Children Quote by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
““Still a daughter. But soon, in hours apparently, I'll be nobody's daughter. Surface lovliness was the outward visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. Still a daughter. But soon, in hours apparently, I'll be nobody's daughter. Parenting-a child must grow away from the parent--you must abandon ship in order to...what? To exist, to be a "self" Becoming a person is the point. Being a child-that's an interim position. I neglected to break away. I remained the daughter.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Language of Flowers, 2005
A child must eventually separate from the parent to form an independent self, a painful but necessary growth.
In simple terms: Growing up means leaving the parent to become your own person.
Key Takeaway
Embrace the journey of becoming independent.
Themes
identity
growth
family dynamics
independence
self‑realization
Mood
reflective
melancholic
hopeful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
emotional
When to use this quote
- adolescence
- career changes
- spiritual practice
- creative pursuits
Key Concepts
psychological development
attachment theory
personal autonomy
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “abandoning ship” mean for your personal growth?
- How can you honor your roots while forging a new self?
A Different Perspective
Independence can feel like loss before it feels like freedom.
![“The self does not exist “from its own side,” [...] as an object that can be isolated and defined. The more you search for it, whether through meditation, philosophical inquiry, psychological analysis, or dissection of the brain, you will not, in the end, discover any “thing” that corresponds to…” quote by Stephen Batchelor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00d/stephen-batchelor-5328_buddhism_the-self-does-not-exist-from-its-own-sid_2408637.jpg)
