Normal, in our house, is like a blanket too short for a bed--sometimes it covers you just fine, and other times it leaves you cold and shaking; and worst of all, you never know which of the two it's going to be.
Jodi PicoultRead
Life was what happened when all the what-if’s didn’t, when what you dreamed or hoped or – in this case – feared might come to pass passed by instead.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Life unfolds with unexpected events while our dreams or fears often remain unfulfilled.
This quote by Jodi Picoult reflects on the unpredictability of life, suggesting that the true essence of living is shaped by occurrences that fall outside our expectations and anticipations. It emphasizes that while we may spend our time contemplating possibilities and fears, it is the actual experiences that define our journey, often leaving our dreams unaddressed as we navigate reality.
Themes
LifeDreamsExpectationsRealityUnpredictability
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about embracing the present, one might say, 'Remember, as Jodi Picoult reminds us, life is what happens when we least expect it.'
More from Jodi Picoult
All quotes →Whether it was power they sought, or revenge, or love-well, those were all just different forms of hunger. The bigger the hole inside you, the more desperate you became to fill it.
Jodi PicoultRead
she told me she'd be a phoenix." The image of the mythical creature rising from the ashes glitters in my mind. "They don't really exist." "She said that depends on whether or not there's someone who can see them.
Jodi PicoultRead
for 100,000 (dollars), you [can] flatten a house with a wrecking ball. Imagine how much less it [takes] to destroy something than it [does] to build it in the first place.
Jodi PicoultRead
But if you seek forgiveness, doesn't that automatically mean you cannot be a monster? By definition, doesn't that desperation make you human again?
Jodi PicoultRead
when you [lose someone], it feels like the hole in your gum when a tooth falls out. You can chew, you can eat, you have plenty of other teeth, but your tongue keeps going back to that empty place, where all nerves are still a little raw
Jodi PicoultRead
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Life is a difficult game. You can win it only by retaining your birthright to be a person.
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