--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: May be it took realizing that you could…" description: "\"“May be it took realizing that you could die to keep you from wanting to do it.”\" — Jodi Picoult" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/337/jodi-picoult-45_realizing_may-be-it-took-realizing-that-you-could_3020328.jpg" --- # May be it took realizing that you could die to keep you… ![“May be it took realizing that you could die to keep you from wanting to do it.” quote by Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/337/jodi-picoult-45_realizing_may-be-it-took-realizing-that-you-could_3020328.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/337/jodi-picoult-45_realizing_may-be-it-took-realizing-that-you-could_3020328.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/337/jodi-picoult-45_realizing_may-be-it-took-realizing-that-you-could_3020328.jpg) > ““May be it took realizing that you could die to keep you from wanting to do it.”” [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. Facing mortality can paradoxically diminish suicidal thoughts by highlighting life’s value. **In simple terms:** Thinking about death can protect life. Key Takeaway Find purpose to counter despair. Themes mortality mental health purpose Mood hopeful serious Type psychological inspirational When to use this quote - counseling - support groups - mindfulness Key Concepts existential meaning suicide prevention Questions to Reflect On - What gives your life meaning? - How can you support someone in crisis? A Different Perspective Not everyone responds the same way to mortality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Die Wanting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/die-wanting-622728/) [Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) [Realizing Die](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing-die-4885674/) [Took Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took-realizing-4885675/) [Wanting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanting/) ## Related quotes > [There's a big difference, I discovered, between wanting to die and not wanting to live. When you want to die, you at least have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/there-s-a-big-difference-i-discovered-between-wanting-to-die-and-not/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [“There’s a big difference, I discovered, between wanting to die and not wanting to live. When you want to die, you at least have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-hugh-warner/there-s-a-big-difference-i-discovered-between-wanting-to-die-and-not-3/) [Brian Hugh Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-hugh-warner/) > [“you only want to give me a handjob, I’ll settle for waiting for you till a little later. But I’ve come close to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/you-only-want-to-give-me-a-handjob-i-ll-settle-for-waiting-for-you/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [“There is a difference between not wanting to die, and wanting to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-a-difference-between-not-wanting-to-die-and-wanting-to-live/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm an extremist, I have to deal with my own extreme personality, and I walk the fine line of wanting to die and wanting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davey-havok/i-m-an-extremist-i-have-to-deal-with-my-own-extreme-personality-and-i/) [Davey Havok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davey-havok/) > [The great thing about the business is how Darwinian it is. We have to swim or die - if you are found wanting over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-soderbergh/the-great-thing-about-the-business-is-how-darwinian-it-is-we-have-to/) [Steven Soderbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-soderbergh/) > [There's a big difference, I discovered, between wanting to die and not wanting to live,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/there-s-a-big-difference-i-discovered-between-wanting-to-die-and-not-2/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [He buried his hands in the rich velvet of her hair. “I thought I’d die for wanting you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-medeiros/he-buried-his-hands-in-the-rich-velvet-of-her-hair-i-thought-i-d-die/) [Teresa Medeiros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-medeiros/) > [There are certain things that I'll hear about and that I think will make a great book and I put it in a file.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/there-are-certain-things-that-i-ll-hear-about-and-that-i-think-will/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [When you're pregnant, you can think of nothing but having your own body to yourself again; yet after giving birth you realize that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/when-you-re-pregnant-you-can-think-of-nothing-but-having-your-own/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Isn’t everyone on the planet or at least everyone on the planet called me stuck between the two impulses of wanting to walk away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-lacey/isn-t-everyone-on-the-planet-or-at-least-everyone-on-the-planet/) [Catherine Lacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-lacey/) > [Everybody out there watches the show and has expectations of wanting to be an 'Idol', but we're going to teach them how much hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-bice/everybody-out-there-watches-the-show-and-has-expectations-of-wanting/) [Bo Bice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-bice/) > [My earliest memory was watching gymnastics on live TV and wanting to do what the 'big girls' did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-hernandez/my-earliest-memory-was-watching-gymnastics-on-live-tv-and-wanting-to/) [Laurie Hernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-hernandez/) > [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-doubleday/growing-up-i-did-commercials-and-things-like-that-but-nothing-serious/) [Portia Doubleday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-doubleday/) > [Wanting someone you cant have, isnt that the way it always works?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wanting-someone-you-cant-have-isnt-that-the-way-it-always-works/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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." "Hell, yes, I did. I've wanted her since you two started dating."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/let-me-guess-eric-says-you-never-meant-for-it-to-happen-hell-yes-i/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“It’s the difference between dancing along the eggshell crust of acquaintance and diving into the messy center of a relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-s-the-difference-between-dancing-along-the-eggshell-crust-of/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Because hate's just the flip side of love. Like heads and tails on a dime. If you don't know what it feels like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/because-hate-s-just-the-flip-side-of-love-like-heads-and-tails-on-a/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Some women are meant to change the world, while others are meant to hold it together. And then there are those of us who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/some-women-are-meant-to-change-the-world-while-others-are-meant-to/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [I love feeling loved. I don't love knowing that I will always come in second place. I love the fact that at least sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-love-feeling-loved-i-don-t-love-knowing-that-i-will-always-come-in/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Music is the language of memory”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/music-is-the-language-of-memory/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [But there is a different between mending someone who's broken and finding someone who makes you complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/but-there-is-a-different-between-mending-someone-who-s-broken-and/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“sometimes words are not big enough to contain all the feelings you are trying to pour into them. My”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/sometimes-words-are-not-big-enough-to-contain-all-the-feelings-you/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“The age wasn't as important as the milestones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-age-wasn-t-as-important-as-the-milestones/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [The night is falling down around us. Meteors rain like fireworks, quick rips in the seam of the dark... Every second, another streak of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-night-is-falling-down-around-us-meteors-rain-like-fireworks-quick/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“When she had packed all the artifacts that made up their personal history into liquor store boxes, the house became strictly a feminine place.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/when-she-had-packed-all-the-artifacts-that-made-up-their-personal/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Maybe who we are isn't so much about what we do, but rather what we're capable of when we least expect it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/maybe-who-we-are-isn-t-so-much-about-what-we-do-but-rather-what-we-re/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Here's what I hadn't realized : the mother you haven't seen for almost 36 years isn't your mother. She is a stranger. Sharing DNA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/here-s-what-i-hadn-t-realized-the-mother-you-haven-t-seen-for-almost/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [My brother believed in all sorts of mythical creatures: pixies, dragons, werewolves, honest men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/my-brother-believed-in-all-sorts-of-mythical-creatures-pixies-dragons/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) [Explore all 2,062 Jodi Picoult quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## More Realizing quotes > [People don't always realize that a record is forever. It'll always be there under your name. You've got to be certain that it's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-iero/people-don-t-always-realize-that-a-record-is-forever-it-ll-always-be/) [Frank Iero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-iero/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [Then come to realize that you're making mountains out of molehills. Realize how petty you've become. Sure, it may feel like you can't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/then-come-to-realize-that-you-re-making-mountains-out-of-molehills/) [Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/) > [Every time I finish a song... most of the time it's in my own head, like this sounds too much like a Townes Van…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/every-time-i-finish-a-song-most-of-the-time-it-s-in-my-own-head-like/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [A lot of people say they are dyslexic; some have to realize that they are just stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/a-lot-of-people-say-they-are-dyslexic-some-have-to-realize-that-they/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [ When the fountains of government \[borrowing\] abundance began to dry up, when through lack of funds and the impossibility of negotiating fresh loans the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-flynn/when-the-fountains-of-government-borrowing-abundance-began-to-dry-up/) [John T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-flynn/) > [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [It's a great lesson in modesty that you realize you're illiterate in a field that you think you're an expert in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-wenders/it-s-a-great-lesson-in-modesty-that-you-realize-you-re-illiterate-in/) [Wim Wenders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-wenders/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [Realize that the Lord is here now, and the freedom you receive is immediate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/realize-that-the-lord-is-here-now-and-the-freedom-you-receive-is/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [We're wired to expect the world to be brighter and more meaningful and more obviously interesting than it actually is. And when we realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/we-re-wired-to-expect-the-world-to-be-brighter-and-more-meaningful/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [Each of us is precious to God because each of us has their name written on the palms of God's hands. And God says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/each-of-us-is-precious-to-god-because-each-of-us-has-their-name/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [In the middle of a play, I go crazy and don't realize what I'm doing. I'll snap back to reality and I realize, 'Hey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-bosworth/in-the-middle-of-a-play-i-go-crazy-and-don-t-realize-what-i-m-doing-i/) [Brian Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-bosworth/) > [I have often spoken of integrity as the most important of these values, realizing that integrity – and personal integrity, at that – is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verghese-kurien/i-have-often-spoken-of-integrity-as-the-most-important-of-these/) [Verghese Kurien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verghese-kurien/) [Browse all 8,239 Realizing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“May be it took realizing that you could die to keep you from wanting to do it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jodi Picoult" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/may-be-it-took-realizing-that-you-could-die-to-keep-you-from-wanting/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Realizing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/may-be-it-took-realizing-that-you-could-die-to-keep-you-from-wanting/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/337/jodi-picoult-45_realizing_may-be-it-took-realizing-that-you-could_3020328.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/337/jodi-picoult-45_realizing_may-be-it-took-realizing-that-you-could_3020328.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/337/jodi-picoult-45_realizing_may-be-it-took-realizing-that-you-could_3020328.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“May be it took realizing that you could die to keep you from wanting to do it.” — 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": "“May be it took realizing that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/may-be-it-took-realizing-that-you-could-die-to-keep-you-from-wanting/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/may-be-it-took-realizing-that-you-could-die-to-keep-you-from-wanting/#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 } } ] } ```