When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to accept vulnerability… To be alive is to be vulnerable.

About Madeleine L'Engle

Madeleine L'Engle (; November 29, 1918 – September 6, 2007) was an American writer of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. L'Engle received the Newbery Medal for her 1962 children's book, A Wrinkle in Time. She also received the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1998.

More quotations from Madeleine L'Engle

A life lived in chaos is an impossibility…

—Madeleine L'Engle

That's the way things come clear. All of a sudden. And then you realize how obvious they've been all along.

—Madeleine L'Engle

The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been.

—Madeleine L'Engle

We can't take any credit for our talents. It's how we use them that counts.

—Madeleine L'Engle

It takes too much energy to be against something unless it's really important.

—Madeleine L'Engle

energy

More quotations tagged with “maturity”

Adulthood isn't an award they'll give you for being a good child. You can waste… years, trying to get someone to give that respect to you, as though it were a sort of promotion or raise in pay. If only you do enough, if only you are good enough. No. You have to just… take it. Give it to yourself, I suppose. Say, I'm sorry you feel like that and walk away. But that's hard.

—Lois McMaster Bujold

maturity

Age is no guarantee of maturity.

—Lawana Blackwell

maturity

My Father taught me how to be a man—and not by instilling in me a sense of machismo or an agenda of dominance. He taught me that a real man doesn't take, he gives; he doesn't use force, he uses logic; doesn't play the role of trouble-maker, but rather, trouble-shooter; and most importantly, a real man is defined by what's in his heart, not his pants.

—Kevin Smith

maturity

Maturity is only a short break in adolescence.

—Jules Feiffer

maturity

Every human being on this earth is born with a tragedy, and it isn't original sin. He's born with the tragedy that he has to grow up. That he has to leave the nest, the security, and go out to do battle. He has to lose everything that is lovely and fight for a new loveliness of his own making, and it's a tragedy. A lot of people don't have the courage to do it.

—Helen Hayes

maturity

History

11 Jul 2015 Added
26 Oct 2026 Wording changed

Previous wording

When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to accept vulnerability... To be alive is to be vulnerable.