--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And it is strange that absence can feel…" description: "\"“And it is strange that absence can feel like presence. A missing so complete that if it were to go away, I would turn around, stunned, to see that the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/ally-condie-crossed-2-111696_presence_and-it-is-strange-that-absence-can-feel_450372.jpg" --- # And it is strange that absence can feel like presence. A… ![“And it is strange that absence can feel like presence. A missing so complete that if it were to go away, I would turn around, stunned, to see that the room is empty after all, when before it at least had something, if not him.” quote by Ally Condie, Crossed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/ally-condie-crossed-2-111696_presence_and-it-is-strange-that-absence-can-feel_450372.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/ally-condie-crossed-2-111696_presence_and-it-is-strange-that-absence-can-feel_450372.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/ally-condie-crossed-2-111696_presence_and-it-is-strange-that-absence-can-feel_450372.jpg) > ““And it is strange that absence can feel like presence. A missing so complete that if it were to go away, I would turn around, stunned, to see that the room is empty after all, when before it at least had something, if not him.”” [Ally Condie, Crossed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie-crossed/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Absence can feel like presence; missing something can make emptiness palpable. **In simple terms:** Missing can feel like presence. Key Takeaway Acknowledge feelings of absence. Themes absence presence longing memory psychology Mood melancholic thoughtful Type Presence:1 Absence Feel:1 Strange Absence:0 Like Presence:0 Presence Missing:0 When to use this quote - grief counseling - creative writing - personal reflection - relationship dynamics - mindfulness Key Concepts philosophy psychology literature Questions to Reflect On - How does absence shape your perception? - What helps you cope with feeling missing? A Different Perspective Denial may mask true feelings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absence Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence-feel-320645/) [Like Presence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-presence-320647/) [Presence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presence/) [Presence Missing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presence-missing-1637562/) [Strange Absence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange-absence-320646/) ## Related quotes > [And it is strange that absence can feel like presence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/and-it-is-strange-that-absence-can-feel-like-presence/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“Funny how an absence can feel like a presence, like that space practically glows with her outline and make me notice how she's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-steinau-lester/funny-how-an-absence-can-feel-like-a-presence-like-that-space/) [Joan Steinau Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-steinau-lester/) > [“There is a presence in what is missing.” That presence is our own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/there-is-a-presence-in-what-is-missing-that-presence-is-our-own/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“What do people feel like after they have been in your presence? Do they walk away saying, “I saw another possibility in life?” Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-rigsby/what-do-people-feel-like-after-they-have-been-in-your-presence-do/) [Rick Rigsby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-rigsby/) > [I feel a warmth around me like your presence is so near, and I close my eyes to visualize your face when you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-feel-a-warmth-around-me-like-your-presence-is-so-near-and-i-close/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I stare into a thin, web-like crack above the urinal's handle and think to myself that if I were to disappear into that crack,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/i-stare-into-a-thin-web-like-crack-above-the-urinal-s-handle-and/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [The real absence is when you feel it deep within ,even when physically that person is still there !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laylablack/the-real-absence-is-when-you-feel-it-deep-within-even-when-physically/) [Laylablack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laylablack/) > [A word to say, a word to hear Even in ur absence I feel u near Our relation is strong.. hope it goes long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-word-to-say-a-word-to-hear-even-in-ur-absence-i-feel-u-near-our/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Throughout my years, I've had the pleasure of assembling and training what I believe to be the best group of people in the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-adair/throughout-my-years-i-ve-had-the-pleasure-of-assembling-and-training/) [Red Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-adair/) > [In solitude, at last, we’re able to let God define us the way we are always supposed to be defined—by relationship: the I-thou relationship,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/in-solitude-at-last-we-re-able-to-let-god-define-us-the-way-we-are/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [“A spark of every fire we seek is already within us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/a-spark-of-every-fire-we-seek-is-already-within-us/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [When one is frank, one's very presence is a compliment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-moore/when-one-is-frank-one-s-very-presence-is-a-compliment/) [Marianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-moore/) > [Racism has never been outright gone in the history of this nation, but I think we've had moments where everybody has been really fed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jemele-hill/racism-has-never-been-outright-gone-in-the-history-of-this-nation-but/) [Jemele Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jemele-hill/) > [“Only through absence can we understand presence, he told me, and I understood that by then. I understood it well. After”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-domet/only-through-absence-can-we-understand-presence-he-told-me-and-i/) [Sarah Domet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-domet/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) ## More by Ally Condie, Crossed > [“If you love someone, if someone loved you, if they taught you to write and made it so you could speak, how can you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie-crossed/if-you-love-someone-if-someone-loved-you-if-they-taught-you-to-write/) [Ally Condie, Crossed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie-crossed/) [Explore all 2 Ally Condie, Crossed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie-crossed/) ## More Presence quotes > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [“Only through absence can we understand presence, he told me, and I understood that by then. I understood it well. After”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-domet/only-through-absence-can-we-understand-presence-he-told-me-and-i/) [Sarah Domet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-domet/) > [Racism has never been outright gone in the history of this nation, but I think we've had moments where everybody has been really fed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jemele-hill/racism-has-never-been-outright-gone-in-the-history-of-this-nation-but/) [Jemele Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jemele-hill/) > [When one is frank, one's very presence is a compliment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-moore/when-one-is-frank-one-s-very-presence-is-a-compliment/) [Marianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-moore/) > [“A spark of every fire we seek is already within us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/a-spark-of-every-fire-we-seek-is-already-within-us/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [In solitude, at last, we’re able to let God define us the way we are always supposed to be defined—by relationship: the I-thou relationship,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/in-solitude-at-last-we-re-able-to-let-god-define-us-the-way-we-are/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [Throughout my years, I've had the pleasure of assembling and training what I believe to be the best group of people in the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-adair/throughout-my-years-i-ve-had-the-pleasure-of-assembling-and-training/) [Red Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-adair/) > [“I was thinking how most people don't make you feel much of anything at all. Don't make you feel like time spent with them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-lotter/i-was-thinking-how-most-people-don-t-make-you-feel-much-of-anything/) [Jane Lotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-lotter/) > [Seeing my children makes me come most alive. I come home and I see my kids' faces light up when they see me at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/seeing-my-children-makes-me-come-most-alive-i-come-home-and-i-see-my/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) > [Many are observing Ferguson and witnessing the anger, demonstrations, looting and vandalism and calling for quiet. But quiet isn't enough. The absence of noise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/many-are-observing-ferguson-and-witnessing-the-anger-demonstrations/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [God is near whether you sense His presence or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/god-is-near-whether-you-sense-his-presence-or-not/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“In your darkest times, never be afraid. The Lord's presence is always with you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/in-your-darkest-times-never-be-afraid-the-lord-s-presence-is-always/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [What distinguishes a great player is his presence. When he goes on to the court, his presence dominates the atmosphere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/what-distinguishes-a-great-player-is-his-presence-when-he-goes-on-to/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [“But with Dimitri, I never felt like I had to be anything more what I already was. I didn't have to entertain him or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/but-with-dimitri-i-never-felt-like-i-had-to-be-anything-more-what-i/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Few delights can equal the mere presence of one whom we trust utterly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/few-delights-can-equal-the-mere-presence-of-one-whom-we-trust-utterly/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Browse all 1,426 Presence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And it is strange that absence can feel like presence. 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