---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I waited for a reaction, only to be…"
description: "\"“I waited for a reaction, only to be gently reminded that perhaps the dorm-wide pajama party wasn’t the best time to talk about the Holocaust. Those”\" ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/rachel-held-evans-2876_best-time_i-waited-for-a-reaction-only-to-be-gentl_1872112.png"
---

#  I waited for a reaction, only to be gently reminded that…

![“I waited for a reaction, only to be gently reminded that perhaps the dorm-wide pajama party wasn’t the best time to talk about the Holocaust. Those” quote by Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/rachel-held-evans-2876_best-time_i-waited-for-a-reaction-only-to-be-gentl_1872112.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/rachel-held-evans-2876_best-time_i-waited-for-a-reaction-only-to-be-gentl_1872112.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/rachel-held-evans-2876_best-time_i-waited-for-a-reaction-only-to-be-gentl_1872112.png)

> ““I waited for a reaction, only to be gently reminded that perhaps the dorm-wide pajama party wasn’t the best time to talk about the Holocaust. Those””

[Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/)

## About This Quote

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

Attempting to discuss trauma in inappropriate settings can cause harm and insensitivity.

**In simple terms:** Timing matters for sensitive topics.

Key Takeaway

Choose appropriate moments for difficult conversations.

Themes

sensitivity timing trauma communication

Mood

empathetic cautious

Type

ethical reflective

When to use this quote

- classroom
- family gatherings
- public events
- online forums

Key Concepts

social awareness empathy

Questions to Reflect On

- When is it right to speak up?
- How can you prepare for sensitive discussions?

A Different Perspective

May overlook the need for honest dialogue if too cautious.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Best time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-time/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Reaction Gently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reaction-gently-2589254/) [Reminded Dorm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reminded-dorm-2589253/) [Talk Holocaust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-holocaust-2589252/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Waited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waited/) [Waited Reaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waited-reaction-2589251/)

## Related quotes

> [“I should have known from watching Henry work at the office: programmers moved slowly and deliberately, and then waited to see the reaction. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-should-have-known-from-watching-henry-work-at-the-office/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [How do you talk about the Holocaust? How do you talk about slavery? Probably the best thing to do is just be quiet and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/how-do-you-talk-about-the-holocaust-how-do-you-talk-about-slavery/)

[John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/)

> [You can talk about Holocaust denial, but it's really marginal for the most part. What is compelling about the Armenian genocide, is how it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atom-egoyan/you-can-talk-about-holocaust-denial-but-it-s-really-marginal-for-the/)

[Atom Egoyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atom-egoyan/)

> [“I have always, essentially, been waiting. Waiting to become something else, waiting to be that person I always thought I was on the verge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/i-have-always-essentially-been-waiting-waiting-to-become-something/)

[Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/)

> [“All my life I waited for someone who would say things like that to me. And for someone I didn’t feel alone in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/all-my-life-i-waited-for-someone-who-would-say-things-like-that-to-me/)

[Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/)

> [Waited...Got tired...Gave up...Let's go...Move on...8) That's life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dub-tepper/waited-got-tired-gave-up-let-s-go-move-on-8-that-s-life/)

[DUB$TEPPER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dub-tepper/)

> [“She did not come to him, however. She has never come to me, he tough. She has always waited, letting me come to her.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/she-did-not-come-to-him-however-she-has-never-come-to-me-he-tough-she/)

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

> [“No one, she had learned from experience, could stand such silence for long. If you waited long enough, someone would start talking, and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celeste-ng/no-one-she-had-learned-from-experience-could-stand-such-silence-for/)

[Celeste Ng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celeste-ng/)

> [I curse myself for not grabbing the right time for the thing I waited my whole life!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/habeebah-kanoorbee/i-curse-myself-for-not-grabbing-the-right-time-for-the-thing-i-waited/)

[Habeebah(Kanoorbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/habeebah-kanoorbee/)

> [“I will always need you," I whisper. "All of this time I've waited for you. And you were never coming for me. Why did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-ryan/i-will-always-need-you-i-whisper-all-of-this-time-i-ve-waited-for-you/)

[Carrie Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-ryan/)

> [One day One day I waited for myself I said to myself Guillaume it's time you came So I could know just who I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillaume-apollinaire/one-day-one-day-i-waited-for-myself-i-said-to-myself-guillaume-it-s/)

[Guillaume Apollinaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillaume-apollinaire/)

> [Please God, please suh, don't let him love nobody else but me. Maybe Ah'm is uh fool, Lawd, lak dey say, but Lawd, Ah…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/please-god-please-suh-don-t-let-him-love-nobody-else-but-me-maybe-ah/)

[Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/)

> [She waited for you in a thousand different ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-hannah/she-waited-for-you-in-a-thousand-different-ways/)

[Kristin Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-hannah/)

> [“He didn't touch me. He could have—he had the perfect reason to—but he didn't. Instead he bent to collect my papers before the breeze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-lane/he-didn-t-touch-me-he-could-have-he-had-the-perfect-reason-to-but-he/)

[Nina Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-lane/)

> [She smiled, if he could see that, and waited for him to ask the real question. But he was silent. He wanted her to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-shinn/she-smiled-if-he-could-see-that-and-waited-for-him-to-ask-the-real/)

[Sharon Shinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-shinn/)

## More by Rachel Held Evans

> [“So what did God say to me in the silence that morning? I’m not sure, but I think God said something like, Don’t try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/so-what-did-god-say-to-me-in-the-silence-that-morning-i-m-not-sure/)

[Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/)

> [I'm a Christian because Christianity names and addresses sin. It acknowledges the reality that the evil we observe in the world is also present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-m-a-christian-because-christianity-names-and-addresses-sin-it/)

[Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/)

> [“Some rabbis say that, at birth, we are each tied to God with a string, and that every time we sin, the string breaks.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/some-rabbis-say-that-at-birth-we-are-each-tied-to-god-with-a-string/)

[Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/)

> [One of the most destructive mistakes we Christians make is to prioritize shared beliefs over shared relationship, which is deeply ironic considering we worship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/one-of-the-most-destructive-mistakes-we-christians-make-is-to/)

[Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/)

> [“My robust lexicon notwithstanding, I struggle to find the right words to describe just how much I despise, hate, abhor, revile, detest and categorically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/my-robust-lexicon-notwithstanding-i-struggle-to-find-the-right-words/)

[Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/)

> [This is what God's kingdom is like: a bunch of outcasts and oddballs gathered at a table, not because they are rich or worthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/this-is-what-god-s-kingdom-is-like-a-bunch-of-outcasts-and-oddballs/)

[Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/)

> [“I don’t know for sure, but I think maybe God was trying to tell me that gentleness begins with strength, quietness with security. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-don-t-know-for-sure-but-i-think-maybe-god-was-trying-to-tell-me/)

[Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/)

> [Whenever we show others the goodness of God, whenever we follow our Teacher by imitating His posture of humble and ready service, our actions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/whenever-we-show-others-the-goodness-of-god-whenever-we-follow-our/)

[Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/)

> [Faith isn't about having everything figured out ahead of time; faith is about following the quiet voice of God without having everything figured out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/faith-isn-t-about-having-everything-figured-out-ahead-of-time-faith/)

[Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/)

> [Christianity isn't meant to simply be believed; it's meant to be lived, shared, eaten, spoken, and enacted in the presence of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/christianity-isn-t-meant-to-simply-be-believed-it-s-meant-to-be-lived/)

[Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/)

> [“In the years preceding the Civil War in America, Christian ministers wrote nearly half of all defenses of slavery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/in-the-years-preceding-the-civil-war-in-america-christian-ministers/)

[Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/)

> [“Cynicism may seem a mild transgression, but it is a patient predator that suffocates hope, slowly, over many years,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/cynicism-may-seem-a-mild-transgression-but-it-is-a-patient-predator/)

[Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/)

> [“I suppose that the moral of this story is that trying to copy another woman, even a woman from the Bible, is almost always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-suppose-that-the-moral-of-this-story-is-that-trying-to-copy-another/)

[Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/)

> [“I played my role as the good Christian girl and spared everyone the drama of an argument. But that decision to remain silent split…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-played-my-role-as-the-good-christian-girl-and-spared-everyone-the/)

[Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/)

> [“Madeleine L’Engle said, “the great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all the other ages you’ve been.” 58 I think the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/madeleine-l-engle-said-the-great-thing-about-getting-older-is-that/)

[Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/)

[Explore all 147 Rachel Held Evans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/)

## More Best time quotes

> [I say this about everything: when I was on 'Neighbours,' I said, 'These are the best years of my life!' When I was filming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-robbie/i-say-this-about-everything-when-i-was-on-neighbours-i-said-these-are/)

[Margot Robbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-robbie/)

> [The one thing I absolutely hate about social media are the people who abuse it. Whenever I see a person who constantly posts negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmin-garcia/the-one-thing-i-absolutely-hate-about-social-media-are-the-people-who/)

[Jazmin Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmin-garcia/)

> [I relish the time I have when there are no interruptions. Most often the best time for writing is late at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-armstrong/i-relish-the-time-i-have-when-there-are-no-interruptions-most-often/)

[Franny Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-armstrong/)

> [A Relationship Doesnt Shine By Just Shaking Hands In Best Times.. But, It Blossoms By Holding Hands Firmly In Critical Times..!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-relationship-doesnt-shine-by-just-shaking-hands-in-best-times-but/)

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

> [“My favorite unit of time is the hour, because I collect them and store as many as 10 new and unused ones each night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/my-favorite-unit-of-time-is-the-hour-because-i-collect-them-and-store/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [Being close to my friends. I like to spend time alone as well, but the best time is with friends around when you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chace-crawford/being-close-to-my-friends-i-like-to-spend-time-alone-as-well-but-the/)

[Chace Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chace-crawford/)

> [“Wintertime is the best time of the year to get really fat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alin-sav/wintertime-is-the-best-time-of-the-year-to-get-really-fat/)

[Alin Sav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alin-sav/)

> [The best time to write is when your life is in the toilet. Writing offers an escape from your problems, so if you force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-jeffries/the-best-time-to-write-is-when-your-life-is-in-the-toilet-writing/)

[Sabrina Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-jeffries/)

> [I have never heard anyone say This is it. I know right now is the high point of my life. It will never get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-carroll/i-have-never-heard-anyone-say-this-is-it-i-know-right-now-is-the-high/)

[Jonathan Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-carroll/)

> [Some other people are very lucky and always get in to the very best teams at the very best times and therefore go out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-leslie/some-other-people-are-very-lucky-and-always-get-in-to-the-very-best/)

[David Leslie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-leslie/)

> [“My studio team and I approached the creation of this series with enthusiasm, wit, sincerity and sometimes more than a dash of humour. Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waswo-x-waswo-2/my-studio-team-and-i-approached-the-creation-of-this-series-with/)

[Waswo X Waswo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waswo-x-waswo-2/)

> [Don't stop moving - the best time of your life is just around the corner!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-austin/don-t-stop-moving-the-best-time-of-your-life-is-just-around-the-corner/)

[Denise Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-austin/)

> [The best time to plant a tree was 25 years ago. The second-best time to plant a tree is today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliud-kipchoge/the-best-time-to-plant-a-tree-was-25-years-ago-the-second-best-time/)

[Eliud Kipchoge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliud-kipchoge/)

> [From my point of view, this is the best time of the year. I don't love heat. I'm a winter guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lukashenko/from-my-point-of-view-this-is-the-best-time-of-the-year-i-don-t-love/)

[Alexander Lukashenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lukashenko/)

> [Even the best of us are at least part-time bastards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-karr/even-the-best-of-us-are-at-least-part-time-bastards/)

[Mary Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-karr/)

[Browse all 568 Best time quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-time/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I waited for a reaction, only to be gently reminded that perhaps the dorm-wide pajama party wasn’t the best time to talk about the Holocaust. Those”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rachel Held Evans"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-waited-for-a-reaction-only-to-be-gently-reminded-that-perhaps-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Best time"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-waited-for-a-reaction-only-to-be-gently-reminded-that-perhaps-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/rachel-held-evans-2876_best-time_i-waited-for-a-reaction-only-to-be-gentl_1872112.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/rachel-held-evans-2876_best-time_i-waited-for-a-reaction-only-to-be-gentl_1872112.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/rachel-held-evans-2876_best-time_i-waited-for-a-reaction-only-to-be-gentl_1872112.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I waited for a reaction, only to be gently reminded that perhaps the dorm-wide pajama party wasn’t the best…” — Rachel Held Evans",
                "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": "Rachel Held Evans",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I waited for a reaction, only...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-waited-for-a-reaction-only-to-be-gently-reminded-that-perhaps-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-waited-for-a-reaction-only-to-be-gently-reminded-that-perhaps-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
