--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't want normal until I didn't have…" description: "\"I didn't want normal until I didn't have it anymore\" — Maggie Stiefvater" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/maggie-stiefvater-76_lament_i-didn-t-want-normal-until-i-didn-t-have_158320.png" --- # I didn't want normal until I didn't have it anymore ![“I didn't want normal until I didn't have it anymore” quote by Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/maggie-stiefvater-76_lament_i-didn-t-want-normal-until-i-didn-t-have_158320.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/maggie-stiefvater-76_lament_i-didn-t-want-normal-until-i-didn-t-have_158320.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/maggie-stiefvater-76_lament_i-didn-t-want-normal-until-i-didn-t-have_158320.png) > “I didn't want normal until I didn't have it anymore” [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests that desire for normalcy only appears after it’s lost, highlighting the paradox of longing. **In simple terms:** Missing normal makes you want it. Key Takeaway Recognize the value of what you have. Themes desire paradox loss Mood nostalgic thoughtful Type literary reflective When to use this quote - relationships - career - health - personal growth Key Concepts Psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What does “normal” mean to you now? - How can you appreciate current circumstances? A Different Perspective May romanticize the past. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lament/) ## Related quotes > [“They had no idea that normal didn't exist for me anymore. Normal had been smashed on the rocks beneath the bridge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-clarke/they-had-no-idea-that-normal-didn-t-exist-for-me-anymore-normal-had/) [Cat Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-clarke/) > [“Many of us wanted something more fundamental: freedom from "normal" life. Either we were inherently different, possibly on a cellular lever, and couldn't relate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-shaw/many-of-us-wanted-something-more-fundamental-freedom-from-normal-life/) [aiden shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-shaw/) > [“I would never have normal in my life. I didn’t want normal in my life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle-ryan/i-would-never-have-normal-in-my-life-i-didn-t-want-normal-in-my-life/) [Estelle Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/estelle-ryan/) > [If you want what NORMAL people have, do what normal people DO. If you want what FEW people have, do what few people DO.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/if-you-want-what-normal-people-have-do-what-normal-people-do-if-you/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [I don't want to say I can't wait to get back to normal life, because I don't. I don't want to get back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-daughtry/i-don-t-want-to-say-i-can-t-wait-to-get-back-to-normal-life-because-i/) [Chris Daughtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-daughtry/) > [I just want to be normal, like everybody else." "Are you sure that being like everybody else will make you happy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-just-want-to-be-normal-like-everybody-else-are-you-sure-that-being/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Don't cry pretty girl. Who you are is why you're so good at everything. You won't let yourself be otherwise. And thats what fascinates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/don-t-cry-pretty-girl-who-you-are-is-why-you-re-so-good-at-everything/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Thery're both iron, isn't that funny?" "Funny haha or funny strange?" James handed them back to me "Funny 'occult'" "Ah. Funny strange" James looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/thery-re-both-iron-isn-t-that-funny-funny-haha-or-funny-strange-james/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Fro and to in my dreams to you To the haunting tune of the harp For the price I paid when you died that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/fro-and-to-in-my-dreams-to-you-to-the-haunting-tune-of-the-harp-for/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [The sun shines through the window And the sun shines through your hair It seems like you're beside me But I know that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/the-sun-shines-through-the-window-and-the-sun-shines-through-your/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“I had done something wrong. I shouldn't have shown him. But he had known, hadn't he? What had I done? I retreated quickly down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-had-done-something-wrong-i-shouldn-t-have-shown-him-but-he-had/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Go, go, magic clover.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/go-go-magic-clover/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“I... I... I want to be normal!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shuzo-oshimi/i-i-i-want-to-be-normal/) Shuzo Oshimi > [“Why would I want to go and get all normal when being abnormal is so much more interesting?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/why-would-i-want-to-go-and-get-all-normal-when-being-abnormal-is-so/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [“You think I’m broken, don’t you? You think I should be fixed. You want me to be normal. I’ll never be your version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-harvey-berrick/you-think-i-m-broken-don-t-you-you-think-i-should-be-fixed-you-want/) [Jane Harvey-Berrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-harvey-berrick/) ## More by Maggie Stiefvater > [Sam reached his hand toward mine and I automatically put my fingers in his. With a guilty little smile he pulled my hand toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/sam-reached-his-hand-toward-mine-and-i-automatically-put-my-fingers/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Once upon a time, there lived a boy, and he had to risk everything to keep what he loved. But really the story was:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/once-upon-a-time-there-lived-a-boy-and-he-had-to-risk-everything-to/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [I think-I need to ask an embarrassing question. Do you think I could borrow a pair of scrubs? I-uh-my pants-" "Oh!" Cried the poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-think-i-need-to-ask-an-embarrassing-question-do-you-think-i-could/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [We dance, we dance. You hold the thread of my soul. You spin, you spin. And you unravel the part from the whole. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/we-dance-we-dance-you-hold-the-thread-of-my-soul-you-spin-you-spin/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [It was the way she felt when she looked at the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/it-was-the-way-she-felt-when-she-looked-at-the-stars/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Mum once told Dad that vices are only vices when looked at through the frame of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/mum-once-told-dad-that-vices-are-only-vices-when-looked-at-through/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Why'd she leave so early? It's practically yesterday.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/why-d-she-leave-so-early-it-s-practically-yesterday/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [How long it takes us, each day, to know each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/how-long-it-takes-us-each-day-to-know-each-other/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“At least when he was at Aglionby he could turn over his papers to see the grades, concrete proof of his success at something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/at-least-when-he-was-at-aglionby-he-could-turn-over-his-papers-to-see/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [I'll cook the water...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-ll-cook-the-water/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“That's the one." In Puck Connolly's custody. That might be the last I see of that jacket.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/that-s-the-one-in-puck-connolly-s-custody-that-might-be-the-last-i/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“I asked,”Are you going to pick up next time I call you?” ”I did this time didn’t I?” “Say yes.” “Yes. Conditionally yes.”…... …”What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-asked-are-you-going-to-pick-up-next-time-i-call-you-i-did-this-time/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Tell me what it's like. The race." "What it's like is a battle. A mess of horses and men and blood. The fastest and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/tell-me-what-it-s-like-the-race-what-it-s-like-is-a-battle-a-mess-of/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“I felt a tickle on my skin; it took me a moment to realize that Cole was driving his die-cast Mustang up my arm.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-felt-a-tickle-on-my-skin-it-took-me-a-moment-to-realize-that-cole/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Happiness isn't something this island yields easily; the ground is too rocky and the sun too sparse for it to flourish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/happiness-isn-t-something-this-island-yields-easily-the-ground-is-too/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) [Explore all 1,564 Maggie Stiefvater quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) ## More Lament quotes > [In some ways, I lament the introduction of civilisation on such a huge scale, because it has given us a lot of room to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-harper/in-some-ways-i-lament-the-introduction-of-civilisation-on-such-a-huge/) [Roy Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-harper/) > [My heart sobbed a lament that was hard to ignore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-macalister/my-heart-sobbed-a-lament-that-was-hard-to-ignore/) [Katie MacAlister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-macalister/) > [A myriad of men are born; they labor and sweat and struggle; ...they squabble and scold and fight; they scramble for little mean advantages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/a-myriad-of-men-are-born-they-labor-and-sweat-and-struggle-they/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [You have suffered greatly, poor mother. Oh! do not lament, you have now the portion of the elect. It is in this way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/you-have-suffered-greatly-poor-mother-oh-do-not-lament-you-have-now/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“A premature death does not only rob one of the countless instances where one would have experienced pleasure, it also saves one from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-premature-death-does-not-only-rob-one-of-the-countless-instances/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [The liberal reward of labour, therefore, as it is the affect of increasing wealth, so it is the cause of increasing population. To complain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/the-liberal-reward-of-labour-therefore-as-it-is-the-affect-of/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [There are two responses to really awful things. One is to lament and say, "Oh my God, oh lord." And the other is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/there-are-two-responses-to-really-awful-things-one-is-to-lament-and/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [“Lament calls us to examine the work of reconciliation between those who live under suffering with those who live in celebration. Lamentations”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soong-chan-rah/lament-calls-us-to-examine-the-work-of-reconciliation-between-those/) [Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) > [You do not lament the loss of hair of one who has been beheaded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/you-do-not-lament-the-loss-of-hair-of-one-who-has-been-beheaded/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [Every lover's lament has an element of boasting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/every-lover-s-lament-has-an-element-of-boasting/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“None but a fool or an infant could forget a father gone so far and cold. No. Lament is a pattern cut and fitted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/none-but-a-fool-or-an-infant-could-forget-a-father-gone-so-far-and/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [Do not vainly lament, but do wonder at the rule of transiency and learn from it the emptiness of human life. Do not cherish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/do-not-vainly-lament-but-do-wonder-at-the-rule-of-transiency-and/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [I lament the want of a liberal education. I feel the mist of ignorance to surround me - Nathanael Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/i-lament-the-want-of-a-liberal-education-i-feel-the-mist-of-ignorance/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“Lament For J Among the small graves a soft shaft of sunlight gently rains On a memory; etches, as a glittering finger, Golden corn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-james-roll/lament-for-j-among-the-small-graves-a-soft-shaft-of-sunlight-gently/) Alan James Roll > [“Lament No permanence is ours; we are a wave That flows to fit whatever form it finds: Through day or night, cathedral or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/lament-no-permanence-is-ours-we-are-a-wave-that-flows-to-fit-whatever/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) [Browse all 236 Lament quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lament/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I didn't want normal until I didn't have it anymore", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Maggie Stiefvater" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-didn-t-want-normal-until-i-didn-t-have-it-anymore/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Lament" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-didn-t-want-normal-until-i-didn-t-have-it-anymore/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/maggie-stiefvater-76_lament_i-didn-t-want-normal-until-i-didn-t-have_158320.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/maggie-stiefvater-76_lament_i-didn-t-want-normal-until-i-didn-t-have_158320.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/maggie-stiefvater-76_lament_i-didn-t-want-normal-until-i-didn-t-have_158320.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I didn't want normal until I didn't have it anymore” — Maggie Stiefvater", "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": "Maggie Stiefvater", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I didn't want normal until I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-didn-t-want-normal-until-i-didn-t-have-it-anymore/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-didn-t-want-normal-until-i-didn-t-have-it-anymore/#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 } } ] } ```