--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was about grace, she decides…" description: "\"It was about grace, she decides, something that has been missing from her own life. ... She wants to be the kind of person who can bestow unearned kind..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb6/emily-giffin-938_bitterness_it-was-about-grace-she-decides-something_1993993.png" --- # It was about grace, she decides, something that has been… ![“It was about grace, she decides, something that has been missing from her own life. ... She wants to be the kind of person who can bestow unearned kindness on another, replace bitterness with empathy, forgive only for the sake of forgiving.” quote by Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb6/emily-giffin-938_bitterness_it-was-about-grace-she-decides-something_1993993.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb6/emily-giffin-938_bitterness_it-was-about-grace-she-decides-something_1993993.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb6/emily-giffin-938_bitterness_it-was-about-grace-she-decides-something_1993993.png) > “It was about grace, she decides, something that has been missing from her own life. ... She wants to be the kind of person who can bestow unearned kindness on another, replace bitterness with empathy, forgive only for the sake of forgiving.” [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) ## 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 seeks to fill a personal void by offering unearned kindness, replacing bitterness with empathy, and forgiving for its own sake. **In simple terms:** Finding purpose through generous, forgiving actions. Key Takeaway Practice empathy and forgiveness to heal. Themes redemption empathy forgiveness personal growth kindness Mood hopeful reflective empathetic Type literary psychological inspirational When to use this quote - relationships - personal healing - conflict resolution - volunteering Key Concepts psychology ethics spirituality human connection Questions to Reflect On - What motivates selfless kindness? - How does forgiveness affect personal wellbeing? A Different Perspective Unconditional kindness may be unsustainable without boundaries. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bitterness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitterness/) [Bitterness Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitterness-empathy-3472630/) [Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy/) [Empathy Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy-forgive-3472628/) [Forgiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiving/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Grace Decides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace-decides-3472627/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Kind person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind-person/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Missing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missing/) [Nature of Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-beauty/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Sake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sake/) [Unearned Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unearned-kindness-3472629/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [I don't write for any particular kind of person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wesley/i-don-t-write-for-any-particular-kind-of-person/) [Mary Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wesley/) > [I am a kind of person who never gets satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anupama-parameswaran/i-am-a-kind-of-person-who-never-gets-satisfied/) [Anupama Parameswaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anupama-parameswaran/) > [I'm not the kind of person who sits off by myself and ignores everyone. I like to be happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-boyd/i-m-not-the-kind-of-person-who-sits-off-by-myself-and-ignores/) [Jenna Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-boyd/) > [The essence of all religions is love, compassion and tolerance. Kindness is my true religion. No matter whether you are learned or not, whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-essence-of-all-religions-is-love-compassion-and-tolerance/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [That's really my goal, is just to be a kind person who knows how to speak their mind and get their points across.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cailee-spaeny/that-s-really-my-goal-is-just-to-be-a-kind-person-who-knows-how-to/) [Cailee Spaeny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cailee-spaeny/) > [I'm not the kind of person that likes to be dependent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/i-m-not-the-kind-of-person-that-likes-to-be-dependent/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [There isn't just one kind of person that can play a superhero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-dennison/there-isn-t-just-one-kind-of-person-that-can-play-a-superhero/) [Julian Dennison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-dennison/) > [I am not the kind of person who lets complete strangers into my world. 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I love my life. But if one has to, then there is nothing more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asma-jahangir/i-am-certainly-not-a-martyr-kind-of-a-person-i-love-my-life-but-if/) [Asma Jahangir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asma-jahangir/) ## More by Emily Giffin > [I try to have something in common with my protagonists, especially when I'm writing in the first person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-try-to-have-something-in-common-with-my-protagonists-especially/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [I think exercise is critical to my writing and an essential way to recharge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-think-exercise-is-critical-to-my-writing-and-an-essential-way-to/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“Grab his penis like this, and I guarantee, it’s a done deal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/grab-his-penis-like-this-and-i-guarantee-it-s-a-done-deal/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“Well, anyway… it’s over,” I say, realizing that those two words lump me right in with a hoard of naive women who say it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/well-anyway-it-s-over-i-say-realizing-that-those-two-words-lump-me/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [There are two kinds of sorry. There is the sorry imbued with regret. And a pure sorry. The kind that is merely asking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/there-are-two-kinds-of-sorry-there-is-the-sorry-imbued-with-regret/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [Throw in the intensity of emotions that come with that bittersweet summer sandwiched between high school graduation and the rest of your life...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/throw-in-the-intensity-of-emotions-that-come-with-that-bittersweet/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“You can never be too sure when it comes to things that matter most”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/you-can-never-be-too-sure-when-it-comes-to-things-that-matter-most/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“It occurs to me that she is not unique--that all women compare lives. We are aware of whose husband works more, who helps more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/it-occurs-to-me-that-she-is-not-unique-that-all-women-compare-lives/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“I desperately want to feel that way again. To be in a relationship that I’m not trying to script or water down. It’s about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-desperately-want-to-feel-that-way-again-to-be-in-a-relationship/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [I always find something in common with my protagonist, particularly when I write in the first person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-always-find-something-in-common-with-my-protagonist-particularly/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [There is no grief like heartbreak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/there-is-no-grief-like-heartbreak/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [I find my voice and manage to say those three one-syllable words back to him. Words I haven't uttered in a very, very long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-find-my-voice-and-manage-to-say-those-three-one-syllable-words-back/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [i wish i could freeze this moment, somehow delay my final decision, and just hang here in the balance between two places, two worlds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-wish-i-could-freeze-this-moment-somehow-delay-my-final-decision-and/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [I try to write about real women, real people - in other words flawed characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-try-to-write-about-real-women-real-people-in-other-words-flawed/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“never had a good gut feeling. It wasn’t so much that I didn’t have faith in my team, but that I maintained the truest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/never-had-a-good-gut-feeling-it-wasn-t-so-much-that-i-didn-t-have/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) [Explore all 324 Emily Giffin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) ## More Bitterness quotes > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [If Japanese tea 'stands,' it acquires a coarse bitterness and an unwholesome astringency. Milk and sugar are not used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-bird/if-japanese-tea-stands-it-acquires-a-coarse-bitterness-and-an/) [Isabella Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-bird/) > [Stronger than alcohol, vaster than poetry, Ferment the freckled red bitterness of love!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rimbaud/stronger-than-alcohol-vaster-than-poetry-ferment-the-freckled-red/) [Arthur Rimbaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rimbaud/) > [“What?" I ask. I try not to get snappy with her. She hasn't really done anything wrong. Falling in love with Turner isn't a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-m-stunich/what-i-ask-i-try-not-to-get-snappy-with-her-she-hasn-t-really-done/) [C.M. Stunich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-m-stunich/) > [“The fairest things have fleetest end, Their scent survives their close: But the rose’s scent is bitterness To him that loved the rose. —Francis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-rule/the-fairest-things-have-fleetest-end-their-scent-survives-their-close/) [Ann Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-rule/) > [Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity, or registering wrongs. With this creed, revenge never worries my heart, degradation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/life-appears-to-me-too-short-to-be-spent-in-nursing-animosity-or/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“No," I say. "I didn't know that," and as I say it I feel flooded with bitterness at all the things Ingrid kept secret…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-lacour/no-i-say-i-didn-t-know-that-and-as-i-say-it-i-feel-flooded-with/) [Nina LaCour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-lacour/) > [Forgiving someone who've done you wrong or didn't treat you right could mean that you are allowing yourself to end up away from bitterness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/april-t-pascua/forgiving-someone-who-ve-done-you-wrong-or-didn-t-treat-you-right/) [April T Pascua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/april-t-pascua/) > [You cannot be inspired if you are surrounded with negativity, open the door and step into the inspirational garden of nature. Do not let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/you-cannot-be-inspired-if-you-are-surrounded-with-negativity-open-the/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it. Carry it by the comfortable handles of gratitude for what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/it-s-not-the-load-that-breaks-you-down-it-s-the-way-you-carry-it/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [Not forgiving prolongs hurt and anger and leads to smoldering resentment, which will make us miserable until it kills us. Resentment destroys the perception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-walters/not-forgiving-prolongs-hurt-and-anger-and-leads-to-smoldering/) [Richard Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-walters/) > [Let us not give in to pessimism, to that bitterness that the devil offers us every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/let-us-not-give-in-to-pessimism-to-that-bitterness-that-the-devil/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“Sometimes it is good to remind ourselves how bitterness tastes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rin-chupeco/sometimes-it-is-good-to-remind-ourselves-how-bitterness-tastes/) [Rin Chupeco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rin-chupeco/) > [What folly made young people, even those in middle age, think they were immortal? How much better, their lives, if they could remember the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/what-folly-made-young-people-even-those-in-middle-age-think-they-were/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [Be sure there is something waiting for you after much patience, to astonish you to a degree, that you forget the bitterness of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/be-sure-there-is-something-waiting-for-you-after-much-patience-to/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) [Browse all 1,210 Bitterness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitterness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It was about grace, she decides, something that has been missing from her own life. ... 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