--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The word \"missing\" is particularly cruel…" description: "\"The word \"missing\" is particularly cruel, leaving as it does a ray of hope that the person will turn up safe and well, even in the most doomed circumst..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-d_circumstances_the-word-missing-is-particularly-cruel-l_2836215.jpg" --- # The word "missing" is particularly cruel, leaving as it… ![“The word "missing" is particularly cruel, leaving as it does a ray of hope that the person will turn up safe and well, even in the most doomed circumstances. As days go by, it becomes increasingly unlikely and yet and yet...” quote by Deborah Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-d_circumstances_the-word-missing-is-particularly-cruel-l_2836215.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-d_circumstances_the-word-missing-is-particularly-cruel-l_2836215.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-d_circumstances_the-word-missing-is-particularly-cruel-l_2836215.jpg) > “The word "missing" is particularly cruel, leaving as it does a ray of hope that the person will turn up safe and well, even in the most doomed circumstances. As days go by, it becomes increasingly unlikely and yet and yet...” [Deborah Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-devonshire/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Missing someone creates a painful hope that they might still be safe, even when odds suggest otherwise. **In simple terms:** Hope persists despite low likelihood of a safe return. Key Takeaway Balance hope with realistic expectations. Themes grief hope uncertainty Mood melancholic empathetic Type reflective emotional When to use this quote - waiting for news - supporting bereaved friends - coping with uncertainty Key Concepts psychology of loss emotional resilience Questions to Reflect On - What helps you stay grounded in such moments? - Can hope be both comforting and harmful? A Different Perspective Hope can delay acceptance and prolong distress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Circumstances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circumstances/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Doomed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doomed/) [Doomed Circumstances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doomed-circumstances-3692530/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Increasingly Unlikely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increasingly-unlikely-3692529/) [Leaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaving/) [Missing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missing/) [Missing Particularly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missing-particularly-3692528/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Ray of hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ray-of-hope/) [Rays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rays/) [Safe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [Unlikely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unlikely/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [“Laughter sometimes hurts us, and sometimes it makes us feel better. No matter how down you feel... laughter brings a new ray of hope.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiko-tobe/laughter-sometimes-hurts-us-and-sometimes-it-makes-us-feel-better-no/) [Keiko Tobe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiko-tobe/) > [Even every ray of hope destroyed and not a wish to gild the gloom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/even-every-ray-of-hope-destroyed-and-not-a-wish-to-gild-the-gloom/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [This budget is a Sanjeevani (new life) and an Arunoday (sunrise) for the last man in the line. This budget converts hopes and aspirations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/this-budget-is-a-sanjeevani-new-life-and-an-arunoday-sunrise-for-the/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [“If you’ve ever suffered the accusations of people who objectified you as an emblem of darkness, it wasn’t your fault. If you’ve ever been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-alvi/if-you-ve-ever-suffered-the-accusations-of-people-who-objectified-you/) [Kamil Alvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-alvi/) > [“Maybe someday I'll have that, bit it won't be with Ridge, and knowing that diminishes whatever ray of hope shone through the storm of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/maybe-someday-i-ll-have-that-bit-it-won-t-be-with-ridge-and-knowing/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [I. Sure its a stroke. but it can also be a word, a statement, an anthem, a stab of defiance, a ray of hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toi/i-sure-its-a-stroke-but-it-can-also-be-a-word-a-statement-an-anthem-a/) [TOI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toi/) > [Khaddar brings a ray of hope to the widow's broken-up home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/khaddar-brings-a-ray-of-hope-to-the-widow-s-broken-up-home/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [You hear, Eugene?' said Lightwood over his shoulder. 'You are deeply interested in lime.' 'Without lime,' returned that unmoved barrister at law, 'my existence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/you-hear-eugene-said-lightwood-over-his-shoulder-you-are-deeply/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Past is story, present is moment to act & future is ray of hope.Therefore dont lament for past to make present a spoil &…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/past-is-story-present-is-moment-to-act-future-is-ray-of-hope/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [I'm someone who's always looking for hope - if there's a ray of hope, a shrapnel, shred, a flake of hope - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-granik/i-m-someone-who-s-always-looking-for-hope-if-there-s-a-ray-of-hope-a/) [Debra Granik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-granik/) > [You know, the streets are filled with vipers Who've lost all ray of hope You know, it ain't even safe no more In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/you-know-the-streets-are-filled-with-vipers-who-ve-lost-all-ray-of/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [“Perhaps, more than anything, it occurred to her that maybe she didn't have to spend the rest of eternity alone. One person could know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-drummond/perhaps-more-than-anything-it-occurred-to-her-that-maybe-she-didn-t/) [India Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-drummond/) > [The kindness of strangers and the support of the international community are truly the rays of hope we North Korean people need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/the-kindness-of-strangers-and-the-support-of-the-international/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [I've had people call me and tell me, 'You've given me courage.' It's fantastic... it's heart-warming to know you can be a ray of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kubra-sait/i-ve-had-people-call-me-and-tell-me-you-ve-given-me-courage-it-s/) [Kubra Sait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kubra-sait/) > [Perhaps the greatest psychological, spiritual, and medical need that all people have is the need for hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/perhaps-the-greatest-psychological-spiritual-and-medical-need-that/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) ## More by Deborah Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire > [Recently a young journalist came to interview me about what I was doing the day war broke out. During the course of the interview…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-devonshire/recently-a-young-journalist-came-to-interview-me-about-what-i-was/) [Deborah Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-devonshire/) > [Deborah, Duchess of Devonshire recounts her decision to leave her husband after decades of struggle with his alcoholism. Several days later, he wrote to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-devonshire/deborah-duchess-of-devonshire-recounts-her-decision-to-leave-her/) [Deborah Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-devonshire/) > [Father was a good driver and enjoyed driving, but the sight of a female in charge of a vehicle was sometimes too much for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-devonshire/father-was-a-good-driver-and-enjoyed-driving-but-the-sight-of-a/) [Deborah Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-devonshire/) > [Our underclothes were woolen vests and knickers and an extraordinary, but apparently necessary, concoction called a liberty bodice, which had no freedom about it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-devonshire/our-underclothes-were-woolen-vests-and-knickers-and-an-extraordinary/) [Deborah Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-devonshire/) [Explore all 5 Deborah Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-devonshire/) ## More Circumstances quotes > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Although under particular circumstances, the violence method - any method - can be justified, nevertheless once you commit violence, then counterviolence will be returned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/although-under-particular-circumstances-the-violence-method-any/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Trust is about keeping commitments, but in many instances, circumstances change and organizations therefore shed commitments, things such as retiree medical benefits, pension obligations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/trust-is-about-keeping-commitments-but-in-many-instances/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [The fortunate circumstances of our lives are generally found, at last, to be of our own producing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/the-fortunate-circumstances-of-our-lives-are-generally-found-at-last/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [“The set of circumstances that justifies the use of deadly force is a situation of immediate danger of death or great bodily harm to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massad-ayoob/the-set-of-circumstances-that-justifies-the-use-of-deadly-force-is-a/) [Massad Ayoob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massad-ayoob/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [It's impossible to know who Donald might have been under different circumstances and with different parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-l-trump/it-s-impossible-to-know-who-donald-might-have-been-under-different/) [Mary L. Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-l-trump/) > [When we watch a play under the standard circumstances, we've lost volition and time is passing. A still play feels like an existential threat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-greenberg/when-we-watch-a-play-under-the-standard-circumstances-we-ve-lost/) [Richard Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-greenberg/) > [Being positive helps you to keep away negative thoughts. And helps you to stand in adverse circumstances with the hope that in the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/being-positive-helps-you-to-keep-away-negative-thoughts-and-helps-you/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [It seemed to me that the human beings I met reacted pretty much the same to the same stimuli. Different idioms,yes. Circumstances and conditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/it-seemed-to-me-that-the-human-beings-i-met-reacted-pretty-much-the/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [I don't think you would have missed that putt, but in these circumstances, I would never give you the opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/i-don-t-think-you-would-have-missed-that-putt-but-in-these/) [Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/) > [I used to think I could shape the circumstances around me, but now I know Jesus uses circumstances to shape me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/i-used-to-think-i-could-shape-the-circumstances-around-me-but-now-i/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [Instead of complaining about your circumstances, get busy creating new ones. You either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-complaining-about-your-circumstances-get-busy-creating-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 4,560 Circumstances quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circumstances/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The word \"missing\" is particularly cruel, leaving as it does a ray of hope that the person will turn up safe and well, even in the most doomed circumstances. As days go by, it becomes increasingly unlikely and yet and yet...", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Deborah Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-devonshire/the-word-missing-is-particularly-cruel-leaving-as-it-does-a-ray-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Circumstances" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-devonshire/the-word-missing-is-particularly-cruel-leaving-as-it-does-a-ray-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-d_circumstances_the-word-missing-is-particularly-cruel-l_2836215.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-d_circumstances_the-word-missing-is-particularly-cruel-l_2836215.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-d_circumstances_the-word-missing-is-particularly-cruel-l_2836215.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The word \"missing\" is particularly cruel, leaving as it does a ray of hope that the person will turn up safe…” — Deborah Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire", "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": "Deborah Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-devonshire/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The word \"missing\" is particularly cruel,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-devonshire/the-word-missing-is-particularly-cruel-leaving-as-it-does-a-ray-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-cavendish-duchess-of-devonshire/the-word-missing-is-particularly-cruel-leaving-as-it-does-a-ray-of/#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 } } ] } ```