--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know she isn’t coming back, but I still…" description: "\"“I know she isn’t coming back, but I still think that she will. Nothing can make that go away. We figure out what death means when we’re born, practica..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/lauren-destefano-892_death_i-know-she-isn-t-coming-back-but-i-still_3183874.png" --- # I know she isn’t coming back, but I still think that she… ![“I know she isn’t coming back, but I still think that she will. Nothing can make that go away. We figure out what death means when we’re born, practically, and we live our whole lives in some kind of weird denial about it.” quote by Lauren DeStefano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/lauren-destefano-892_death_i-know-she-isn-t-coming-back-but-i-still_3183874.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/lauren-destefano-892_death_i-know-she-isn-t-coming-back-but-i-still_3183874.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/038/lauren-destefano-892_death_i-know-she-isn-t-coming-back-but-i-still_3183874.png) > ““I know she isn’t coming back, but I still think that she will. Nothing can make that go away. We figure out what death means when we’re born, practically, and we live our whole lives in some kind of weird denial about it.”” [Lauren DeStefano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-destefano/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Denial of death shapes human experience; we cling to hope and construct narratives to avoid confronting mortality. **In simple terms:** We deny death, creating hopeful narratives. Key Takeaway Face mortality to live authentically. Themes mortality denial hope existentialism Mood somber thoughtful Type existential philosophical When to use this quote - grief counseling - end‑of‑life care - personal reflection - creative writing Key Concepts philosophy psychology literature Questions to Reflect On - How does denial affect your daily choices? - What practices help you acknowledge impermanence? A Different Perspective Denial can hinder necessary emotional processing and acceptance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Death of a loved one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-of-a-loved-one/) [Denial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denial/) ## Related quotes > [We figure out what death means when we're born, practically, and we live our whole lives in some kind of weird denial about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-destefano/we-figure-out-what-death-means-when-we-re-born-practically-and-we/) [Lauren DeStefano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-destefano/) > [So right off, I'm going to have to say that a lot of people have been comparing Life Is Killing Me to World Coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-silver/so-right-off-i-m-going-to-have-to-say-that-a-lot-of-people-have-been/) [Josh Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-silver/) > [Just when you think you're coming out and you think, 'OK, I see the light at the end of the tunnel,' then I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-reeve/just-when-you-think-you-re-coming-out-and-you-think-ok-i-see-the/) [Dana Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-reeve/) > [Shh! Listen! Someone’s coming! I think — I think it might be us!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/shh-listen-someone-s-coming-i-think-i-think-it-might-be-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Abby, look at me. I’m coming back. Do you think I could walk away from this? That I won’t be running back to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-connor/abby-look-at-me-i-m-coming-back-do-you-think-i-could-walk-away-from/) [Claudia Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-connor/) > [“There is a change coming I think in the lives of girls and women. Yes, but it is up to us to make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/there-is-a-change-coming-i-think-in-the-lives-of-girls-and-women-yes/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I really do believe 2012 is coming. What do you think about that?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-noory/i-really-do-believe-2012-is-coming-what-do-you-think-about-that/) [George Noory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-noory/) > [“We go from disappointment to disappointment, from hope to denial, from expectation to surrender, as we grow older, thinking or coming to think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-hayes/we-go-from-disappointment-to-disappointment-from-hope-to-denial-from/) [Alfred Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-hayes/) > [The idea of me writing something that I'd get to be in as well was not what I saw coming. I do think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-foster/the-idea-of-me-writing-something-that-i-d-get-to-be-in-as-well-was/) [Erin Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-foster/) > [Bushido is realized in the presence of death. This means choosing death whenever there is a choice between life and death. There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yamamoto-tsunetomo/bushido-is-realized-in-the-presence-of-death-this-means-choosing/) [Yamamoto Tsunetomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yamamoto-tsunetomo/) > [By the Way of the warrior is meant death. The Way of the warrior is death. This means choosing death whenever there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yamamoto-tsunetomo/by-the-way-of-the-warrior-is-meant-death-the-way-of-the-warrior-is/) [Yamamoto Tsunetomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yamamoto-tsunetomo/) > [Death scares the hell out of me. I dont wanna die knowing that youll cry over me but if death means watching over you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-scares-the-hell-out-of-me-i-dont-wanna-die-knowing-that-youll/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I’ll have one of my men drop a car off for you.” “Thanks. I’ll try not to lose it.” “If you can manage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-ll-have-one-of-my-men-drop-a-car-off-for-you-thanks-i-ll-try-not-to/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Death means nothing to men like me. It's the event that proves them right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/death-means-nothing-to-men-like-me-it-s-the-event-that-proves-them/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The bedrock of doubt is the total nothingness of death. Death is a leveler, not because everybody dies, but because nobody understands what death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northrop-frye/the-bedrock-of-doubt-is-the-total-nothingness-of-death-death-is-a/) [Northrop Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northrop-frye/) ## More by Lauren DeStefano > [“I watch the perfectly imperfect people several stories below, living their perfectly imperfect lives, and I think about how many decades will have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-destefano/i-watch-the-perfectly-imperfect-people-several-stories-below-living/) [Lauren DeStefano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-destefano/) > [You have a way of looking at things. You make it seem as though everything's going to be okay. I can't imagine a more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-destefano/you-have-a-way-of-looking-at-things-you-make-it-seem-as-though/) [Lauren DeStefano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-destefano/) > [He says one word, nodding into the daylight. "Look." It's an astounding word. It's a gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-destefano/he-says-one-word-nodding-into-the-daylight-look-it-s-an-astounding/) [Lauren DeStefano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-destefano/) > [“Rhine: It's okay that you miss her. She was the love of your life. Linden: Not the only love. It feels wrong to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-destefano/rhine-it-s-okay-that-you-miss-her-she-was-the-love-of-your-life/) [Lauren DeStefano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-destefano/) > [“She strokes my cheeks with the side of her hand – a repetitive, wispy motion. 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Even in a hurricane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-destefano/gabriel-s-voice-can-reach-me-anywhere-even-in-a-hurricane/) [Lauren DeStefano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-destefano/) > [Maybe what frightens us about the edge isn't our fear of morality, but the thoughts it leads us to have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-destefano/maybe-what-frightens-us-about-the-edge-isn-t-our-fear-of-morality-but/) [Lauren DeStefano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-destefano/) > [“This isn’t living, what all of us are doing. We drive down long, dilapidated back roads.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-destefano/this-isn-t-living-what-all-of-us-are-doing-we-drive-down-long/) [Lauren DeStefano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-destefano/) > [“I don't know how it happens. We move our faces at the same time, and then our lips are touching. 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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. 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