--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And there's the happiness, again…" description: "\"“And there's the happiness, again. Flickering, moth-like, just under her sternum. She presses a hand up to the place. If she could leave the embered bl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/carys-bray-67264_every-night_and-there-s-the-happiness-again-flickeri_2322973.jpg" --- # And there's the happiness, again. Flickering, moth-like… ![“And there's the happiness, again. Flickering, moth-like, just under her sternum. She presses a hand up to the place. If she could leave the embered blackness behind her eyelids and travel to the spot where feelings are made, perhaps she could farm the right ones. She has recently become attuned to…” quote by Carys Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/carys-bray-67264_every-night_and-there-s-the-happiness-again-flickeri_2322973.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/carys-bray-67264_every-night_and-there-s-the-happiness-again-flickeri_2322973.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/carys-bray-67264_every-night_and-there-s-the-happiness-again-flickeri_2322973.jpg) > ““And there's the happiness, again. Flickering, moth-like, just under her sternum. She presses a hand up to the place. If she could leave the embered blackness behind her eyelids and travel to the spot where feelings are made, perhaps she could farm the right ones. She has recently become attuned to the way Dad takes the temperature of her mood and attempts to chart it... Every night before bed, he says, 'Three happy things?' It's pretty easy. There's always weather of some sort: sun, snow, rain, wind. There's food - her favourite cereal or a nice pudding. And one other bit of happiness, which can be absolutely anything: clean sheets, a book, one of Dad's ideas - it doesn't matter whether the idea will actually happen, the optimism dominoes from him to her, regardless.”” [Carys Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carys-bray/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage explores how small, everyday joys and a supportive parent can help someone navigate emotional darkness and cultivate optimism. **In simple terms:** Small joys and parental support help combat emotional darkness. Key Takeaway Seek daily small joys and share them with loved ones. Themes emotional health family support optimism mindfulness resilience Mood hopeful reflective warm Type narrative inspirational When to use this quote - daily gratitude practice - family bonding - mindful breathing - creative journaling - therapy sessions Key Concepts psychology positive psychology habit formation Questions to Reflect On - What daily joy can you notice today? - How does sharing optimism affect your mood? A Different Perspective It may overlook deeper mental health issues that simple happiness lists cannot resolve. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Every night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-night/) [Feelings Farm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings-farm-5559665/) [Happen Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happen-optimism-5559666/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Flickering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-flickering-5559664/) [Happy things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-things/) [Says Happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/says-happy-1965072/) ## Related quotes > [“Pushing the hair back from my face and tracing the line of my jaw with his finger, he says, “With you I’d be happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/pushing-the-hair-back-from-my-face-and-tracing-the-line-of-my-jaw/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“There I am, in the Grade Six class picture, smiling broadly. Happy as a clam , is what my mother says for happy. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/there-i-am-in-the-grade-six-class-picture-smiling-broadly-happy-as-a/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [He who says he is happy in the desert means he knows where the well is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/he-who-says-he-is-happy-in-the-desert-means-he-knows-where-the-well-is/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [A photo says, you were happy, and I wanted to catch that. A photo says, you were so important to me that I put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/a-photo-says-you-were-happy-and-i-wanted-to-catch-that-a-photo-says/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“The Peace Panda Says...A Happy And Free Tibet...Makes A Healthier And Brighter Humanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/the-peace-panda-says-a-happy-and-free-tibet-makes-a-healthier-and/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [My mother says happy ever after's a bunch of bull.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/my-mother-says-happy-ever-after-s-a-bunch-of-bull/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [My name will be Edith Proir," she says. "And there is much I am happy to forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/my-name-will-be-edith-proir-she-says-and-there-is-much-i-am-happy-to/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“It says, Be happy for this moment.” I groan and continue. “This moment is your life.” “In”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-proby/it-says-be-happy-for-this-moment-i-groan-and-continue-this-moment-is-2/) [Kristen Proby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-proby/) > [“science says that nobody is ever made happy by getting a promotion, winning the lottery or even finding true love. People are made happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/science-says-that-nobody-is-ever-made-happy-by-getting-a-promotion/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [“Don’t worry,” she says. “They’re happy tears. There’s nothing I love more than a good happy ending.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-garvis-graves/don-t-worry-she-says-they-re-happy-tears-there-s-nothing-i-love-more/) [Tracey Garvis-Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-garvis-graves/) > [Philip Oakey went to Target this morning to have a wander 'round and a guy ran up to him and said, "I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-ann-sulley/philip-oakey-went-to-target-this-morning-to-have-a-wander-round-and-a/) [Susan Ann Sulley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-ann-sulley/) > [A true friend is someone who says they're happy for you and they mean it, not one of these fake ones that try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-true-friend-is-someone-who-says-they-re-happy-for-you-and-they-mean/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Happy as a clam, is what my mother says for happy. I am happy as a clam: hard-shelled, firmly closed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/happy-as-a-clam-is-what-my-mother-says-for-happy-i-am-happy-as-a-clam/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [O it is a happy thing to feel ourselves helpless and naught, for then the presence of God is felt to wrap us about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mountford/o-it-is-a-happy-thing-to-feel-ourselves-helpless-and-naught-for-then/) [William Mountford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mountford/) > [I don’t have time to worry about the things that could happen. I am too busy thinking of all the happy things that have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-jensen/i-don-t-have-time-to-worry-about-the-things-that-could-happen-i-am/) [Luke Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-jensen/) ## More by Carys Bray > [“..grief never goes away. And that's no bad thing - it's only the other side of love, after all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carys-bray/grief-never-goes-away-and-that-s-no-bad-thing-it-s-only-the-other/) [Carys Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carys-bray/) > [“Anyone can be brave for five minutes or an hour or two. The bravery no one talks about is the hardest bravery of all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carys-bray/anyone-can-be-brave-for-five-minutes-or-an-hour-or-two-the-bravery-no/) [Carys Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carys-bray/) > [“Love. It fills you up. It's not that you can't eat or sleep, just that you don't need to because you're running on feelings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carys-bray/love-it-fills-you-up-it-s-not-that-you-can-t-eat-or-sleep-just-that/) [Carys Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carys-bray/) [Explore all 4 Carys Bray quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carys-bray/) ## More Every night quotes > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) [Alan W. Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-powers/) > [“You can date every girl in town as far as I’m concerned. I hate you. I pray every night that you’ll fall victim to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrington/you-can-date-every-girl-in-town-as-far-as-i-m-concerned-i-hate-you-i/) [Kim Harrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrington/) > [“Maybe I'd absorbed the capacity to hurt someone by listening to my parents every night, who were under the impression that turning the volume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-yu/maybe-i-d-absorbed-the-capacity-to-hurt-someone-by-listening-to-my/) [Charles Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-yu/) > [I'm always looking at new ways to tell a joke so that it doesn't get stale while working on new jokes every night or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/i-m-always-looking-at-new-ways-to-tell-a-joke-so-that-it-doesn-t-get/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [“When at last we arrived in Mannheim, I found that my apartment had been rented to a family whose young son was an amputee.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-suppresed-i-rise/when-at-last-we-arrived-in-mannheim-i-found-that-my-apartment-had/) [Captain Hank Bracker, "Suppresed I Rise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-suppresed-i-rise/) > [I don't know if I've come of age, but I'm certainly older now. I feel shrunken, as if there's a tiny ancient Oliver Tate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-don-t-know-if-i-ve-come-of-age-but-i-m-certainly-older-now-i-feel/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [“It suddenly seemed to Laurel that all the absences in her own life, every loss and sadness, every nightmare in the dark, every unexplained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-morton/it-suddenly-seemed-to-laurel-that-all-the-absences-in-her-own-life/) [Kate Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-morton/) > [“Her silent singing wrapped around the story she was telling herself, which she extended further every night on the deck. (Averill often told herself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/her-silent-singing-wrapped-around-the-story-she-was-telling-herself/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [“I have heard several people justify working long hours and getting home from work late it night by saying things like, “I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-willey/i-have-heard-several-people-justify-working-long-hours-and-getting/) [Daniel Willey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-willey/) > [Every night I go to sleep smiling, even when I have a bad day. I'm just thankful that God allowed me to live it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-night-i-go-to-sleep-smiling-even-when-i-have-a-bad-day-i-m-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'm going to lay it out straight for you here, Carson. And the reason that I'm going to do that is because I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-sheridan/i-m-going-to-lay-it-out-straight-for-you-here-carson-and-the-reason/) [Mia Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-sheridan/) > [I do remember what I said. The promise. To protect her. If I'd done that ... even if I didn't make it, you wouldn't've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-do-remember-what-i-said-the-promise-to-protect-her-if-i-d-done-that/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [“It’s a red sky every night with Cosmic Ordering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/it-s-a-red-sky-every-night-with-cosmic-ordering/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [“What does it say?" asked my lord. "It says, 'Good-night, God keep you all the night!'--just what she used to say when we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/what-does-it-say-asked-my-lord-it-says-good-night-god-keep-you-all/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“Oh, my god, I don't know. What do you want?" "You," he said, his voice lowering an octave. "I want you, Dutch, body and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/oh-my-god-i-don-t-know-what-do-you-want-you-he-said-his-voice/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) [Browse all 2,605 Every night quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-night/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And there's the happiness, again. Flickering, moth-like, just under her sternum. She presses a hand up to the place. If she could leave the embered blackness behind her eyelids and travel to the spot where feelings are made, perhaps she could farm the right ones. She has recently become attuned to the way Dad takes the temperature of her mood and attempts to chart it... Every night before bed, he says, 'Three happy things?' It's pretty easy. There's always weather of some sort: sun, snow, rain, wind. There's food - her favourite cereal or a nice pudding. And one other bit of happiness, which can be absolutely anything: clean sheets, a book, one of Dad's ideas - it doesn't matter whether the idea will actually happen, the optimism dominoes from him to her, regardless.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carys Bray" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carys-bray/and-there-s-the-happiness-again-flickering-moth-like-just-under-her/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Every night" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carys-bray/and-there-s-the-happiness-again-flickering-moth-like-just-under-her/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/carys-bray-67264_every-night_and-there-s-the-happiness-again-flickeri_2322973.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/carys-bray-67264_every-night_and-there-s-the-happiness-again-flickeri_2322973.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ded/carys-bray-67264_every-night_and-there-s-the-happiness-again-flickeri_2322973.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And there's the happiness, again. Flickering, moth-like, just under her sternum. She presses a hand up to…” — Carys Bray", "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": "Carys Bray", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carys-bray/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“And there's the happiness, again. Flickering,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carys-bray/and-there-s-the-happiness-again-flickering-moth-like-just-under-her/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carys-bray/and-there-s-the-happiness-again-flickering-moth-like-just-under-her/#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 } } ] } ```