--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: George had been surprised by my ability…" description: "\"“George had been surprised by my ability to leave him. He had not seen that in me.”\" — Augusten Burroughs" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c0/augusten-burroughs-603_george_george-had-been-surprised-by-my-ability_1440632.png" --- # George had been surprised by my ability to leave him. He… ![“George had been surprised by my ability to leave him. He had not seen that in me.” quote by Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c0/augusten-burroughs-603_george_george-had-been-surprised-by-my-ability_1440632.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c0/augusten-burroughs-603_george_george-had-been-surprised-by-my-ability_1440632.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c0/augusten-burroughs-603_george_george-had-been-surprised-by-my-ability_1440632.png) > ““George had been surprised by my ability to leave him. He had not seen that in me.”” [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A person may be surprised when you assert independence, revealing hidden expectations. **In simple terms:** Independence can shock those who expect dependence. Key Takeaway Assert your boundaries confidently. Themes independence relationships expectations Mood reflective assertive Type personal growth relationship insight When to use this quote - leaving a controlling friend - setting personal limits - asserting autonomy in family - breaking codependent patterns Key Concepts self‑assertion psychology power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you communicate boundaries without hurting others? - What fears arise when you claim independence? A Different Perspective People may resist or feel abandoned when you change dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/george/) [George Surprised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/george-surprised-5153476/) [Leave Seen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leave-seen-4650227/) [Surprised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprised/) [Surprised Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprised-ability-684484/) ## Related quotes > [I will not leave you until I have seen you hanged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/i-will-not-leave-you-until-i-have-seen-you-hanged/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [Wicked people are always surprised to find ability in those that are good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wicked-people-are-always-surprised-to-find-ability-in-those-that-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The wicked are always surprised to find ability in the good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-wicked-are-always-surprised-to-find-ability-in-the-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No doubt the ridiculous politicians are right to like politics. They have found careers in which success can be achieved by being ridiculous. Imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/no-doubt-the-ridiculous-politicians-are-right-to-like-politics-they/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [You know, when George Bush talks about freedom not being America's gift to world but God's gift to all humankind, it smells like market…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/you-know-when-george-bush-talks-about-freedom-not-being-america-s/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [“Country Life George”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberta-edwards/country-life-george/) [Roberta Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberta-edwards/) > [I'm not tempted to write a song about George W. Bush. I couldn't figure out what sort of song I would write. 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His big paws kicked up rocks as he stretched into his own version of a freight train.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kaniut-cobb/george-didn-t-do-quiet-or-subtle-his-big-paws-kicked-up-rocks-as-he/) [Lisa Kaniut Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kaniut-cobb/) > [We're half an hour from Toronto, which offers everything you could want from a city, and a couple of hours from beautiful vacation country.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linwood-barclay/we-re-half-an-hour-from-toronto-which-offers-everything-you-could/) [Linwood Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linwood-barclay/) > [There's no way Ryan Giggs is another George Best. He's another Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-law/there-s-no-way-ryan-giggs-is-another-george-best-he-s-another-ryan/) [Denis Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-law/) > [The administration of George W. Bush, emboldened by the Sept. 11 attacks and the backing of a Republican Congress, has sought to further extend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-feldman/the-administration-of-george-w-bush-emboldened-by-the-sept-11-attacks/) [Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-feldman/) > [The creation of George Smiley, the retired spy recalled to hunt for just such a high-ranking mole in 'Tinker, Tailor,' was extremely personal. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-creation-of-george-smiley-the-retired-spy-recalled-to-hunt-for/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [I don't like the George Costanza-style wallet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d/i-don-t-like-the-george-costanza-style-wallet/) [Mike D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d/) > [To play with Russ and Paul George, to be out there with them, I think means a lot for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-schroder/to-play-with-russ-and-paul-george-to-be-out-there-with-them-i-think/) [Dennis Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-schroder/) ## More by Augusten Burroughs > [There is nothing about myself that I wouldn't reveal or write about. I don't care how horrendous or ridiculous I may appear in person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/there-is-nothing-about-myself-that-i-wouldn-t-reveal-or-write-about-i/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [“We were alone together, we were an us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/we-were-alone-together-we-were-an-us/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [Like every child, I adored her. Until I formed a brain and got to know her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/like-every-child-i-adored-her-until-i-formed-a-brain-and-got-to-know/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [“You must hang onto the scraps of the bucking moment as if your sanity and life depended on it - because actually they do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/you-must-hang-onto-the-scraps-of-the-bucking-moment-as-if-your-sanity/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [Real optimism is not the pep talk you give yourself. It is earned through the labor involved in emotional housekeeping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/real-optimism-is-not-the-pep-talk-you-give-yourself-it-is-earned/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [If you hate your life, you haven't' seen enough of it. If you hate your life, it's because your life is too small and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/if-you-hate-your-life-you-haven-t-seen-enough-of-it-if-you-hate-your/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [I think writers tend to be experience junkies, and I think they also tend to want to be on the outside looking in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/i-think-writers-tend-to-be-experience-junkies-and-i-think-they-also/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [I think part of the reason I'm attracted to Foster is because he's such a mess. I mean, the people I have loved in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/i-think-part-of-the-reason-i-m-attracted-to-foster-is-because-he-s/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [“On typical days, (dust) is simply irritating. On Roid Rage days, it made me want to stomp down to the highway, pull drivers out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/on-typical-days-dust-is-simply-irritating-on-roid-rage-days-it-made/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [I'm like the guy who prepares your taxes or a dentist. I'm very conservative and boring in a lot of ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/i-m-like-the-guy-who-prepares-your-taxes-or-a-dentist-i-m-very/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [“Nothing surprises me now," I tell him. I am stoic. I am Joan of Arc, with liver damage and an unused penis.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/nothing-surprises-me-now-i-tell-him-i-am-stoic-i-am-joan-of-arc-with/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [“It's not that I was an outright nitwit of a child.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/it-s-not-that-i-was-an-outright-nitwit-of-a-child/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [What I really want is to sit next to someone under an L.L. bean blanket on the beach in the fall and drink coffee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/what-i-really-want-is-to-sit-next-to-someone-under-an-l-l-bean/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [“My worth depended on where exactly the decimal was placed among the zeroes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/my-worth-depended-on-where-exactly-the-decimal-was-placed-among-the/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [“Bookman isn't a stable man. He has a lot of problems that run very, very deep." But he was really good at giving head.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/bookman-isn-t-a-stable-man-he-has-a-lot-of-problems-that-run-very/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) [Explore all 448 Augusten Burroughs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) ## More George quotes > [To play with Russ and Paul George, to be out there with them, I think means a lot for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-schroder/to-play-with-russ-and-paul-george-to-be-out-there-with-them-i-think/) [Dennis Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-schroder/) > [I don't like the George Costanza-style wallet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d/i-don-t-like-the-george-costanza-style-wallet/) [Mike D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d/) > [The creation of George Smiley, the retired spy recalled to hunt for just such a high-ranking mole in 'Tinker, Tailor,' was extremely personal. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-creation-of-george-smiley-the-retired-spy-recalled-to-hunt-for/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The administration of George W. Bush, emboldened by the Sept. 11 attacks and the backing of a Republican Congress, has sought to further extend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-feldman/the-administration-of-george-w-bush-emboldened-by-the-sept-11-attacks/) [Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-feldman/) > [There's no way Ryan Giggs is another George Best. He's another Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-law/there-s-no-way-ryan-giggs-is-another-george-best-he-s-another-ryan/) [Denis Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-law/) > [We're half an hour from Toronto, which offers everything you could want from a city, and a couple of hours from beautiful vacation country.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linwood-barclay/we-re-half-an-hour-from-toronto-which-offers-everything-you-could/) [Linwood Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linwood-barclay/) > [“George didn't do quiet or subtle. His big paws kicked up rocks as he stretched into his own version of a freight train.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kaniut-cobb/george-didn-t-do-quiet-or-subtle-his-big-paws-kicked-up-rocks-as-he/) [Lisa Kaniut Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kaniut-cobb/) > [I remember when President Bush, George W. Bush, came into office, he focused on No Child Left Behind, and with - and before very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/i-remember-when-president-bush-george-w-bush-came-into-office-he/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [I'm not tempted to write a song about George W. Bush. I couldn't figure out what sort of song I would write. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/i-m-not-tempted-to-write-a-song-about-george-w-bush-i-couldn-t-figure/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [“Country Life George”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberta-edwards/country-life-george/) [Roberta Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberta-edwards/) > [You know, when George Bush talks about freedom not being America's gift to world but God's gift to all humankind, it smells like market…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-klein/you-know-when-george-bush-talks-about-freedom-not-being-america-s/) [Joe Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-klein/) > [No doubt the ridiculous politicians are right to like politics. They have found careers in which success can be achieved by being ridiculous. Imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/no-doubt-the-ridiculous-politicians-are-right-to-like-politics-they/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [When I was involved with 'Star Wars,' I was very interested in all the backstories, and I used to pepper George with all kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hamill/when-i-was-involved-with-star-wars-i-was-very-interested-in-all-the/) [Mark Hamill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hamill/) > [My son looks more like George Harrison than I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/my-son-looks-more-like-george-harrison-than-i-do/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [“By the time it has gotten dressed, it has become he; has become already more or less George — though still not the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-isherwood/by-the-time-it-has-gotten-dressed-it-has-become-he-has-become-already/) [Christopher Isherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-isherwood/) [Browse all 534 George quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/george/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“George had been surprised by my ability to leave him. 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