--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As I would soon learn myself, cleaning up…" description: "\"As I would soon learn myself, cleaning up what a parent leaves behind stirs up dust, both literal and metaphorical. It dredges up memories. You feel li..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d05/roz-chast-22729_behinds_as-i-would-soon-learn-myself-cleaning-up_715626.jpg" --- # As I would soon learn myself, cleaning up what a parent… ![“As I would soon learn myself, cleaning up what a parent leaves behind stirs up dust, both literal and metaphorical. It dredges up memories. You feel like you’re a kid again, poking around in your parents’ closet, only this time there’s no chance of getting in trouble, so you don’t have to be so…” quote by Roz Chast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d05/roz-chast-22729_behinds_as-i-would-soon-learn-myself-cleaning-up_715626.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d05/roz-chast-22729_behinds_as-i-would-soon-learn-myself-cleaning-up_715626.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d05/roz-chast-22729_behinds_as-i-would-soon-learn-myself-cleaning-up_715626.jpg) > “As I would soon learn myself, cleaning up what a parent leaves behind stirs up dust, both literal and metaphorical. It dredges up memories. You feel like you’re a kid again, poking around in your parents’ closet, only this time there’s no chance of getting in trouble, so you don’t have to be so sure that everything gets put back exactly where it was before you did your poking around. Still, you hope to find something, or maybe you fear finding something, that will completely change your conception of the parent you thought you knew.” [Roz Chast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-chast/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Revisiting a parent's past can stir memories and reshape our perception of them. **In simple terms:** Exploring past reveals new insights about parents. Key Takeaway Embrace and reflect on family history. Themes family memory identity Mood reflective nostalgic Type personal insightful When to use this quote - family gatherings - therapy - personal reflection Key Concepts psychology nostalgia Questions to Reflect On - What have you discovered about your parents? - How does this change your view? A Different Perspective Facing painful truths may cause distress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [It's a great relief that you're not as bad a parent as you thought you were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/it-s-a-great-relief-that-you-re-not-as-bad-a-parent-as-you-thought/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [Before I had kids, I looked at every other parent and thought: 'They have kids, they go to work and have nights out and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-bridge/before-i-had-kids-i-looked-at-every-other-parent-and-thought-they/) [Frankie Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-bridge/) > [I don't mind cleaning up the mess that some other folks made, that's what I signed up to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-don-t-mind-cleaning-up-the-mess-that-some-other-folks-made-that-s/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Life is a constant series of cleaning up the last mess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-lauren/life-is-a-constant-series-of-cleaning-up-the-last-mess/) [Jillian Lauren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-lauren/) > [The American Left complains that we have no right to be the world's police force. On the contrary. We've been the world's janitor for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-bruce/the-american-left-complains-that-we-have-no-right-to-be-the-world-s/) [Tammy Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-bruce/) > [The time I save setting up and cleaning up probably balances out by the time I spend on output.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buffy-sainte-marie/the-time-i-save-setting-up-and-cleaning-up-probably-balances-out-by/) [Buffy Sainte-Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buffy-sainte-marie/) > [Cleaning up the country cannot be the sole responsibility of sweepers. Do citizens have no role in this? We have to change this mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/cleaning-up-the-country-cannot-be-the-sole-responsibility-of-sweepers/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Of course I was delighted the flight was over, but I still had to worry about cleaning up inside the cabin, I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-shepard/of-course-i-was-delighted-the-flight-was-over-but-i-still-had-to/) [Alan Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-shepard/) > [Sometimes I had the feeling that all of us in his family were like pets to him. The dog you take for a walk,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/sometimes-i-had-the-feeling-that-all-of-us-in-his-family-were-like/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [So you can look me in the eye and say that you are a president committed to cleaning up the environment?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lauer/so-you-can-look-me-in-the-eye-and-say-that-you-are-a-president/) [Matt Lauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lauer/) > [My mother was a tremendous woman. I was just cleaning up old trunks and I found a book with her notes written during the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/my-mother-was-a-tremendous-woman-i-was-just-cleaning-up-old-trunks/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [Cats are too independent. They piss me off. They play when they want, and then they turn their back on you. Dogs, you throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/cats-are-too-independent-they-piss-me-off-they-play-when-they-want/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [In my home state of Delaware, we've done our homework and worked hard and, as a result, we've made great strides in cleaning up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-my-home-state-of-delaware-we-ve-done-our-homework-and-worked-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no more important task in Washington than cleaning up the culture of corruption. Yet the president - whose White House has become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-reid/there-is-no-more-important-task-in-washington-than-cleaning-up-the/) [Harry Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-reid/) > [Western doctors are like poor plumbers. They treat a splashing tub by cleaning up the water. These plumbers are extremely apt at drying up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-parsons-burkitt/western-doctors-are-like-poor-plumbers-they-treat-a-splashing-tub-by/) [Denis Parsons Burkitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-parsons-burkitt/) ## More by Roz Chast > [I think maybe to survive, I mean to just get through the day - I'm not saying that everything is hilariously funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-chast/i-think-maybe-to-survive-i-mean-to-just-get-through-the-day-i-m-not/) [Roz Chast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-chast/) > [“Manhattan is a narrow island surrounded by various miscellaneous items.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-chast/manhattan-is-a-narrow-island-surrounded-by-various-miscellaneous-items/) [Roz Chast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-chast/) > [You could pray all you want that you have a massive stroke while you're working and die, but possibly that won't happen, and you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-chast/you-could-pray-all-you-want-that-you-have-a-massive-stroke-while-you/) [Roz Chast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-chast/) > [Grime is not like messiness or some fingerprints on a cabinet; it takes a long time to accumulate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-chast/grime-is-not-like-messiness-or-some-fingerprints-on-a-cabinet-it/) [Roz Chast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-chast/) > [Childhood - that was not my favorite time in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-chast/childhood-that-was-not-my-favorite-time-in-my-life/) [Roz Chast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-chast/) > [Even under the best of circumstances - in twenty-first century America at least - caring for elderly parents ain't no place for sissies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-chast/even-under-the-best-of-circumstances-in-twenty-first-century-america/) [Roz Chast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-chast/) > [I used to love to draw things that made me laugh or made friends laugh. When I was 13 or 14, I started thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-chast/i-used-to-love-to-draw-things-that-made-me-laugh-or-made-friends/) [Roz Chast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-chast/) > [I gave up on ever trying to get 'my way.' I barely knew it existed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-chast/i-gave-up-on-ever-trying-to-get-my-way-i-barely-knew-it-existed/) [Roz Chast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-chast/) > [I love seeing original cartoons. You get to see the artist's corrections, like erasures or Wite-Out or patches, and you get to see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-chast/i-love-seeing-original-cartoons-you-get-to-see-the-artist-s/) [Roz Chast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-chast/) > [Theres something about most phobias where theres a tiny, tiny corner where you think this really actually could happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-chast/theres-something-about-most-phobias-where-theres-a-tiny-tiny-corner/) [Roz Chast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-chast/) > [The fact that cartoons are reproduced doesn't mean anything to me as far as whether they are "real art" or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-chast/the-fact-that-cartoons-are-reproduced-doesn-t-mean-anything-to-me-as/) [Roz Chast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-chast/) > [“Never put bananas in the refrigerator.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-chast/never-put-bananas-in-the-refrigerator/) [Roz Chast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-chast/) > [My parents were extremely reluctant. When my father was clearly dying, my mother refused to acknowledge it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-chast/my-parents-were-extremely-reluctant-when-my-father-was-clearly-dying/) [Roz Chast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-chast/) > [I like being able to go grocery shopping and not feel that Im fighting a thousand people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-chast/i-like-being-able-to-go-grocery-shopping-and-not-feel-that-im/) [Roz Chast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-chast/) > [I cannot stand superheroes. I do not understand any of its appeal. It has just bored me to death since I was a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-chast/i-cannot-stand-superheroes-i-do-not-understand-any-of-its-appeal-it/) [Roz Chast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-chast/) [Explore all 27 Roz Chast quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-chast/) ## More Behinds quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm really thankful to God, man. Like now, I'm really making a real comeback with my group. With or without a record, with or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-turner/i-m-really-thankful-to-god-man-like-now-i-m-really-making-a-real/) [Ike Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-turner/) > [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As I would soon learn myself, cleaning up what a parent leaves behind stirs up dust, both literal and metaphorical. It dredges up memories. You feel like you’re a kid again, poking around in your parents’ closet, only this time there’s no chance of getting in trouble, so you don’t have to be so sure that everything gets put back exactly where it was before you did your poking around. 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