--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Opening a present from a live person was…" description: "\"“Opening a present from a live person was scary enough. There was always the chance that the gift might be so wrong, so completely not the kind of thin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f72/carol-rifka-brunt-3944_finn_opening-a-present-from-a-live-person-was_2246606.png" --- # Opening a present from a live person was scary enough… ![“Opening a present from a live person was scary enough. There was always the chance that the gift might be so wrong, so completely not the kind of thing you liked, that you’d realize they didn’t really know you at all. I knew it wouldn’t be like that with this present from Finn. What was scary…” quote by Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f72/carol-rifka-brunt-3944_finn_opening-a-present-from-a-live-person-was_2246606.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f72/carol-rifka-brunt-3944_finn_opening-a-present-from-a-live-person-was_2246606.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f72/carol-rifka-brunt-3944_finn_opening-a-present-from-a-live-person-was_2246606.png) > ““Opening a present from a live person was scary enough. There was always the chance that the gift might be so wrong, so completely not the kind of thing you liked, that you’d realize they didn’t really know you at all. I knew it wouldn’t be like that with this present from Finn. What was scary about this was that I knew it would be perfect —completely, totally perfect. What if nobody ever knew me like that again? What if I went through my whole life getting mediocre gifts — bath sets and boxes of chocolate and bed socks — and never ever found someone who knew me the way Finn did?”” [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The fear of receiving a perfect gift lies in the vulnerability of being truly understood and loved. **In simple terms:** Perfect gifts reveal deep intimacy. Key Takeaway Embrace authentic connections. Themes relationships vulnerability gift-giving Mood reflective hopeful Type literary emotional When to use this quote - friendship - romantic partnership - family celebrations - personal growth Key Concepts self‑knowledge trust identity Questions to Reflect On - Do you fear being truly known? - How can you reciprocate deep understanding? A Different Perspective Perfect gifts can create pressure to maintain that level of understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“Opening a present from a live person was scary enough. There was always the chance that the gift might be so wrong, so completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/opening-a-present-from-a-live-person-was-scary-enough-there-was/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [“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/) > [“I did it, Finn. I did it. I was ready to jump, and now she’s jumping with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-park/i-did-it-finn-i-did-it-i-was-ready-to-jump-and-now-she-s-jumping-with/) [Jessica Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-park/) > [“They went on arguing, but Maia had forgotten them again, following Finn in her mind. Where was he? Did he have enough wood for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/they-went-on-arguing-but-maia-had-forgotten-them-again-following-finn/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [“After a minute I leaned back, elbows on the table, and looked up for the twinkle of the first star in the evening sky.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-kirby/after-a-minute-i-leaned-back-elbows-on-the-table-and-looked-up-for/) [Jessi Kirby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-kirby/) > [“Gran, I need to tell you something else.” “Okay, honey, you can tell me anything.” “That night that I lied about Finn…I did it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-kennedy/gran-i-need-to-tell-you-something-else-okay-honey-you-can-tell-me/) [Sloane Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-kennedy/) > [Finn did what he always did when confronted by an angry woman—he checked out her boobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/finn-did-what-he-always-did-when-confronted-by-an-angry-woman-he/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) > [“Things you'd never even seen with Finn could remind you of him, because he was the one person you'd want to show. "Look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/things-you-d-never-even-seen-with-finn-could-remind-you-of-him/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [“Finn said art isn't about drawing or painting a perfect bowl of fruit. It's about ideas. And you, he said, have enough good ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/finn-said-art-isn-t-about-drawing-or-painting-a-perfect-bowl-of-fruit/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [“If you think a story can be like a kind of cement, the sloppy kind that you put between bricks, the kind that looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/if-you-think-a-story-can-be-like-a-kind-of-cement-the-sloppy-kind/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [“Please promise to take the very best care of my only girl. With so much love my heart might split in two...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/please-promise-to-take-the-very-best-care-of-my-only-girl-with-so/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [“Toby was right. Finn was my first love. But Toby, he was my second. And the sadness in that stretched like a thin cold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/toby-was-right-finn-was-my-first-love-but-toby-he-was-my-second-and/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [Nobody thought Finn Balor would be in the WWE. Here I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-balor/nobody-thought-finn-balor-would-be-in-the-wwe-here-i-am/) [Finn Balor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-balor/) > [“Nobody knows this castle better than me. They can hunt, but they will not find me. Not before I free Britta and Finn. -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-summerill/nobody-knows-this-castle-better-than-me-they-can-hunt-but-they-will/) [Erin Summerill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-summerill/) > [“Finn said he’s only coming back to be a subversive influence within the school. I had no idea what he meant by that, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piper-banks/finn-said-he-s-only-coming-back-to-be-a-subversive-influence-within/) [Piper Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piper-banks/) ## More by Carol Rifka Brunt > [“There was something so electric about it. So dangerous. Those little touches were everything. I lived fro them. You can build a whole world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/there-was-something-so-electric-about-it-so-dangerous-those-little/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [“It seemed like life was a sort of narrowing tunnel. Right when you were born, the tunnel was huge. You could be anything. Then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/it-seemed-like-life-was-a-sort-of-narrowing-tunnel-right-when-you/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [“Opening a present from a live person was scary enough. There was always the chance that the gift might be so wrong, so completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/opening-a-present-from-a-live-person-was-scary-enough-there-was/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [“I wasn't interested in drinking beer or vodka or smoking cigarettes or doing all the other things Greta thinks I can't even imagine. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/i-wasn-t-interested-in-drinking-beer-or-vodka-or-smoking-cigarettes/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [You get into habits. Ways of being with certain people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/you-get-into-habits-ways-of-being-with-certain-people/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [“Things you'd never even seen with Finn could remind you of him, because he was the one person you'd want to show. "Look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/things-you-d-never-even-seen-with-finn-could-remind-you-of-him/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [“Because maybe I don't want to leave the planet invisible. Maybe I need at least one person to remember something about me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/because-maybe-i-don-t-want-to-leave-the-planet-invisible-maybe-i-need/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [I stared hard, trying to find a pattern. Thinking if I kept looking hard enough, maybe the pieces of the world would fit back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/i-stared-hard-trying-to-find-a-pattern-thinking-if-i-kept-looking/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [“But maybe I am. Maybe that’s exactly what I am. Maybe all I wanted was for Toby to hear the wolves that lived in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/but-maybe-i-am-maybe-that-s-exactly-what-i-am-maybe-all-i-wanted-was/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [“We both knew we were the biggest nerds in the whole world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/we-both-knew-we-were-the-biggest-nerds-in-the-whole-world/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [“I didn’t want to care, but somehow, like always, I did. She was wired into my heart. Twisted and kinked and threaded right through.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/i-didn-t-want-to-care-but-somehow-like-always-i-did-she-was-wired/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [“What kind of party?” “The good kind.” “Yeah, right.” Greta knows that for me there are no good parties. I’m okay with one or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/what-kind-of-party-the-good-kind-yeah-right-greta-knows-that-for-me/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [“I stared out the window for the rest of the journey. Building, tree, car, car, van, wall, vacant lot, van. I stared hard, trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/i-stared-out-the-window-for-the-rest-of-the-journey-building-tree-car/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [“Greta knows that for me there are no good parties. I’m okay with one or two people, but more than that and I turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/greta-knows-that-for-me-there-are-no-good-parties-i-m-okay-with-one/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [“I thought it was good to test yourself sometimes. It was good to see how much you could take.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/i-thought-it-was-good-to-test-yourself-sometimes-it-was-good-to-see/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) [Explore all 113 Carol Rifka Brunt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) ## More Finn quotes > [“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/) > [“Finn said he’s only coming back to be a subversive influence within the school. I had no idea what he meant by that, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piper-banks/finn-said-he-s-only-coming-back-to-be-a-subversive-influence-within/) [Piper Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piper-banks/) > [“Nobody knows this castle better than me. They can hunt, but they will not find me. Not before I free Britta and Finn. -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-summerill/nobody-knows-this-castle-better-than-me-they-can-hunt-but-they-will/) [Erin Summerill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-summerill/) > [Nobody thought Finn Balor would be in the WWE. Here I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-balor/nobody-thought-finn-balor-would-be-in-the-wwe-here-i-am/) [Finn Balor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-balor/) > [“Things you'd never even seen with Finn could remind you of him, because he was the one person you'd want to show. "Look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/things-you-d-never-even-seen-with-finn-could-remind-you-of-him/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [“One of the lines in Finn's code is that you're not to say anything about Finn being attractive to the opposite sex. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/one-of-the-lines-in-finn-s-code-is-that-you-re-not-to-say-anything/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Cormac smiled at her, but it was Finn who spoke. "Can I ask you a question?" "Sure." He leaned forward conspiratorially. "So, if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-battista/cormac-smiled-at-her-but-it-was-finn-who-spoke-can-i-ask-you-a/) [Jeanette Battista](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-battista/) > [“From my vantage point I can see the back of his neck flush pink beneath his collar. He's got freckles there, too. I wonder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-spotswood/from-my-vantage-point-i-can-see-the-back-of-his-neck-flush-pink/) [Jessica Spotswood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-spotswood/) > [“But in the evening, when at last she had a moment alone, she slipped into the library and leaned her head against the mahogany…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/but-in-the-evening-when-at-last-she-had-a-moment-alone-she-slipped/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [“Hello, sexy. I knew that you couldn't get through the night without me," Finn's smug, slightly sleepy voice filled my ear. "So why don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/hello-sexy-i-knew-that-you-couldn-t-get-through-the-night-without-me/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) > [“Algebraic to the limit!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-north/algebraic-to-the-limit/) [Ryan North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-north/) > [“Im looking at you 'cause i can't look away" -Finn”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/im-looking-at-you-cause-i-can-t-look-away-finn/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [“This is Huck Finn, a child of mine of shady reputation. Be good to him for his parent's sake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain-samuel-clemens/this-is-huck-finn-a-child-of-mine-of-shady-reputation-be-good-to-him/) Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens > [I hate to say this, but not everyone seems happy that you’re still alive,” Finn said, picking up on the glares coming my way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/i-hate-to-say-this-but-not-everyone-seems-happy-that-you-re-still/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) > [Finn never looks more excited - he just gets faster. Finns are generally slow-moving creatures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/finn-never-looks-more-excited-he-just-gets-faster-finns-are-generally/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) Browse all 141 Finn quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Opening a present from a live person was scary enough. There was always the chance that the gift might be so wrong, so completely not the kind of thing you liked, that you’d realize they didn’t really know you at all. I knew it wouldn’t be like that with this present from Finn. What was scary about this was that I knew it would be perfect —completely, totally perfect. What if nobody ever knew me like that again? 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