--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Mother seemed happiest when making and…" description: "\"“Mother seemed happiest when making and tending home, the sewing machine whistling and the Mixmaster whirling. Her deepest impulse was to nurture, to s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/sue-monk-kidd-404_computers_mother-seemed-happiest-when-making-and-t_162710.png" --- # Mother seemed happiest when making and tending home, the… ![“Mother seemed happiest when making and tending home, the sewing machine whistling and the Mixmaster whirling. Her deepest impulse was to nurture, to simply dwell; it had nothing to do with ambition and achievement in the world...How had I come to believe that my world of questing and writing was…” quote by Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/sue-monk-kidd-404_computers_mother-seemed-happiest-when-making-and-t_162710.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/sue-monk-kidd-404_computers_mother-seemed-happiest-when-making-and-t_162710.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/sue-monk-kidd-404_computers_mother-seemed-happiest-when-making-and-t_162710.png) > ““Mother seemed happiest when making and tending home, the sewing machine whistling and the Mixmaster whirling. Her deepest impulse was to nurture, to simply dwell; it had nothing to do with ambition and achievement in the world...How had I come to believe that my world of questing and writing was more valuable than her dwelling and domestic artistry?...I wanted to go out and do things--write books, speak out. I've been driven by that. I don't know how to rest in myself very well, how to be content staying put. But Mother knows how to BE at home--and really, to be in herself. It's actually very beautiful what she does...I think part of me just longs for the way Mother experiences home.”” [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker admires her mother’s simple, nurturing domestic life and feels conflicted about her own restless ambition, longing for inner peace and contentment. **In simple terms:** She envies her mother’s calm home life while chasing personal goals. Key Takeaway Balance ambition with moments of stillness. Themes family home ambition contentment inner peace Mood reflective longing conflicted Type philosophical personal When to use this quote - career writing - family gatherings - personal retreats - mindfulness practice - creative work Key Concepts nurturing domestic artistry self‑reflection identity balance Questions to Reflect On - How can you honor both your drive and the need for stillness? - What practices help you feel at home within yourself? A Different Perspective Resting at home may feel like stagnation to some. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Experiences Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiences-home-1781357/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Mother Experiences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-experiences-1302551/) [Mother Happiest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-happiest-1781356/) [Motherhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motherhood/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Staying Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staying-mother-1781355/) [Tending Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tending-home-1781358/) ## Related quotes > [I think the first 10 years of my daughter's life were my mother's happiest, because she could finally have carefree time with a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-staunton/i-think-the-first-10-years-of-my-daughter-s-life-were-my-mother-s/) [Imelda Staunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-staunton/) > [Whenever I write about motherhood - and I write about it a lot - I am drawing on my experiences as a mother and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-hannah/whenever-i-write-about-motherhood-and-i-write-about-it-a-lot-i-am/) [Kristin Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-hannah/) > [The joy of motherhood: what a mother experiences when all her children are in bed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-johnson/the-joy-of-motherhood-what-a-mother-experiences-when-all-her-children/) [Barbara Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-johnson/) > [A mother experiences more than one death, even though she herself will only die once. 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