--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was very sheltered, very bookish and…" description: "\"I was very sheltered, very bookish and, basically, skittish about life. My parents were both older when I came along and they didn't do things like tak..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31a/robert-sapolsky-5012_life_i-was-very-sheltered-very-bookish-and-ba_699206.jpg" --- # I was very sheltered, very bookish and, basically… ![“I was very sheltered, very bookish and, basically, skittish about life. My parents were both older when I came along and they didn't do things like take vacations.” quote by Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31a/robert-sapolsky-5012_life_i-was-very-sheltered-very-bookish-and-ba_699206.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31a/robert-sapolsky-5012_life_i-was-very-sheltered-very-bookish-and-ba_699206.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31a/robert-sapolsky-5012_life_i-was-very-sheltered-very-bookish-and-ba_699206.jpg) > “I was very sheltered, very bookish and, basically, skittish about life. My parents were both older when I came along and they didn't do things like take vacations.” [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A sheltered, academic upbringing can make life feel intimidating and unfamiliar. **In simple terms:** Being over‑protected can cause fear of real‑world experiences. Key Takeaway Embrace new experiences to build confidence. Themes fear shelter learning Mood anxious hopeful Type advice reflective When to use this quote - travel - new hobbies - social interactions Key Concepts psychology developmental growth Questions to Reflect On - What fears arise from your past? - How can you safely step out of comfort? A Different Perspective Over‑protectiveness may limit resilience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Vacations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vacations/) ## Related quotes > [I do not really like vacations. I much prefer an occasional day off when I do not feel like working. When I am confronted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/i-do-not-really-like-vacations-i-much-prefer-an-occasional-day-off/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [Men are like...Vacations. They never seem to be long enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/men-are-like-vacations-they-never-seem-to-be-long-enough/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have one weakness. I don't like vacations. I like to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/i-have-one-weakness-i-don-t-like-vacations-i-like-to-work/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [“For the entirety of my young and skittish life, I had fixated upon my fear as if it were the most interesting thing about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/for-the-entirety-of-my-young-and-skittish-life-i-had-fixated-upon-my/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I have been through a lot in my life, my parents divorced when I was 16, and it was a very difficult time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-atack/i-have-been-through-a-lot-in-my-life-my-parents-divorced-when-i-was/) [Emily Atack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-atack/) > [It's a very important part of my life: parents and church - and your surroundings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-parker/it-s-a-very-important-part-of-my-life-parents-and-church-and-your/) [Joseph Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-parker/) > [A simple summary of my life is that my parents worked very hard so that I could have a great education, and I took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/a-simple-summary-of-my-life-is-that-my-parents-worked-very-hard-so/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [I had a wonderful home life. My parents are the ultimate, wonderful supporters, so there was never a moment where I felt like I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-donnell/i-had-a-wonderful-home-life-my-parents-are-the-ultimate-wonderful/) [Colin Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-donnell/) > [If you work hard and play by the rules, you'll have a better life than your parents did, and your children will have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beau-willimon/if-you-work-hard-and-play-by-the-rules-you-ll-have-a-better-life-than/) [Beau Willimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beau-willimon/) > [With 'Back to the Future', time-traveling lets you go back to a better, more comfortable life where your parents are happy and you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-sciamma/with-back-to-the-future-time-traveling-lets-you-go-back-to-a-better/) [Celine Sciamma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-sciamma/) > [“That this, right here, right now, is our life. It is not our parents’ or our children’s, not our husbands’ or our wives’. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/that-this-right-here-right-now-is-our-life-it-is-not-our-parents-or/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [“Since in early youth it cannot be known what ends are likely to occur to us in the course of life, parents seek to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/since-in-early-youth-it-cannot-be-known-what-ends-are-likely-to-occur/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [My parents are aging and there are difficult issues. It's strange to have children at the beginning of life and parents nearing the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-waldman/my-parents-are-aging-and-there-are-difficult-issues-it-s-strange-to/) [Amy Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-waldman/) > [Whatever I do in life, my parents always taught me to focus on that, and they never let me quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassie-scerbo/whatever-i-do-in-life-my-parents-always-taught-me-to-focus-on-that/) [Cassie Scerbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassie-scerbo/) > [My current mantra is that sometimes we need teachers in our lives. I never had that in my life, parents and stuff like that;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-current-mantra-is-that-sometimes-we-need-teachers-in-our-lives-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Robert Sapolsky > [I was not especially a writer back in college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/i-was-not-especially-a-writer-back-in-college/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [You don't want to end up telling somebody who's homeless or a refugee that stress is all perceptual, because it sure isn't in those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/you-don-t-want-to-end-up-telling-somebody-who-s-homeless-or-a-refugee/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [I think the relationship between social-dominance orientation in people and the extent to which they're made uncomfortable by ambiguity and novelty is really important.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/i-think-the-relationship-between-social-dominance-orientation-in/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [Depression is like the worst disease you can get. It's devastating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/depression-is-like-the-worst-disease-you-can-get-it-s-devastating/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [Juvenile justice is probably the area that's most ripe for reform, in the nice liberal sense of the word, simply because there's no getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/juvenile-justice-is-probably-the-area-that-s-most-ripe-for-reform-in/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [When it comes to how neuroscience could help the wider public, the worst thing is when we make advances in, say, mindfulness, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/when-it-comes-to-how-neuroscience-could-help-the-wider-public-the/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [To do good science, you've got to work really, really hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/to-do-good-science-you-ve-got-to-work-really-really-hard/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [Literal cleanliness and orderliness can release us from abstract cognitive and affective distress - just consider how, during moments where life seems to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/literal-cleanliness-and-orderliness-can-release-us-from-abstract/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [“Words unconsciously shift thoughts and feelings. One person's 'terrorist' is another's 'freedom fighter'; politicians jockey to commandeer 'family values,' and somehow you can't favor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/words-unconsciously-shift-thoughts-and-feelings-one-person-s/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [I think you get to a time in life where by definition stuff's turning to quicksand and wherever you can get some solid footing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/i-think-you-get-to-a-time-in-life-where-by-definition-stuff-s-turning/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [Being president does seem a lot more stressful than being vice president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/being-president-does-seem-a-lot-more-stressful-than-being-vice/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [If a male primate is mean to a female primate, her whole family will come after him. 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By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/) [Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/) > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) Deanna L. Lawlis > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was very sheltered, very bookish and, basically, skittish about life. 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