--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everyone else has gone away. And now…" description: "\"“Everyone else has gone away. And now coming back home isn’t really coming back home at all.”\" — Jacqueline Woodson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84c/jacqueline-woodson-1482_coming-home_everyone-else-has-gone-away-and-now-comi_267106.png" --- # Everyone else has gone away. And now coming back home… ![“Everyone else has gone away. And now coming back home isn’t really coming back home at all.” quote by Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84c/jacqueline-woodson-1482_coming-home_everyone-else-has-gone-away-and-now-comi_267106.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84c/jacqueline-woodson-1482_coming-home_everyone-else-has-gone-away-and-now-comi_267106.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84c/jacqueline-woodson-1482_coming-home_everyone-else-has-gone-away-and-now-comi_267106.png) > ““Everyone else has gone away. And now coming back home isn’t really coming back home at all.”” [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Returning home after change can feel unfamiliar, highlighting that places evolve with us **In simple terms:** Home feels different after change Key Takeaway Accept change, stay grounded Themes identity home change displacement Mood nostalgic contemplative Type literary reflective When to use this quote - family reunions - relocation - career transitions - post‑trauma adjustment Key Concepts memory belonging personal growth Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile past and present selves? - What makes a place feel like home? A Different Perspective Nostalgia may clash with new realities ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Away Coming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/away-coming-2620468/) [Coming Back Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coming-back-home/) [Coming home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coming-home/) [Gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gone/) [Gone away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gone-away/) [Home Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home-isn/) ## Related quotes > [There is a kind of magicness about going far away and then coming back all changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-douglas-wiggin/there-is-a-kind-of-magicness-about-going-far-away-and-then-coming/) [Kate Douglas Wiggin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-douglas-wiggin/) > [“Nothing matches a Sailor's kiss coming back home where he belongs”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sameh-elsayed/nothing-matches-a-sailor-s-kiss-coming-back-home-where-he-belongs/) [Sameh Elsayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sameh-elsayed/) > [The best part of going to work is coming back home at the end of the day. ..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/the-best-part-of-going-to-work-is-coming-back-home-at-the-end-of-the/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [I don't think you can beat the feeling of coming back home, sleeping in your own bed and seeing your family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calum-hood/i-don-t-think-you-can-beat-the-feeling-of-coming-back-home-sleeping/) [Calum Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calum-hood/) > [The person who did all of these things has gone away, vanished without a trace in the ecstasy of existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-person-who-did-all-of-these-things-has-gone-away-vanished-without/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The Big Bang has gone away, but as far as Super String, that is suspicious for me. It all starts out with the notion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/the-big-bang-has-gone-away-but-as-far-as-super-string-that-is/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [Fathers have a quality of responsibility and coming back home from work after the daily hustle and the best thing is that despite the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunny-singh/fathers-have-a-quality-of-responsibility-and-coming-back-home-from/) [Sunny Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunny-singh/) > [“Today, she is standing at the top of a mountain and appreciating the majestic panoramic view of mesmerizing Himalaya. As a kid, she used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashish-bhardwaj/today-she-is-standing-at-the-top-of-a-mountain-and-appreciating-the/) [Ashish Bhardwaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashish-bhardwaj/) > [“I gotta say, it feel good coming back home to the projects. Where I belong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coe-booth/i-gotta-say-it-feel-good-coming-back-home-to-the-projects-where-i/) [Coe Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coe-booth/) > [I didn't hear anybody talking about the plight of a soldier coming back home and what he'd gone through. That was why I wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-prine/i-didn-t-hear-anybody-talking-about-the-plight-of-a-soldier-coming/) [John Prine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-prine/) > [I love coming back home and seeing old friends and family. I would say it keeps me grounded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coy-bowles/i-love-coming-back-home-and-seeing-old-friends-and-family-i-would-say/) [Coy Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coy-bowles/) > [I like coming back home. Do it every July Fourth. Everybody's cooking, and I'm just being Ben, just Ben, like the little kid I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-wallace/i-like-coming-back-home-do-it-every-july-fourth-everybody-s-cooking/) [Ben Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-wallace/) > [I would die to record in space. That would be the coolest. If I got the option of, going into outer space and hanging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-pink/i-would-die-to-record-in-space-that-would-be-the-coolest-if-i-got-the/) [Ariel Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-pink/) > [While living in New Zealand, I usually made or found Korean food nearby, so when coming back to Korea it was just like coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie/while-living-in-new-zealand-i-usually-made-or-found-korean-food/) [Jennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie/) > [It's fun coming back home, playing against the Grizzlies and to have the opportunity to come back and see my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/it-s-fun-coming-back-home-playing-against-the-grizzlies-and-to-have/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) ## More by Jacqueline Woodson > [A lot of times, when people send me books to read - new writers mostly - I find that the book is still in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/a-lot-of-times-when-people-send-me-books-to-read-new-writers-mostly-i/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [I think, even though homophobia still exists, there is much more of a dialogue and a taboo around being homophobic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/i-think-even-though-homophobia-still-exists-there-is-much-more-of-a/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [I still love Carson McCullers and Raymond Carver and Toni Morrison and James Baldwin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/i-still-love-carson-mccullers-and-raymond-carver-and-toni-morrison/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [I'm usually working on several things at once. If I get bored with one, I can go on to another. That way, I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/i-m-usually-working-on-several-things-at-once-if-i-get-bored-with-one/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [You have those walls up all around you...Come a day you gonna want to tear them down brick by brick and gonna find that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/you-have-those-walls-up-all-around-you-come-a-day-you-gonna-want-to/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [“That's all anybody is-themselves. People all the time wanting to change that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/that-s-all-anybody-is-themselves-people-all-the-time-wanting-to/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [I don't know how women stop being friends with other women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/i-don-t-know-how-women-stop-being-friends-with-other-women/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [Who are you without your girls? I truly believe that. Who are you without the people who help you make sense of the misogyny,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/who-are-you-without-your-girls-i-truly-believe-that-who-are-you/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [“And freedom? Oh, freedom. Well that's just some people talking. Your prison is walking through this world all alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/and-freedom-oh-freedom-well-that-s-just-some-people-talking-your/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [I've learned about marrying poetry and prose and making both accessible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/i-ve-learned-about-marrying-poetry-and-prose-and-making-both/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [You're a part of me...You're in my heart. Forever and always, all right? —D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/you-re-a-part-of-me-you-re-in-my-heart-forever-and-always-all-right-d/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [I wouldn't mind the early autumn if you came home today I'd tell you how much I miss you and know I'd be okay.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/i-wouldn-t-mind-the-early-autumn-if-you-came-home-today-i-d-tell-you/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > ['Another Brooklyn' came to me in this kind of dreamlike series of vignettes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/another-brooklyn-came-to-me-in-this-kind-of-dreamlike-series-of/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [“They're all inside of us,...past people and present people. And probably even the people we'll become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/they-re-all-inside-of-us-past-people-and-present-people-and-probably/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [When I was a kid, I got in trouble for lying a lot, and I had a teacher say, 'Instead of lying, write it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/when-i-was-a-kid-i-got-in-trouble-for-lying-a-lot-and-i-had-a-teacher/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) [Explore all 237 Jacqueline Woodson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) ## More Coming home quotes > [Everything comes home, my mother used to say; every word spoken, every shadow cast, every footprint in the sand. It can't be helped; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/everything-comes-home-my-mother-used-to-say-every-word-spoken-every/) [Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/) > [I was interested in all kinds of things, whether it be Avatar, Mad Men, Troy, 300, Battlestar Gallactica, or the poems of Horace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mendelsohn/i-was-interested-in-all-kinds-of-things-whether-it-be-avatar-mad-men/) [Daniel Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mendelsohn/) > [Everyday happiness means getting up in the morning, and you can't wait to finish your breakfast. You can't wait to do your exercises. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-burns/everyday-happiness-means-getting-up-in-the-morning-and-you-can-t-wait/) [George Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-burns/) > [To be polite to everybody except the people they love most is a nervous affectation that afflicts many families ... when they come home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fishback/to-be-polite-to-everybody-except-the-people-they-love-most-is-a/) [Margaret Fishback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-fishback/) > [This is my idea of heaven, coming home and watching the news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-moreno/this-is-my-idea-of-heaven-coming-home-and-watching-the-news/) [Rita Moreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-moreno/) > [“And when I look into his eyes there’s a feeling of something I can only describe as familiarity, a sense of safety. Like coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-james/and-when-i-look-into-his-eyes-there-s-a-feeling-of-something-i-can/) [Rebecca James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-james/) > [My greatest fear is coming home one day and discovering that the slim and sexy woman I married has become fat and shapeless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-zee/my-greatest-fear-is-coming-home-one-day-and-discovering-that-the-slim/) [MO'Zee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-zee/) > [Seeing my children makes me come most alive. I come home and I see my kids' faces light up when they see me at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-patrick/seeing-my-children-makes-me-come-most-alive-i-come-home-and-i-see-my/) [Richard Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-patrick/) > [I wouldn't just come home from school and watch TV everyday, they had me involved in lots of local theatre. I was a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/i-wouldn-t-just-come-home-from-school-and-watch-tv-everyday-they-had/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [“Where we sail and anchor our heart fill up the multitude odyssey paving to the coming home of our soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/where-we-sail-and-anchor-our-heart-fill-up-the-multitude-odyssey/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [I can see you through any darkness. Your light it leads me on. I'm coming back to your orchard. Coming back to my home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizz-wright/i-can-see-you-through-any-darkness-your-light-it-leads-me-on-i-m/) [Lizz Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizz-wright/) > [Coming back to your calling. I can hear your voice say. Coming home for tomorrow from my dreams of yesterday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizz-wright/coming-back-to-your-calling-i-can-hear-your-voice-say-coming-home-for/) [Lizz Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizz-wright/) > [It all begins and ends in the same place, doesn't it? Conor and me in Ballyutogue. We all come home eventually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/it-all-begins-and-ends-in-the-same-place-doesn-t-it-conor-and-me-in/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [“Yes, she’s coming home for a visit. No, I will not give you a free pass. You put one finger on her, I’ll beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nalini-singh/yes-she-s-coming-home-for-a-visit-no-i-will-not-give-you-a-free-pass/) [nalini singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nalini-singh/) > [“I let it all out: the joy and the pain. The waiting and the wanting. The future and the past. We kiss for so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katia-rose/i-let-it-all-out-the-joy-and-the-pain-the-waiting-and-the-wanting-the/) [Katia Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katia-rose/) [Browse all 1,175 Coming home quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coming-home/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Everyone else has gone away. 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