---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So what’s your story?” Ryan asks. Avery…"
description: "\"“So what’s your story?” Ryan asks. Avery looks up at him, hand still in the water. “My story?” “Yeah. Everybody has at least one.”\" — David Levithan"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d26/david-levithan-67_story_so-what-s-your-story-ryan-asks-avery-loo_2649305.jpg"
---

#  So what’s your story?” Ryan asks. Avery looks up at him…

![“So what’s your story?” Ryan asks. Avery looks up at him, hand still in the water. “My story?” “Yeah. Everybody has at least one.” quote by David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d26/david-levithan-67_story_so-what-s-your-story-ryan-asks-avery-loo_2649305.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d26/david-levithan-67_story_so-what-s-your-story-ryan-asks-avery-loo_2649305.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d26/david-levithan-67_story_so-what-s-your-story-ryan-asks-avery-loo_2649305.jpg)

> ““So what’s your story?” Ryan asks. Avery looks up at him, hand still in the water. “My story?” “Yeah. Everybody has at least one.””

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A character asks another to share their personal story, implying that everyone has a narrative worth hearing, fostering empathy and connection.

**In simple terms:** Everyone has a story; sharing it builds understanding.

Key Takeaway

Listen to others to discover shared humanity.

Themes

relationships identity storytelling empathy connection

Mood

intimate curious empathetic

Type

conversational literary

When to use this quote

- friendship
- dating
- therapy sessions
- interviews
- community gatherings

Key Concepts

personal narrative dialogue self‑discovery human experience

Questions to Reflect On

- What story would you choose to tell?
- How does hearing others’ stories change your view?

A Different Perspective

Some may feel pressured to disclose painful histories.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/)

## Related quotes

> [“That is righteous, blondie! Hey, we need to come up with superhero names. How about capes—and codpieces? Just think about the idea for now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/that-is-righteous-blondie-hey-we-need-to-come-up-with-superhero-names/)

[Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/)

> [“in the end she had not wanted a life spent treading water in his story. She still did not—and yet she regarded herself in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kij-johnson/in-the-end-she-had-not-wanted-a-life-spent-treading-water-in-his/)

[Kij Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kij-johnson/)

> [“Do you want to leave me Alana?" Ryan asks anxiously. "Do you want me to leave you Ryan?" I respond softly. "No," he rasps.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-carmel/do-you-want-to-leave-me-alana-ryan-asks-anxiously-do-you-want-me-to/)

[Marissa Carmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-carmel/)

> [“Emily tucks her knees up beneath her and leans forward on the table. 'Do you like Ryan?' she asks Nick, and Mom's eyes go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/emily-tucks-her-knees-up-beneath-her-and-leans-forward-on-the-table/)

[Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

> [“Much. so there is free dessert involved here." I put my hand to my forehead. "oh, that i had discovered the job first!" Ryan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erynn-mangum/much-so-there-is-free-dessert-involved-here-i-put-my-hand-to-my/)

[Erynn Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erynn-mangum/)

> [“."Missed you today, beauty," he says, reigning kisses on my neck. He pulls back and kisses me gently on the mouth. "Did you miss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chantal-fernando/missed-you-today-beauty-he-says-reigning-kisses-on-my-neck-he-pulls/)

[Chantal Fernando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chantal-fernando/)

> [If you look back at my story, it doesn’t matter where you look, but God’s fingerprints are all over the place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-lin/if-you-look-back-at-my-story-it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-look-but-god/)

[Jeremy Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-lin/)

> [I had sort of had a 21st birthday when I was 17, 18 years old living in Japan. I had all of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wright/i-had-sort-of-had-a-21st-birthday-when-i-was-17-18-years-old-living/)

[Sarah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wright/)

> [When I was 3, my parents strapped on a pair of Playskool plastic roller skates to my feet, and that's where the story begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-celski/when-i-was-3-my-parents-strapped-on-a-pair-of-playskool-plastic/)

[J. R. Celski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-celski/)

> [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/)

[Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/)

> [“Saving History One Story at a Time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwsa-website/saving-history-one-story-at-a-time/)

MWSA website

> [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/)

[Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/)

> [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/)

[David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/)

> [I would give anything to be able to kick a ball with my son or read the kids a bedtime story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-burrow/i-would-give-anything-to-be-able-to-kick-a-ball-with-my-son-or-read/)

[Rob Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-burrow/)

> [I could program a 'fabulous, I love it' kind of hit season right now. I'm more interested in breaking boundaries, telling a story, defying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-could-program-a-fabulous-i-love-it-kind-of-hit-season-right-now-i-m/)

[George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/)

## More by David Levithan

> [“When you jump, all you're going to do is fall. But leaping? Leaping is when you think there's something on the other side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-jump-all-you-re-going-to-do-is-fall-but-leaping-leaping-is/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“The past and the future are what's complicated. It's the present that's simple. And the simplicity is the sensation of it being just her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-past-and-the-future-are-what-s-complicated-it-s-the-present-that/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [You could be the leaf that never falls from the tree you could be the sun that never leaves the sky this might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-could-be-the-leaf-that-never-falls-from-the-tree-you-could-be-the/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“Patrick: Is she worth the trouble? Cameron: I thought she was- Patrick: Either she is, or she isn't. So give it a shot, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/patrick-is-she-worth-the-trouble-cameron-i-thought-she-was-patrick/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“We saw our friends die. But we also see our friends live. So many of them live, and we often toast their long and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-saw-our-friends-die-but-we-also-see-our-friends-live-so-many-of/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [maybe tonight you're scared of falling, and maybe there's somebody here or somewhere else you're thinking about, worrying over, fretting over, trying to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/maybe-tonight-you-re-scared-of-falling-and-maybe-there-s-somebody/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“You never told me what you saw in him, not convincingly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-never-told-me-what-you-saw-in-him-not-convincingly/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“i nod to the other will grayson, up onstage. he nods to me. we have something between us, him and me. but the truth?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-nod-to-the-other-will-grayson-up-onstage-he-nods-to-me-we-have/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [The terrorists-those nineteen people, with hundreds or maybe thousands behind them-did the worst thing you can possibly imagine. But tens of millions people did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-terrorists-those-nineteen-people-with-hundreds-or-maybe-thousands/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [But I still has enough longing for that concept that I didn't want to dispel it completely. Meaning: I didn't want to tell Lily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/but-i-still-has-enough-longing-for-that-concept-that-i-didn-t-want-to/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“When you break someone's heart, you also break yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-break-someone-s-heart-you-also-break-yours/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“Because toward the end all the words started leaving. Except for the ones that had to lock up at the end of the night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/because-toward-the-end-all-the-words-started-leaving-except-for-the/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“ misgivings , n . Last night, I got up the courage to ask you if you regretted us. "There are things I miss,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/misgivings-n-last-night-i-got-up-the-courage-to-ask-you-if-you/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“Saving others is always more important than saving yourself. It has to be, or none of us would do any good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/saving-others-is-always-more-important-than-saving-yourself-it-has-to/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

[Explore all 1,648 David Levithan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

## More Story quotes

> [I could program a 'fabulous, I love it' kind of hit season right now. I'm more interested in breaking boundaries, telling a story, defying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-could-program-a-fabulous-i-love-it-kind-of-hit-season-right-now-i-m/)

[George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/)

> [I would give anything to be able to kick a ball with my son or read the kids a bedtime story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-burrow/i-would-give-anything-to-be-able-to-kick-a-ball-with-my-son-or-read/)

[Rob Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-burrow/)

> [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/)

[David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/)

> [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/)

[Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/)

> [“Saving History One Story at a Time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwsa-website/saving-history-one-story-at-a-time/)

MWSA website

> [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/)

[Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/)

> [When I was 3, my parents strapped on a pair of Playskool plastic roller skates to my feet, and that's where the story begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-celski/when-i-was-3-my-parents-strapped-on-a-pair-of-playskool-plastic/)

[J. R. Celski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-celski/)

> [I had sort of had a 21st birthday when I was 17, 18 years old living in Japan. I had all of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wright/i-had-sort-of-had-a-21st-birthday-when-i-was-17-18-years-old-living/)

[Sarah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wright/)

> [If you look back at my story, it doesn’t matter where you look, but God’s fingerprints are all over the place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-lin/if-you-look-back-at-my-story-it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-look-but-god/)

[Jeremy Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-lin/)

> [Starting a new job can be nerve-racking , but it's also exciting. You're embarking on a new future, positioning yourself to write a fresh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adena-friedman/starting-a-new-job-can-be-nerve-racking-but-it-s-also-exciting-you-re/)

[Adena Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adena-friedman/)

> [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/)

[Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/)

> [What a cool job to be part of - whether it's doing lighting or acting or serving food on set. You're part of telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-dern/what-a-cool-job-to-be-part-of-whether-it-s-doing-lighting-or-acting/)

[Laura Dern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-dern/)

> [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/)

[Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/)

> [If you do weave one-liners into a story, you have to have an overall story as well, otherwise it doesn't really count as narrative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/if-you-do-weave-one-liners-into-a-story-you-have-to-have-an-overall/)

[Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/)

> [Each child’s story is worthy of telling. There shouldn’t be a sliding scale of death. The weight of it is crushing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anderson-cooper/each-child-s-story-is-worthy-of-telling-there-shouldn-t-be-a-sliding/)

[Anderson Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anderson-cooper/)

[Browse all 9,674 Story quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“So what’s your story?” Ryan asks. Avery looks up at him, hand still in the water. “My story?” “Yeah. Everybody has at least one.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Levithan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/so-what-s-your-story-ryan-asks-avery-looks-up-at-him-hand-still-in/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Story"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/so-what-s-your-story-ryan-asks-avery-looks-up-at-him-hand-still-in/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d26/david-levithan-67_story_so-what-s-your-story-ryan-asks-avery-loo_2649305.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d26/david-levithan-67_story_so-what-s-your-story-ryan-asks-avery-loo_2649305.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d26/david-levithan-67_story_so-what-s-your-story-ryan-asks-avery-loo_2649305.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“So what’s your story?” Ryan asks. Avery looks up at him, hand still in the water. “My story?” “Yeah…” — David Levithan",
                "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": "David Levithan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“So what’s your story?” Ryan asks....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/so-what-s-your-story-ryan-asks-avery-looks-up-at-him-hand-still-in/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/so-what-s-your-story-ryan-asks-avery-looks-up-at-him-hand-still-in/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
