---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And what is there to be joyful about?\" I…"
description: "\"“And what is there to be joyful about?\" I asked honestly, thinking on the images of dead children curled into themselves at the village. Another burst ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/200/fisher-amelie-3261_children_and-what-is-there-to-be-joyful-about-i-a_1579714.jpg"
---

#  And what is there to be joyful about?" I asked honestly…

![“And what is there to be joyful about?&quot; I asked honestly, thinking on the images of dead children curled into themselves at the village. Another burst of silent tears streamed down. &quot;Life, Sophie. They still live. They breathe, they love each other, they find joy in the world around them for no…” quote by Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/200/fisher-amelie-3261_children_and-what-is-there-to-be-joyful-about-i-a_1579714.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/200/fisher-amelie-3261_children_and-what-is-there-to-be-joyful-about-i-a_1579714.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/200/fisher-amelie-3261_children_and-what-is-there-to-be-joyful-about-i-a_1579714.jpg)

> ““And what is there to be joyful about?" I asked honestly, thinking on the images of dead children curled into themselves at the village. Another burst of silent tears streamed down. "Life, Sophie. They still live. They breathe, they love each other, they find joy in the world around them for no other reason than because they are children. They are resilient. They will always rise above. Always. It is a curious facet of the innocent young.””

[Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/)

## About This Quote

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

The speaker reflects on the inherent resilience and joy of children, suggesting that despite suffering, life persists through love and innocence.

**In simple terms:** Children’s joy and resilience endure despite hardship.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and cherish the simple joys in life.

Themes

resilience innocence hope humanity suffering

Mood

hopeful reflective empathetic

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- war zones
- refugee camps
- post‑trauma recovery
- community rebuilding

Key Concepts

psychology existentialism childhood empathy

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we support children’s resilience without minimizing their pain?
- What role does community play in fostering joy?

A Different Perspective

The quote may romanticize resilience, overlooking deep trauma.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Joyful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joyful/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Silent Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silent-tears/)

## Related quotes

> [“She was tough; there was no doubt about that. With all the experience she'd had in her short life, Sophie knew that she couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-dale/she-was-tough-there-was-no-doubt-about-that-with-all-the-experience/)

M.R. Dale

> [“Love is what you do in life – Gabriel Scott Love is who you do in life – Sophie Darling”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-callihan/love-is-what-you-do-in-life-gabriel-scott-love-is-who-you-do-in-life/)

[Kristen Callihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-callihan/)

> [“All mothers breed dead children. They shall, perhaps, live later. When no longer dead, they are born Not—by coincidence, by choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mie-hansson/all-mothers-breed-dead-children-they-shall-perhaps-live-later-when-no/)

Mie Hansson

> [“They still live. They breathe, they love each other, they find joy in the world around them for no other reason than because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-fisher/they-still-live-they-breathe-they-love-each-other-they-find-joy-in/)

Amelia Fisher

> [There is a pent-up demand from people who want to clone their dead children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-stock/there-is-a-pent-up-demand-from-people-who-want-to-clone-their-dead/)

[Gregory Stock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-stock/)

> [What I do say is, yes, children may be resilient and they have been able to deal with all sorts of difficulties they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-murphy/what-i-do-say-is-yes-children-may-be-resilient-and-they-have-been/)

[Timothy Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-murphy/)

> [“In her experience, dead children, unlike dead adults, always looked as if they were sleeping - though she understood that there was an element…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/in-her-experience-dead-children-unlike-dead-adults-always-looked-as/)

[Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/)

> [Childhood trauma is not necessarily a prophecy of doom, because some children are resilient or because later experiences help to restore mental health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bentall/childhood-trauma-is-not-necessarily-a-prophecy-of-doom-because-some/)

[Richard Bentall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bentall/)

> [“Children are resilient,” Anise said, simultaneously agreeing with her friend and cutting her off. “But often their wounds simply remain invisible until, all at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/children-are-resilient-anise-said-simultaneously-agreeing-with-her/)

[Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/)

> [“A walk through an old graveyard shows our ancestors often had more dead children than we have live ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/a-walk-through-an-old-graveyard-shows-our-ancestors-often-had-more/)

[P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/)

> [“All mothers breed dead children.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mie-hansson/all-mothers-breed-dead-children/)

Mie Hansson

> [“Sarah put the man and the other dead children out of her head. Later, perhaps, she would watch Lockie out in the garden and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-trope/sarah-put-the-man-and-the-other-dead-children-out-of-her-head-later/)

[Nicole Trope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-trope/)

> [Children are resilient - they can always find a way to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/children-are-resilient-they-can-always-find-a-way-to-play/)

[Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/)

> [I would say that children are more resilient than you realize, and that as long as you love them, there is no right way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/i-would-say-that-children-are-more-resilient-than-you-realize-and/)

[Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/)

> [“If you do not come, your brothers will deliver the bodies of three dead children to your apartment at dawn. Children who will have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-malcom/if-you-do-not-come-your-brothers-will-deliver-the-bodies-of-three/)

[Anne Malcom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-malcom/)

## More by Fisher Amelie

> [“I wasn’t different from most girls I knew. Well, except the fact I was exponentially better looking, but why beat a dead horse?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/i-wasn-t-different-from-most-girls-i-knew-well-except-the-fact-i-was/)

[Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/)

> [“I feel desperate when it comes to you. Desperate and a little bit insane. All I can think about around you is what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/i-feel-desperate-when-it-comes-to-you-desperate-and-a-little-bit/)

[Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/)

> [“Your heart is startingly beautiful, Sophie." - Ian”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/your-heart-is-startingly-beautiful-sophie-ian/)

[Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/)

> [“We held each other the entire night, no words spoken but the still, silent night uttered so much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/we-held-each-other-the-entire-night-no-words-spoken-but-the-still/)

[Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/)

> [“Please, enlighten me, Tom. What exactly did you observe?” “That men fly to you like a bug to a zapper.” “Lovely. That’s a lovely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/please-enlighten-me-tom-what-exactly-did-you-observe-that-men-fly-to/)

[Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/)

> [“If we don’t make out of this alive, Sophie Price, I want you to know that I’ve never loved anyone as much as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/if-we-don-t-make-out-of-this-alive-sophie-price-i-want-you-to-know/)

[Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/)

> [“My heart tumbled in pieces at her feet as she chipped away at it with her wondrous ways, and it didn't form a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/my-heart-tumbled-in-pieces-at-her-feet-as-she-chipped-away-at-it-with/)

[Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/)

> [“I smiled at him and we stood quietly, our hands on one another as if we were both awakening to whatever it was that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/i-smiled-at-him-and-we-stood-quietly-our-hands-on-one-another-as-if/)

[Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/)

> [“Vanity's a debilitating affliction. You're so in absorbed in yourself it's impossible to love anyone other than oneself, leaving you weak without realization of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/vanity-s-a-debilitating-affliction-you-re-so-in-absorbed-in-yourself/)

[Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/)

> [“No need to flatter me, Miss Price. I believe your bait worked. I’m hooked. Line and sinker.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/no-need-to-flatter-me-miss-price-i-believe-your-bait-worked-i-m/)

[Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/)

> [“I’m a coward, January. I’m not sure if I can handle another heartbreak and I know if I fell for you, I’d fall so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/i-m-a-coward-january-i-m-not-sure-if-i-can-handle-another-heartbreak/)

[Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/)

> [“The shortest distance between two points is the line from me to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/the-shortest-distance-between-two-points-is-the-line-from-me-to-you/)

[Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/)

> [“I can say without absolute certainty that you are the only person in this world that deserves the moon, the ocean, and the stars.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/i-can-say-without-absolute-certainty-that-you-are-the-only-person-in/)

[Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/)

> [“I gave myself no boundaries. If I wanted to sleep with a boy, I did. If I wanted to try a drug, I did.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/i-gave-myself-no-boundaries-if-i-wanted-to-sleep-with-a-boy-i-did-if/)

[Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/)

> [“He bent his head to mine and kissed the sense out of me. If you’d asked me my name, I’d have told you wrong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/he-bent-his-head-to-mine-and-kissed-the-sense-out-of-me-if-you-d/)

[Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/)

[Explore all 135 Fisher Amelie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/)

## More Child quotes

> [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [“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 parents who make every effort we can to raise our children in loving security, we do not need to feel more guilt than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabor-mat/as-parents-who-make-every-effort-we-can-to-raise-our-children-in/)

[Gabor Maté](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabor-mat/)

> [I want to make my music and be a happy woman, a good wife, a good mom and one day hopefully have a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/i-want-to-make-my-music-and-be-a-happy-woman-a-good-wife-a-good-mom/)

[LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/)

> [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/)

[Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/)

> [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [I'm a weirdo and an only child. That comes together to create one-woman shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seales/i-m-a-weirdo-and-an-only-child-that-comes-together-to-create-one/)

[Amanda Seales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seales/)

> [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [To assist a child we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/to-assist-a-child-we-must-provide-him-with-an-environment-which-will/)

[Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/)

> [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/)

[Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/)

> [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/)

[Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/)

> [if we center our lives on BMWs, RVs, VCRs, PCs and the other acronyms of consumerism, we cannot expect our children to do otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnetta-b-cole/if-we-center-our-lives-on-bmws-rvs-vcrs-pcs-and-the-other-acronyms-of/)

[Johnnetta B. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnetta-b-cole/)

> [Bring up your children in the way you think other peoples children should go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/bring-up-your-children-in-the-way-you-think-other-peoples-children/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/)

Sheila Kamerman

> [My first three manuscripts were epic fantasy - like high fantasy - and then the fourth one was a historical fantasy about Mozart as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/my-first-three-manuscripts-were-epic-fantasy-like-high-fantasy-and/)

[Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/)

[Browse all 10,700 Child quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“And what is there to be joyful about?\" I asked honestly, thinking on the images of dead children curled into themselves at the village. Another burst of silent tears streamed down. \"Life, Sophie. They still live. They breathe, they love each other, they find joy in the world around them for no other reason than because they are children. They are resilient. They will always rise above. Always. It is a curious facet of the innocent young.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Fisher Amelie"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/and-what-is-there-to-be-joyful-about-i-asked-honestly-thinking-on-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Child"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/and-what-is-there-to-be-joyful-about-i-asked-honestly-thinking-on-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/200/fisher-amelie-3261_children_and-what-is-there-to-be-joyful-about-i-a_1579714.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/200/fisher-amelie-3261_children_and-what-is-there-to-be-joyful-about-i-a_1579714.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/200/fisher-amelie-3261_children_and-what-is-there-to-be-joyful-about-i-a_1579714.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“And what is there to be joyful about?\" I asked honestly, thinking on the images of dead children curled into…” — Fisher Amelie",
                "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": "Fisher Amelie",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“And what is there to be...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/and-what-is-there-to-be-joyful-about-i-asked-honestly-thinking-on-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/and-what-is-there-to-be-joyful-about-i-asked-honestly-thinking-on-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
