--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When things like this happen—when what…" description: "\"“When things like this happen—when what was meant to help results in harm, when a salve brings pain instead of healing—it is clear how wrong even choic..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/914/ally-condie-434_choices-and-conseque_when-things-like-this-happen-when-what-w_1713249.jpg" --- # When things like this happen—when what was meant to help… ![“When things like this happen—when what was meant to help results in harm, when a salve brings pain instead of healing—it is clear how wrong even choices intended to be right can become.” quote by Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/914/ally-condie-434_choices-and-conseque_when-things-like-this-happen-when-what-w_1713249.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/914/ally-condie-434_choices-and-conseque_when-things-like-this-happen-when-what-w_1713249.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/914/ally-condie-434_choices-and-conseque_when-things-like-this-happen-when-what-w_1713249.jpg) > ““When things like this happen—when what was meant to help results in harm, when a salve brings pain instead of healing—it is clear how wrong even choices intended to be right can become.”” [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Good intentions can backfire, causing harm instead of help, revealing the fallibility of even well‑meaning choices. **In simple terms:** Even good choices can cause harm. Key Takeaway Question outcomes, not just intentions. Themes ethics unintended consequences decision‑making Mood cautious reflective Type advisory ethical When to use this quote - policy design - healthcare - technology deployment - environmental regulation Key Concepts moral philosophy risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - How can we anticipate hidden risks? - What safeguards can prevent well‑meaning failures? A Different Perspective Good intentions don’t guarantee positive results. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices-and-consequences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices-and-consequences/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Harm Salve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm-salve-1267238/) [Instead Healing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instead-healing-1223064/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pain Instead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain-instead-1223065/) [Wrong choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-choices/) ## Related quotes > [“When thigs liek this happen-when what was meant to help results in harm, whenn salve brings pain instead of healing- it is clear how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/when-thigs-liek-this-happen-when-what-was-meant-to-help-results-in/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“One mistake cannot justify another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/one-mistake-cannot-justify-another/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [“Which is to say that wrong choices can produce right results, and vice versa. I myself have adopted the position that, in fact, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/which-is-to-say-that-wrong-choices-can-produce-right-results-and-vice/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“Humans are often more stupid than they realize. Because of our weaknesses are so easily exploited. Just like a child's clumsy fingers messing up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuuri-eda/humans-are-often-more-stupid-than-they-realize-because-of-our/) [Yuuri Eda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuuri-eda/) > [“I often wonder what would have happened to those in pain if, instead of Christ, there had been a Christian.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-often-wonder-what-would-have-happened-to-those-in-pain-if-instead/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The essence of forgiveness is absorbing pain instead of giving it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-essence-of-forgiveness-is-absorbing-pain-instead-of-giving-it/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [I prefer to feel pain instead of nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suga-pie-honey-bun/i-prefer-to-feel-pain-instead-of-nothing/) [Suga Pie Honey Bun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suga-pie-honey-bun/) > [I would use sport as an escape from the pain of what was real. Instead of dealing with the pain, instead of being honest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/i-would-use-sport-as-an-escape-from-the-pain-of-what-was-real-instead/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [“we should lean into the pain, instead of running away from it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-macomber/we-should-lean-into-the-pain-instead-of-running-away-from-it/) [Debbie Macomber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-macomber/) > [“Having choice is nothing but a big illusion created by those who have power to make choices and make another if it goes wrong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crestless-wave/having-choice-is-nothing-but-a-big-illusion-created-by-those-who-have/) [Crestless Wave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crestless-wave/) > [“You made a choice—a single choice. How neat to think you may have opened the door to a wondrous future without knowing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/you-made-a-choice-a-single-choice-how-neat-to-think-you-may-have/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“Everyone have the free willing to chose which kind of life he wanna live, to be remembered or forgotten”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-hachemi-sabi/everyone-have-the-free-willing-to-chose-which-kind-of-life-he-wanna/) [El hachemi Sabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-hachemi-sabi/) > [“Was there ever in anyone's life span a point free in time, devoid of memory, a point when choice was any more than sum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/was-there-ever-in-anyone-s-life-span-a-point-free-in-time-devoid-of/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [“Failing to meet your true destiny is a tragic act of free will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/failing-to-meet-your-true-destiny-is-a-tragic-act-of-free-will/) [Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) ## More by Ally Condie > [“But I also know we can’t plan on anyone else rescuing us. We have to do it ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/but-i-also-know-we-can-t-plan-on-anyone-else-rescuing-us-we-have-to/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“Ever since the day of the mistake with my Match. I've never known which life is my true one. Even with the reassurances of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/ever-since-the-day-of-the-mistake-with-my-match-i-ve-never-known/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“She knows how things fit together and move, but so few people understand her. She’s the most solitary person I’ve ever known.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/she-knows-how-things-fit-together-and-move-but-so-few-people/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“There are many of them in the world, I think, good men and women with their frail deeds. Wondering what might have been, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/there-are-many-of-them-in-the-world-i-think-good-men-and-women-with/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“You wouldn't think you can forget but sometimes you can—for a moment or two. I've never been able to decide if I think that’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/you-wouldn-t-think-you-can-forget-but-sometimes-you-can-for-a-moment/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“It doesn't matter much anyway. I haven't slept well since he left. I can't dream. In some ways, that's the hardest part of having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/it-doesn-t-matter-much-anyway-i-haven-t-slept-well-since-he-left-i/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“She's right. We would compose poems about love and tell stories that have been heard in some form before. But it would be our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/she-s-right-we-would-compose-poems-about-love-and-tell-stories-that/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“How we never, ever fight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/how-we-never-ever-fight/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“Perhaps it is because now I live in his story. Now I am a part of his, and he of mine, and the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/perhaps-it-is-because-now-i-live-in-his-story-now-i-am-a-part-of-his/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“Of course, one person can be the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/of-course-one-person-can-be-the-world/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“I wonder if they'll be able to resist. It's not exactly easy to save things for the future when the present is so uncertain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/i-wonder-if-they-ll-be-able-to-resist-it-s-not-exactly-easy-to-save/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“I think of how many invisible injuries are possible. Ones scored on your heart, your brain, your bones. How do we all stand? I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/i-think-of-how-many-invisible-injuries-are-possible-ones-scored-on/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“I see a glint in her eye as she looks at me and it makes me smile. Hold our breath? she seems to say.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/i-see-a-glint-in-her-eye-as-she-looks-at-me-and-it-makes-me-smile/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“What is the point of having something lovely if you never share it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/what-is-the-point-of-having-something-lovely-if-you-never-share-it/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“She’s trying to figure out the Plague on her own and not taking what the Rising says for granted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/she-s-trying-to-figure-out-the-plague-on-her-own-and-not-taking-what/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) [Explore all 526 Ally Condie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) ## More Choices-and-consequences quotes > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“Failing to meet your true destiny is a tragic act of free will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/failing-to-meet-your-true-destiny-is-a-tragic-act-of-free-will/) [Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/) > [“Was there ever in anyone's life span a point free in time, devoid of memory, a point when choice was any more than sum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/was-there-ever-in-anyone-s-life-span-a-point-free-in-time-devoid-of/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [“Everyone have the free willing to chose which kind of life he wanna live, to be remembered or forgotten”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-hachemi-sabi/everyone-have-the-free-willing-to-chose-which-kind-of-life-he-wanna/) [El hachemi Sabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-hachemi-sabi/) > [“You made a choice—a single choice. How neat to think you may have opened the door to a wondrous future without knowing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/you-made-a-choice-a-single-choice-how-neat-to-think-you-may-have/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“Having choice is nothing but a big illusion created by those who have power to make choices and make another if it goes wrong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crestless-wave/having-choice-is-nothing-but-a-big-illusion-created-by-those-who-have/) [Crestless Wave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crestless-wave/) > [“I choose to choose few words each day. Yes! few words that count. Few words that can make impact. Few words that talk much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/i-choose-to-choose-few-words-each-day-yes-few-words-that-count-few/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) > [“Why are we asked to make the most important decisions of our lives when we are so young, and so prone to mistakes?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-park/why-are-we-asked-to-make-the-most-important-decisions-of-our-lives/) [Samuel Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-park/) > [“How could he know this new dawn's light would change his life forever? Set sail to sea, but pulled off course by the light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metallica/how-could-he-know-this-new-dawn-s-light-would-change-his-life-forever/) [Metallica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metallica/) > [“Have no regrets in life because of the choices you make. Good or bad, they are a learning experience, to help you grow. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hauenstein/have-no-regrets-in-life-because-of-the-choices-you-make-good-or-bad/) [James Hauenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hauenstein/) > [“Your life is determined by the sum of the choices that YOU make.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sonnenberg/your-life-is-determined-by-the-sum-of-the-choices-that-you-make/) [Frank Sonnenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sonnenberg/) > [“Because I don’t even know if this life is right for me anymore. I don’t know what I want to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/because-i-don-t-even-know-if-this-life-is-right-for-me-anymore-i-don/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Choices made, whether bad or good, follow you forever and affect everyone in their path one way or another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-e-b-spredemann/choices-made-whether-bad-or-good-follow-you-forever-and-affect/) [J.E.B. Spredemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-e-b-spredemann/) > [“And so everything depends on you, Bertie. Bishop or rook. Your life or mine. Do what you believe you have to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-lix-j-palma/and-so-everything-depends-on-you-bertie-bishop-or-rook-your-life-or/) [Félix J. Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-lix-j-palma/) > [“I've spent all the years since full of guilt and misery, even though I didn't remember it. I've let it run my thoughts, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hunter/i-ve-spent-all-the-years-since-full-of-guilt-and-misery-even-though-i/) [Faith Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hunter/) [Browse all 123 Choices-and-consequences quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices-and-consequences/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When things like this happen—when what was meant to help results in harm, when a salve brings pain instead of healing—it is clear how wrong even choices intended to be right can become.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ally Condie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/when-things-like-this-happen-when-what-was-meant-to-help-results-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choices-and-consequences" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/when-things-like-this-happen-when-what-was-meant-to-help-results-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/914/ally-condie-434_choices-and-conseque_when-things-like-this-happen-when-what-w_1713249.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/914/ally-condie-434_choices-and-conseque_when-things-like-this-happen-when-what-w_1713249.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/914/ally-condie-434_choices-and-conseque_when-things-like-this-happen-when-what-w_1713249.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When things like this happen—when what was meant to help results in harm, when a salve brings pain instead…” — Ally Condie", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ally Condie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When things like this happen—when what...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/when-things-like-this-happen-when-what-was-meant-to-help-results-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/when-things-like-this-happen-when-what-was-meant-to-help-results-in/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```