--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It struck me that there would always be a…" description: "\"“It struck me that there would always be a part of him that didn’t (and shouldn’t) belong to me. It’s all too easy to think that the people you care ab..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fb/cat-clarke-16491_life_it-struck-me-that-there-would-always-be_1918088.jpg" --- # It struck me that there would always be a part of him that… ![“It struck me that there would always be a part of him that didn’t (and shouldn’t) belong to me. It’s all too easy to think that the people you care about go into some kind of suspended animation when you’re not around. That they only truly come to life when they’re with you, and don’t really exist…” quote by Cat Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fb/cat-clarke-16491_life_it-struck-me-that-there-would-always-be_1918088.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fb/cat-clarke-16491_life_it-struck-me-that-there-would-always-be_1918088.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fb/cat-clarke-16491_life_it-struck-me-that-there-would-always-be_1918088.jpg) > ““It struck me that there would always be a part of him that didn’t (and shouldn’t) belong to me. It’s all too easy to think that the people you care about go into some kind of suspended animation when you’re not around. That they only truly come to life when they’re with you, and don’t really exist without you. I mean, you know that’s not true (you’re not stupid, after all), but that other part of their life is kind of irrelevant – to you at least.”” [Cat Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-clarke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often overestimate how much others depend on us, ignoring their independent lives. **In simple terms:** We think others need us to exist. Key Takeaway Recognize others' autonomy. Themes relationships dependence self-awareness Mood reflective empathetic Type philosophical insightful When to use this quote - friendship - family - romantic partnerships - workplace dynamics Key Concepts psychology identity boundaries Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance caring for others while respecting their independence? - What signs show someone truly thrives without you? A Different Perspective Assumes all relationships are unequal, which may not hold universally. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [I like things that sound like maybe they shouldn't belong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-timony/i-like-things-that-sound-like-maybe-they-shouldn-t-belong/) [Mary Timony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-timony/) > [I think there's only so many people that can take care of themselves, and can take care of other people. 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It's too easy to excuse yourself because of your ancestry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/don-t-you-dare-take-the-lazy-way-it-s-too-easy-to-excuse-yourself/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [As a Democrat following the 2012 presidential election closely, I was happy to see that South Carolina voted overwhelmingly for Newt Gingrich, a candidate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-schlossberg/as-a-democrat-following-the-2012-presidential-election-closely-i-was/) [Jack Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-schlossberg/) > [LEGO has announced that they are shutting down their U.S. factory and moving it to Canada. LEGO employees say it's their fault because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/lego-has-announced-that-they-are-shutting-down-their-u-s-factory-and/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [For young people in the U.K. who find themselves without anywhere to live - perhaps they have left the family home after a relationship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-viner/for-young-people-in-the-u-k-who-find-themselves-without-anywhere-to/) [Katharine Viner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-viner/) > [When I see students now, I just don't think they are prepared to work so hard. It comes too easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-jacobs/when-i-see-students-now-i-just-don-t-think-they-are-prepared-to-work/) [Marc Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-jacobs/) ## More by Cat Clarke > [“They must hear the ghost of her whenever I speak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-clarke/they-must-hear-the-ghost-of-her-whenever-i-speak/) [Cat Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-clarke/) > [“The butterflies in my stomach turn into vampire bats as we pull up to the school.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-clarke/the-butterflies-in-my-stomach-turn-into-vampire-bats-as-we-pull-up-to/) [Cat Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-clarke/) > [“It’s amazing, the lies you can tell yourself. Even more amazing, the lies you can believe when you’re desperate enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-clarke/it-s-amazing-the-lies-you-can-tell-yourself-even-more-amazing-the/) [Cat Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-clarke/) > [“It may just be a small step in a bigger battle, but it was something at least. Before you know it, lots of small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-clarke/it-may-just-be-a-small-step-in-a-bigger-battle-but-it-was-something/) [Cat Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-clarke/) > [“Has this version of me been lurking there all along, somewhere deep below the surface, biding its time, waiting for its chance to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-clarke/has-this-version-of-me-been-lurking-there-all-along-somewhere-deep/) [Cat Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-clarke/) > [“I can just close my eyes and let myself fall into oblivion. 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My brain is more like soup – everything all blended and mushed together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-clarke/her-brain-is-like-a-filing-cabinet-everything-neatly-stored-in/) [Cat Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-clarke/) > [“I know people think suicide is selfish, and maybe sometimes it really is. But what happened to Kai was beyond what anyone should have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-clarke/i-know-people-think-suicide-is-selfish-and-maybe-sometimes-it-really/) [Cat Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-clarke/) > [“I won't ever give up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-clarke/i-won-t-ever-give-up/) [Cat Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-clarke/) > [“That was progress, right there. Except no one would ever know how hard I was working to keep my temper under control, because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-clarke/that-was-progress-right-there-except-no-one-would-ever-know-how-hard/) [Cat Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-clarke/) > [“Our midnight feasts aren't so much 'lashings of ginger beer' as 'whatever booze we can smuggle in'.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-clarke/our-midnight-feasts-aren-t-so-much-lashings-of-ginger-beer-as/) [Cat Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-clarke/) > [“I smile. On the inside though, so no one can see. A secret smile just for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-clarke/i-smile-on-the-inside-though-so-no-one-can-see-a-secret-smile-just/) [Cat Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-clarke/) > [“Kai, are you sure you’re OK? You’re acting a little weird.’ He kissed me on the forehead. ‘Ah, Jemima! Weirdness is one of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-clarke/kai-are-you-sure-you-re-ok-you-re-acting-a-little-weird-he-kissed-me/) [Cat Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-clarke/) [Explore all 39 Cat Clarke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-clarke/) ## More Belong quotes > [How come I end up where I started How come I end up where I belong... You used to be alright What happened?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/how-come-i-end-up-where-i-started-how-come-i-end-up-where-i-belong/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [Each of us is precious to God because each of us has their name written on the palms of God's hands. And God says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/each-of-us-is-precious-to-god-because-each-of-us-has-their-name/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Never belong to a crowd; Never belong to a nation; Never belong to a religion; Never belong to a race. Belong to the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/never-belong-to-a-crowd-never-belong-to-a-nation-never-belong-to-a/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I hate this feeling. Like Im here. But, Im not. Like someone cares. But, they dont. Like I belong somewhere else, anywhere but here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-this-feeling-like-im-here-but-im-not-like-someone-cares-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As you know, in America there's no rights for the artist, so whatever films I've made kind of belong to the studio, so if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-jewison/as-you-know-in-america-there-s-no-rights-for-the-artist-so-whatever/) [Norman Jewison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-jewison/) > [“When the time comes, everybody’s got to end up where they belong. Only me, I didn’t have a place to call my own. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-the-time-comes-everybody-s-got-to-end-up-where-they-belong-only/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [God has a purpose for us. If he didn't we wouldn't be alive in the first place. We have a calling. We are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-janssen/god-has-a-purpose-for-us-if-he-didn-t-we-wouldn-t-be-alive-in-the/) [Kenny Janssen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-janssen/) > [I thought of how many places there are in the world that belong in this way to someone, who has it in his blood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/i-thought-of-how-many-places-there-are-in-the-world-that-belong-in/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [I belong to a Bohri Muslim family, and for us, food is our biggest celebration. We are used to elaborate five- to six-course meals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nushrat-bharucha/i-belong-to-a-bohri-muslim-family-and-for-us-food-is-our-biggest/) [Nushrat Bharucha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nushrat-bharucha/) > [“You need to belong to yourself, and let others belong to themselves too. You need to be free and detached from things and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/you-need-to-belong-to-yourself-and-let-others-belong-to-themselves/) [Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/) > [I want all of my films to belong to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-payne/i-want-all-of-my-films-to-belong-to-me/) [Alexander Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-payne/) > [“Your beliefs, and your beliefs alone, belong to you. You are the only one who is with you for your entire life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ruiz-jr/your-beliefs-and-your-beliefs-alone-belong-to-you-you-are-the-only/) [Miguel Ruiz Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ruiz-jr/) > [Earth does not belong to us; we belong to earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-seattle/earth-does-not-belong-to-us-we-belong-to-earth/) [Chief Seattle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-seattle/) > [I think I know where you belong. I think I know its not with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-i-know-where-you-belong-i-think-i-know-its-not-with-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's a compelling reason why I belong in the Hall of Fame, but I understand the argument against me. My career didn't go like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-warner/there-s-a-compelling-reason-why-i-belong-in-the-hall-of-fame-but-i/) [Kurt Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-warner/) Browse all 1,571 Belong quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It struck me that there would always be a part of him that didn’t (and shouldn’t) belong to me. It’s all too easy to think that the people you care about go into some kind of suspended animation when you’re not around. That they only truly come to life when they’re with you, and don’t really exist without you. 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