---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Make it bend — trees are flexible, so…"
description: "\"“Make it bend — trees are flexible, so they don’t snap. Scar it, give it a twisted branch — perfect trees don’t exist. Nothing is perfect. Flaws are in..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca0/laurie-halse-anderson-623_bend_make-it-bend-trees-are-flexible-so-they_1220587.jpg"
---

#  Make it bend — trees are flexible, so they don’t snap…

![“Make it bend — trees are flexible, so they don’t snap. Scar it, give it a twisted branch — perfect trees don’t exist. Nothing is perfect. Flaws are interesting. Be the tree.” quote by Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca0/laurie-halse-anderson-623_bend_make-it-bend-trees-are-flexible-so-they_1220587.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca0/laurie-halse-anderson-623_bend_make-it-bend-trees-are-flexible-so-they_1220587.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca0/laurie-halse-anderson-623_bend_make-it-bend-trees-are-flexible-so-they_1220587.jpg)

> ““Make it bend — trees are flexible, so they don’t snap. Scar it, give it a twisted branch — perfect trees don’t exist. Nothing is perfect. Flaws are interesting. Be the tree.””

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Flexibility and embracing imperfections lead to resilience and growth.

**In simple terms:** Being flexible and accepting flaws helps you thrive.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate adaptability and see flaws as strengths.

Themes

growth resilience imperfection

Mood

inspirational encouraging

Type

motivational self‑help

When to use this quote

- career challenges
- personal setbacks
- creative projects
- team dynamics

Key Concepts

Psychology nature metaphor

Questions to Reflect On

- What flaw have you turned into a strength?
- How can you stay flexible under pressure?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on flexibility may ignore the need for boundaries.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trees/)

## Related quotes

> [Mr. Freeman: You are getting better at this, but it's not good enough. This looks like a tree,but it is an average, ordinary, everyday,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/mr-freeman-you-are-getting-better-at-this-but-it-s-not-good-enough/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [“Either find a way, or make one…You can bend but you can never break if you want to achieve excellence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/either-find-a-way-or-make-one-you-can-bend-but-you-can-never-break-if/)

[Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/)

> [“Nowhere is it written that you have the right to make everyone else bend to your particular vision of utopia.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/nowhere-is-it-written-that-you-have-the-right-to-make-everyone-else/)

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

> [I thought that we were all like trees, flexible youths, saplings, who grow up heavy and stiff, spread seeds and get chopped down and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-mccorkle/i-thought-that-we-were-all-like-trees-flexible-youths-saplings-who/)

[Jill McCorkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-mccorkle/)

> [We gather perfect fruit from perfect trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-sanger/we-gather-perfect-fruit-from-perfect-trees/)

[Margaret Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-sanger/)

> [“In nature, nothing is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways and they're still beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/in-nature-nothing-is-perfect-trees-can-be-contorted-bent-in-weird/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they're still beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/in-nature-nothing-is-perfect-and-everything-is-perfect-trees-can-be/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [I doubt trees are ever told to 'be the screwed-up ninth-grader.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-doubt-trees-are-ever-told-to-be-the-screwed-up-ninth-grader/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [“But mostly because he could be himself - never needing to bend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-alling/but-mostly-because-he-could-be-himself-never-needing-to-bend/)

Niki Alling

> [“Sometimes in life, you just have to bend over.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeri-estes/sometimes-in-life-you-just-have-to-bend-over/)

[Jeri Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeri-estes/)

> [“Distribution of weight is preferable to balancing everything on the head of a pin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psixaristw/distribution-of-weight-is-preferable-to-balancing-everything-on-the/)

Psixaristw

> [“Better to get spine broken than bend it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/better-to-get-spine-broken-than-bend-it/)

[Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/)

> [All fingers are not same in length, but when they bend all stand equal, Life become very easy when we learn to bend &…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/all-fingers-are-not-same-in-length-but-when-they-bend-all-stand-equal/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

> [Parents should have perfect control over their own spirits, and with mildness and yet firmness bend the will of the child until it shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/parents-should-have-perfect-control-over-their-own-spirits-and-with/)

[Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/)

> [“May the seas bend to your journey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoraida-c-rdova/may-the-seas-bend-to-your-journey/)

[Zoraida Córdova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoraida-c-rdova/)

## More by Laurie Halse Anderson

> [“The word ghost sounds like memory. The word therapy means exorcism”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/the-word-ghost-sounds-like-memory-the-word-therapy-means-exorcism/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/censorship-is-the-child-of-fear-and-the-father-of-ignorance/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [“I have this halfway place, a rest stop on the road to sleep, where I can stay for hours. I don't even need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-have-this-halfway-place-a-rest-stop-on-the-road-to-sleep-where-i/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [I can see us, living in the woods, her wearing that A, me with a S maybe, S for silent, S for stupid, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-can-see-us-living-in-the-woods-her-wearing-that-a-me-with-a-s-maybe/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [Eating plain toast will detonate her. "I'll have some honey." When the bread is done I scrape on a microscopic layer of it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/eating-plain-toast-will-detonate-her-i-ll-have-some-honey-when-the/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [Cutting pain was a different flavor of hurt. It made it easier not to think about having my body and my family and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/cutting-pain-was-a-different-flavor-of-hurt-it-made-it-easier-not-to/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [I am learning how to be angry and sad and lonely and joyful and excited and afraid and happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-am-learning-how-to-be-angry-and-sad-and-lonely-and-joyful-and/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [“Leaning against my father, the sadness finally broke open inside me, hollowing out my heart and leaving me bleeding. My feet felt rooted in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/leaning-against-my-father-the-sadness-finally-broke-open-inside-me/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [I like cheeseburgers too much to be a model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-like-cheeseburgers-too-much-to-be-a-model/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [I am getting better at smiling when people expect it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-am-getting-better-at-smiling-when-people-expect-it/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [“All that crap you hear on TV about communication and expressing feelings is a lie. Nobody really wants to hear what you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/all-that-crap-you-hear-on-tv-about-communication-and-expressing/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [I doubt trees are ever told to 'be the screwed-up ninth-grader.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-doubt-trees-are-ever-told-to-be-the-screwed-up-ninth-grader/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [“It was the most eloquent silence I ever heard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/it-was-the-most-eloquent-silence-i-ever-heard/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [I've dealt with depression my entire life, on and off, which makes me the perfect author for teenage readers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-ve-dealt-with-depression-my-entire-life-on-and-off-which-makes-me/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [“What did it feel like to die? Was it a peaceful sleep? Some thought it was full of either trumpet-blowing angels or angry devils.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/what-did-it-feel-like-to-die-was-it-a-peaceful-sleep-some-thought-it/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

[Explore all 437 Laurie Halse Anderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

## More Bend quotes

> [“May the seas bend to your journey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoraida-c-rdova/may-the-seas-bend-to-your-journey/)

[Zoraida Córdova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoraida-c-rdova/)

> [Parents should have perfect control over their own spirits, and with mildness and yet firmness bend the will of the child until it shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/parents-should-have-perfect-control-over-their-own-spirits-and-with/)

[Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/)

> [All fingers are not same in length, but when they bend all stand equal, Life become very easy when we learn to bend &…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/all-fingers-are-not-same-in-length-but-when-they-bend-all-stand-equal/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

> [“Better to get spine broken than bend it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/better-to-get-spine-broken-than-bend-it/)

[Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/)

> [“Distribution of weight is preferable to balancing everything on the head of a pin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psixaristw/distribution-of-weight-is-preferable-to-balancing-everything-on-the/)

Psixaristw

> [“Sometimes in life, you just have to bend over.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeri-estes/sometimes-in-life-you-just-have-to-bend-over/)

[Jeri Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeri-estes/)

> [“But mostly because he could be himself - never needing to bend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-alling/but-mostly-because-he-could-be-himself-never-needing-to-bend/)

Niki Alling

> [“You may bend, but you will not be broken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-burkmenn/you-may-bend-but-you-will-not-be-broken/)

[Chris Burkmenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-burkmenn/)

> [Things come in a quieter way to me. It's not laziness, and it's not diffidence. I just know how far you have to bend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/things-come-in-a-quieter-way-to-me-it-s-not-laziness-and-it-s-not/)

[John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/)

> [“Seems like the kind that's easier to break than bend, which makes her no use to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skye-callahan/seems-like-the-kind-that-s-easier-to-break-than-bend-which-makes-her/)

[Skye Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skye-callahan/)

> [“The soul must bend to endure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/the-soul-must-bend-to-endure/)

[Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/)

> [“Sometimes we need to bend before we fly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noor-alasadi/sometimes-we-need-to-bend-before-we-fly/)

Noor Alasadi

> [Wats long nd pointy nd cuh bend.! ohh yah its ah ruler.!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ms-ch/wats-long-nd-pointy-nd-cuh-bend-ohh-yah-its-ah-ruler/)

Ms CH@++Â¥

> [We just don't give in. If you can bend and not break, you always got a chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blatt/we-just-don-t-give-in-if-you-can-bend-and-not-break-you-always-got-a/)

[David Blatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blatt/)

> [Tired of bending over backwards for people and getting nowhere. From now on I'll bend the other way and you can kiss my ass!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-moores/tired-of-bending-over-backwards-for-people-and-getting-nowhere-from/)

[Sarah Moores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-moores/)

Browse all 191 Bend quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Make it bend — trees are flexible, so they don’t snap. Scar it, give it a twisted branch — perfect trees don’t exist. Nothing is perfect. Flaws are interesting. Be the tree.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Laurie Halse Anderson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/make-it-bend-trees-are-flexible-so-they-don-t-snap-scar-it-give-it-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bend"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/make-it-bend-trees-are-flexible-so-they-don-t-snap-scar-it-give-it-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca0/laurie-halse-anderson-623_bend_make-it-bend-trees-are-flexible-so-they_1220587.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca0/laurie-halse-anderson-623_bend_make-it-bend-trees-are-flexible-so-they_1220587.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca0/laurie-halse-anderson-623_bend_make-it-bend-trees-are-flexible-so-they_1220587.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Make it bend — trees are flexible, so they don’t snap. Scar it, give it a twisted branch — perfect trees…” — Laurie Halse Anderson",
                "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": "Laurie Halse Anderson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Make it bend — trees are...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/make-it-bend-trees-are-flexible-so-they-don-t-snap-scar-it-give-it-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/make-it-bend-trees-are-flexible-so-they-don-t-snap-scar-it-give-it-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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```