My father was a certain kind of man - I saw how he treated my mother and his family and how he treated strangers. And I vowed I would never make a film that would not reflect properly on my father's name.
Sidney PoitierRead
I was a gift to my mother. She was a remarkable person. God or nature, or whatever those forces are, smiled on her, then passed me the best of her.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the deep bond between a mother and her child, suggesting that the child is a special gift reflecting the mother's qualities.
In this quote, Sidney Poitier expresses the sentiment that his existence is a gift to his mother, who is portrayed as an exceptional individual. He acknowledges the positive forces of life that have allowed his mother to pass on her remarkable traits to him, suggesting a connection that transcends the ordinary and celebrates the beauty of familial relationships.
Themes
MotherGiftGiftedRemarkableFamilyNatureForces
In practice
Example use cases
In a Mother's Day speech, one could reflect on the gifts and values one's mother has instilled.
More from Sidney Poitier
All quotes βMy father was the quintessential husband and dad.
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I wanted to explore the values that are at work, underpinning my life.
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We suffer pain, we hang tight to hope, we nurture expectations, we are plagued occasionally by fears, we are haunted by defeats and unrealized hopes . . . The hoplessness of which I speak is not limited.
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We're all imperfect, and life is simply a perpetual, unending struggle against those imperfections.
Sidney PoitierRead
I was the only Black person on the set. It was unusual for me to be in a circumstance in which every move I made was tantamount to representation of 18 million people.
Sidney PoitierRead
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