--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I’m an old creaky staircase when I wake…" description: "\"“I’m an old creaky staircase when I wake up. Someone”\" — Tahereh Mafi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaa/tahereh-mafi-229_staircase_i-m-an-old-creaky-staircase-when-i-wake_2343475.png" --- # I’m an old creaky staircase when I wake up. Someone ![“I’m an old creaky staircase when I wake up. Someone” quote by Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaa/tahereh-mafi-229_staircase_i-m-an-old-creaky-staircase-when-i-wake_2343475.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaa/tahereh-mafi-229_staircase_i-m-an-old-creaky-staircase-when-i-wake_2343475.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaa/tahereh-mafi-229_staircase_i-m-an-old-creaky-staircase-when-i-wake_2343475.png) > ““I’m an old creaky staircase when I wake up. Someone”” [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator feels old and broken, likening themselves to a creaky staircase, expressing vulnerability. **In simple terms:** Feeling old and fragile like a staircase. Key Takeaway Acknowledge personal fragility. Themes identity vulnerability self‑perception ageing Mood melancholic introspective Type literary emotional When to use this quote - personal reflection - character development - creative writing Key Concepts metaphor self‑image emotional honesty Questions to Reflect On - What does the staircase symbolize for you? - How does acknowledging frailty empower growth? A Different Perspective Metaphor may be too abstract for some readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [I'm older than I'd like and I'm creaky, but I'm doing alright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-crosby/i-m-older-than-i-d-like-and-i-m-creaky-but-i-m-doing-alright/) [David Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-crosby/) > [Other than my memory being a bit woolly and my knees being a bit creaky, I don't really think there's anything I can't do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-french/other-than-my-memory-being-a-bit-woolly-and-my-knees-being-a-bit/) [Dawn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-french/) > [Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/take-the-first-step-in-faith-you-don-t-have-to-see-the-whole/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [Faith is taking the first step even when you can't see the whole staircase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/faith-is-taking-the-first-step-even-when-you-can-t-see-the-whole/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Wherever there is art, there is a staircase over there where you can ascend to the high places!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/wherever-there-is-art-there-is-a-staircase-over-there-where-you-can/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Are you really going to carry me up those stairs?" "Yeah." Gennie cast a look at the winding staircase and tightened her hold. "I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/are-you-really-going-to-carry-me-up-those-stairs-yeah-gennie-cast-a/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [...To which mystical land does an unfinished staircase lead?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-mu-oz-ryan/to-which-mystical-land-does-an-unfinished-staircase-lead/) [Pam Munoz Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-mu-oz-ryan/) > [Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase. -NeSha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/faith-is-taking-the-first-step-even-when-you-don-t-see-the-whole/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And the stairs. Oh, the stairs. The staircase in our third-floor walk-up was the steepest, hardest, metal-est staircase I have ever encountered in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/and-the-stairs-oh-the-stairs-the-staircase-in-our-third-floor-walk-up/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [You dont have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewshycrazyness/you-dont-have-to-see-the-whole-staircase-just-take-the-first-step/) [EwshyCrazyness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewshycrazyness/) > [“Nude descending a staircase headless, not knowing where she is going but brave because all dreams lack conclusions and she is not enlisted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/nude-descending-a-staircase-headless-not-knowing-where-she-is-going/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [Once I tried to make a standardization of staircases. Probably that is one of the oldest of the standardizations. Of course, we design new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/once-i-tried-to-make-a-standardization-of-staircases-probably-that-is/) [Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/) > [“He is crooked enough to hide behind a spiral staircase.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey-margaret-ball/he-is-crooked-enough-to-hide-behind-a-spiral-staircase/) Anne McCaffrey & Margaret Ball > [“May I ask what you have in your black leather bag with gold buckles?" "Everything." They were climbing a narrow staircase. Rhoda stopped to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/may-i-ask-what-you-have-in-your-black-leather-bag-with-gold-buckles/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [I watched 'Holiday' in college, and that was when I had my first fantasy of being Katharine Hepburn, standing at the top of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/i-watched-holiday-in-college-and-that-was-when-i-had-my-first-fantasy/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) ## More by Tahereh Mafi > [His hands are holding my cheeks, and he pulls back just to look me in the eye and his chest is heaving and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/his-hands-are-holding-my-cheeks-and-he-pulls-back-just-to-look-me-in/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“think Adam is looking to break Kenji’s neck at this point.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/think-adam-is-looking-to-break-kenji-s-neck-at-this-point/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I didn't want the clothes or the perfect shoes or the expensive anything. I didn't want to be draped in silk. All I ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-didn-t-want-the-clothes-or-the-perfect-shoes-or-the-expensive/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“infinite points of feeling for every nerve ending in my body”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/infinite-points-of-feeling-for-every-nerve-ending-in-my-body/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“He's too much. Everything about him is too much. His emotions, his actions, his anger, his aggression. His love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/he-s-too-much-everything-about-him-is-too-much-his-emotions-his/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“Right now I can't even control my own imagination as it grips my hair and drags me into the dark”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/right-now-i-can-t-even-control-my-own-imagination-as-it-grips-my-hair/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I want you, I want all of you. I want you inside and out and catching your breath and aching for me like I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-want-you-i-want-all-of-you-i-want-you-inside-and-out-and-catching/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I will give no one the satisfaction of my death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-will-give-no-one-the-satisfaction-of-my-death/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I almost forget that she still hates me, despite how hard I’ve fallen for her. And I’ve fallen. So hard. I’ve hit the ground.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-almost-forget-that-she-still-hates-me-despite-how-hard-i-ve-fallen/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/all-i-ever-wanted-was-to-reach-out-and-touch-another-human-being-not/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“It's the kind of kiss that makes you realize oxygen is overrated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/it-s-the-kind-of-kiss-that-makes-you-realize-oxygen-is-overrated/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“That’s when I understand. Of course she’s not okay. Of course she didn’t get any sleep last night. Last night she almost killed one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/that-s-when-i-understand-of-course-she-s-not-okay-of-course-she-didn/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I used to have a family. He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-used-to-have-a-family-he/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“I've never been able to follow through.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/i-ve-never-been-able-to-follow-through/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“ground where it smells like ice and metal and dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/ground-where-it-smells-like-ice-and-metal-and-dirt/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) [Explore all 821 Tahereh Mafi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) ## More Staircase quotes > [I watched 'Holiday' in college, and that was when I had my first fantasy of being Katharine Hepburn, standing at the top of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/i-watched-holiday-in-college-and-that-was-when-i-had-my-first-fantasy/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [“May I ask what you have in your black leather bag with gold buckles?" "Everything." They were climbing a narrow staircase. Rhoda stopped to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/may-i-ask-what-you-have-in-your-black-leather-bag-with-gold-buckles/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [“He is crooked enough to hide behind a spiral staircase.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey-margaret-ball/he-is-crooked-enough-to-hide-behind-a-spiral-staircase/) Anne McCaffrey & Margaret Ball > [Once I tried to make a standardization of staircases. Probably that is one of the oldest of the standardizations. Of course, we design new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/once-i-tried-to-make-a-standardization-of-staircases-probably-that-is/) [Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/) > [“Nude descending a staircase headless, not knowing where she is going but brave because all dreams lack conclusions and she is not enlisted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/nude-descending-a-staircase-headless-not-knowing-where-she-is-going/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [You dont have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewshycrazyness/you-dont-have-to-see-the-whole-staircase-just-take-the-first-step/) [EwshyCrazyness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewshycrazyness/) > [“And the stairs. Oh, the stairs. The staircase in our third-floor walk-up was the steepest, hardest, metal-est staircase I have ever encountered in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/and-the-stairs-oh-the-stairs-the-staircase-in-our-third-floor-walk-up/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase. -NeSha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/faith-is-taking-the-first-step-even-when-you-don-t-see-the-whole/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [...To which mystical land does an unfinished staircase lead?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-mu-oz-ryan/to-which-mystical-land-does-an-unfinished-staircase-lead/) [Pam Munoz Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-mu-oz-ryan/) > [“Are you really going to carry me up those stairs?" "Yeah." Gennie cast a look at the winding staircase and tightened her hold. "I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/are-you-really-going-to-carry-me-up-those-stairs-yeah-gennie-cast-a/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Wherever there is art, there is a staircase over there where you can ascend to the high places!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/wherever-there-is-art-there-is-a-staircase-over-there-where-you-can/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Faith is taking the first step even when you can't see the whole staircase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/faith-is-taking-the-first-step-even-when-you-can-t-see-the-whole/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/take-the-first-step-in-faith-you-don-t-have-to-see-the-whole/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [Though the elevator only goes to the top floor, there is always a staircase to the roof.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-joshi/though-the-elevator-only-goes-to-the-top-floor-there-is-always-a/) [Shubham Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-joshi/) > [I've always had this in a kind of worst-case dark imagination. I want to know what the dark form in the window is. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-unger/i-ve-always-had-this-in-a-kind-of-worst-case-dark-imagination-i-want/) [Lisa Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-unger/) Browse all 77 Staircase quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I’m an old creaky staircase when I wake up. 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