--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can't imagine anything that would…" description: "\"I can't imagine anything that would signal more clearly that life goes on and joy can follow tragedy than your having a much wanted child.\" — Emily Yoffe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/579/emily-yoffe-10396_children_i-can-t-imagine-anything-that-would-sign_1018895.jpg" --- # I can't imagine anything that would signal more clearly… ![“I can't imagine anything that would signal more clearly that life goes on and joy can follow tragedy than your having a much wanted child.” quote by Emily Yoffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/579/emily-yoffe-10396_children_i-can-t-imagine-anything-that-would-sign_1018895.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/579/emily-yoffe-10396_children_i-can-t-imagine-anything-that-would-sign_1018895.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/579/emily-yoffe-10396_children_i-can-t-imagine-anything-that-would-sign_1018895.jpg) > “I can't imagine anything that would signal more clearly that life goes on and joy can follow tragedy than your having a much wanted child.” [Emily Yoffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-yoffe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A desired child brings joy and shows that life continues after tragedy, offering hope. **In simple terms:** A child brings hope after loss. Key Takeaway Cherish new life, find joy. Themes joy hope life tragedy parenthood continuity Mood hopeful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - parenting - grief support - celebration of life - mental health - hopeful narratives Key Concepts resilience grief processing family dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does new life change your perspective on loss? - What role does joy play in healing? A Different Perspective Some may feel grief outweighs joy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think it's possible to have a sense of tragedy without having a sense of humor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-don-t-think-it-s-possible-to-have-a-sense-of-tragedy-without-having/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Now I see it clearly. My whole life has pointed in one direction. I see that now. There never has been any choice for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-schrader/now-i-see-it-clearly-my-whole-life-has-pointed-in-one-direction-i-see/) [Paul Schrader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-schrader/) > [“Bow humbly to the truth of life when you see it clearly, otherwise life in its power will bring you to your knees and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elhachemi-sabi/bow-humbly-to-the-truth-of-life-when-you-see-it-clearly-otherwise/) Elhachemi Sabi > [To the immature people who clearly have no life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-the-immature-people-who-clearly-have-no-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've got life for a subject because as life starts to drain away, you start seeing very clearly what life is, for the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/i-ve-got-life-for-a-subject-because-as-life-starts-to-drain-away-you/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [“Seen clearly, life without hope is hell, but Hell without fear is a fairground attraction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-van-boxsel/seen-clearly-life-without-hope-is-hell-but-hell-without-fear-is-a/) Matthijs van Boxsel > [If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddha/if-we-could-see-the-miracle-of-a-single-flower-clearly-our-whole-life/) [Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddha/) > [The gesture with which one generation guards the next is the movement, and the only time we see it clearly, of life itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/storm-jameson/the-gesture-with-which-one-generation-guards-the-next-is-the-movement/) [Storm Jameson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/storm-jameson/) > [All I've ever wanted, since I was a child, was to do something wonderful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/all-i-ve-ever-wanted-since-i-was-a-child-was-to-do-something-wonderful/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [You can think everything is dire, but you act as if there's possibility. I see children coming into the world as an expression of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-tillman/you-can-think-everything-is-dire-but-you-act-as-if-there-s/) [Lynne Tillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-tillman/) > [Every child a wanted child; every mother a willing mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-morgentaler/every-child-a-wanted-child-every-mother-a-willing-mother/) Henry Morgentaler > [“I didn’t want to invade his privacy; I didn’t want to fight with him; I didn’t want anyone else to ever hurt him. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-didn-t-want-to-invade-his-privacy-i-didn-t-want-to-fight-with-him-i/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [I have always wanted my own child... no make that children. And when you find the ideal life partner, you want children all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aditya-narayan/i-have-always-wanted-my-own-child-no-make-that-children-and-when-you/) [Aditya Narayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aditya-narayan/) > [I didn't want to get married to somebody just because I was ageing and wanted a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neena-gupta/i-didn-t-want-to-get-married-to-somebody-just-because-i-was-ageing/) [Neena Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neena-gupta/) > [That's the worst of growing up, and I'm beginning to realize it. The things you wanted so much when you were a child don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-s-the-worst-of-growing-up-and-i-m-beginning-to-realize-it-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Emily Yoffe > [As far as types preferring other types, people of the same type can understand each others' perspective very well, but also drive each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-yoffe/as-far-as-types-preferring-other-types-people-of-the-same-type-can/) [Emily Yoffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-yoffe/) > [The sadness from reading letters that you know you can't help because it's a person who's in extremis and their problems are not soluble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-yoffe/the-sadness-from-reading-letters-that-you-know-you-can-t-help-because/) [Emily Yoffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-yoffe/) > [Obama's major accomplishment is himself. This can be an effective argument to make to undecided voters and something Obama has to artfully address.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-yoffe/obama-s-major-accomplishment-is-himself-this-can-be-an-effective/) [Emily Yoffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-yoffe/) > [Keep in mind that when you tell people to come see you, they might not get the idea about when it's time to leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-yoffe/keep-in-mind-that-when-you-tell-people-to-come-see-you-they-might-not/) [Emily Yoffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-yoffe/) > [When you have a life milestone happen, it's good to step back and reassess the things you thought you knew about yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-yoffe/when-you-have-a-life-milestone-happen-it-s-good-to-step-back-and/) [Emily Yoffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-yoffe/) > [Love is not shown by giving your toddler a car. It's better demonstrated by clapping as she bangs on pots or singing to her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-yoffe/love-is-not-shown-by-giving-your-toddler-a-car-it-s-better/) [Emily Yoffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-yoffe/) > [Unless you work at the Republican National Committee or some other conservatively affiliated organization, people's personal political preferences should not be a criterion for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-yoffe/unless-you-work-at-the-republican-national-committee-or-some-other/) [Emily Yoffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-yoffe/) > [I spent most of my 20s dating older men, and I really wish I had spent that time dating men my own age who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-yoffe/i-spent-most-of-my-20s-dating-older-men-and-i-really-wish-i-had-spent/) [Emily Yoffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-yoffe/) > [There are some people who do not have a wild past because being wild would make them terribly self-conscious and uncomfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-yoffe/there-are-some-people-who-do-not-have-a-wild-past-because-being-wild/) [Emily Yoffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-yoffe/) > [The human heart is a mysterious and sometimes dark place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-yoffe/the-human-heart-is-a-mysterious-and-sometimes-dark-place/) [Emily Yoffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-yoffe/) > [Children need adult men in their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-yoffe/children-need-adult-men-in-their-lives/) [Emily Yoffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-yoffe/) > [Sometimes people have a wild past because they have an essentially wild nature, and that's how they plan to go through life. Sometimes such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-yoffe/sometimes-people-have-a-wild-past-because-they-have-an-essentially/) [Emily Yoffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-yoffe/) > [Extreme picky eaters may have what's called Selective Eating Disorder. People with this experience physical and psychological discomfort over certain tastes, smells, textures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-yoffe/extreme-picky-eaters-may-have-what-s-called-selective-eating-disorder/) [Emily Yoffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-yoffe/) > [When my daughter left for college, I lost my in-house consultant to youth culture. There's just stuff I don't get. And there's something kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-yoffe/when-my-daughter-left-for-college-i-lost-my-in-house-consultant-to/) [Emily Yoffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-yoffe/) > [Sure, people talk about all kinds of stuff at the office, but surely everyone has better things to do than sound like they're auditioning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-yoffe/sure-people-talk-about-all-kinds-of-stuff-at-the-office-but-surely/) [Emily Yoffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-yoffe/) [Explore all 66 Emily Yoffe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-yoffe/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can't imagine anything that would signal more clearly that life goes on and joy can follow tragedy than your having a much wanted child.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emily Yoffe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-yoffe/i-can-t-imagine-anything-that-would-signal-more-clearly-that-life/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Children" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-yoffe/i-can-t-imagine-anything-that-would-signal-more-clearly-that-life/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/579/emily-yoffe-10396_children_i-can-t-imagine-anything-that-would-sign_1018895.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/579/emily-yoffe-10396_children_i-can-t-imagine-anything-that-would-sign_1018895.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/579/emily-yoffe-10396_children_i-can-t-imagine-anything-that-would-sign_1018895.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can't imagine anything that would signal more clearly that life goes on and joy can follow tragedy than…” — Emily Yoffe", "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": "Emily Yoffe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-yoffe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I can't imagine anything that would...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-yoffe/i-can-t-imagine-anything-that-would-signal-more-clearly-that-life/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-yoffe/i-can-t-imagine-anything-that-would-signal-more-clearly-that-life/#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 } } ] } ```