--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You couldn't teach kindness, she thought…" description: "\"“You couldn't teach kindness, she thought. It was something you were born with. People either had it or they didn't.”\" — Elizabeth Brundage" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e7/elizabeth-brundage-24756_kindness_you-couldn-t-teach-kindness-she-thought_2643336.jpg" --- # You couldn't teach kindness, she thought. It was something… ![“You couldn't teach kindness, she thought. It was something you were born with. People either had it or they didn't.” quote by Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e7/elizabeth-brundage-24756_kindness_you-couldn-t-teach-kindness-she-thought_2643336.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e7/elizabeth-brundage-24756_kindness_you-couldn-t-teach-kindness-she-thought_2643336.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e7/elizabeth-brundage-24756_kindness_you-couldn-t-teach-kindness-she-thought_2643336.jpg) > ““You couldn't teach kindness, she thought. It was something you were born with. People either had it or they didn't.”” [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Kindness is innate; you either have it or you don’t. **In simple terms:** Kindness is born, not taught. Key Takeaway Cultivate empathy. Themes kindness nature vs nurture character Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical conversational When to use this quote - education - team building - parenting Key Concepts moral philosophy developmental psychology Questions to Reflect On - Can kindness be taught? - What experiences shape kindness? A Different Perspective Kindness can be learned through practice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Couldn Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couldn-teach-1133956/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Kindness Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness-thought-1298857/) [Teach Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach-kindness-2287079/) [Thought Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-born-319284/) ## Related quotes > [“It was in kindness that the thought came to me now, whether it was truly spoken, or only called forth from my exhausted memory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/it-was-in-kindness-that-the-thought-came-to-me-now-whether-it-was/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [Kindness in thought leads to wisdom. Kindness in speech leads to eloquence. Kindness in action leads to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/kindness-in-thought-leads-to-wisdom-kindness-in-speech-leads-to/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Now is a time for, dare I say it, kindness. I thought being extremely smart would take care of it. But I see I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-edson/now-is-a-time-for-dare-i-say-it-kindness-i-thought-being-extremely/) [Margaret Edson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-edson/) > [“You remind me of an old cat I once had. Whenever he killed a mouse he would bring it into the drawing-room and lay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/you-remind-me-of-an-old-cat-i-once-had-whenever-he-killed-a-mouse-he/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [“Mom couldn’t teach me that because she didn’t know herself. She couldn’t show me how to be happy, only how to barely survive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-wariner/mom-couldn-t-teach-me-that-because-she-didn-t-know-herself-she-couldn/) [Ruth Wariner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-wariner/) > [“I never met a kid I couldn't teach. Every kid was good at something, and the trick was to find out what it was,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/i-never-met-a-kid-i-couldn-t-teach-every-kid-was-good-at-something/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [“He wasn't classically beautiful, but he had the sort of presence you couldn't teach, the kind that came from knowing your own power, owning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-rocha/he-wasn-t-classically-beautiful-but-he-had-the-sort-of-presence-you/) [Kit Rocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-rocha/) > [“His suffering will teach him kindness and compassion. He’ll find his heart again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/his-suffering-will-teach-him-kindness-and-compassion-he-ll-find-his/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [“And brave. Encourage her to speak her mind, to say what she really thinks, to speak truthfully. And then praise her when she does.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/and-brave-encourage-her-to-speak-her-mind-to-say-what-she-really/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [“You can't teach kindness with a whip, Janus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lester/you-can-t-teach-kindness-with-a-whip-janus/) [Chris Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lester/) > [“Well, you can't really force him to eat the veggies, guys, but your job is to make sure they're on his plate. He can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/well-you-can-t-really-force-him-to-eat-the-veggies-guys-but-your-job/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [“Tell her that kindness matters. Praise her when she is kind to other people. But teach her that kindness must never be taken for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/tell-her-that-kindness-matters-praise-her-when-she-is-kind-to-other/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [If I were a teacher, I would like to teach freshman English - so I could be the Robin Williams type in Dead Poets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/if-i-were-a-teacher-i-would-like-to-teach-freshman-english-so-i-could/) [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) > [I think that even though my father wasn't there, in his death and in his memory, he has been a mentor to me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-capra/i-think-that-even-though-my-father-wasn-t-there-in-his-death-and-in/) [Francis Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-capra/) > [Much earnest philosphical thought is born of the life which springs from close association with nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-gilpin/much-earnest-philosphical-thought-is-born-of-the-life-which-springs/) [Laura Gilpin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-gilpin/) ## More by Elizabeth Brundage > [“People just want to be happy, she thought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/people-just-want-to-be-happy-she-thought/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“His life in general had been a neatly wrapped package of lies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/his-life-in-general-had-been-a-neatly-wrapped-package-of-lies/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“Attraction is composed of desire and danger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/attraction-is-composed-of-desire-and-danger/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“Adults make mistakes too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/adults-make-mistakes-too/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“He wanted to dig a hole and put the past inside it and cover it back up again. He didn't know if flowers would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/he-wanted-to-dig-a-hole-and-put-the-past-inside-it-and-cover-it-back/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“I often ask the question: Is it impossible to have a simple life? The world is not simple, Claire said. The world is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/i-often-ask-the-question-is-it-impossible-to-have-a-simple-life-the/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“There was the dream of happiness and then there was what was real.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/there-was-the-dream-of-happiness-and-then-there-was-what-was-real/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“Let me tell you about love. Love is a kind of madness and you would follow it anywhere, you don't care.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/let-me-tell-you-about-love-love-is-a-kind-of-madness-and-you-would/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“As corny as it sounds, Gallagher said, life is very long. You're supposed to mess up when you're young and other people sometimes benefit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/as-corny-as-it-sounds-gallagher-said-life-is-very-long-you-re/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“Too many choices, that's the problem. Sometimes you get to a point, you know?" She looked at his face. His eyes seemed distant. "What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/too-many-choices-that-s-the-problem-sometimes-you-get-to-a-point-you/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“She cried and he held her and he cried too. He didn't think that either could say what they were crying about, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/she-cried-and-he-held-her-and-he-cried-too-he-didn-t-think-that/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“It was early still, the sky white, nude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/it-was-early-still-the-sky-white-nude/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“She said most people were good on the inside, where it mattered. You have to give them a chance to show their goodness, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/she-said-most-people-were-good-on-the-inside-where-it-mattered-you/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“Things didn't really go away. You just learned to push them deeper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/things-didn-t-really-go-away-you-just-learned-to-push-them-deeper/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) > [“In situations of crisis, it was always best to rely on routine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-brundage/in-situations-of-crisis-it-was-always-best-to-rely-on-routine/) [Elizabeth Brundage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) [Explore all 24 Elizabeth Brundage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-brundage/) ## More Kindness quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Each of our acts makes a statement as to our purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/each-of-our-acts-makes-a-statement-as-to-our-purpose/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Kindness unlocks doors that were thought to be closed forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/kindness-unlocks-doors-that-were-thought-to-be-closed-forever/) [Unkown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unkown/) > [“You are very kind and very intelligent and those elements are not always found together. Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-are-very-kind-and-very-intelligent-and-those-elements-are-not/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Grace is the wonderful spirit that imbues every fiber of our being when we practice the fruits of the spirit: kindness, patience, understanding, forgiveness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/grace-is-the-wonderful-spirit-that-imbues-every-fiber-of-our-being/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [Praise will come to those whose kindness leaves you without debt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-finn/praise-will-come-to-those-whose-kindness-leaves-you-without-debt/) [Neil Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-finn/) > [“A little bit of kindness goes a long way with women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-unsworth/a-little-bit-of-kindness-goes-a-long-way-with-women/) [Barry Unsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-unsworth/) > [The smartest people are the ones who can bring a little bit of heaven to earth by using there kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isiahnunn/the-smartest-people-are-the-ones-who-can-bring-a-little-bit-of-heaven/) [IsiahNunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isiahnunn/) > [If you take all the food aid, America is by far the most generous country. If you take the direct aid, we're very generous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-you-take-all-the-food-aid-america-is-by-far-the-most-generous/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“la ilaha ilallah muhammadun rasulullah, alaihi salatullah wa alihi wal ahibba "shine your mercy like the sun, and be gracious as the earth let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-al-habib/la-ilaha-ilallah-muhammadun-rasulullah-alaihi-salatullah-wa-alihi-wal/) [Talib al Habib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-al-habib/) > [“A man full of warm, speculative benevolence may wish his society otherwise constituted than he finds it; but a good patriot, and a true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/a-man-full-of-warm-speculative-benevolence-may-wish-his-society/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [(I)f we are going to be kind, let it be out of simple generosity, not because we fear guilt or retribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-f-we-are-going-to-be-kind-let-it-be-out-of-simple-generosity-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 6,600 Kindness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You couldn't teach kindness, she thought. 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