--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is why I never told my story... If…" description: "\"“This is why I never told my story... If you lived through it, you already know there are no words that will ever come close to describing it. And if y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/jodi-picoult-45_story_this-is-why-i-never-told-my-story-if-you_449674.jpg" --- # This is why I never told my story... If you lived through… ![“This is why I never told my story... If you lived through it, you already know there are no words that will ever come close to describing it. And if you didn’t, you will never understand..” quote by Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/jodi-picoult-45_story_this-is-why-i-never-told-my-story-if-you_449674.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/jodi-picoult-45_story_this-is-why-i-never-told-my-story-if-you_449674.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/jodi-picoult-45_story_this-is-why-i-never-told-my-story-if-you_449674.jpg) > ““This is why I never told my story... If you lived through it, you already know there are no words that will ever come close to describing it. And if you didn’t, you will never understand..”” [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. Traumatic experiences are often ineffable; those who haven’t lived them cannot fully grasp their depth. **In simple terms:** Some pain cannot be described, and outsiders may never understand. Key Takeaway Respect the limits of language about trauma. Themes trauma communication empathy limits of language Mood somber thoughtful Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - counseling - writing memoirs - support groups Key Concepts philosophy psychology narrative theory Questions to Reflect On - How can we honor unheard suffering? - When is silence more compassionate than explanation? A Different Perspective Stories may fail to convey true impact; silence can be protective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) ## Related quotes > [“So you see, this is why I never told my story. If you lived through it, you already know there are no words that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/so-you-see-this-is-why-i-never-told-my-story-if-you-lived-through-it/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [If you've lived through it, you already know there are no words that will ever come close to describing it, and if you didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/if-you-ve-lived-through-it-you-already-know-there-are-no-words-that/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [I made up a story about you and I. I lived it like it was true. I loved it like a boo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ama-m/i-made-up-a-story-about-you-and-i-i-lived-it-like-it-was-true-i-loved/) Ama M > [Mom was only 23 when she had me, and there's a version of my story where we could have lived in New York, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-tyler/mom-was-only-23-when-she-had-me-and-there-s-a-version-of-my-story/) [Liv Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-tyler/) > [“Even if he didn't live his story, enough of us have lived lives just like it. So it's true anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/even-if-he-didn-t-live-his-story-enough-of-us-have-lived-lives-just/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [No one else knows the whole story. I was there. I lived through it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-keeler/no-one-else-knows-the-whole-story-i-was-there-i-lived-through-it/) [Christine Keeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-keeler/) > [My love was just another story for all but for me it was everything I lived for...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-jebaraj/my-love-was-just-another-story-for-all-but-for-me-it-was-everything-i/) [Samuel Jebaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-jebaraj/) > [“A long time ago someone told me that a story will tell itself, when it's ready.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/a-long-time-ago-someone-told-me-that-a-story-will-tell-itself-when-it/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“A well told story can be magic. Let me show you...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-lynne-valerie/a-well-told-story-can-be-magic-let-me-show-you/) Jo Lynne Valerie > [“So are you telling me…" he composed his thoughts. "Are you telling me that if you told the last story again, and changed the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-holdstock/so-are-you-telling-me-he-composed-his-thoughts-are-you-telling-me/) [Robert Holdstock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-holdstock/) > [“Until now, I’ve never told that story”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/until-now-i-ve-never-told-that-story/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [I've met many people who have come up to me and told me how my story has impacted them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/i-ve-met-many-people-who-have-come-up-to-me-and-told-me-how-my-story/) [Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/) > [“You see it is likely that, when my brother told the story, that night when we got home and my mother and sister sat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/you-see-it-is-likely-that-when-my-brother-told-the-story-that-night/) [Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/) > [“At night I told myself a story, wordless, inside my head, one I liked far better than those in my books. The girl in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/at-night-i-told-myself-a-story-wordless-inside-my-head-one-i-liked/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“I told you because I didn't know how not to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-told-you-because-i-didn-t-know-how-not-to/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## 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 Story quotes > [I could program a 'fabulous, I love it' kind of hit season right now. I'm more interested in breaking boundaries, telling a story, defying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-could-program-a-fabulous-i-love-it-kind-of-hit-season-right-now-i-m/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) > [I would give anything to be able to kick a ball with my son or read the kids a bedtime story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-burrow/i-would-give-anything-to-be-able-to-kick-a-ball-with-my-son-or-read/) [Rob Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-burrow/) > [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [“Saving History One Story at a Time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwsa-website/saving-history-one-story-at-a-time/) MWSA website > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [When I was 3, my parents strapped on a pair of Playskool plastic roller skates to my feet, and that's where the story begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-celski/when-i-was-3-my-parents-strapped-on-a-pair-of-playskool-plastic/) [J. R. Celski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-celski/) > [I had sort of had a 21st birthday when I was 17, 18 years old living in Japan. I had all of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wright/i-had-sort-of-had-a-21st-birthday-when-i-was-17-18-years-old-living/) [Sarah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wright/) > [If you look back at my story, it doesn’t matter where you look, but God’s fingerprints are all over the place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-lin/if-you-look-back-at-my-story-it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-look-but-god/) [Jeremy Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-lin/) > [Starting a new job can be nerve-racking , but it's also exciting. You're embarking on a new future, positioning yourself to write a fresh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adena-friedman/starting-a-new-job-can-be-nerve-racking-but-it-s-also-exciting-you-re/) [Adena Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adena-friedman/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [What a cool job to be part of - whether it's doing lighting or acting or serving food on set. You're part of telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-dern/what-a-cool-job-to-be-part-of-whether-it-s-doing-lighting-or-acting/) [Laura Dern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-dern/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [If you do weave one-liners into a story, you have to have an overall story as well, otherwise it doesn't really count as narrative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-vine/if-you-do-weave-one-liners-into-a-story-you-have-to-have-an-overall/) [Tim Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-vine/) > [Each child’s story is worthy of telling. There shouldn’t be a sliding scale of death. The weight of it is crushing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anderson-cooper/each-child-s-story-is-worthy-of-telling-there-shouldn-t-be-a-sliding/) [Anderson Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anderson-cooper/) [Browse all 9,674 Story quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This is why I never told my story... If you lived through it, you already know there are no words that will ever come close to describing it. 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