--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Both of us were orphans. No one would…" description: "\"Both of us were orphans. No one would remember what we remembered. The elders that stood as protective shields, as references to our past, and as refle..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c43/sylvia-browne-10840_elders_both-of-us-were-orphans-no-one-would-rem_1788382.jpg" --- # Both of us were orphans. No one would remember what we… ![“Both of us were orphans. No one would remember what we remembered. The elders that stood as protective shields, as references to our past, and as reflections of who we were and are and where we came from, were gone.” quote by Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c43/sylvia-browne-10840_elders_both-of-us-were-orphans-no-one-would-rem_1788382.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c43/sylvia-browne-10840_elders_both-of-us-were-orphans-no-one-would-rem_1788382.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c43/sylvia-browne-10840_elders_both-of-us-were-orphans-no-one-would-rem_1788382.jpg) > “Both of us were orphans. No one would remember what we remembered. The elders that stood as protective shields, as references to our past, and as reflections of who we were and are and where we came from, were gone.” [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Orphans lose the living memory and guidance of elders, leaving a void in identity and history. **In simple terms:** Orphans lack elders who preserve memory and identity. Key Takeaway Seek community or mentors to fill that gap. Themes identity memory loss community heritage Mood reflective somber hopeful Type philosophical inspirational cultural When to use this quote - family reunions - support groups - historical research - cultural preservation Key Concepts intergenerational bonds cultural continuity Questions to Reflect On - How can one reconstruct personal history? - What role do communities play in preserving memory? A Different Perspective Relying solely on community may not replace personal family history. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elders/) [Elders Stood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elders-stood-1923399/) [Gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gone/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Orphan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orphan/) [Orphans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orphans/) [Orphans Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orphans-remember-1923397/) [Our past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-past/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Protective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protective/) [Reflection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reflection/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Remembered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remembered/) [Remembered Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remembered-elders-1923398/) [Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shields/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Where we came](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/where-we-came/) ## Related quotes > [We tend to think of orphans as being the protagonist of stories we read when we're kids, and yet here you are: you're an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/we-tend-to-think-of-orphans-as-being-the-protagonist-of-stories-we/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [In the United States, if one family out of every four churches adopted a child, there would be no orphans in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-warren/in-the-united-states-if-one-family-out-of-every-four-churches-adopted/) [Kay Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-warren/) > [We learned that orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/we-learned-that-orphans-are-easier-to-ignore-before-you-know-their/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [“In the English language there are orphans and widows, but there is no word for the parents who lose a child.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/in-the-english-language-there-are-orphans-and-widows-but-there-is-no/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [When you're in your twenties in a new city where no one's from here, we're all sort of orphans. The only people that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-in-a-new-city-where-no-one-s-from-here/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [Is this a generation of orphans who are going to the improv to do stand-up?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/is-this-a-generation-of-orphans-who-are-going-to-the-improv-to-do/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names; but once you know, everything changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/orphans-are-easier-to-ignore-before-you-know-their-names-but-once-you/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [Houses of evil similarity appeared like rows of disciplined, humiliated orphans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hardwick/houses-of-evil-similarity-appeared-like-rows-of-disciplined/) [Elizabeth Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hardwick/) > [I've never had much sympathy for orphans, I mean, when I was their age I would have killed to have no parents to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-ve-never-had-much-sympathy-for-orphans-i-mean-when-i-was-their-age/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [There are orphans who can be cared for; but this some will not venture to undertake; for it brings them more work than they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/there-are-orphans-who-can-be-cared-for-but-this-some-will-not-venture/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [I write sets of books, but I've also written a lot of orphans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-abbey/i-write-sets-of-books-but-i-ve-also-written-a-lot-of-orphans/) [Lynn Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-abbey/) > [Without me, rap is just a bunch of orphans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/without-me-rap-is-just-a-bunch-of-orphans/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [Wow. What'd he do to deserve that? Rescue orphans from a burning building? If so, you might want to make sure he didn't set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/wow-what-d-he-do-to-deserve-that-rescue-orphans-from-a-burning/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Your God loves your people and hates mine; he folds his strong arms lovingly around the white man and leads him as a father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-seattle/your-god-loves-your-people-and-hates-mine-he-folds-his-strong-arms/) [Chief Seattle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-seattle/) > [My passion is kids, more than just kids is underprivileged kids and orphans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-tebow/my-passion-is-kids-more-than-just-kids-is-underprivileged-kids-and/) [Tim Tebow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-tebow/) ## More by Sylvia Browne > [In the course of our eternal existence, we spend infinitely more time in the spirit world on the other side than we spend in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/in-the-course-of-our-eternal-existence-we-spend-infinitely-more-time/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [Dreams really tell you about yourself more than anything else in this world could ever tell you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/dreams-really-tell-you-about-yourself-more-than-anything-else-in-this/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [Every person who has a reading with me has an audiotape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/every-person-who-has-a-reading-with-me-has-an-audiotape/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [Animal totems, like the tiger, come from the Other Side to protect us while we are away from Home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/animal-totems-like-the-tiger-come-from-the-other-side-to-protect-us/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [People are afraid to die, and even more afraid to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/people-are-afraid-to-die-and-even-more-afraid-to-live/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [People continue to fear dying, only because no one ever has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/people-continue-to-fear-dying-only-because-no-one-ever-has/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [Animals of every kind live on the Other Side, .. you are not crazy if you feel the spirit of your cat rubbing against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/animals-of-every-kind-live-on-the-other-side-you-are-not-crazy-if-you/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [I do a lot of stuff. I mean, you know, charity work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/i-do-a-lot-of-stuff-i-mean-you-know-charity-work/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [I made the contract with God years ago, that no matter what came through, I would say it, but if I ever hurt someone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/i-made-the-contract-with-god-years-ago-that-no-matter-what-came/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [I can assure you that those who have already passed have not only made it to the Other Side, but are in a state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/i-can-assure-you-that-those-who-have-already-passed-have-not-only/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [Yeah, I'm very smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/yeah-i-m-very-smart/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [Let me assure you that all of our pets, and animals of every kind will be with us for eternity on the Other Side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/let-me-assure-you-that-all-of-our-pets-and-animals-of-every-kind-will/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [Plant now the roses of Hope, Love, Promise, God Consciousness, and the Glory of your Soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/plant-now-the-roses-of-hope-love-promise-god-consciousness-and-the/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [Animals are just pure, uncomplicated entities of creation from God. They live like the Maasai do in Kenya-for each day is forever to them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/animals-are-just-pure-uncomplicated-entities-of-creation-from-god/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [“a ghost is someone who hasn't made it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/a-ghost-is-someone-who-hasn-t-made-it/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) [Explore all 63 Sylvia Browne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) ## More Elders quotes > [The millennials were raised in a cocoon, their anxious parents afraid to let them go out in the park to play. So should we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/the-millennials-were-raised-in-a-cocoon-their-anxious-parents-afraid/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [The playthings of our elders are called business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/the-playthings-of-our-elders-are-called-business/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Despite my mentors advice that I would never go to heaven fishing with a weighted nymph and a float, I took it up. (As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bishop/despite-my-mentors-advice-that-i-would-never-go-to-heaven-fishing/) [Tony Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bishop/) > [I see film as a real opportunity to examine the human condition. No matter where the technology goes in the future, the basics don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-schultz/i-see-film-as-a-real-opportunity-to-examine-the-human-condition-no/) [Michael Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-schultz/) > [Most people think that aging is irreversible and we know that there are mechanisms even in the human machinery that allow for the reversal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/most-people-think-that-aging-is-irreversible-and-we-know-that-there/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [In Afghanistan, I was talking to Afghan elders who were world-weary of a lack of sustained attention from their own government and from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/in-afghanistan-i-was-talking-to-afghan-elders-who-were-world-weary-of/) [Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/) > [Remember that the progress of the world depends on your knowing better than your elders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/remember-that-the-progress-of-the-world-depends-on-your-knowing/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [I was brought up to respect my elders, so now I don't have to respect anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-burns/i-was-brought-up-to-respect-my-elders-so-now-i-don-t-have-to-respect/) [George Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-burns/) > [“the New Testament offers more instruction regarding elders than on other important church subjects such as the Lord’s Supper, the Lord’s Day, baptism, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/the-new-testament-offers-more-instruction-regarding-elders-than-on/) [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) > [Phaedra shook her head. “If your people mean no offense, they should not speak their thoughts out loud in front of their children, Tesadora.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/phaedra-shook-her-head-if-your-people-mean-no-offense-they-should-not/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [Long before I wrote stories, I listened for stories. Listening for them is something more acute than listening to them. I suppose it’s an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eudora-welty/long-before-i-wrote-stories-i-listened-for-stories-listening-for-them/) [Eudora Welty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eudora-welty/) > [“The young man pities his elders, fearing the day he, too, will join their ranks. The elderly man pities the younger generation, well-knowing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-i-fisher/the-young-man-pities-his-elders-fearing-the-day-he-too-will-join/) [Lynda I Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-i-fisher/) > [The fruit of humanity is devotion to one's parents. The fruit of righteousness is to respect one's elders. The fruit of wisdom is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/the-fruit-of-humanity-is-devotion-to-one-s-parents-the-fruit-of/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [As a woman of color, I always pay homage to my ancestors and elders - in the industry in particular - who have paved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/da-vine-joy-randolph/as-a-woman-of-color-i-always-pay-homage-to-my-ancestors-and-elders-in/) [Da'Vine Joy Randolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/da-vine-joy-randolph/) > [ \[Footnote:\] Pliny the Elder described a Whale called "Balaena or Whirlpool, which is so long and broad as to take up more in length… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-cuppy/footnote-pliny-the-elder-described-a-whale-called-balaena-or/) [Will Cuppy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-cuppy/) [Browse all 536 Elders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elders/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Both of us were orphans. 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