--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You would think a person could only die…" description: "\"“You would think a person could only die once. You would think you would only find you sister's lifeless body once. You would think you would only have..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46f/colleen-hoover-124_children_you-would-think-a-person-could-only-die_2599435.jpg" --- # You would think a person could only die once. You would… ![“You would think a person could only die once. You would think you would only find you sister's lifeless body once. You would think you would only have to watch your mother's reaction once after finding out her only daughter is dead. Once is so far from accurate. It happens repeatedly. Every single…” quote by Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46f/colleen-hoover-124_children_you-would-think-a-person-could-only-die_2599435.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46f/colleen-hoover-124_children_you-would-think-a-person-could-only-die_2599435.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46f/colleen-hoover-124_children_you-would-think-a-person-could-only-die_2599435.jpg) > ““You would think a person could only die once. You would think you would only find you sister's lifeless body once. You would think you would only have to watch your mother's reaction once after finding out her only daughter is dead. Once is so far from accurate. It happens repeatedly. Every single time I close my eyes I see Les's eyes. Every time my mother looks at me, she's watching me tell her that her daughter is dead for the second time. For the third time. For the thousandth time. Every time I take a breath or blink or speak, I experience her death all over again. I don't sit here and wonder if the fact that she's dead will ever sink in. I sit here and wonder when I'll stop having to watch her die.”” [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Grief repeats, making loss feel perpetual; each moment revives the pain of losing a loved one. **In simple terms:** Loss feels endless, replayed constantly. Key Takeaway Find ways to break the cycle of recurring grief. Themes grief loss trauma repetition Mood somber intense Type emotional therapeutic When to use this quote - bereavement counseling - support groups - personal journaling Key Concepts psychology memory attachment Questions to Reflect On - What rituals could help release repeated sorrow? - How can one create new narratives after loss? A Different Perspective Grief may not diminish without active coping. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Dean-holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dean-holder/) [Experience Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience-death-1320162/) [Happens Repeatedly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens-repeatedly-1931389/) [Les-holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/les-holder-105897/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Mother Reaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-reaction-1627329/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Third time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/third-time/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Watch Die](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watch-die-1213084/) ## Related quotes > [“I went running and I ran into her again thanks to fate or coincidence or divine intervention or maybe you had something to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-went-running-and-i-ran-into-her-again-thanks-to-fate-or-coincidence/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Mother knocked once on my door and walked in my room to see me on my bed with the book tight in my grasp.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-doyle/mother-knocked-once-on-my-door-and-walked-in-my-room-to-see-me-on-my/) [B.C. Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-doyle/) > [“He flashes me his dimple-laden grin, and I faint. No… literally. I fainted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/he-flashes-me-his-dimple-laden-grin-and-i-faint-no-literally-i-fainted/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“He’s quiet for a minute, then grins again. “I can’t believe you think I’m hot.” “Shut up.” “You probably faked passing out the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/he-s-quiet-for-a-minute-then-grins-again-i-can-t-believe-you-think-i/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“When I touch you, I’m touching you because I want to make you happy. When I kiss you, I’m kissing you because you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/when-i-touch-you-i-m-touching-you-because-i-want-to-make-you-happy/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“I wonder if Dean is his nice persona and Holder is his scary one. Holder is definitely the one I saw at the grocery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-wonder-if-dean-is-his-nice-persona-and-holder-is-his-scary-one/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“You’re attracted to me?” “Oh, God,” I groan. “That’s the last thing you need for your ego.” “That’s probably true,” he laughs. “Better hurry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/you-re-attracted-to-me-oh-god-i-groan-that-s-the-last-thing-you-need/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“I’m just a brother who loved his sister more than life itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-m-just-a-brother-who-loved-his-sister-more-than-life-itself/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Let me inform you of something,” he says in a low voice. “The moment my lips touch yours, it will be your first kiss.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/let-me-inform-you-of-something-he-says-in-a-low-voice-the-moment-my/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“What time should I come stalk you tomorrow?” “Six-thirty?” She says breathlessly. “Six-thirty sounds good.” Six-thirty is my new favorite time of day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/what-time-should-i-come-stalk-you-tomorrow-six-thirty-she-says/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Time to go,” he says. “I already see this heading somewhere I’m too drunk to go right now. I’ll see you tomorrow night.” I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/time-to-go-he-says-i-already-see-this-heading-somewhere-i-m-too-drunk/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Want me to run with you?” he asks, nudging his head toward the sidewalk behind me. Yes, please. “No, it’s fine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/want-me-to-run-with-you-he-asks-nudging-his-head-toward-the-sidewalk/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Not your face, your dimple. And no. You’re the only guy I’ve ever had the urge to lick.” He smiles at me confidently. “Good.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/not-your-face-your-dimple-and-no-you-re-the-only-guy-i-ve-ever-had/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“No matter what happens life just keeps going and moving forward and words keep flowing and truths keep spewing whether you like it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/no-matter-what-happens-life-just-keeps-going-and-moving-forward-and/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Do me a favor?” Anything. I’ll do anything you ask me to, so long as you’re shirtless. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/do-me-a-favor-anything-i-ll-do-anything-you-ask-me-to-so-long-as-you/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) ## More by Colleen Hoover > [Please don't allow anyone to make you feel less than what you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/please-don-t-allow-anyone-to-make-you-feel-less-than-what-you-are/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Some people they grow wiser as they grow older. Unfortunately, most people just grow older.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/some-people-they-grow-wiser-as-they-grow-older-unfortunately-most/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“You can't get mad at a real ending. Some of them are ugly. It's the fake happily ever afters that should piss you off.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/you-can-t-get-mad-at-a-real-ending-some-of-them-are-ugly-it-s-the/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“I’ve been looking for you my whole damn life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-ve-been-looking-for-you-my-whole-damn-life/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“I tilt my head and look at him. He's watching me, but I can't tell what his face is trying to convey. If I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-tilt-my-head-and-look-at-him-he-s-watching-me-but-i-can-t-tell-what/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [Love and hate, despite their polar opposites, are both feelings that are induced by passion. I can handle that. It's the indifference I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/love-and-hate-despite-their-polar-opposites-are-both-feelings-that/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“We'll either come to a mutual understanding of one another, or he's going to kill me and chop me up into tiny pieces and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/we-ll-either-come-to-a-mutual-understanding-of-one-another-or-he-s/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“We kiss until the alarm sounds off on my phone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/we-kiss-until-the-alarm-sounds-off-on-my-phone/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“The sky is always beautiful. Even when it's dark or rainy or cloudy, it's still beautiful to look at. It's my favourite thing because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/the-sky-is-always-beautiful-even-when-it-s-dark-or-rainy-or-cloudy-it/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Ridge: Oh, and btw, I didn't write that on your forehead. What? I run to the dresser and look in the mirror for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/ridge-oh-and-btw-i-didn-t-write-that-on-your-forehead-what-i-run-to/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“I feel like my maybe someday just became my right now .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-feel-like-my-maybe-someday-just-became-my-right-now/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“That's all I need," I say. "Well...I need the lamp. And the astray. And the remote control. And the paddleball game. And you, Dean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/that-s-all-i-need-i-say-well-i-need-the-lamp-and-the-astray-and-the/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Because if you've never felt anything when someone's kissed you, then no one's ever really kissed you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/because-if-you-ve-never-felt-anything-when-someone-s-kissed-you-then/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Tate lays her head on my arm, and we both watch her. Our daughter. I love you so much, Sam. I’m looking down at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/tate-lays-her-head-on-my-arm-and-we-both-watch-her-our-daughter-i/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“I have been entertaining the idea, Sky. Believe me. It’s just a huge step that can’t be undone once it’s taken.” “What if it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-have-been-entertaining-the-idea-sky-believe-me-it-s-just-a-huge/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) [Explore all 1,065 Colleen Hoover quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You would think a person could only die once. You would think you would only find you sister's lifeless body once. You would think you would only have to watch your mother's reaction once after finding out her only daughter is dead. Once is so far from accurate. It happens repeatedly. Every single time I close my eyes I see Les's eyes. Every time my mother looks at me, she's watching me tell her that her daughter is dead for the second time. For the third time. For the thousandth time. Every time I take a breath or blink or speak, I experience her death all over again. I don't sit here and wonder if the fact that she's dead will ever sink in. 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