---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We stayed all day long. We closed our…"
description: "\"“We stayed all day long. We closed our eyes and paryed, which we had not doen together in a long time. The nurse came in and out of the room. Everythin..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/margaret-mcmullan-46099_another-day_we-stayed-all-day-long-we-closed-our-eye_1920683.jpg"
---

#  We stayed all day long. We closed our eyes and paryed…

![“We stayed all day long. We closed our eyes and paryed, which we had not doen together in a long time. The nurse came in and out of the room. Everything felt awful and I wondered why the whole world didn't seem to notice how bad things really were. I thought of how I'd gotten used to awful, how…” quote by Margaret McMullan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/margaret-mcmullan-46099_another-day_we-stayed-all-day-long-we-closed-our-eye_1920683.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/margaret-mcmullan-46099_another-day_we-stayed-all-day-long-we-closed-our-eye_1920683.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/margaret-mcmullan-46099_another-day_we-stayed-all-day-long-we-closed-our-eye_1920683.jpg)

> ““We stayed all day long. We closed our eyes and paryed, which we had not doen together in a long time. The nurse came in and out of the room. Everything felt awful and I wondered why the whole world didn't seem to notice how bad things really were. I thought of how I'd gotten used to awful, how after my dad died the planets kept on spinning and I got up and ate breakfast every morning and kept going to school. Something happens and it's terrible and you think you can't live another day, but then your mother gets used to it and you get used to it and you both keep on living, and you're not sure if that getting-used-to-things is good or the way life should be.””

[Margaret McMullan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mcmullan/)

## About This Quote

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

A reflection on how people adapt to ongoing hardship, normalizing pain while questioning whether such resilience is healthy.

**In simple terms:** People get used to suffering, but it's unclear if that adaptation is right.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and address chronic distress rather than just coping.

Themes

adaptation grief resilience mental health family dynamics

Mood

reflective somber

Type

personal narrative philosophical

When to use this quote

- bereavement
- daily routines
- family support
- mental health challenges

Key Concepts

psychological coping normalization existential questioning

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you differentiate healthy coping from harmful numbness?
- What steps can you take to acknowledge pain without becoming desensitized?

A Different Perspective

Adaptation can mask underlying issues needing attention.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bad things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-things/) [Dad died](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad-died/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Every morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-morning/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/)

## Related quotes

> [Growing up in Terre Haute, Indiana, there's not a whole lot to do. What I did was I just went to the basketball court…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/growing-up-in-terre-haute-indiana-there-s-not-a-whole-lot-to-do-what/)

[Greg Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/)

> [“I said, “What do I think? That's what I'm asking you? What is there to think?” “Looks like he wants you to be his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-said-what-do-i-think-that-s-what-i-m-asking-you-what-is-there-to/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [“Life is a bitch; you get used though, or you kill yourself. Either way, you're winning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-mostafa/life-is-a-bitch-you-get-used-though-or-you-kill-yourself-either-way/)

[Ahmed Mostafa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-mostafa/)

> [“There was a knock on the door and another nurse came bouncing in. She had short red hair, milky skin, and was wearing pale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-arden/there-was-a-knock-on-the-door-and-another-nurse-came-bouncing-in-she/)

Zoe Arden

> [Do not meet or overtake a patient who is moving about in order to speak to him or to give him any message or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/do-not-meet-or-overtake-a-patient-who-is-moving-about-in-order-to/)

[Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/)

> [“An hour later we were pulling into the hospital parking lot. Sparkly and shiny from my hair and makeup job, I had to stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/an-hour-later-we-were-pulling-into-the-hospital-parking-lot-sparkly-2/)

[Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/)

> [If I was a father in a waiting room, and the nurse came out and said, "Congratulations, it's a girl," I think a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/if-i-was-a-father-in-a-waiting-room-and-the-nurse-came-out-and-said/)

[Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/)

> [I just think my body can't handle it any more. I did try a little drink a while back, and I was actually physically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-just-think-my-body-can-t-handle-it-any-more-i-did-try-a-little/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Any man who has ever tried to use political power for the common good has felt an awful sense of powerlessness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-casey/any-man-who-has-ever-tried-to-use-political-power-for-the-common-good/)

[Robert Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-casey/)

> [This was my one brush with love. Was it love? It felt awful enough. I spent another two years crawling around in the skin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/this-was-my-one-brush-with-love-was-it-love-it-felt-awful-enough-i/)

[Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/)

> [Something about being rejected at Church Camp felt so much more awful than being rejected at school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-thompson/something-about-being-rejected-at-church-camp-felt-so-much-more-awful/)

[Craig Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-thompson/)

> [Abash'd the Devil stood, And felt how awful goodness is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/abash-d-the-devil-stood-and-felt-how-awful-goodness-is/)

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

> [“I also had nightmares, somehow all the feelings I didnt feel when each thing had actually happened to me I did feel when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-dworkin/i-also-had-nightmares-somehow-all-the-feelings-i-didnt-feel-when-each/)

[Andrea Dworkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-dworkin/)

> [“I felt. I fucking felt and it was awful. - Caleb”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/i-felt-i-fucking-felt-and-it-was-awful-caleb/)

[C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/)

> [People on radio and television started making nasty comments about me and I felt awful. Turning from a teenager into a woman is hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-roberts/people-on-radio-and-television-started-making-nasty-comments-about-me/)

[Nicola Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-roberts/)

## More by Margaret McMullan

> [“Don't be scared," Willa Mae said. I looked at her. "Aren't you scared?" Willa Mae looked at me and said, "Shoot. Only thing I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mcmullan/don-t-be-scared-willa-mae-said-i-looked-at-her-aren-t-you-scared/)

[Margaret McMullan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mcmullan/)

> [“Perry was leaning into my mother as he listened to what she said. They talked so close. He only leaned closer, his hands on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mcmullan/perry-was-leaning-into-my-mother-as-he-listened-to-what-she-said-they/)

[Margaret McMullan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mcmullan/)

> [“Sit on the truth too long and you mash the life right out of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mcmullan/sit-on-the-truth-too-long-and-you-mash-the-life-right-out-of-it/)

[Margaret McMullan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mcmullan/)

> [“When you're and only child in a family with an only parent, you look at other, bigger families with envy. Mary Alice had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mcmullan/when-you-re-and-only-child-in-a-family-with-an-only-parent-you-look/)

[Margaret McMullan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mcmullan/)

> [“Seems like nothing's getting safer or better," I said. "Seems like everything's getting worse." "Maybe that's what's gotta happen," Willa Mae said. "Maybe everything's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mcmullan/seems-like-nothing-s-getting-safer-or-better-i-said-seems-like/)

[Margaret McMullan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mcmullan/)

> [“Why did you marry Dad, Mom?" My mother sniffled through her nose, looked at me, then smiled. "I wanted something more and he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mcmullan/why-did-you-marry-dad-mom-my-mother-sniffled-through-her-nose-looked/)

[Margaret McMullan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mcmullan/)

> [“She loved him, even though it was so hard to love anybody else after loving my dad. I think I knew this before she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mcmullan/she-loved-him-even-though-it-was-so-hard-to-love-anybody-else-after/)

[Margaret McMullan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mcmullan/)

[Explore all 8 Margaret McMullan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mcmullan/)

## More Another day quotes

> [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/)

[Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/)

> [“We have no idea, now, of who or what the inhabitants of our future might be. In that sense, we have no future. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/we-have-no-idea-now-of-who-or-what-the-inhabitants-of-our-future/)

[William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/)

> [A very small percentage of the people in this world will actually experience and live today. So many people will be stuck on another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/a-very-small-percentage-of-the-people-in-this-world-will-actually/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

> [“TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY. Not true. Today is another day. We have no idea what tomorrow is going to be. It might turn out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/tomorrow-is-another-day-not-true-today-is-another-day-we-have-no-idea/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [Consider developing your whole self with the same raw focus and intensity that you develop a particular skill set. Get focused. Go out, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-holden/consider-developing-your-whole-self-with-the-same-raw-focus-and/)

[Anthony Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-holden/)

> [David Rockefeller is the most conspicuous representative today of the ruling class, a multinational fraternity of men who shape the global economy and manage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/david-rockefeller-is-the-most-conspicuous-representative-today-of-the/)

[Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/)

> [If you live for today you can live another day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-johnson/if-you-live-for-today-you-can-live-another-day/)

[Natalya Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-johnson/)

> [Today isn't just another day off, it's a day to remember those who have sacrificed their life for your FREEDOM. Happy Memorial Day!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/today-isn-t-just-another-day-off-it-s-a-day-to-remember-those-who/)

[Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/)

> [Another day is another blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhaj-porras/another-day-is-another-blessing/)

[Mhaj Porras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhaj-porras/)

> [You load 16 tons, and what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt. St. Peter don't you call me 'cause I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-travis/you-load-16-tons-and-what-do-you-get-another-day-older-and-deeper-in/)

[Merle Travis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-travis/)

> [“Dawn. Another day is given us, R’hllor be praised.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/dawn-another-day-is-given-us-r-hllor-be-praised/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“Just another day in my life. This was one of those days when I thought that maybe a new life, a different life, wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/just-another-day-in-my-life-this-was-one-of-those-days-when-i-thought/)

[Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/)

> [Another day, Another blessing and Another chance at life. Take nothing for granted and think of every breath as a gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/another-day-another-blessing-and-another-chance-at-life-take-nothing/)

[Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/)

> [Life is too short to spend another day at war with yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/life-is-too-short-to-spend-another-day-at-war-with-yourself/)

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

> [Another day feeling unimportant. I should really consider being a back up singer...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/another-day-feeling-unimportant-i-should-really-consider-being-a-back/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

Browse all 1,021 Another day quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“We stayed all day long. We closed our eyes and paryed, which we had not doen together in a long time. The nurse came in and out of the room. Everything felt awful and I wondered why the whole world didn't seem to notice how bad things really were. I thought of how I'd gotten used to awful, how after my dad died the planets kept on spinning and I got up and ate breakfast every morning and kept going to school. Something happens and it's terrible and you think you can't live another day, but then your mother gets used to it and you get used to it and you both keep on living, and you're not sure if that getting-used-to-things is good or the way life should be.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Margaret McMullan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mcmullan/we-stayed-all-day-long-we-closed-our-eyes-and-paryed-which-we-had-not/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Another day"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mcmullan/we-stayed-all-day-long-we-closed-our-eyes-and-paryed-which-we-had-not/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/margaret-mcmullan-46099_another-day_we-stayed-all-day-long-we-closed-our-eye_1920683.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/margaret-mcmullan-46099_another-day_we-stayed-all-day-long-we-closed-our-eye_1920683.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/margaret-mcmullan-46099_another-day_we-stayed-all-day-long-we-closed-our-eye_1920683.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We stayed all day long. We closed our eyes and paryed, which we had not doen together in a long time. The…” — Margaret McMullan",
                "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": "Margaret McMullan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mcmullan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“We stayed all day long. We...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mcmullan/we-stayed-all-day-long-we-closed-our-eyes-and-paryed-which-we-had-not/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mcmullan/we-stayed-all-day-long-we-closed-our-eyes-and-paryed-which-we-had-not/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
