--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No matter how hard she tried to maintain…" description: "\"“No matter how hard she tried to maintain her calm and collected persona, she knew it was all a ruse. All she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and hi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ede/cristiane-serruya-12079_broken_no-matter-how-hard-she-tried-to-maintain_1011637.jpg" --- # No matter how hard she tried to maintain her calm and… ![“No matter how hard she tried to maintain her calm and collected persona, she knew it was all a ruse. All she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and hide. Hide from the world. Hide from her memories. Enter a shell and never leave. But hers would always be a broken shell, with all her cracks and…” quote by Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ede/cristiane-serruya-12079_broken_no-matter-how-hard-she-tried-to-maintain_1011637.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ede/cristiane-serruya-12079_broken_no-matter-how-hard-she-tried-to-maintain_1011637.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ede/cristiane-serruya-12079_broken_no-matter-how-hard-she-tried-to-maintain_1011637.jpg) > ““No matter how hard she tried to maintain her calm and collected persona, she knew it was all a ruse. All she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and hide. Hide from the world. Hide from her memories. Enter a shell and never leave. But hers would always be a broken shell, with all her cracks and holes exposed for the world to see. The veneer she had carefully painted to protect and hold herself together was peeling away.”” [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She pretends calm while feeling broken, fearing exposure, and ultimately cannot maintain the protective façade. **In simple terms:** Pretending hides true pain. Key Takeaway Accept vulnerability instead of hiding. Themes vulnerability masking inner conflict Mood melancholic introspective Type literary emotional When to use this quote - therapy - friendship - creative work - stress management Key Concepts psychology emotional health self‑image Questions to Reflect On - What would happen if you let others see your cracks? - How can you replace the shell with genuine support? A Different Perspective Denial can deepen isolation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Veneer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/veneer/) ## Related quotes > [“Love’s like an egg. Break it, and you might still have almost every bit of yolk and white, but there’s no way you’re getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-crowley/love-s-like-an-egg-break-it-and-you-might-still-have-almost-every-bit/) [Cath Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-crowley/) > [“You can hide memories, suppress them, but you can’t erase the history that produced them.’ Sara looked directly into his eyes. ‘If nothing else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/you-can-hide-memories-suppress-them-but-you-can-t-erase-the-history/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Would you love a man of a broken shell after the passing of a women's soul?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-perkins/would-you-love-a-man-of-a-broken-shell-after-the-passing-of-a-women-s/) [Brian Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-perkins/) > [“was swept away by a man who had never really existed and the result of my mistake was the broken shell of who I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-hudson/was-swept-away-by-a-man-who-had-never-really-existed-and-the-result/) [Stephanie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-hudson/) > [I see a broken shell and I remind myself that something might have needed setting free. 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You couldn't afford to let the beauty of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-galloway/quiet-book-learning-in-monasteries-and-ethereal-music-sonnets-and/) [Janice Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-galloway/) > [People who think of themselves as tough-minded and realistic, among them influential political leaders and businessmen as well as go-getters and hustlers of smaller…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-i-hayakawa/people-who-think-of-themselves-as-tough-minded-and-realistic-among/) [S. I. Hayakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-i-hayakawa/) > [But you know, eventually that does kind of veneer, chemical veneers that you apply, they sink in. 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Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-e-stevenson/) > [It's the spirit within, not the veneer without, that makes a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baden-powell-de-aquino/it-s-the-spirit-within-not-the-veneer-without-that-makes-a-man/) [Baden Powell de Aquino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baden-powell-de-aquino/) > [The scary truth is, you have to scratch some veneer off to gauge where the moral fiber really is in certain pockets of society.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/the-scary-truth-is-you-have-to-scratch-some-veneer-off-to-gauge-where/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [Drop the veneer periodically and be like "OK, I'm an imperfect human. Let's try to get through this."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-miller/drop-the-veneer-periodically-and-be-like-ok-i-m-an-imperfect-human/) [Dennis Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-miller/) ## More by Cristiane Serruya > [“Sophia, you’re the best thing that could have happened to Alistair. I’ve never seen him happier than he is now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/sophia-you-re-the-best-thing-that-could-have-happened-to-alistair-i/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) > [“One can say that Javert is our conscience. The ever lurking presence of the law and our own condemnation. The tension between who we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/one-can-say-that-javert-is-our-conscience-the-ever-lurking-presence/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) > [“Love is not about oneself, but about the other. It's not about keeping, but about freeing. Love is not love if not shared.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/love-is-not-about-oneself-but-about-the-other-it-s-not-about-keeping/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) > [“I believe in witches, Sophia,” his deep voice hypnotized her. “I hope you don’t burn me at the stake,” she murmured to him. “I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/i-believe-in-witches-sophia-his-deep-voice-hypnotized-her-i-hope-you/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) > [“You don't have to thank me. Ever. You're my wife and I want to share everything with you. Every little thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/you-don-t-have-to-thank-me-ever-you-re-my-wife-and-i-want-to-share/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) > [“It was like the sun had appeared again in my life, Sophia, You. You changed everything when you stepped into that room. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/it-was-like-the-sun-had-appeared-again-in-my-life-sophia-you-you/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) > [“In truth, his most ardent fantasy was to hear her saying the three words he had repeated so often already. I love you .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/in-truth-his-most-ardent-fantasy-was-to-hear-her-saying-the-three/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) > [“It was all about money. Dirty, bloody money. It can come and go so easily. They don't see that life is what's important. Love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/it-was-all-about-money-dirty-bloody-money-it-can-come-and-go-so/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) > [“Maybe you're starting to move on, my love. But to fully do it, you have to let the guilt go. Gabriel will always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/maybe-you-re-starting-to-move-on-my-love-but-to-fully-do-it-you-have/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) > [“Sophia is worth a change. I have to make the right choices from now on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/sophia-is-worth-a-change-i-have-to-make-the-right-choices-from-now-on/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) > [“Don't cry. She wouldn't like it. When I missed my father, I used to cry. Mama taught me when I cry, he is sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/don-t-cry-she-wouldn-t-like-it-when-i-missed-my-father-i-used-to-cry/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) > [“Sometimes, silence speaks louder than words. Just because it is peaceful, it doesn’t mean it is still and void, as a few may think.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/sometimes-silence-speaks-louder-than-words-just-because-it-is/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) > [“As a rule, people tend to forget the most important things in life when money, power and lust are involved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/as-a-rule-people-tend-to-forget-the-most-important-things-in-life/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) > [“Nonetheless, risk is a part of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/nonetheless-risk-is-a-part-of-life/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) > [“A mirror does not exist by itself. A mirror is a half. Half is done by the piece. The other half has to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/a-mirror-does-not-exist-by-itself-a-mirror-is-a-half-half-is-done-by/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) [Explore all 56 Cristiane Serruya quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) ## More Broken quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [You don't want to fix things that aren't broken, so that kind of stops you from make changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-weidman/you-don-t-want-to-fix-things-that-aren-t-broken-so-that-kind-of-stops/) [Chris Weidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-weidman/) > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Marriage is a desperate thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/marriage-is-a-desperate-thing/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [The child who ran weeping to you with a cut finger is now brought home, smiling gamely, with a broken collarbone and incredible contusions-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-brown/the-child-who-ran-weeping-to-you-with-a-cut-finger-is-now-brought/) [Pam Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-brown/) > [There is no pain like the first time you get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/there-is-no-pain-like-the-first-time-you-get-your-heart-broken/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [My life was incoherent to me. I felt it quivering, spitting out broken teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/my-life-was-incoherent-to-me-i-felt-it-quivering-spitting-out-broken/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [Don't fix what's not broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-atkins/don-t-fix-what-s-not-broken/) [Robert Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-atkins/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [Rome, believe me, my friend, is like its own Monte Testaceo, Merelya marvellous mass of broken and castaway wine-pots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/rome-believe-me-my-friend-is-like-its-own-monte-testaceo-merelya/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [Its funny how someone breaks your heart but you still love them with all those broken pieces..!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-funny-how-someone-breaks-your-heart-but-you-still-love-them-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we don't get what we want, there's a legitimate grieving, and then the spiritual journey truly begins, because not getting what we want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/when-we-don-t-get-what-we-want-there-s-a-legitimate-grieving-and-then/) [Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/) Browse all 5,851 Broken quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“No matter how hard she tried to maintain her calm and collected persona, she knew it was all a ruse. 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