25 Lady Bird Quotes on Identity, Family, and Love

Many inspirational and relatable messages are embedded in these Lady Bird quotes we’ve rounded up, so take your time combing through every single one!

When we sail through life, we encounter both rough and smooth seas. Before we reach our final destination, we must learn how to navigate the waters, steer our ships, and who we truly are.

Our identity is the anchor that holds us stable through the never-ending waves that come. Similarly, our family makes up the ship that keeps us safe, dry, and comfortable through life’s storms.

Unfortunately, Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson believed she didn’t have any of these things. She was lost and didn’t understand who she was, and she had a complex relationship with her mother.

These topics make Lady Bird a coming-of-age movie through and through. It allows us to follow her journey as Lady Bird, her ups and downs as she discovers more about herself, and her reconnection with her mother.

Dive deep into our collection below and learn some lessons to live by. Make sure you list the quotes that impact your mindset the most!

And don’t forget to check out these Little Women quotes and All the Bright Places quotes.

Best Lady Bird Quotes

1. “Just because something looks ugly doesn’t mean it’s morally wrong.” – Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson

2. “Some people aren’t built happy, you know.” – Julie Steffans

3. Sister Sarah Joan: “You clearly love Sacramento.”

Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson: “I do?”

Sister Sarah Joan: “You write about Sacramento so affectionately and with such care.”

Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson: “I was just describing it.”

Sister Sarah Joan: “Well, it comes across as love.”

Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson: “Sure, I guess I pay attention.”

Sister Sarah Joan: “Don’t you think maybe they are the same thing? Love and attention?”

4. “Money is not life’s report card. Being successful doesn’t mean anything in and of itself. It just means that you’re successful. But that doesn’t mean that you’re happy.” – Marion McPherson

5. “Because it’s not important to be right. It’s only important to be true.” – Father Leviatch

6. Marion McPherson: “I want you to be the very best version of yourself that you can be.” 

Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson: “What if this is the best version?”

7. “Different things can be sad! It’s not all war!” – Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson

8. “We’re afraid that we will never escape our past. We’re afraid of what the future will bring. We’re afraid we won’t be loved, we won’t be liked. And we won’t succeed.” – Parish Priest

9. “I hate California, I want to go to the east coast. I want to go where culture is like New York, or Connecticut, or New Hampshire.” – Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson

Famous Lady Bird Quotes

10. “I wish I could live through something.” – Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson

11. “The government didn’t have to put tracking devices on us. We bought them and put them on ourselves.” – Kyle Scheible

12. “People go by the names their parents give them, but they don’t believe in God.” – Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson

13. “You aren’t gonna get in a car with a guy who honks, are you?” – Larry McPherson

14. “You can’t do anything unless you’re the center of attention, can you?” – Julie Steffans

Lady Bird Quotes From This Iconic Comedy-Drama Movie

15. “You think dead children aren’t morally wrong?” – Casey Kelly

16. Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson: “Does mom hate me?”

Larry McPherson: “You both have such strong personalities.”

17. Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson: “Why can’t you say I look nice?”

Marion McPherson: “I thought you didn’t even care what I think.”

Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson: “I still want you to think I look good.”

Marion McPherson: “Okay, I’m sorry. I was telling you the truth. Do you want me to lie?”

Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson: “No, I mean, I just—I wish that you liked me.”

Marion McPherson: “Of course I love you.”

Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson: “But do you like me?”

18. “Lady Bird always says that she lives on the wrong side of the tracks, but I always thought that that was like a metaphor, but there are actually train tracks.” – Danny

19. Shelly Yuhan: “She has a big heart, your mom.”

Danny O’Neill: “She’s warm, but she’s also kind of scary.”

Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson: “You can’t be scary and warm.”

Danny O’Neill: “I think you can. Your mom is.”

20. “Hi, Mom and Dad. It’s me, Christine. It’s the name you gave me. It’s a good one. Dad, this is more for Mom. Hey, Mom, did you feel emotional the first time that you drove in Sacramento? I did, and I wanted to tell you, but we weren’t really talking when it happened. All those bends I’ve known my whole life, and stores, and the whole thing. But I wanted to tell you I love you. Thank you, I’m—thank you.” – Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson

Funny Lady Bird Quotes That You’ll Enjoy Reading

21. “Your mom is crazy. I’m scared of her.” – Danny O’Neill

22. “The only thing exciting about 2002 is that it’s a palindrome.” – Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson

23. Father Leviatch: “‘Lady Bird,’ is that your given name?”

Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson: “Yeah.”

Father Leviatch: “Why is it in quotes?”

Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson: “I gave it to myself. It’s given to me by me.”

24. “What you do is very baller. You’re very anarchist.” – Kyle Scheible

25. “I was on top! Who the f*ck is on top their first time!” – Christine ‘Lady Bird’ McPherson

Did These Lady Bird Quotes Give You a New Perspective on Life?

We’re used to movies giving us happy endings, romantic plots, and aspirational scenes. However, Lady Bird’s story is a bit more unique and diverse.

The movie did not shy away from heartbreaking and tear-jerking scenes. Instead, viewers were presented with something more realistic and relatable through Christine McPherson’s experiences and thoughts.

Lady Bird helps us recognize that life is not composed of just happy thoughts. We will all experience sadness and pain at one point or another.

Even so, these things all constitute who we are; they help us shape our identities. Through them, we gain the courage to sail further out into the world and discover more things about ourselves.

Moreover, Lady Bird also gives a comforting thought to everyone having problems with their families. We won’t always see eye to eye with them, but no matter what mistakes we make or how lost we get, they will always be our safe haven.

Remember these inspiring lessons from Lady Bird as you continue your journey in life. Keep this collection in your bookmarks for easy access whenever you need something to boost your mood!

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Karen Danao

Hi, I’m Karen, a content curator and writer for Quote Ambition; I’m also a marketing and advertising professional. Beyond the keyboard and the screen, I’m someone who’s out to enjoy every bit that life has to offer!

Poetry, philosophy, history, and movies are all topics I love writing about! However, my true passion is in traveling, photography, and finding common ground to which everyone from different cultures can relate.

With the many places I’ve been to, I found that love, inspiration, and happiness are some things that bring people together. No matter how different we are on the outside, I’m a true believer that our emotions don’t lie; if you dig deep into our psyche, we’re all the same inside.

This belief was further amplified when I joined Quote Ambition. Through the quotes I’ve read, collected, organized, and written about, I found that humans are resilient, creative, and compassionate.

We take from each others’ hearts and courage, and it’s through our individual experiences that we learn how to rise above our challenges and pain. In so many ways, Quote Ambition is a platform that allows people from all over the world to gain the inspiration they need anytime, anywhere!

You can find me on MuckRack and LinkedIn.