--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Joseph Obomsawin, the elder I lived with…" description: "\"Joseph Obomsawin, the elder I lived with there, says that those who turn to animals do so because humans have let them down.\" — Jodi Picoult" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/jodi-picoult-45_animal_joseph-obomsawin-the-elder-i-lived-with_1091057.jpg" --- # Joseph Obomsawin, the elder I lived with there, says that… ![“Joseph Obomsawin, the elder I lived with there, says that those who turn to animals do so because humans have let them down.” quote by Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/jodi-picoult-45_animal_joseph-obomsawin-the-elder-i-lived-with_1091057.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/jodi-picoult-45_animal_joseph-obomsawin-the-elder-i-lived-with_1091057.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/jodi-picoult-45_animal_joseph-obomsawin-the-elder-i-lived-with_1091057.jpg) > “Joseph Obomsawin, the elder I lived with there, says that those who turn to animals do so because humans have let them down.” [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often seek comfort in animals when human relationships fail to meet emotional needs. **In simple terms:** When humans disappoint, we turn to animals for support. Key Takeaway Seek healthier human connections. Themes loneliness trust human‑animal bonds Mood reflective empathetic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - grief counseling - pet adoption - community building - family conflict Key Concepts attachment theory emotional resilience Questions to Reflect On - What unmet needs drive you toward animal companionship? - How can you strengthen human trust? A Different Perspective Animals cannot replace human accountability or deep relational growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Animals Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals-humans-724213/) [Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elder/) [Elder Lived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elder-lived-2821268/) [Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elders/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Joseph Obomsawin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joseph-obomsawin-2821269/) [Obomsawin Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obomsawin-elder-2821267/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) ## Related quotes > [I'm comfortable moving into the role of elder person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-m-comfortable-moving-into-the-role-of-elder-person/) [George W. 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But the great thing about getting to be an elder is that you can look back and see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-moore-lapp/my-path-has-not-been-smooth-but-the-great-thing-about-getting-to-be/) [Frances Moore Lappé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-moore-lapp/) > [The younger brother must help to pay for the pleasures of the elder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/the-younger-brother-must-help-to-pay-for-the-pleasures-of-the-elder/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [Elder sisters never can do younger ones justice!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mary-yonge/elder-sisters-never-can-do-younger-ones-justice/) [Charlotte Mary Yonge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mary-yonge/) ## More by Jodi Picoult > [You get through it, you just never get over it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-get-through-it-you-just-never-get-over-it/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Let me guess," Eric says, "You never meant for it to happen." 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He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. 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Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Joseph Obomsawin, the elder I lived with there, says that those who turn to animals do so because humans have let them down.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jodi Picoult" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/joseph-obomsawin-the-elder-i-lived-with-there-says-that-those-who/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/joseph-obomsawin-the-elder-i-lived-with-there-says-that-those-who/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/jodi-picoult-45_animal_joseph-obomsawin-the-elder-i-lived-with_1091057.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/jodi-picoult-45_animal_joseph-obomsawin-the-elder-i-lived-with_1091057.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/jodi-picoult-45_animal_joseph-obomsawin-the-elder-i-lived-with_1091057.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Joseph Obomsawin, the elder I lived with there, says that those who turn to animals do so because humans…” — Jodi Picoult", "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": "Jodi Picoult", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Joseph Obomsawin, the elder I lived...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/joseph-obomsawin-the-elder-i-lived-with-there-says-that-those-who/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/joseph-obomsawin-the-elder-i-lived-with-there-says-that-those-who/#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 } } ] } ```