--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They sat in the companionable awkwardness…" description: "\"“They sat in the companionable awkwardness caused by knowing extremely private things about each other that had never been directly confided.”\" — Jodi ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/jodi-picoult-45_private-things_they-sat-in-the-companionable-awkwardnes_2004326.jpg" --- # They sat in the companionable awkwardness caused by… ![“They sat in the companionable awkwardness caused by knowing extremely private things about each other that had never been directly confided.” quote by Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/jodi-picoult-45_private-things_they-sat-in-the-companionable-awkwardnes_2004326.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/jodi-picoult-45_private-things_they-sat-in-the-companionable-awkwardnes_2004326.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/jodi-picoult-45_private-things_they-sat-in-the-companionable-awkwardnes_2004326.jpg) > ““They sat in the companionable awkwardness caused by knowing extremely private things about each other that had never been directly confided.”” [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. Intimate familiarity can create a comfortable yet uneasy atmosphere when secrets are known without being spoken. **In simple terms:** Knowing hidden truths can feel both close and awkward. Key Takeaway Accept unspoken intimacy gracefully. Themes intimacy awkwardness knowledge Mood reflective uneasy Type literary observational When to use this quote - friendships - family gatherings - romantic partners - confidants Key Concepts psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does unspoken knowledge affect trust? - When does silence become harmful? A Different Perspective Assumes all parties are comfortable with the unspoken. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Awkwardness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awkwardness/) [Private things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-things/) ## Related quotes > [I'm an extremely private dude and all this is happening so damn quick. I really haven't had any time to rationalize it. But it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heath-ledger/i-m-an-extremely-private-dude-and-all-this-is-happening-so-damn-quick/) [Heath Ledger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heath-ledger/) > [The people who know me know I'm extremely private or try and be as private as I can with my personal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-clarke/the-people-who-know-me-know-i-m-extremely-private-or-try-and-be-as/) [Michael Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-clarke/) > [The need to go astray, to be destroyed, is an extremely private, distant, passionate, turbulent truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-bataille/the-need-to-go-astray-to-be-destroyed-is-an-extremely-private-distant/) [Georges Bataille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-bataille/) > [Luckily, I have the kind of personality where I am extremely private. I don't really like to tell everyone my business. I'd much rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-bledel/luckily-i-have-the-kind-of-personality-where-i-am-extremely-private-i/) [Alexis Bledel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-bledel/) > [I am an extremely private person. I always feel that I come across as a caricature of myself whenever I do interviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-kirshner/i-am-an-extremely-private-person-i-always-feel-that-i-come-across-as/) [Mia Kirshner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-kirshner/) > [We are extremely private, and we really got sort of ambushed by the notoriety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/we-are-extremely-private-and-we-really-got-sort-of-ambushed-by-the/) [John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/) > [I believe love - and its feminine, though not necessarily female, counterpart, romance, is a private thing. It's something I'm not willing to share…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/i-believe-love-and-its-feminine-though-not-necessarily-female/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [I always am astounded at how willing Steve was to share all about himself. And sometimes he got criticized for it. But he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-irwin/i-always-am-astounded-at-how-willing-steve-was-to-share-all-about/) [Terri Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-irwin/) > [Some things are private. Some things needed to be said, even when the person who needed to hear them couldn’t hear anything. Ever again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/some-things-are-private-some-things-needed-to-be-said-even-when-the/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [I'm kind of private and I keep things inside a lot, but it's been so wonderful to realize that people care about you in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-fox/i-m-kind-of-private-and-i-keep-things-inside-a-lot-but-it-s-been-so/) [Michael J. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-fox/) > [Seriously, I think it is a grave fault in life that so much time is wasted in social matters, because it not only takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-larkin/seriously-i-think-it-is-a-grave-fault-in-life-that-so-much-time-is/) [Philip Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-larkin/) > [We feel that to reveal embarrassing or private things, we have given someone something, that, like a primitive person fearing that a photographer will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/we-feel-that-to-reveal-embarrassing-or-private-things-we-have-given/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [It creates community when you talk about private things and you can find other people that have the same things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/it-creates-community-when-you-talk-about-private-things-and-you-can-2/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [I realized that there are just certain things in life that are private. I have things in my past - like everyone - that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-osmond/i-realized-that-there-are-just-certain-things-in-life-that-are/) [Ken Osmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-osmond/) > [It creates community when you talk about private things and you can find other people that have the same things. Otherwise, I don't know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/it-creates-community-when-you-talk-about-private-things-and-you-can/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) ## 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 Awkwardness quotes > [Well, my intention is to make work about being uncomfortable. About being in a world that isn't always the world you want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-nakadate/well-my-intention-is-to-make-work-about-being-uncomfortable-about/) [Laurel Nakadate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-nakadate/) > [It's awkward doing it with anybody, but it's like Twister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/it-s-awkward-doing-it-with-anybody-but-it-s-like-twister/) [Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/) > [To combat social awkwardness, I would just act like I couldn't be bothered - that kind of aloof persona or aloof demeanor. It's so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janeane-garofalo/to-combat-social-awkwardness-i-would-just-act-like-i-couldn-t-be/) [Janeane Garofalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janeane-garofalo/) > [“Awkwardness, thy name is vampire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-neill/awkwardness-thy-name-is-vampire/) [Chloe Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-neill/) > [“What can one do with one's hands when the camera is interested in other things?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/what-can-one-do-with-one-s-hands-when-the-camera-is-interested-in/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [I work from awkwardness. By that I mean I don't like to arrange things. If I stand in front of something, instead of arranging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-arbus/i-work-from-awkwardness-by-that-i-mean-i-don-t-like-to-arrange-things/) [Diane Arbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-arbus/) > [I never wish to offend, but I am so foolishly shy, that I often seem negligent, when I am only kept back by my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/i-never-wish-to-offend-but-i-am-so-foolishly-shy-that-i-often-seem/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [God may forgive sins, he said, but awkwardness has no forgiveness in heaven or earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/god-may-forgive-sins-he-said-but-awkwardness-has-no-forgiveness-in/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I can't flirt, so I'll just seduce you with my awkwardness: xDDD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel/i-can-t-flirt-so-i-ll-just-seduce-you-with-my-awkwardness-xddd/) [Rachel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel/) > [They meet in the girls' bathroom. The last time they were forced to meet in a place like this, they took separate, isolated stalls.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/they-meet-in-the-girls-bathroom-the-last-time-they-were-forced-to/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [My position in life has always been to be that person in the room who can make the conversation and break down any awkwardness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-narstie/my-position-in-life-has-always-been-to-be-that-person-in-the-room-who/) [Big Narstie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-narstie/) > [“Perhaps anything that he did would have pleased Lucy, but his awkwardness went straight to her heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/perhaps-anything-that-he-did-would-have-pleased-lucy-but-his/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“Grace and chocolate cake can cover a world of awkwardness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-jo-baker/grace-and-chocolate-cake-can-cover-a-world-of-awkwardness/) [Lisa-Jo Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-jo-baker/) > [The finest manners in the world are awkwardness and fatuity when contrasted with a finer intelligence. They appear but as the fashions of past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-finest-manners-in-the-world-are-awkwardness-and-fatuity-when/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [There's an attraction to emotional clusters or hypocrisies or awkwardness. A desire to expose something or point at something that's already poking out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-chang/there-s-an-attraction-to-emotional-clusters-or-hypocrisies-or/) [Victoria Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-chang/) [Browse all 278 Awkwardness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awkwardness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“They sat in the companionable awkwardness caused by knowing extremely private things about each other that had never been directly confided.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jodi Picoult" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/they-sat-in-the-companionable-awkwardness-caused-by-knowing-extremely/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Awkwardness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/they-sat-in-the-companionable-awkwardness-caused-by-knowing-extremely/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/jodi-picoult-45_private-things_they-sat-in-the-companionable-awkwardnes_2004326.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/jodi-picoult-45_private-things_they-sat-in-the-companionable-awkwardnes_2004326.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/jodi-picoult-45_private-things_they-sat-in-the-companionable-awkwardnes_2004326.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They sat in the companionable awkwardness caused by knowing extremely private things about each other that…” — 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": "“They sat in the companionable awkwardness...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/they-sat-in-the-companionable-awkwardness-caused-by-knowing-extremely/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/they-sat-in-the-companionable-awkwardness-caused-by-knowing-extremely/#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 } } ] } ```