--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Happiness is a strange thing. It is…" description: "\"Happiness is a strange thing. It is something I tend to recognize only after it has passed, when I realize I miss it.\" — Claire Holden Rothman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/claire-holden-rothman-47940_happiness_happiness-is-a-strange-thing-it-is-somet_3023923.png" --- # Happiness is a strange thing. It is something I tend to… ![“Happiness is a strange thing. It is something I tend to recognize only after it has passed, when I realize I miss it.” quote by Claire Holden Rothman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/claire-holden-rothman-47940_happiness_happiness-is-a-strange-thing-it-is-somet_3023923.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/claire-holden-rothman-47940_happiness_happiness-is-a-strange-thing-it-is-somet_3023923.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/claire-holden-rothman-47940_happiness_happiness-is-a-strange-thing-it-is-somet_3023923.png) > “Happiness is a strange thing. It is something I tend to recognize only after it has passed, when I realize I miss it.” [Claire Holden Rothman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-holden-rothman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness is often recognized only in hindsight, making its appreciation fleeting. **In simple terms:** We notice happiness after it’s gone. Key Takeaway Cherish moments before they pass. Themes happiness memory reflection Mood reflective melancholic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily life - relationships - career milestones Key Concepts temporal awareness nostalgia Questions to Reflect On - What moments have you missed? - How can you savor current joy? A Different Perspective People may overlook present joy while seeking future goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Strange thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange-thing/) ## Related quotes > [Happiness is strange; it comes when you are not seeking it. When you are not making an effort to be happy, then unexpectedly, mysteriously,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happiness-is-strange-it-comes-when-you-are-not-seeking-it-when-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Happiness is a strange word. So conclusive. Happiness is a thing that happens for a moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-reichardt/happiness-is-a-strange-word-so-conclusive-happiness-is-a-thing-that/) [Kelly Reichardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-reichardt/) > [I think that happiness is a very strange thing. And we really feel that we have a right to this happiness. But I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leelee-sobieski/i-think-that-happiness-is-a-very-strange-thing-and-we-really-feel/) [Leelee Sobieski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leelee-sobieski/) > [I have never been one of those who cares about happiness. Happiness is a strange notion. I am just not made for it. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/i-have-never-been-one-of-those-who-cares-about-happiness-happiness-is/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [I realize more and more I miss my 'Survivor' friends when I'm not around them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-morasca/i-realize-more-and-more-i-miss-my-survivor-friends-when-i-m-not/) [Jenna Morasca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-morasca/) > [You never realize how much you miss someone until their gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-never-realize-how-much-you-miss-someone-until-their-gone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's only after someone is gone do you realize how much you miss them...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fad-ibra/it-s-only-after-someone-is-gone-do-you-realize-how-much-you-miss-them/) [Fad Ibra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fad-ibra/) > [“I never realize how much I miss you until I see you again,” he whispered in her ear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-jayne/i-never-realize-how-much-i-miss-you-until-i-see-you-again-he/) [Jessica Jayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-jayne/) > [You never realize how much you miss someone Until you totally screw up a freindship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-simpson/you-never-realize-how-much-you-miss-someone-until-you-totally-screw/) Shaun Simpson > [“You don't realize how much you miss something till it comes back to you, and then you wonder how you went so long without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-rose-clarke/you-don-t-realize-how-much-you-miss-something-till-it-comes-back-to/) [Cassandra Rose Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-rose-clarke/) > [“day by day i realize everything i miss about you was never there in the first place - the person i fell in love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupi-kaur/day-by-day-i-realize-everything-i-miss-about-you-was-never-there-in-2/) [Rupi Kaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupi-kaur/) > [“day by day i realize everything i miss about you was never there in the first place”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupi-kaur/day-by-day-i-realize-everything-i-miss-about-you-was-never-there-in/) [Rupi Kaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupi-kaur/) > [“She: Why was there a distance between you and me? He: Distance makes us realize how much we miss someone. She: Did you realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/she-why-was-there-a-distance-between-you-and-me-he-distance-makes-us/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [It's been a very strange thing to see the attention my clothes have gotten, just because it's so inversely related to the amount of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-kornacki/it-s-been-a-very-strange-thing-to-see-the-attention-my-clothes-have/) [Steve Kornacki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-kornacki/) > [Hollywood is a strange, strange thing. I feel like I've been invited to a very exclusive ball and I'm just trying to make nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-criss/hollywood-is-a-strange-strange-thing-i-feel-like-i-ve-been-invited-to/) [Darren Criss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-criss/) ## More by Claire Holden Rothman > [“In a single week I had lost the two most important men in my life. Yet the word “lost” was misleading. Neither had died…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-holden-rothman/in-a-single-week-i-had-lost-the-two-most-important-men-in-my-life-yet/) [Claire Holden Rothman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-holden-rothman/) > [It was the seventh of November, 1918. The war was finally over. Maybe it would be declared a holiday and named War's End Day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-holden-rothman/it-was-the-seventh-of-november-1918-the-war-was-finally-over-maybe-it/) [Claire Holden Rothman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-holden-rothman/) > [“You must have learned by now, Agnes, that it's not possible to judge a life from the outside," she said. Her voice had an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-holden-rothman/you-must-have-learned-by-now-agnes-that-it-s-not-possible-to-judge-a/) [Claire Holden Rothman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-holden-rothman/) > [“Maybe a certain degree of deprivation was necessary to the experience of pleasure, just as suffering was an integral part of joy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-holden-rothman/maybe-a-certain-degree-of-deprivation-was-necessary-to-the-experience/) [Claire Holden Rothman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-holden-rothman/) > [“I had achieved my dream, but what had it brought? Wealth? I glanced at my dress, worn too many days now without washing, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-holden-rothman/i-had-achieved-my-dream-but-what-had-it-brought-wealth-i-glanced-at/) [Claire Holden Rothman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-holden-rothman/) > [“Bookishness, an unfortunate trait for a girl, especially one who is not nice to look at.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-holden-rothman/bookishness-an-unfortunate-trait-for-a-girl-especially-one-who-is-not/) [Claire Holden Rothman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-holden-rothman/) > [“I looked briefly up from my notes. I was surrounded by hearts, sectioned and preserved. Hearts with holes. Hearts with leaking valves or thickened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-holden-rothman/i-looked-briefly-up-from-my-notes-i-was-surrounded-by-hearts/) [Claire Holden Rothman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-holden-rothman/) [Explore all 8 Claire Holden Rothman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-holden-rothman/) ## More Happiness quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Remember that your natural state is joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/remember-that-your-natural-state-is-joy/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I've got nothing to do today but smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-got-nothing-to-do-today-but-smile/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Positive thinking evokes more energy, more initiative, more happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/positive-thinking-evokes-more-energy-more-initiative-more-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes [Browse all 40,288 Happiness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Happiness is a strange thing. 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