--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: See, this is my opinion: we all start out…" description: "\"“See, this is my opinion: we all start out knowing magic. We are born with whirlwinds, forest fires, and comets inside us. We are born able to sing to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/robert-r-mccammon-14992_childhood_see-this-is-my-opinion-we-all-start-out_1933536.jpg" --- # See, this is my opinion: we all start out knowing magic… ![“See, this is my opinion: we all start out knowing magic. We are born with whirlwinds, forest fires, and comets inside us. We are born able to sing to birds and read the clouds and see our destiny in grains of sand. But then we get the magic educated right out of our souls. We get it churched out…” quote by Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/robert-r-mccammon-14992_childhood_see-this-is-my-opinion-we-all-start-out_1933536.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/robert-r-mccammon-14992_childhood_see-this-is-my-opinion-we-all-start-out_1933536.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/robert-r-mccammon-14992_childhood_see-this-is-my-opinion-we-all-start-out_1933536.jpg) > ““See, this is my opinion: we all start out knowing magic. We are born with whirlwinds, forest fires, and comets inside us. We are born able to sing to birds and read the clouds and see our destiny in grains of sand. But then we get the magic educated right out of our souls. We get it churched out, spanked out, washed out, and combed out. We get put on the straight and narrow and told to be responsible. Told to act our age. Told to grow up, for God's sake. And you know why we were told that? Because the people doing the telling were afraid of our wildness and youth, and because the magic we knew made them ashamed and sad of what they'd allowed to wither in themselves.”” [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society suppresses innate wonder and imagination, replacing it with conformity and fear of the unknown. **In simple terms:** Childhood magic is lost to adult rules. Key Takeaway Protect and nurture inner wonder. Themes creativity conformity freedom Mood nostalgic reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education reform - parenting - arts programs - mental health support Key Concepts psychology social conditioning spirituality Questions to Reflect On - What childhood wonder have you let go? - How can you balance responsibility with imagination? A Different Perspective Not all structures are oppressive; some provide safety and guidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Knowing Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing-magic-1643753/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Magic Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic-born-1579281/) [Magic Educated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic-educated-1643754/) [Magic Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic-knew-3039635/) [Youth Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth-magic-3039636/) ## Related quotes > [“You know, I do believe in magic. I was born and raised in a magic time, in a magic town, among magicians. Oh, most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/you-know-i-do-believe-in-magic-i-was-born-and-raised-in-a-magic-time/) [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) > [We all start out knowing magic. We are born with whirlwinds, forest fires, and comets inside us. We are born able to sing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/we-all-start-out-knowing-magic-we-are-born-with-whirlwinds-forest/) [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) > [“See, this is my opinion: we all start out knowing magic. We are born with whirlwinds, forest fires, and comets inside us. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/see-this-is-my-opinion-we-all-start-out-knowing-magic-we-are-born-2/) [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) > [“So confusing. It was some kind of magic, I knew that for sure, but I didn't understand the subtleties of it all. You'd have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-tash/so-confusing-it-was-some-kind-of-magic-i-knew-that-for-sure-but-i/) [Red Tash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-tash/) > [“Magic can happen in a car, a warm, intimate magic born of being in an enclosed, particular place and, simultaneously, being nowhere, passing throu.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-de-los-santos/magic-can-happen-in-a-car-a-warm-intimate-magic-born-of-being-in-an/) [Marisa de los Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisa-de-los-santos/) > [“Looking for magic? You are funny! Just look at the mirror, you are the magic! You were born as the magic of this mysterious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/looking-for-magic-you-are-funny-just-look-at-the-mirror-you-are-the/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“They’re surrounding us,” he grunted against my neck. “But they won’t go near your fire. Thanks for that, by the way. You’re not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-washington/they-re-surrounding-us-he-grunted-against-my-neck-but-they-won-t-go/) [Jane Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-washington/) > [When I got the call to guard Magic, I knew that I could cause him a lot of problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/when-i-got-the-call-to-guard-magic-i-knew-that-i-could-cause-him-a/) [Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/) > [It's a very familiar type of place where people either go to their house on the lake or they get together in different places.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/it-s-a-very-familiar-type-of-place-where-people-either-go-to-their/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [Every man remembers his childhood as a kind of mythical age, just as every nation's childhood is its mythical age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/every-man-remembers-his-childhood-as-a-kind-of-mythical-age-just-as/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [When I talk about my childhood I used to say it as if it was scripted and I'd make jokes because it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/when-i-talk-about-my-childhood-i-used-to-say-it-as-if-it-was-scripted/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [I had a rough upbringing. Group homes. Foster homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shamrock/i-had-a-rough-upbringing-group-homes-foster-homes/) [Frank Shamrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shamrock/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [“From childhood’s hour I have not been As others were—I have not seen As others saw—I could not bring My passions from a common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/from-childhood-s-hour-i-have-not-been-as-others-were-i-have-not-seen/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) ## More by Robert R. McCammon > [“There was lightning behind Mr. Sayre's eyes, and it was looking for a place to strike.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/there-was-lightning-behind-mr-sayre-s-eyes-and-it-was-looking-for-a/) [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) > [“His hair was think and curly and reddish-brown, his eyes a clear ice blue; Ramona had told him many times that she could see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/his-hair-was-think-and-curly-and-reddish-brown-his-eyes-a-clear-ice/) [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) > [“...hot shouts of neon...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/hot-shouts-of-neon/) [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) > [“The truth of life is that every year we get farther away from the essence that is born within us. We get shouldered with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/the-truth-of-life-is-that-every-year-we-get-farther-away-from-the/) [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) > [“It seemed to Billy that no matter how far you walked, you never really got to the end of things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/it-seemed-to-billy-that-no-matter-how-far-you-walked-you-never-really/) [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) > [“The sharp white steeple of the Hawthorne First Baptist Church stuck up through the leafless trees like an admonishing finger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/the-sharp-white-steeple-of-the-hawthorne-first-baptist-church-stuck/) [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) > [“I hoped she would never lock her smile away, and forget where she'd put the key.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/i-hoped-she-would-never-lock-her-smile-away-and-forget-where-she-d/) [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) > [They say that somewhere in Africa the elephants have a secret grave where they go to lie down, unburden their wrinkled gray bodies, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/they-say-that-somewhere-in-africa-the-elephants-have-a-secret-grave/) [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) > [Maybe crazy is what they call anybody who's got magic in them after they're no longer a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/maybe-crazy-is-what-they-call-anybody-who-s-got-magic-in-them-after/) [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) > [“I couldn't picture heaven. How could a place be any good at all if it didn't have the things there you enjoyed doing? If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/i-couldn-t-picture-heaven-how-could-a-place-be-any-good-at-all-if-it/) [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) > [“This was a dank, sinister chill: the chill of shadows where poison toadstools grown, their ruddy colors beckoning a child to come, come take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/this-was-a-dank-sinister-chill-the-chill-of-shadows-where-poison/) [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) > [“Put one foot forward and the other will get you to where you are going~!" Bag Lady, Swan Song”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/put-one-foot-forward-and-the-other-will-get-you-to-where-you-are/) [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) > [“Grigsby had looked at him askance. “Why is it,” he said, “that I have the distinct impression you’re not surprised by this news?” ‘Surprised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/grigsby-had-looked-at-him-askance-why-is-it-he-said-that-i-have-the/) [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) > [We all start out knowing magic. We are born with whirlwinds, forest fires, and comets inside us. We are born able to sing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/we-all-start-out-knowing-magic-we-are-born-with-whirlwinds-forest/) [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) > [“If you were my girlfriend I would give you a hundred lightning bugs in a green glass jar, so you could always see your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-mccammon/if-you-were-my-girlfriend-i-would-give-you-a-hundred-lightning-bugs/) [Robert R. McCammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) [Explore all 44 Robert R. McCammon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-r-mccammon/) ## More Childhood quotes > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [“From childhood’s hour I have not been As others were—I have not seen As others saw—I could not bring My passions from a common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/from-childhood-s-hour-i-have-not-been-as-others-were-i-have-not-seen/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [I had a rough upbringing. Group homes. Foster homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shamrock/i-had-a-rough-upbringing-group-homes-foster-homes/) [Frank Shamrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shamrock/) > [When I talk about my childhood I used to say it as if it was scripted and I'd make jokes because it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/when-i-talk-about-my-childhood-i-used-to-say-it-as-if-it-was-scripted/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [Every man remembers his childhood as a kind of mythical age, just as every nation's childhood is its mythical age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/every-man-remembers-his-childhood-as-a-kind-of-mythical-age-just-as/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [It's a very familiar type of place where people either go to their house on the lake or they get together in different places.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/it-s-a-very-familiar-type-of-place-where-people-either-go-to-their/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [Downstairs in my house, I have a museum room. I keep all of my awards down there, and childhood photos, and even all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/downstairs-in-my-house-i-have-a-museum-room-i-keep-all-of-my-awards/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [On paper, it looks rough, but I had a great childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/on-paper-it-looks-rough-but-i-had-a-great-childhood/) [Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/) > [Let positive, strong, helpful thoughts enter into your brains from very childhood. Lay yourselves open to these thoughts, and not to weakening and paralysing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/let-positive-strong-helpful-thoughts-enter-into-your-brains-from-very/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I always knew that I was kind of bored; the regular life of a child didn't fit me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-ricci/i-always-knew-that-i-was-kind-of-bored-the-regular-life-of-a-child/) [Christina Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-ricci/) > [Children are not a zoo of entertainingly exotic creatures, but an array of mirrors in which the human predicament leaps out at us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/children-are-not-a-zoo-of-entertainingly-exotic-creatures-but-an/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [I'm not sure I would have ever started to draw, let alone write, if my childhood hadn't been so happy. It was a mixture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-jansson/i-m-not-sure-i-would-have-ever-started-to-draw-let-alone-write-if-my/) [Tove Jansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-jansson/) [Browse all 5,837 Childhood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“See, this is my opinion: we all start out knowing magic. We are born with whirlwinds, forest fires, and comets inside us. We are born able to sing to birds and read the clouds and see our destiny in grains of sand. But then we get the magic educated right out of our souls. We get it churched out, spanked out, washed out, and combed out. We get put on the straight and narrow and told to be responsible. Told to act our age. Told to grow up, for God's sake. And you know why we were told that? 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