--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And this—instead of happiness—would be…" description: "\"“And this—instead of happiness—would be only what the two of us deserved, after all.”\" — Melanie Benjamin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/melanie-benjamin-4832_deserved_and-this-instead-of-happiness-would-be-o_294494.png" --- # And this—instead of happiness—would be only what the two… ![“And this—instead of happiness—would be only what the two of us deserved, after all.” quote by Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/melanie-benjamin-4832_deserved_and-this-instead-of-happiness-would-be-o_294494.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/melanie-benjamin-4832_deserved_and-this-instead-of-happiness-would-be-o_294494.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/melanie-benjamin-4832_deserved_and-this-instead-of-happiness-would-be-o_294494.png) > ““And this—instead of happiness—would be only what the two of us deserved, after all.”” [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Both characters accept that their fate is a deserved consequence of their actions, not happiness. **In simple terms:** Deserved fate over happiness. Key Takeaway Accept responsibility for outcomes. Themes destiny consequence acceptance Mood reflective somber Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - personal growth - ethical decisions Key Concepts Moral philosophy character agency Questions to Reflect On - Do you feel you deserve what you have? - How does acceptance affect your peace? A Different Perspective Happiness may be unattainable despite merit. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ## Related quotes > [“Everyone deserved at least one friend they could trust with their secrets and fears. With their guilt, with their happiness. Everyone deserved a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittainy-c-cherry/everyone-deserved-at-least-one-friend-they-could-trust-with-their/) [Brittainy C. Cherry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittainy-c-cherry/) > [ I think instead \[of happiness\] we should be working for contentment... an inner sense of fulfillment that's relatively independent of external circumstances. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-weil/i-think-instead-of-happiness-we-should-be-working-for-contentment-an/) [Andrew Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-weil/) > [The thing is.. I loved you so much.. more than you deserved... and it wasnt enough I wasnt enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-thing-is-i-loved-you-so-much-more-than-you-deserved-and-it-wasnt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In time we all get whats coming to us, maybe I deserved this or maybe you just deserve worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leanne-blacker/in-time-we-all-get-whats-coming-to-us-maybe-i-deserved-this-or-maybe/) Leanne Blacker > [“Yes, they were bad men. No one deserved to feel unsafe in their own skin for someone else’s pleasure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-scheuerer/yes-they-were-bad-men-no-one-deserved-to-feel-unsafe-in-their-own/) Helen Scheuerer > [“On my first day of kindergarten, I bit a kid. Hard. In my defense, he deserved it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-kruger/on-my-first-day-of-kindergarten-i-bit-a-kid-hard-in-my-defense-he/) [Kat Kruger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-kruger/) > [I can understand and deserved what is happening on me but I can't accept it because you had gave me a lots of expectations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-amy-gangte-2/i-can-understand-and-deserved-what-is-happening-on-me-but-i-can-t/) Jane Amy (Gangte > [“Breckin deserved an apology. I acted like an asshole that day." "And I didn't deserve one?" "No. You don't deserve words, Sky. You deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/breckin-deserved-an-apology-i-acted-like-an-asshole-that-day-and-i/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“He had you." "Well, he deserved better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-dane/he-had-you-well-he-deserved-better/) [Jordan Dane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-dane/) > [“The banker Sir Chris deserved a fuss made of him because he was rich and played tennis and ate expensive organic cheese which his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-child/the-banker-sir-chris-deserved-a-fuss-made-of-him-because-he-was-rich/) Chris Child > [I felt like I deserved a title shot a few times in the UFC and was kind of passed over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-bader/i-felt-like-i-deserved-a-title-shot-a-few-times-in-the-ufc-and-was/) [Ryan Bader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-bader/) > [“Because she deserved more than me. She deserved someone who could give her the whole universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-rayner/because-she-deserved-more-than-me-she-deserved-someone-who-could-give/) [Jacqueline Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-rayner/) > [The world of football has given me more than I deserved. But you always think of your family first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/the-world-of-football-has-given-me-more-than-i-deserved-but-you/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [At age 28, I had no retail experience, no consumer marketing experience and no real Internet experience. But I decided I wanted to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariam-naficy/at-age-28-i-had-no-retail-experience-no-consumer-marketing-experience/) [Mariam Naficy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariam-naficy/) > [You deserved to be loved. And I hope you get to marry for love and not a number.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/you-deserved-to-be-loved-and-i-hope-you-get-to-marry-for-love-and-not/) [Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/) ## More by Melanie Benjamin > [“Elisabeth was the same as ever, and I was the same as ever around her; no longer a confident college senior, I was diminished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/elisabeth-was-the-same-as-ever-and-i-was-the-same-as-ever-around-her/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“Who was this woman before me, her face imprinted with the expectations of others? I was Mom. I was Wife. I was Tragedy. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/who-was-this-woman-before-me-her-face-imprinted-with-the-expectations/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [Why were there so many barriers between us, always? Barriers of clothing, of etiquette, of time and age and reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/why-were-there-so-many-barriers-between-us-always-barriers-of/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“my breath sour against my fist, which I still held to my mouth as if this was a sorrow that could be stifled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/my-breath-sour-against-my-fist-which-i-still-held-to-my-mouth-as-if/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“And this was the greatest gift that aviation could ever give me; not the sense of freedom but the sense of permanence, coupling, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/and-this-was-the-greatest-gift-that-aviation-could-ever-give-me-not/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“ashamed of it even as I craved it. “Oh, she does! There’s a party tomorrow,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/ashamed-of-it-even-as-i-craved-it-oh-she-does-there-s-a-party-tomorrow/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“Now and adult, allowed a glimpse of these first cracks in my family's perfect surface, I couldn't help but wonder what else I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/now-and-adult-allowed-a-glimpse-of-these-first-cracks-in-my-family-s/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“To live for oneself is a terrifying prospect; there is comfort in martyrdom... p 364”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/to-live-for-oneself-is-a-terrifying-prospect-there-is-comfort-in/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“For I can think of no fate drearier than sitting at home...for the rest of my life, watching all of you go off one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/for-i-can-think-of-no-fate-drearier-than-sitting-at-home-for-the-rest/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“...all his smiles were just a little sad around the edges, as if he knew happiness never could last very long”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/all-his-smiles-were-just-a-little-sad-around-the-edges-as-if-he-knew/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“And I did not speak German well; I found the language harsh and guttural, my ear simply couldn’t find it pleasing, and so my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/and-i-did-not-speak-german-well-i-found-the-language-harsh-and/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“No, this was the career I wanted; a writer could be employed for as long as she could hold a pencil; for as long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/no-this-was-the-career-i-wanted-a-writer-could-be-employed-for-as/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [Unlike men, women got less sentimental as we aged, I was discovering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/unlike-men-women-got-less-sentimental-as-we-aged-i-was-discovering/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“His death notice included the mention that in 1880, he had married Alice in Wonderland. I like to think he would have been pleased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/his-death-notice-included-the-mention-that-in-1880-he-had-married/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [Most readers of historical fiction are content to just get caught up in a good story, and that is what I want to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/most-readers-of-historical-fiction-are-content-to-just-get-caught-up/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) [Explore all 105 Melanie Benjamin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) ## More Deserved quotes > [You deserved to be loved. And I hope you get to marry for love and not a number.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/you-deserved-to-be-loved-and-i-hope-you-get-to-marry-for-love-and-not/) [Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/) > [At age 28, I had no retail experience, no consumer marketing experience and no real Internet experience. But I decided I wanted to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariam-naficy/at-age-28-i-had-no-retail-experience-no-consumer-marketing-experience/) [Mariam Naficy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariam-naficy/) > [The world of football has given me more than I deserved. But you always think of your family first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/the-world-of-football-has-given-me-more-than-i-deserved-but-you/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [“Because she deserved more than me. She deserved someone who could give her the whole universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-rayner/because-she-deserved-more-than-me-she-deserved-someone-who-could-give/) [Jacqueline Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-rayner/) > [I felt like I deserved a title shot a few times in the UFC and was kind of passed over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-bader/i-felt-like-i-deserved-a-title-shot-a-few-times-in-the-ufc-and-was/) [Ryan Bader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-bader/) > [“The banker Sir Chris deserved a fuss made of him because he was rich and played tennis and ate expensive organic cheese which his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-child/the-banker-sir-chris-deserved-a-fuss-made-of-him-because-he-was-rich/) Chris Child > [“He had you." "Well, he deserved better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-dane/he-had-you-well-he-deserved-better/) [Jordan Dane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-dane/) > [“Breckin deserved an apology. I acted like an asshole that day." "And I didn't deserve one?" "No. You don't deserve words, Sky. You deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/breckin-deserved-an-apology-i-acted-like-an-asshole-that-day-and-i/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [I can understand and deserved what is happening on me but I can't accept it because you had gave me a lots of expectations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-amy-gangte-2/i-can-understand-and-deserved-what-is-happening-on-me-but-i-can-t/) Jane Amy (Gangte > [“On my first day of kindergarten, I bit a kid. Hard. In my defense, he deserved it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-kruger/on-my-first-day-of-kindergarten-i-bit-a-kid-hard-in-my-defense-he/) [Kat Kruger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-kruger/) > [“Yes, they were bad men. No one deserved to feel unsafe in their own skin for someone else’s pleasure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-scheuerer/yes-they-were-bad-men-no-one-deserved-to-feel-unsafe-in-their-own/) Helen Scheuerer > [In time we all get whats coming to us, maybe I deserved this or maybe you just deserve worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leanne-blacker/in-time-we-all-get-whats-coming-to-us-maybe-i-deserved-this-or-maybe/) Leanne Blacker > [The thing is.. I loved you so much.. more than you deserved... and it wasnt enough I wasnt enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-thing-is-i-loved-you-so-much-more-than-you-deserved-and-it-wasnt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Never allow impatience to rob you of what you truly deserved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/never-allow-impatience-to-rob-you-of-what-you-truly-deserved/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“The Lord chose to give me back my life, not because I deserved it, but because he had work for me to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-corder/the-lord-chose-to-give-me-back-my-life-not-because-i-deserved-it-but/) [Shirley Corder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-corder/) Browse all 305 Deserved quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And this—instead of happiness—would be only what the two of us deserved, after all.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Melanie Benjamin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/and-this-instead-of-happiness-would-be-only-what-the-two-of-us/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Deserved" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/and-this-instead-of-happiness-would-be-only-what-the-two-of-us/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/melanie-benjamin-4832_deserved_and-this-instead-of-happiness-would-be-o_294494.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/melanie-benjamin-4832_deserved_and-this-instead-of-happiness-would-be-o_294494.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/828/melanie-benjamin-4832_deserved_and-this-instead-of-happiness-would-be-o_294494.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And this—instead of happiness—would be only what the two of us deserved, after all.” — Melanie Benjamin", "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": "Melanie Benjamin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“And this—instead of happiness—would be only...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/and-this-instead-of-happiness-would-be-only-what-the-two-of-us/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/and-this-instead-of-happiness-would-be-only-what-the-two-of-us/#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 } } ] } ```