---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And I also know that pain can seem like…"
description: "\"And I also know that pain can seem like an endless ribbon. You pull it and you pull it. You keep gathering it toward you, and as it collects, you reall..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d2/meg-wolitzer-2224_believe_and-i-also-know-that-pain-can-seem-like_3232209.jpg"
---

#  And I also know that pain can seem like an endless ribbon…

![“And I also know that pain can seem like an endless ribbon. You pull it and you pull it. You keep gathering it toward you, and as it collects, you really can't believe that there's something else at the end of it. Something that isn't just more pain. But there's always something else at the end…” quote by Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d2/meg-wolitzer-2224_believe_and-i-also-know-that-pain-can-seem-like_3232209.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d2/meg-wolitzer-2224_believe_and-i-also-know-that-pain-can-seem-like_3232209.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d2/meg-wolitzer-2224_believe_and-i-also-know-that-pain-can-seem-like_3232209.jpg)

> “And I also know that pain can seem like an endless ribbon. You pull it and you pull it. You keep gathering it toward you, and as it collects, you really can't believe that there's something else at the end of it. Something that isn't just more pain. But there's always something else at the end; something at least a little different. You never know what that thing will be, but it's there.”

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

## About This Quote

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

Pain often feels endless, but hope suggests another experience awaits beyond suffering.

**In simple terms:** Pain seems endless, but hope exists.

Key Takeaway

Hold onto hope during hardship.

Themes

suffering hope resilience

Mood

somber optimistic

Type

inspirational philosophical

When to use this quote

- grief
- chronic illness
- loss
- personal growth

Key Concepts

existentialism psychology spirituality

Questions to Reflect On

- What might the "something else" be for you?
- How can you cultivate hope?

A Different Perspective

Hope may feel distant when pain dominates.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/)

## Related quotes

> [“He saw nothing except the endless ribbon of road unfolding in twisting narrow curves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-lowry/he-saw-nothing-except-the-endless-ribbon-of-road-unfolding-in/)

[Lois Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-lowry/)

> [Gina Hyams has put together a fabulous fun book/gift: Pie Contest in a Box: Everything You Need to Host a Pie Contest. There’s a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-james-ahern/gina-hyams-has-put-together-a-fabulous-fun-book-gift-pie-contest-in-a/)

Shauna James Ahern

> [You can be the limit of endurance of pain, But there is no end of pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/you-can-be-the-limit-of-endurance-of-pain-but-there-is-no-end-of-pain/)

Mak\_786

> [I slit my wrist to forget. I slit my wrist so I can forget all the mistake that I have made. I slit my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-slit-my-wrist-to-forget-i-slit-my-wrist-so-i-can-forget-all-the/)

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

> [“ You were merely wishing for the end of pain, the monster said. Your own pain. An end to how it isolated you. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/you-were-merely-wishing-for-the-end-of-pain-the-monster-said-your-own/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“Dear You,   You made it. You are here. All the moments spent in agony, wondering when the pain would end. You are here.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennae-cecelia/dear-you-you-made-it-you-are-here-all-the-moments-spent-in-agony/)

[Jennae Cecelia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennae-cecelia/)

> [I am going to live the life I want to live, When I am changed I don't know what to give, What I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/themonsterace/i-am-going-to-live-the-life-i-want-to-live-when-i-am-changed-i-don-t/)

TheMonsterAce

> [I'm rightly tired of the pain I hear and feel, boss. I'm tired of bein on the road, lonely as a robin in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-m-rightly-tired-of-the-pain-i-hear-and-feel-boss-i-m-tired-of-bein/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [The more there is happiness at the starting of human life, the more there is pain at the end..Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-more-there-is-happiness-at-the-starting-of-human-life-the-more/)

Mak\_786

> [Hold on. The pain will end soon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hold-on-the-pain-will-end-soon/)

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

> [“I see the path I don't fear I walk for love But the death was near Everything got so much pain In the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-bhardwaz/i-see-the-path-i-don-t-fear-i-walk-for-love-but-the-death-was-near/)

B Bhardwaz

> [“I didn’t want to die because I hated myself; I wanted to die because I loved myself enough to want this pain to end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/i-didn-t-want-to-die-because-i-hated-myself-i-wanted-to-die-because-i/)

[Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/)

> [“You'll be dancing once again and the pain will end, You'll have no time for grievin'.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/you-ll-be-dancing-once-again-and-the-pain-will-end-you-ll-have-no/)

[Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/)

> [I wish the pain will end, like our relationship did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wish-the-pain-will-end-like-our-relationship-did/)

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

> [The Pain will end, But the Guilt will kill you before the night ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-pain-will-end-but-the-guilt-will-kill-you-before-the-night-ends/)

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

## More by Meg Wolitzer

> [New teachers were just a part of life, for a few days after one arrived, squawks of interest were emitted from various corners, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/new-teachers-were-just-a-part-of-life-for-a-few-days-after-one/)

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

> [“It was exhausting being a schizophrenic, which he was still convinced he was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/it-was-exhausting-being-a-schizophrenic-which-he-was-still-convinced/)

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

> [I always thought it was the saddest and most devastating ending. How you could have these enormous dreams that never get met. How without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/i-always-thought-it-was-the-saddest-and-most-devastating-ending-how/)

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

> [But clearly life took people and shook them around until finally they were unrecognizable even to those who had once known them well. Still,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/but-clearly-life-took-people-and-shook-them-around-until-finally-they/)

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

> [I don't write autobiographically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/i-don-t-write-autobiographically/)

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

> [“...the Iraq war was the Ishtar of wars.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/the-iraq-war-was-the-ishtar-of-wars/)

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

> [“This was a time of life, she understood, in which you might not know what you were, but that was all right. You judged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/this-was-a-time-of-life-she-understood-in-which-you-might-not-know/)

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

> [“Another spell had been thrust upon her so long ago...She hadn't been able to see it but it was real. Otherwise why would you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/another-spell-had-been-thrust-upon-her-so-long-ago-she-hadn-t-been/)

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

> [Even if you yourself were unhappy and anxious, whenever you glimpsed happiness in your child, you suddenly became happy too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/even-if-you-yourself-were-unhappy-and-anxious-whenever-you-glimpsed/)

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

> [“The world of law was filled with the fallen, but theater wasn't. No one ever "fell back" onto theater. You had to really, really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/the-world-of-law-was-filled-with-the-fallen-but-theater-wasn-t-no-one/)

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

> [“Crema Seamans," Ethan repeated thoughtfully. "It's like a soup made from ... various semens. A medley of semens. It's a flavour of Campbell's soup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/crema-seamans-ethan-repeated-thoughtfully-it-s-like-a-soup-made-from/)

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

> [I've always been drawn to writing for young readers. The books that I read growing up remain in my mind very strongly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/i-ve-always-been-drawn-to-writing-for-young-readers-the-books-that-i/)

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

> [“No one ever told you that in moment of crisis, family was allowed to trump friendship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/no-one-ever-told-you-that-in-moment-of-crisis-family-was-allowed-to/)

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

> [You had only one chance for a signature in life, but most people left no impression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/you-had-only-one-chance-for-a-signature-in-life-but-most-people-left/)

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

> [“Part of the beauty of love was that you didn't need to explain it to anyone else. You could refuse to explain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/part-of-the-beauty-of-love-was-that-you-didn-t-need-to-explain-it-to/)

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

[Explore all 178 Meg Wolitzer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

## More Believe quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/)

[Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

> [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/)

[Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/)

> [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/)

[Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/)

Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "And I also know that pain can seem like an endless ribbon. You pull it and you pull it. You keep gathering it toward you, and as it collects, you really can't believe that there's something else at the end of it. Something that isn't just more pain. But there's always something else at the end; something at least a little different. You never know what that thing will be, but it's there.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Meg Wolitzer"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/and-i-also-know-that-pain-can-seem-like-an-endless-ribbon-you-pull-it/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Believe"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/and-i-also-know-that-pain-can-seem-like-an-endless-ribbon-you-pull-it/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d2/meg-wolitzer-2224_believe_and-i-also-know-that-pain-can-seem-like_3232209.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d2/meg-wolitzer-2224_believe_and-i-also-know-that-pain-can-seem-like_3232209.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d2/meg-wolitzer-2224_believe_and-i-also-know-that-pain-can-seem-like_3232209.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“And I also know that pain can seem like an endless ribbon. You pull it and you pull it. You keep gathering…” — Meg Wolitzer",
                "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": "Meg Wolitzer",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "And I also know that pain...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/and-i-also-know-that-pain-can-seem-like-an-endless-ribbon-you-pull-it/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/and-i-also-know-that-pain-can-seem-like-an-endless-ribbon-you-pull-it/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
