--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Happy or Unhappy, families are all…" description: "\"Happy or Unhappy, families are all mysterious.\" — Gloria Steinem" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/074/gloria-steinem-277_families_happy-or-unhappy-families-are-all-myster_2441497.jpg" --- # Happy or Unhappy, families are all mysterious. ![“Happy or Unhappy, families are all mysterious.” quote by Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/074/gloria-steinem-277_families_happy-or-unhappy-families-are-all-myster_2441497.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/074/gloria-steinem-277_families_happy-or-unhappy-families-are-all-myster_2441497.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/074/gloria-steinem-277_families_happy-or-unhappy-families-are-all-myster_2441497.jpg) > “Happy or Unhappy, families are all mysterious.” [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It reflects on the paradox of family dynamics, noting both happiness and unhappiness are mysterious. **In simple terms:** Family emotions are complex. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty in relationships. Themes family emotion mystery paradox Mood thoughtful reflective Type social philosophical When to use this quote - parenting - counseling - family therapy Key Concepts psychology sociology Questions to Reflect On - What makes family life unpredictable? - How do we navigate emotional mysteries? A Different Perspective Simplifying families can miss depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Families](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/families/) [Families Mysterious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/families-mysterious-491527/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happy Unhappy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-unhappy/) [Mysterious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mysterious/) [Unhappy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappy/) [Unhappy Families](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappy-families-491528/) [Unhappy family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappy-family/) ## Related quotes > [Happy or unhappy, families are all mysterious. We have only to imagine how differently we would be described - and will be, after our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/happy-or-unhappy-families-are-all-mysterious-we-have-only-to-imagine/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“All happy families resemble one another, but each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way, and when it comes to the Holiday Season,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisha-pessl/all-happy-families-resemble-one-another-but-each-unhappy-family-is/) [Marisha Pessl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisha-pessl/) > [unhappy families are conspiracies of silence. The one who breaks the silence is never forgiven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/unhappy-families-are-conspiracies-of-silence-the-one-who-breaks-the/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [Families without songs are unhappy families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/families-without-songs-are-unhappy-families/) [Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/) > [“Tolstoy is frequently quoted as saying something about how all happy families are the same. but unhappy families are all unhappy in different ways.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-wurtzel/tolstoy-is-frequently-quoted-as-saying-something-about-how-all-happy/) [Elizabeth Wurtzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-wurtzel/) > [“Strong winds eventually cease, unhappy families return to peace”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-yan/strong-winds-eventually-cease-unhappy-families-return-to-peace/) [Mo Yan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-yan/) > [“I needed words because unhappy families are conspiracies of silence. The one who breaks the silence is never forgiven. He or she has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-needed-words-because-unhappy-families-are-conspiracies-of-silence/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“I needed words because unhappy families are conspiracies of silence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-needed-words-because-unhappy-families-are-conspiracies-of-silence-2/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [Every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/every-unhappy-family-is-unhappy-in-its-own-way/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/happy-families-are-all-alike-every-unhappy-family-is-unhappy-in-its/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [All happy families resemble one another, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/all-happy-families-resemble-one-another-each-unhappy-family-is/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [That's the most terrible thing about being an author - standing there at your mother's funeral, but you don't switch the author off. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/that-s-the-most-terrible-thing-about-being-an-author-standing-there/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Tolstoy said that “each unhappy family is unhappy in a way of its own—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/tolstoy-said-that-each-unhappy-family-is-unhappy-in-a-way-of-its-own/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [Being popular is the most important thing in the world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/being-popular-is-the-most-important-thing-in-the-world/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/all-happy-families-are-alike-each-unhappy-family-is-unhappy-in-its/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More by Gloria Steinem > [People waste more time waiting for someone to take charge of their lives than they do in any other pursuit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/people-waste-more-time-waiting-for-someone-to-take-charge-of-their/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Nothing will happen automatically. Change depends on what you and I do every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/nothing-will-happen-automatically-change-depends-on-what-you-and-i-do/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Women are never again going to be mindless coffee-makers or mindless policy-makers in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/women-are-never-again-going-to-be-mindless-coffee-makers-or-mindless/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [The state of female artists is very good. But the very definition of art has been biased in that 'art' was what men did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/the-state-of-female-artists-is-very-good-but-the-very-definition-of/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [We will live to see the day that St. Patrick's Cathedral is a child-care center and the pope is no longer a disgrace to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/we-will-live-to-see-the-day-that-st-patrick-s-cathedral-is-a-child/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Just when you thought multi-nationals and crazed consumerism were too big to fight, along comes Naomi Klein with facts, spirit, and news of successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/just-when-you-thought-multi-nationals-and-crazed-consumerism-were-too/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [I don't know Beyoncé, but I have the impression that she's sincere, that she really is a feminist and wanted to put the word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/i-don-t-know-beyonc-but-i-have-the-impression-that-she-s-sincere-that/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [I started out life as a writer, and writers write in part because they don't want to talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/i-started-out-life-as-a-writer-and-writers-write-in-part-because-they/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Proust's tea cake has nothing on one hour in a college dorm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/proust-s-tea-cake-has-nothing-on-one-hour-in-a-college-dorm/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Sadomasochiasm - which we know very well doesn't exist in societies that don't have child abuse - is regarded some sort of natural sexual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/sadomasochiasm-which-we-know-very-well-doesn-t-exist-in-societies/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Behave like everything you do matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/behave-like-everything-you-do-matters/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“Part of traveling over years means coming back to the same place and knowing it for the first time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/part-of-traveling-over-years-means-coming-back-to-the-same-place-and/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [If you say, I'm for equal pay, that's a reform. But if you say. I'm a feminist, that's a transformation of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/if-you-say-i-m-for-equal-pay-that-s-a-reform-but-if-you-say-i-m-a/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [I think that part of everybody's success is due to their looks, but it just works in different ways. If you're whatever society calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/i-think-that-part-of-everybody-s-success-is-due-to-their-looks-but-it/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Of course, we can change. We're very adaptable. But it takes a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/of-course-we-can-change-we-re-very-adaptable-but-it-takes-a-while/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) [Explore all 766 Gloria Steinem quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) ## More Families quotes > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [“Don’t waste your time trying to explain yourself to people that are committed to misunderstanding you. Instead, commit your time to explaining who they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/don-t-waste-your-time-trying-to-explain-yourself-to-people-that-are/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Back in the really olden days, dinner was seldom a ceremonial event for U.S. families. Only the very wealthy had a separate dining room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/back-in-the-really-olden-days-dinner-was-seldom-a-ceremonial-event/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [“Families can be together forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lds-church/families-can-be-together-forever/) [LDS Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lds-church/) > [I have a tremendous amount of respect for military families. To have to worry about your loved ones and still try and live a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashanti/i-have-a-tremendous-amount-of-respect-for-military-families-to-have/) [Ashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashanti/) > [Families are the compass that guide us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-henry/families-are-the-compass-that-guide-us-they-are-the-inspiration-to/) [Brad Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-henry/) > [Oh wow, you know what's wrong with all these families on TV? All these kids say stuff no kid would say. Stuff grown-ups want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macaulay-culkin/oh-wow-you-know-what-s-wrong-with-all-these-families-on-tv-all-these/) [Macaulay Culkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macaulay-culkin/) > [My parents were, had a marriage of passion, and the passion was about their religious beliefs. They were both immigrant families that - well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-parents-were-had-a-marriage-of-passion-and-the-passion-was-about/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [Since FDR's New Deal, corporations and wealthy families have been non-stop finding new ways to get tax breaks, deregulation and entitlements from the government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/since-fdr-s-new-deal-corporations-and-wealthy-families-have-been-non/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [I look forward to the day that a lot of the folks that you all talk about and cover on this network will begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-look-forward-to-the-day-that-a-lot-of-the-folks-that-you-all-talk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nobody ever wants to see a guy get hurt, because this is how we feed our families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enzo-amore/nobody-ever-wants-to-see-a-guy-get-hurt-because-this-is-how-we-feed/) [Enzo Amore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enzo-amore/) > [As we progress and become more like the Savior, we can strengthen every group with whom we associate, including families and friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/as-we-progress-and-become-more-like-the-savior-we-can-strengthen/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [“Most families have increased the speed of their lives and the number of their activities gradually--even unconsciously--over time. They realize that there are costs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-john-payne/most-families-have-increased-the-speed-of-their-lives-and-the-number/) [Kim John Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-john-payne/) > [Strong families use the word "we" a lot, but "I" is never forgotten. Family members know they have the freedom to go off on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-brothers/strong-families-use-the-word-we-a-lot-but-i-is-never-forgotten-family/) [Joyce Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-brothers/) > [The last four years have not diluted the memory or weakened the resolve of our citizens. Four years later, our hearts still hurt for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-doolittle/the-last-four-years-have-not-diluted-the-memory-or-weakened-the/) [John Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-doolittle/) [Browse all 1,458 Families quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/families/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Happy or Unhappy, families are all mysterious.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gloria Steinem" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/happy-or-unhappy-families-are-all-mysterious/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Families" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/happy-or-unhappy-families-are-all-mysterious/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/074/gloria-steinem-277_families_happy-or-unhappy-families-are-all-myster_2441497.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/074/gloria-steinem-277_families_happy-or-unhappy-families-are-all-myster_2441497.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/074/gloria-steinem-277_families_happy-or-unhappy-families-are-all-myster_2441497.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Happy or Unhappy, families are all mysterious.” — Gloria Steinem", "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": "Gloria Steinem", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Happy or Unhappy, families are all...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/happy-or-unhappy-families-are-all-mysterious/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/happy-or-unhappy-families-are-all-mysterious/#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 } } ] } ```