--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She had seen this before. She knew that…" description: "\"“She had seen this before. She knew that you could put it all in a little box and close it up later, that you could go on with your life if you didn't ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/karin-slaughter-1463_death_she-had-seen-this-before-she-knew-that-y_269016.png" --- # She had seen this before. She knew that you could put it… ![“She had seen this before. She knew that you could put it all in a little box and close it up later, that you could go on with your life if you didn't sleep too much, didn't breathe too much, didn't live too much so that death came back and snatched you away for the taking.” quote by Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/karin-slaughter-1463_death_she-had-seen-this-before-she-knew-that-y_269016.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/karin-slaughter-1463_death_she-had-seen-this-before-she-knew-that-y_269016.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/karin-slaughter-1463_death_she-had-seen-this-before-she-knew-that-y_269016.png) > ““She had seen this before. She knew that you could put it all in a little box and close it up later, that you could go on with your life if you didn't sleep too much, didn't breathe too much, didn't live too much so that death came back and snatched you away for the taking.”” [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects how people try to compartmentalize trauma, suppressing emotions to avoid confronting mortality and pain. **In simple terms:** People hide pain in small boxes to keep living. Key Takeaway Allow emotions, rather than box them. Themes trauma avoidance mortality coping psychology Mood reflective somber Type literary psychological When to use this quote - grief counseling - therapy sessions - personal reflection - creative writing Key Concepts suppression denial existential dread Questions to Reflect On - What emotions are you boxing away? - How does confronting pain change your life? A Different Perspective Boxing emotions can lead to unresolved issues later. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [“And just like in your house, your flat, or your cardboard box, if you put too much in there, you can’t close the door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-trott/and-just-like-in-your-house-your-flat-or-your-cardboard-box-if-you/) Tom Trott > [I think people want to put you in a box and close it away so that it makes them feel better. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-powter/i-think-people-want-to-put-you-in-a-box-and-close-it-away-so-that-it/) [Daniel Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-powter/) > [“He softly brushed a lock of brown hair from her face, “Believe it, liefie, it seems you are irresistible. I will have to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-cody/he-softly-brushed-a-lock-of-brown-hair-from-her-face-believe-it/) [Katie Cody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-cody/) > [“Her opinion is that she did not struggle her way to the august age of forty-three only to have the dignity accorded to her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zen-cho/her-opinion-is-that-she-did-not-struggle-her-way-to-the-august-age-of/) [Zen Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zen-cho/) > [I could take back those moments that snatched you away from me or maybe just wipe away those ten minutes when you came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faraaz-kazi/i-could-take-back-those-moments-that-snatched-you-away-from-me-or/) [Faraaz Kazi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faraaz-kazi/) > [Take the goods the gods provide, and don't stand and sulk when they are snatched away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mcmullen/take-the-goods-the-gods-provide-and-don-t-stand-and-sulk-when-they/) [Mary McMullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mcmullen/) > [One seems to realize whats important when ones freedom is snatched away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wanda-samples/one-seems-to-realize-whats-important-when-ones-freedom-is-snatched/) [Wanda Samples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wanda-samples/) > [“He has gone and we are missing him ! When you get accustomed to people or places or ways of living, and then have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-webster/he-has-gone-and-we-are-missing-him-when-you-get-accustomed-to-people/) [Jean Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-webster/) > [“A barren woman served no purpose in this kingdom. Her very reason for existing had been snatched away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-garwood/a-barren-woman-served-no-purpose-in-this-kingdom-her-very-reason-for/) [Julie Garwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-garwood/) > [The fear of every actor is when is this life going to be snatched away from me? Which is the day or year that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshaye-khanna/the-fear-of-every-actor-is-when-is-this-life-going-to-be-snatched/) [Akshaye Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshaye-khanna/) > [“It was too hard to fall in love with someone, learn all of their quirks and passions, assume you’d spend the rest of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caren-lissner/it-was-too-hard-to-fall-in-love-with-someone-learn-all-of-their/) [Caren Lissner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caren-lissner/) > [You only appreciate what it feels like to win the Champions League after you've seen it snatched away from you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaka/you-only-appreciate-what-it-feels-like-to-win-the-champions-league/) [Kaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaka/) > [“I understood how easily and how quickly things could be snatched away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-henriquez/i-understood-how-easily-and-how-quickly-things-could-be-snatched-away/) [Cristina Henriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-henriquez/) > [Nobody bothered to ask me how I was doing when my livelihood was snatched away after the 'Horn Ok Pleassss' harassment episode.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanushree-dutta/nobody-bothered-to-ask-me-how-i-was-doing-when-my-livelihood-was/) [Tanushree Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanushree-dutta/) > [“Achati chuckled. "You may be surprised. Some might come in the hopes of being snatched away to a secret place ruled by exotic women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/achati-chuckled-you-may-be-surprised-some-might-come-in-the-hopes-of/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) ## More by Karin Slaughter > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I've always been drawn to dark stories. I enjoy reading Flannery O'Connor, Patricia Highsmith, and Margaret Mitchell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-ve-always-been-drawn-to-dark-stories-i-enjoy-reading-flannery-o/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I love puns. I've been known to turn the car around just to take advantage of a good pun situation. It really is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-love-puns-i-ve-been-known-to-turn-the-car-around-just-to-take/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [Usually, when inspiration strikes late, the light of day reveals that I haven't gotten an idea for a book so much as a psychiatric…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/usually-when-inspiration-strikes-late-the-light-of-day-reveals-that-i/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [“To all the librarians in the world on behalf of all the kids y’all helped grow up to be writers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/to-all-the-librarians-in-the-world-on-behalf-of-all-the-kids-y-all/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [“Moon was from somewhere up east, the kind of place where consonants took on a life of their own. In addition to this, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/moon-was-from-somewhere-up-east-the-kind-of-place-where-consonants/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [Feminism has been so co-opted, but the fact is, feminism benefits men as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/feminism-has-been-so-co-opted-but-the-fact-is-feminism-benefits-men/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [Librarians have always stood up for writers and readers in every kind of community across this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/librarians-have-always-stood-up-for-writers-and-readers-in-every-kind/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [“I’ve got to figure out before I die whether I want to be happy or I want to be right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-ve-got-to-figure-out-before-i-die-whether-i-want-to-be-happy-or-i/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [Prior to the Civil War, most libraries were either privately owned or housed in universities or churches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/prior-to-the-civil-war-most-libraries-were-either-privately-owned-or/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [In the South, we drink the Bible with our mother's milk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/in-the-south-we-drink-the-bible-with-our-mother-s-milk/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [Denise Mina is probably one of the most gifted writers out there, whether it's mystery or literary or whatever label you want to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/denise-mina-is-probably-one-of-the-most-gifted-writers-out-there/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [If there is still an American dream, reading is one of the bootstraps by which we can all pull ourselves up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/if-there-is-still-an-american-dream-reading-is-one-of-the-bootstraps/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I love reading almost as much as I love writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-love-reading-almost-as-much-as-i-love-writing/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [“a large chifforobe wedged into a small closet that their mother said they’d have to pay Tom Robinson a nickel to bust up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/a-large-chifforobe-wedged-into-a-small-closet-that-their-mother-said/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) [Explore all 237 Karin Slaughter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“She had seen this before. She knew that you could put it all in a little box and close it up later, that you could go on with your life if you didn't sleep too much, didn't breathe too much, didn't live too much so that death came back and snatched you away for the taking.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karin Slaughter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/she-had-seen-this-before-she-knew-that-you-could-put-it-all-in-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/she-had-seen-this-before-she-knew-that-you-could-put-it-all-in-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/karin-slaughter-1463_death_she-had-seen-this-before-she-knew-that-y_269016.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/karin-slaughter-1463_death_she-had-seen-this-before-she-knew-that-y_269016.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/karin-slaughter-1463_death_she-had-seen-this-before-she-knew-that-y_269016.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“She had seen this before. She knew that you could put it all in a little box and close it up later, that you…” — Karin Slaughter", "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": "Karin Slaughter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“She had seen this before. She knew...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/she-had-seen-this-before-she-knew-that-you-could-put-it-all-in-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/she-had-seen-this-before-she-knew-that-you-could-put-it-all-in-a/#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 } } ] } ```