--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was as if he stopped time for them two…" description: "\"“It was as if he stopped time for them two weeks out of every year, cut them off from both the past and the future so that they had only this present i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/151/alice-mcdermott-1961_children_it-was-as-if-he-stopped-time-for-them-tw_1592876.jpg" --- # It was as if he stopped time for them two weeks out of… ![“It was as if he stopped time for them two weeks out of every year, cut them off from both the past and the future so that they had only this present in a brand-new place, this present in which her children sought the sight and the scent of her: a wonderful thing, when you noticed it. When the past…” quote by Alice McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/151/alice-mcdermott-1961_children_it-was-as-if-he-stopped-time-for-them-tw_1592876.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/151/alice-mcdermott-1961_children_it-was-as-if-he-stopped-time-for-them-tw_1592876.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/151/alice-mcdermott-1961_children_it-was-as-if-he-stopped-time-for-them-tw_1592876.jpg) > ““It was as if he stopped time for them two weeks out of every year, cut them off from both the past and the future so that they had only this present in a brand-new place, this present in which her children sought the sight and the scent of her: a wonderful thing, when you noticed it. When the past and the future grew still enough to let you notice it. He did that for her. This man she'd married.”” [Alice McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mcdermott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A husband creates a timeless sanctuary for his wife, isolating her from past and future to focus on the present. **In simple terms:** A husband creates a timeless sanctuary for his wife, isolating her from past and future to focus on the present Key Takeaway Cherish moments that suspend ordinary time. Themes time sanctuary present marriage memory Mood nostalgic contemplative Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - vacation retreats - family gatherings - rituals - creative projects Key Concepts relationships psychology mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What does “present” mean for you? - How can you balance presence with future planning? A Different Perspective Isolation can also limit growth and connection to broader life. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past And The Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-and-the-future/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“How long were you standing there?" "Long enough to know you will be leaving soon. I thought I should speak to you. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-james/how-long-were-you-standing-there-long-enough-to-know-you-will-be/) [Judith James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-james/) > [Have you not noticed in your past experience that your kind interpretations were almost always truer than your harsh ones?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-g-lovasik/have-you-not-noticed-in-your-past-experience-that-your-kind/) [Lawrence G. 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