--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is true: if there was one thing my…" description: "\"“This is true: if there was one thing my father taught me, it's that endings never work out the way you want them to--that they're terrible, and this o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/913/grant-ginder-40278_endings_this-is-true-if-there-was-one-thing-my-f_2212369.jpg" --- # This is true: if there was one thing my father taught me… ![“This is true: if there was one thing my father taught me, it's that endings never work out the way you want them to--that they're terrible, and this one is no different. They're like the last drops of wine, the final puffs of a cigarette. They're Sunday nights, or the last afternoon of summer…” quote by Grant Ginder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/913/grant-ginder-40278_endings_this-is-true-if-there-was-one-thing-my-f_2212369.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/913/grant-ginder-40278_endings_this-is-true-if-there-was-one-thing-my-f_2212369.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/913/grant-ginder-40278_endings_this-is-true-if-there-was-one-thing-my-f_2212369.jpg) > ““This is true: if there was one thing my father taught me, it's that endings never work out the way you want them to--that they're terrible, and this one is no different. They're like the last drops of wine, the final puffs of a cigarette. They're Sunday nights, or the last afternoon of summer. They're flat tires and wet pairs of socks and cold dinners. They're the sort of thing that--no matter the effort, no matter the discipline--no one can get right.”” [Grant Ginder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-ginder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Endings are inevitably messy, disappointing, and beyond our control, no matter how hard we try. **In simple terms:** Endings are messy and uncontrollable. Key Takeaway Accept imperfection and focus on moving forward. Themes loss acceptance imperfection resilience unpredictability Mood melancholic reflective hopeful Type literary philosophical emotional When to use this quote - grief counseling - relationship breakups - career transitions - project completions - personal setbacks Key Concepts existentialism human experience acceptance of failure Questions to Reflect On - How do you cope with inevitable disappointment? - What can you learn from accepting imperfection? A Different Perspective Even with effort, some outcomes cannot be fixed, leading to frustration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Endings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endings/) [Endings Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endings-work-3588495/) [Final Puffs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/final-puffs-4904094/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Taught Endings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught-endings-4904092/) [Wine Final](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine-final-4904093/) ## Related quotes > [There are never beginnings and endings in my work; everything just fits into place after a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-gilden/there-are-never-beginnings-and-endings-in-my-work-everything-just/) [Bruce Gilden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-gilden/) > [“Well, if you are to help me with my work, you had better get used to stories without endings. True stories seldom have endings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/well-if-you-are-to-help-me-with-my-work-you-had-better-get-used-to/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [Go for the happy endings, because life doesn't have any sequels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/go-for-the-happy-endings-because-life-doesn-t-have-any-sequels/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [I'm in the game of realism so happy endings probably feel a little bit too neat for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/i-m-in-the-game-of-realism-so-happy-endings-probably-feel-a-little/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [My family doesn't do happy endings. We do sad endings or frustrating endings or no endings at all. We are hardwired to expect the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-solo/my-family-doesn-t-do-happy-endings-we-do-sad-endings-or-frustrating/) [Hope Solo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-solo/) > [“ The Prodigal Son They gave the deep end of their heart--a hue of crimson red, They whispered their desire and offered up their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-prodigal-son-they-gave-the-deep-end-of-their-heart-a-hue-of/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [In His plan there are no true endings. Only everlasting beginnings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/in-his-plan-there-are-no-true-endings-only-everlasting-beginnings/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [“Every good story needs a good ending. Don't write the beginning of a novel without knowing the end of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-d-y-howle/every-good-story-needs-a-good-ending-don-t-write-the-beginning-of-a/) [A.D.Y. Howle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-d-y-howle/) > [“I won, goddammit. I beat Kollberg. I beat you. I got everything I goddamn wanted: fame, wealth, power. Shit, I even got the girl."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-stover/i-won-goddammit-i-beat-kollberg-i-beat-you-i-got-everything-i-goddamn/) [Matthew Stover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-stover/) > [“I hope you come to hear the tale, and not just munch your way through the pages to the ending…endings are heartless. An ending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-hope-you-come-to-hear-the-tale-and-not-just-munch-your-way-through/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I don't believe in happy endings. Children have got to face death sooner or later. Granny and Grandpa die, dogs die, cats die, gerbils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-briggs/i-don-t-believe-in-happy-endings-children-have-got-to-face-death/) [Raymond Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-briggs/) > [Happy endings come in different packages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-f-wright/happy-endings-come-in-different-packages/) [Jason F. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-f-wright/) > [“You couldn't ever really fix a sad story. You could only make another. And another. And another, until you found the right one at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/you-couldn-t-ever-really-fix-a-sad-story-you-could-only-make-another/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [There are no such things as happy endings. Never. They're totally manufactured by fiction writers who choose to end the story on a high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-david/there-are-no-such-things-as-happy-endings-never-they-re-totally/) [Peter David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-david/) > [“I’m more happy than not. Don’t forget me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-silvera/i-m-more-happy-than-not-don-t-forget-me/) [Adam Silvera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-silvera/) ## More by Grant Ginder > [“Eloise, look, you’ll be disappointed, okay? Love disappoints. It can’t help itself. That’s why … I don’t know, that’s why Ingrid Bergman gets on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-ginder/eloise-look-you-ll-be-disappointed-okay-love-disappoints-it-can-t/) [Grant Ginder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-ginder/) > [“His obsessions don’t manifest themselves physically, but they certainly lay other species of snares and traps in hidden corners of his mind. They lasso…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-ginder/his-obsessions-don-t-manifest-themselves-physically-but-they/) [Grant Ginder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-ginder/) > [“Relationships are awful. They’ll kill you, right up to the point where they start saving your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-ginder/relationships-are-awful-they-ll-kill-you-right-up-to-the-point-where/) [Grant Ginder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-ginder/) > [“He’d just been awarded his master’s degree, and he was more or less pure hearted and well intentioned; his actions and decisions were dictated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-ginder/he-d-just-been-awarded-his-master-s-degree-and-he-was-more-or-less/) [Grant Ginder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-ginder/) > [“I know they may seem like a handful,” she says, “but they really are good people.” Alice opts against pointing out the obvious to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-ginder/i-know-they-may-seem-like-a-handful-she-says-but-they-really-are-good/) [Grant Ginder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-ginder/) > [“She wants to tell them that she’s not that deep, that she no longer has the energy to be manipulative or conniving. She wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-ginder/she-wants-to-tell-them-that-she-s-not-that-deep-that-she-no-longer/) [Grant Ginder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-ginder/) > [“If a man’s character is to be abused, say what you will, there’s nobody like a relative to do the business. —WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-ginder/if-a-man-s-character-is-to-be-abused-say-what-you-will-there-s-nobody-2/) [Grant Ginder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-ginder/) > [“Upon hearing them, Eloise turns as well. Paul watches as she stares at them, and he wonders what she’s thinking: if she sees love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-ginder/upon-hearing-them-eloise-turns-as-well-paul-watches-as-she-stares-at/) [Grant Ginder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-ginder/) > [“She wanted to feel like everything was in front of her again, like life was stretched out, wild and open at her feet. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-ginder/she-wanted-to-feel-like-everything-was-in-front-of-her-again-like/) [Grant Ginder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-ginder/) [Explore all 10 Grant Ginder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-ginder/) ## More Endings quotes > [“I’m more happy than not. Don’t forget me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-silvera/i-m-more-happy-than-not-don-t-forget-me/) [Adam Silvera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-silvera/) > [There are no such things as happy endings. Never. They're totally manufactured by fiction writers who choose to end the story on a high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-david/there-are-no-such-things-as-happy-endings-never-they-re-totally/) [Peter David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-david/) > [“You couldn't ever really fix a sad story. You could only make another. And another. And another, until you found the right one at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/you-couldn-t-ever-really-fix-a-sad-story-you-could-only-make-another/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Happy endings come in different packages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-f-wright/happy-endings-come-in-different-packages/) [Jason F. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-f-wright/) > [I don't believe in happy endings. Children have got to face death sooner or later. Granny and Grandpa die, dogs die, cats die, gerbils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-briggs/i-don-t-believe-in-happy-endings-children-have-got-to-face-death/) [Raymond Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-briggs/) > [“I hope you come to hear the tale, and not just munch your way through the pages to the ending…endings are heartless. An ending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-hope-you-come-to-hear-the-tale-and-not-just-munch-your-way-through/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“I won, goddammit. I beat Kollberg. I beat you. I got everything I goddamn wanted: fame, wealth, power. Shit, I even got the girl."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-stover/i-won-goddammit-i-beat-kollberg-i-beat-you-i-got-everything-i-goddamn/) [Matthew Stover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-stover/) > [“Every good story needs a good ending. Don't write the beginning of a novel without knowing the end of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-d-y-howle/every-good-story-needs-a-good-ending-don-t-write-the-beginning-of-a/) [A.D.Y. Howle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-d-y-howle/) > [In His plan there are no true endings. Only everlasting beginnings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/in-his-plan-there-are-no-true-endings-only-everlasting-beginnings/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [“ The Prodigal Son They gave the deep end of their heart--a hue of crimson red, They whispered their desire and offered up their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-prodigal-son-they-gave-the-deep-end-of-their-heart-a-hue-of/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [My family doesn't do happy endings. We do sad endings or frustrating endings or no endings at all. We are hardwired to expect the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-solo/my-family-doesn-t-do-happy-endings-we-do-sad-endings-or-frustrating/) [Hope Solo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-solo/) > [I'm in the game of realism so happy endings probably feel a little bit too neat for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/i-m-in-the-game-of-realism-so-happy-endings-probably-feel-a-little/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [Go for the happy endings, because life doesn't have any sequels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/go-for-the-happy-endings-because-life-doesn-t-have-any-sequels/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [“Well, if you are to help me with my work, you had better get used to stories without endings. True stories seldom have endings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/well-if-you-are-to-help-me-with-my-work-you-had-better-get-used-to/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“Happy endings aren't just for fairy tales and massage parlors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-gloss/happy-endings-aren-t-just-for-fairy-tales-and-massage-parlors/) [Susan Gloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-gloss/) [Browse all 528 Endings quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endings/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This is true: if there was one thing my father taught me, it's that endings never work out the way you want them to--that they're terrible, and this one is no different. They're like the last drops of wine, the final puffs of a cigarette. They're Sunday nights, or the last afternoon of summer. They're flat tires and wet pairs of socks and cold dinners. 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