--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life, we imagine, is familiar enough…" description: "\"“Life, we imagine, is familiar enough until we begin to tell it to another. Then, observe the wonder on their faces--sometimes it is wonder, often it i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/jeanette-winterson-166_life_life-we-imagine-is-familiar-enough-until_1443689.png" --- # Life, we imagine, is familiar enough until we begin to… ![“Life, we imagine, is familiar enough until we begin to tell it to another. Then, observe the wonder on their faces--sometimes it is wonder, often it is horror. Only in the living of it does life seem ordinary. In the telling of it we find ourselves strangers among the strange.” quote by Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/jeanette-winterson-166_life_life-we-imagine-is-familiar-enough-until_1443689.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/jeanette-winterson-166_life_life-we-imagine-is-familiar-enough-until_1443689.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/jeanette-winterson-166_life_life-we-imagine-is-familiar-enough-until_1443689.png) > ““Life, we imagine, is familiar enough until we begin to tell it to another. Then, observe the wonder on their faces--sometimes it is wonder, often it is horror. Only in the living of it does life seem ordinary. In the telling of it we find ourselves strangers among the strange.”” [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sharing stories transforms ordinary life into something extraordinary, revealing both wonder and horror, and making us feel alien in our own narratives. **In simple terms:** Storytelling changes perception of life. Key Takeaway Embrace sharing stories. Themes communication identity storytelling wonder horror Mood reflective introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - family gatherings - therapy sessions - creative writing workshops Key Concepts Narrative theory psychology empathy Questions to Reflect On - What does the reaction of others reveal about our own story? - How does sharing alter our self‑understanding? A Different Perspective Listeners may misinterpret or reject the story. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Strangeness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strangeness/) ## Related quotes > [I do not accept that life has an ordinary shape, or that there is anything ordinary about life at all. 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