--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She hadn’t thought anything could squeeze…" description: "\"“She hadn’t thought anything could squeeze past the pain in her head, the ache in her stomach, the sizzle of shame in her blood. But she hadn’t counted..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/587/nora-roberts-128_despair_she-hadn-t-thought-anything-could-squeez_454294.jpg" --- # She hadn’t thought anything could squeeze past the pain in… ![“She hadn’t thought anything could squeeze past the pain in her head, the ache in her stomach, the sizzle of shame in her blood. But she hadn’t counted on despair. Somehow despair always made room for itself.” quote by Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/587/nora-roberts-128_despair_she-hadn-t-thought-anything-could-squeez_454294.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/587/nora-roberts-128_despair_she-hadn-t-thought-anything-could-squeez_454294.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/587/nora-roberts-128_despair_she-hadn-t-thought-anything-could-squeez_454294.jpg) > ““She hadn’t thought anything could squeeze past the pain in her head, the ache in her stomach, the sizzle of shame in her blood. But she hadn’t counted on despair. Somehow despair always made room for itself.”” [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Despair can infiltrate even when physical pain seems overwhelming, creating its own space in our lives. **In simple terms:** Despair finds a way to exist alongside other pains. Key Takeaway Recognize and address despair early. Themes pain despair psychology resilience Mood reflective somber Type literary emotional When to use this quote - relationship breakup - chronic illness - grief counseling - personal crisis Key Concepts emotional coping mental health Questions to Reflect On - What signs indicate despair is taking hold? - How can you create space for hope? 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You don't - surrender to events with hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/don-t-despair-despair-suggests-you-are-in-total-control-and-know-what/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“they no longer had any hope, but they had despair. Despair is a last weapon that sometimes brings victory; Virgil said so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/they-no-longer-had-any-hope-but-they-had-despair-despair-is-a-last/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [ It's one thing to be discouraged. It's another thing to have despair. Despair is when you think there's just no end to this \[suffering\].… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/it-s-one-thing-to-be-discouraged-it-s-another-thing-to-have-despair/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“Despair, or folly?’ said Gandalf. ‘It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/despair-or-folly-said-gandalf-it-is-not-despair-for-despair-is-only/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [The opposite of hope is despair, and when we despair, it is because we feel there are no choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/the-opposite-of-hope-is-despair-and-when-we-despair-it-is-because-we/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [“I wonder if it is possible to escape the clinches of despair; or would despair become the hunter and reclaim me as its prisoner.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-b-brewer/i-wonder-if-it-is-possible-to-escape-the-clinches-of-despair-or-would/) [Nancy B. Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-b-brewer/) > [Doubt is thought's despair; despair is personality's doubt. . . . Doubt and despair . . . belong to completely different spheres; different sides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/doubt-is-thought-s-despair-despair-is-personality-s-doubt-doubt-and/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Despair is despair, sorrow is sorrow, death is death. It's not about who is experiencing it; it's about building a bridge of empathy across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/okieriete-onaodowan/despair-is-despair-sorrow-is-sorrow-death-is-death-it-s-not-about-who/) [Okieriete Onaodowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/okieriete-onaodowan/) > [Marriage...we cannot do without it, and yet we disgrace and vilify the same. It may be compared to a cage, the birds without despair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/marriage-we-cannot-do-without-it-and-yet-we-disgrace-and-vilify-the/) [Michel De Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## More by Nora Roberts > [“Why stop now? Seduce me, Brian.I dare you." "I've always found it hard to turn aside a dare.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/why-stop-now-seduce-me-brian-i-dare-you-i-ve-always-found-it-hard-to/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Flowers that had bloomed brilliant from spring through autumn blackened under the killing frost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/flowers-that-had-bloomed-brilliant-from-spring-through-autumn/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“He's back in Maine now.She did say he badgered her with questions. Of course, she didn't have the answer until she spoke to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/he-s-back-in-maine-now-she-did-say-he-badgered-her-with-questions-of/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Every professor worth his PhD should have a fireplace in his study.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/every-professor-worth-his-phd-should-have-a-fireplace-in-his-study/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Sorry, bad wing." When Theo kissed him, surprise and pleasure flustered him. He couldn't remember the last time this boy, this young man, had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/sorry-bad-wing-when-theo-kissed-him-surprise-and-pleasure-flustered/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Because it's hard not to matter, even to someone you dislike.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/because-it-s-hard-not-to-matter-even-to-someone-you-dislike/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“No point in wishing for what you can't have. - Blair What's the point in wishing for what you can and do? - Larken”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/no-point-in-wishing-for-what-you-can-t-have-blair-what-s-the-point-in/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Grayson: Fiction is just a lie anyway. Brianna: But it's not - it's a different kind of truth - it would be your truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/grayson-fiction-is-just-a-lie-anyway-brianna-but-it-s-not-it-s-a/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“I was going to make a confession. Then I remembered I don't make them very well. We still need to see the monkeys." "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-was-going-to-make-a-confession-then-i-remembered-i-don-t-make-them/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [I've wanted to be with you when I didn't have the right to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-ve-wanted-to-be-with-you-when-i-didn-t-have-the-right-to/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [You can't write well what you don't read for pleasure. If it doesn't entertain you, it's not going to entertain anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/you-can-t-write-well-what-you-don-t-read-for-pleasure-if-it-doesn-t/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [You can't edit a blank page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/you-can-t-edit-a-blank-page/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“There was a boy down at the stables." She laughed suddenly with her back comfortably nestled against Grant's chest. "Oh,Lord,he was a bit like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/there-was-a-boy-down-at-the-stables-she-laughed-suddenly-with-her/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Some people refuse to take the next step. You could refuse to take what you wanted most, because you're afraid someday you might lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/some-people-refuse-to-take-the-next-step-you-could-refuse-to-take/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Oh, i'm going to kick his ass, and when i'm done, i'm going to squeeze his balls blue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/oh-i-m-going-to-kick-his-ass-and-when-i-m-done-i-m-going-to-squeeze/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) [Explore all 1,138 Nora Roberts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) ## More Despair quotes > [“As ofttimes as it rains on my little spot of earth, you'd think I'd grow accustomed to the gloom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/as-ofttimes-as-it-rains-on-my-little-spot-of-earth-you-d-think-i-d/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“She searched her mind for a single day when it had felt good to be alive. There must have been one, surely?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-abbott/she-searched-her-mind-for-a-single-day-when-it-had-felt-good-to-be/) [Rachel Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-abbott/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Your spirit is the part of you that seeks meaning and purpose. It's the part drawn to hope, that will not give in to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/your-spirit-is-the-part-of-you-that-seeks-meaning-and-purpose-it-s/) [Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/) > [My God, whose son, as on this night, took on Him the form of man, and for man vouchsafed to suffer and bleed, controls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/my-god-whose-son-as-on-this-night-took-on-him-the-form-of-man-and-for/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [The modernist writers found despair inspirational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/the-modernist-writers-found-despair-inspirational/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [The skin and shell of things Though fair are not Thy wish nor prayer but got My meer despair of wings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-vaughan/the-skin-and-shell-of-things-though-fair-are-not-thy-wish-nor-prayer/) [Henry Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-vaughan/) > [“A fine setting for a fit of despair,” it occurred to him, “if I were only standing here by accident instead of design.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/a-fine-setting-for-a-fit-of-despair-it-occurred-to-him-if-i-were-only/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Enough for this bow & arrow. It caused me nothing but sorrow. No need for another tomorrow. In your heart, I will never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louaiq8/enough-for-this-bow-arrow-it-caused-me-nothing-but-sorrow-no-need-for/) [Louaiq8](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louaiq8/) > [True repentance never leads to despair. Its leads home. It leads to grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/true-repentance-never-leads-to-despair-its-leads-home-it-leads-to/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Do not consider despair as a thick and high wall standing on your way; it is just a darkness and you can still walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/do-not-consider-despair-as-a-thick-and-high-wall-standing-on-your-way/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Despair is the price one pays for setting oneself an impossible aim. It is, one is told, the unforgivable sin, but it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/despair-is-the-price-one-pays-for-setting-oneself-an-impossible-aim/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [A speculative despair is unpardonable where it our duty to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/a-speculative-despair-is-unpardonable-where-it-our-duty-to-act/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) [Browse all 3,181 Despair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“She hadn’t thought anything could squeeze past the pain in her head, the ache in her stomach, the sizzle of shame in her blood. But she hadn’t counted on despair. 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