day, I consciously focus on some ordinary object and allow myself a momentary "paying-attention." This paying-attention gives meaning to my life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/sometimes-during-the-day-i-consciously-focus-on-some-ordinary-object/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [All I ever needed to know I learned in kindergarten. Share everything ... Don't hit people ... Clean up your own mess ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/all-i-ever-needed-to-know-i-learned-in-kindergarten-share-everything/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [No. I was an only child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/no-i-was-an-only-child/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [You feel like an ant contemplating Chicago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/you-feel-like-an-ant-contemplating-chicago/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) [Explore all 206 Robert Fulghum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) [Frank B. 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I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. 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