--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I ached for what wasn’t, and then I…" description: "\"“I ached for what wasn’t, and then I smiled for what was,”\" — Kathryn Kennish" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/kathryn-kennish-58356_smiled_i-ached-for-what-wasn-t-and-then-i-smile_2948950.png" --- # I ached for what wasn’t, and then I smiled for what was, ![“I ached for what wasn’t, and then I smiled for what was,” quote by Kathryn Kennish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/kathryn-kennish-58356_smiled_i-ached-for-what-wasn-t-and-then-i-smile_2948950.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/kathryn-kennish-58356_smiled_i-ached-for-what-wasn-t-and-then-i-smile_2948950.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/kathryn-kennish-58356_smiled_i-ached-for-what-wasn-t-and-then-i-smile_2948950.png) > ““I ached for what wasn’t, and then I smiled for what was,”” [Kathryn Kennish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-kennish/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desire for the unattainable caused pain, but embracing what exists brings joy. **In simple terms:** Wanting what isn’t hurts; appreciating what is heals. Key Takeaway Shift focus from longing to gratitude. Themes desire gratitude healing Mood hopeful reflective Type emotional spiritual When to use this quote - personal development - mental health - well‑being Key Concepts emotional growth mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What unattainable goal still haunts you? - How can you cultivate gratitude daily? A Different Perspective Letting go of desire can be difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [Perfect night, wasn't it?" "It could have been." I smiled up at him. "But you were there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/perfect-night-wasn-t-it-it-could-have-been-i-smiled-up-at-him-but-you/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [“He sagged to his knees. He ached all over. It wasn't just that his brain was writing cheques that his body couldn't cash. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/he-sagged-to-his-knees-he-ached-all-over-it-wasn-t-just-that-his/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Somewhere, a bird sang a song that ached.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-klune/somewhere-a-bird-sang-a-song-that-ached/) [T.J. Klune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-klune/) > [“My body yearned for power, but my heart ached for my friends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprille-legacy/my-body-yearned-for-power-but-my-heart-ached-for-my-friends/) [Aprille Legacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprille-legacy/) > [“Her chest ached, but this was the one last thing she had to do, the one last honor she could give her friend. Celaena…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/her-chest-ached-but-this-was-the-one-last-thing-she-had-to-do-the-one/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“Karl ached to stroke her, to explore her delicate features with his hand and reveal what the paltry candle light could not; the feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-croxall/karl-ached-to-stroke-her-to-explore-her-delicate-features-with-his/) [Jack Croxall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-croxall/) > [“The trying to change what they think, the attempt to explain, the hope they’ll come to see your side of things, it was exhausting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisha-pessl/the-trying-to-change-what-they-think-the-attempt-to-explain-the-hope/) [Marisha Pessl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisha-pessl/) > [I flicked on the light beside my bed, waiting for my breathing to slow, veins full of adrenaline from the realistic dream. A new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-flicked-on-the-light-beside-my-bed-waiting-for-my-breathing-to-slow/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [“She longed to reach up, stroke his face, wrap her arms around his neck, and pull him closer. She longed to swim in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinthia-clemant/she-longed-to-reach-up-stroke-his-face-wrap-her-arms-around-his-neck/) Tinthia Clemant > [“Okay, okay. Sheesh, I guess getting changed into a gigantic booger put you into a crappy mood.” “Gee, you think?” My legs ached”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-mallory/okay-okay-sheesh-i-guess-getting-changed-into-a-gigantic-booger-put/) [H.P. Mallory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-mallory/) > [“It ached so badly to ask for what I needed. Because I hadn’t before. And I was realizing…the more time I spent with Alex,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fae-quin/it-ached-so-badly-to-ask-for-what-i-needed-because-i-hadn-t-before/) [Fae Quin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fae-quin/) > [“I followed Ema and Krista to the hospital. On the way there, the potions and Blood Lust wore off. Every part of my body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-the-noob/i-followed-ema-and-krista-to-the-hospital-on-the-way-there-the/) Steve the Noob > [“His uselessness ached. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-o-keefe/his-uselessness-ached-the/) [Molly O'Keefe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-o-keefe/) > [“unaccustomed Tuscan sunlight, and his body ached from contorting his long frame into a plane seat. The irony of hating long distance flights wasn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-clements/unaccustomed-tuscan-sunlight-and-his-body-ached-from-contorting-his/) Sally Clements > [“Her throat and eyes ached. No, everything was not all right. I don’t want to be a monster.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-knight/her-throat-and-eyes-ached-no-everything-was-not-all-right-i-don-t/) Wendy Knight ## More by Kathryn Kennish > [“You need not fear it, but you must always bear in mind that the past is never quite as finished with you as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-kennish/you-need-not-fear-it-but-you-must-always-bear-in-mind-that-the-past/) [Kathryn Kennish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-kennish/) > [“It’s about finding your place at the table and knowing there will always be enough to fill your plate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-kennish/it-s-about-finding-your-place-at-the-table-and-knowing-there-will/) [Kathryn Kennish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-kennish/) > [“Because we see things, always, through the filter of who we are. We absorb the world and make sense of it on our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-kennish/because-we-see-things-always-through-the-filter-of-who-we-are-we/) [Kathryn Kennish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-kennish/) > [“It’s funny how the darkest moments of your life can bring about the best ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-kennish/it-s-funny-how-the-darkest-moments-of-your-life-can-bring-about-the/) [Kathryn Kennish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-kennish/) [Explore all 5 Kathryn Kennish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-kennish/) ## More Smiled quotes > [“She smiled at and spoke to each person. It was as though she couldn't come into contact with anyone or anything without imparting some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-leighton/she-smiled-at-and-spoke-to-each-person-it-was-as-though-she-couldn-t/) [M. Leighton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-leighton/) > [So," I said. "Seems you're going to be stuck with me for a while." He smiled. A real smile that lit up his whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/so-i-said-seems-you-re-going-to-be-stuck-with-me-for-a-while-he/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [She smiled with all the delight of a kid on Christmas morning and said, "Y'all smoke to enjoy it. I smoke to die." -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/she-smiled-with-all-the-delight-of-a-kid-on-christmas-morning-and/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [When they took me to do the camera test for the vampire make up, after they put the prosthetic on, I went though the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-benz/when-they-took-me-to-do-the-camera-test-for-the-vampire-make-up-after/) [Julie Benz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-benz/) > [“They didn't understand, it not being directed at them, what that smile could do. The power of it. It was like every time he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/they-didn-t-understand-it-not-being-directed-at-them-what-that-smile/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“Inej frowned. “I thought you and Nina chose four outbreak sites on the Staves.” Kaz straightened his cuffs. “I also had her stop at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/inej-frowned-i-thought-you-and-nina-chose-four-outbreak-sites-on-the/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Miss Craven held up a pair she thought would fit me—monstrous great things they were, of course, and I thought she smiled as she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-waters/miss-craven-held-up-a-pair-she-thought-would-fit-me-monstrous-great/) [Sarah Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-waters/) > [“That man had blond hair, all right, and he smiled and showed all his teeth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-chandler-warner/that-man-had-blond-hair-all-right-and-he-smiled-and-showed-all-his/) [Gertrude Chandler Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-chandler-warner/) > [“Then, with one of his quick changes of mood, he smiled. “Yes, there’s one thing I do want. I want to be aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/then-with-one-of-his-quick-changes-of-mood-he-smiled-yes-there-s-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Kurt smiled a shy smile. "You're just trying to cheer me up," he said. "Course I am," Andy said. "You deserve to be full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/kurt-smiled-a-shy-smile-you-re-just-trying-to-cheer-me-up-he-said/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [“He smiled sadly. "I was lost from the moment I saw you on Ovchinin Island. It took a long while for me to realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-skye/he-smiled-sadly-i-was-lost-from-the-moment-i-saw-you-on-ovchinin/) [Evelyn Skye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-skye/) > [He put his arms around her. “Well, in my defense, then, whatever I did seemed to work, didn't it?” She sighed. “I suppose.” “You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/he-put-his-arms-around-her-well-in-my-defense-then-whatever-i-did/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“Have you ever done this before?" "Done what?" "Attacked two armed men with sticks?" "No, but I'm looking forward to it," he smiled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lenahan/have-you-ever-done-this-before-done-what-attacked-two-armed-men-with/) John Lenahan > [“That’s it?” He smiled. “That’s it, unless you’d like to meet again sometime. Perhaps we could haggle over a dinner plate or a piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-andre/that-s-it-he-smiled-that-s-it-unless-you-d-like-to-meet-again/) Becca Andre > [“Oh ... why not?' he smiled. "This valley is a pleasant spot for meditation. I like New England... it is here that I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/oh-why-not-he-smiled-this-valley-is-a-pleasant-spot-for-meditation-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 1,165 Smiled quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I ached for what wasn’t, and then I smiled for what was,”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kathryn Kennish" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-kennish/i-ached-for-what-wasn-t-and-then-i-smiled-for-what-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Smiled" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-kennish/i-ached-for-what-wasn-t-and-then-i-smiled-for-what-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/kathryn-kennish-58356_smiled_i-ached-for-what-wasn-t-and-then-i-smile_2948950.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/kathryn-kennish-58356_smiled_i-ached-for-what-wasn-t-and-then-i-smile_2948950.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/kathryn-kennish-58356_smiled_i-ached-for-what-wasn-t-and-then-i-smile_2948950.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I ached for what wasn’t, and then I smiled for what was,” — Kathryn Kennish", "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": "Kathryn Kennish", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-kennish/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I ached for what wasn’t, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-kennish/i-ached-for-what-wasn-t-and-then-i-smiled-for-what-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-kennish/i-ached-for-what-wasn-t-and-then-i-smiled-for-what-was/#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 } } ] } ```