---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's what people say- 'it's not…"
description: "\"“That's what people say- 'it's not good-bye' - when they're too afraid to face what they're really feeling. I'm not going to see you tomorrow, Park- I ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b60/rainbow-rowell-135_eleanor-and-park_that-s-what-people-say-it-s-not-good-bye_1310823.jpg"
---

#  That's what people say- 'it's not good-bye' - when they're…

![“That's what people say- 'it's not good-bye' - when they're too afraid to face what they're really feeling. I'm not going to see you tomorrow, Park- I don't know when I'll see you again. That deserves more than 'it's not good-bye.'&quot; &quot;I'm not afraid to face what I'm feeling.&quot; he said. &quot;Not you,&quot; she…” quote by Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b60/rainbow-rowell-135_eleanor-and-park_that-s-what-people-say-it-s-not-good-bye_1310823.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b60/rainbow-rowell-135_eleanor-and-park_that-s-what-people-say-it-s-not-good-bye_1310823.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b60/rainbow-rowell-135_eleanor-and-park_that-s-what-people-say-it-s-not-good-bye_1310823.jpg)

> ““That's what people say- 'it's not good-bye' - when they're too afraid to face what they're really feeling. I'm not going to see you tomorrow, Park- I don't know when I'll see you again. That deserves more than 'it's not good-bye.'" "I'm not afraid to face what I'm feeling." he said. "Not you," she said, her voice breaking. "Me.””

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

## About This Quote

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

People often avoid confronting painful emotions, using farewells as a shield, but true connection requires honesty.

**In simple terms:** Avoiding feelings leads to hollow goodbyes.

Key Takeaway

Face emotions directly.

Themes

relationships communication vulnerability

Mood

reflective empathetic

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- Romantic relationships
- friendships
- conflict resolution
- personal growth

Key Concepts

Emotional honesty fear of intimacy farewell rituals

Questions to Reflect On

- What does saying “not goodbye” truly mean?
- How can we support others facing emotional fear?

A Different Perspective

Denial can prevent healing and deepen pain.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Eleanor-and-park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eleanor-and-park/) [First love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-love/) [Goodbyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodbyes/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/)

## Related quotes

> [“That's what people say- 'it's not good-bye' - when they're too afraid to face what they're really feeling, I'm not going to see you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/that-s-what-people-say-it-s-not-good-bye-when-they-re-too-afraid-to/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“I just can't believe that life would give us to each other," he said, "and then take it back." "I can," she said. "Life's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/i-just-can-t-believe-that-life-would-give-us-to-each-other-he-said-2/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“Good-bye." she said. "Good-bye, Park." "Good-bye, Eleanor. You know, until tonight. When you're going to call me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/good-bye-she-said-good-bye-park-good-bye-eleanor-you-know-until/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“But..." I'm not ready for you to stop being my problem. "It makes more sense, Park. If you leave soon, you can still get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/but-i-m-not-ready-for-you-to-stop-being-my-problem-it-makes-more/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“Go on and honk," Eleanor said. "You think you can intimidate me with your swanlike good looks, but I'm not that kind of girl."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/go-on-and-honk-eleanor-said-you-think-you-can-intimidate-me-with-your/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“There's not such thing as handsome princes, she told herself. There's no such thing as happily ever after. She looked up at Park. Into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/there-s-not-such-thing-as-handsome-princes-she-told-herself-there-s/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“I don't even know what it means to be Korean..." he said. "Well, I don't know what it means to be Danish and Scottish,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/i-don-t-even-know-what-it-means-to-be-korean-he-said-well-i-don-t/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [I just had this feeling about you," she said. "Is that foolish?" "I hope not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/i-just-had-this-feeling-about-you-she-said-is-that-foolish-i-hope-not/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“The world turned itself into a better place around him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/the-world-turned-itself-into-a-better-place-around-him/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“No matter what happens," Park said, "I love you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/no-matter-what-happens-park-said-i-love-you/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“I just want to break that song into pieces," she said, "and love them all to death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/i-just-want-to-break-that-song-into-pieces-she-said-and-love-them-all/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“This kiss had to last Park forever. It had to get him home. He needed to remember it when he woke up scared in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/this-kiss-had-to-last-park-forever-it-had-to-get-him-home-he-needed/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“What were the chances you'd ever meet someone like that? he wondered. Someone you could love forever, someone who would forever love you back?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/what-were-the-chances-you-d-ever-meet-someone-like-that-he-wondered/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“You think that holding someone hard will bring them closer. You think that you can hold them so hard that you'll still feel them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/you-think-that-holding-someone-hard-will-bring-them-closer-you-think/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“No estoy listo para que dejes de ser mi problema.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/no-estoy-listo-para-que-dejes-de-ser-mi-problema/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

## More by Rainbow Rowell

> [Reagan was sitting up at Cath's desk when Cath woke up. "Are you awake?" "Have you been watching me sleep?" "Yes, Bella. Are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/reagan-was-sitting-up-at-cath-s-desk-when-cath-woke-up-are-you-awake/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“Are you awake?” “Have you been watching me sleep?” “Yes, Bella. Are you awake?” “No.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/are-you-awake-have-you-been-watching-me-sleep-yes-bella-are-you-awake/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“Someone was knocking on her windshield. Georgie lifted her head off the steering wheel. It was Kendrick. She couldn’t really hear what he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/someone-was-knocking-on-her-windshield-georgie-lifted-her-head-off/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [Maybe Park had paralyzed her with his ninja magic, his Vulcan handhold, and now he was going to eat her. That would be awesome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/maybe-park-had-paralyzed-her-with-his-ninja-magic-his-vulcan-handhold/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“She wouldn't pick up a fight him just because she was bored.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/she-wouldn-t-pick-up-a-fight-him-just-because-she-was-bored/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“That person thought that wearing an ugly dress on the happiest day of someone else's life was just the beginning-the line you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/that-person-thought-that-wearing-an-ugly-dress-on-the-happiest-day-of/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“Is this where you tell me that I'm a scoundrel, and I say that I think you like me because I'm a scoundrel? Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/is-this-where-you-tell-me-that-i-m-a-scoundrel-and-i-say-that-i-think/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“Te informo de que mi respuesta a tus próximas doce afirmaciones va a ser: «¿Cómo dices?»”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/te-informo-de-que-mi-respuesta-a-tus-pr-ximas-doce-afirmaciones-va-a/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“Dude. Let it go. Good riddance to bad rubbers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/dude-let-it-go-good-riddance-to-bad-rubbers/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [He looked exactly like a rat. Like the human being version of a rat. Like the villain in a Don Bluth movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/he-looked-exactly-like-a-rat-like-the-human-being-version-of-a-rat/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“Tell me more about the mountains, Georgie said, because she wasn't really sure what to ask. Because ' tell me where I went wrong'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/tell-me-more-about-the-mountains-georgie-said-because-she-wasn-t/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [God, his chin. She wanted to make an honest woman of his chin. She wanted to lock it down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/god-his-chin-she-wanted-to-make-an-honest-woman-of-his-chin-she/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“Wait, I really do need your help with this." He turned his computer monitor toward her and pointed. "Is this funny? It's a Snoopy/Snoop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/wait-i-really-do-need-your-help-with-this-he-turned-his-computer/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“You need to cool down first.” “I’m cool.” “Simon. You’re never cool.” “That hurts, Penny.” “It shouldn’t. It’s one of the reasons I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/you-need-to-cool-down-first-i-m-cool-simon-you-re-never-cool-that/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“She'd get out of the shower the next morning, and it would be written in the steam on the mirror. Dance. Dress. Try a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/she-d-get-out-of-the-shower-the-next-morning-and-it-would-be-written/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

[Explore all 1,108 Rainbow Rowell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

## More Eleanor-and-park quotes

> [“No estoy listo para que dejes de ser mi problema.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/no-estoy-listo-para-que-dejes-de-ser-mi-problema/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“You think that holding someone hard will bring them closer. You think that you can hold them so hard that you'll still feel them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/you-think-that-holding-someone-hard-will-bring-them-closer-you-think/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“There's not such thing as handsome princes, she told herself. There's no such thing as happily ever after. She looked up at Park. Into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/there-s-not-such-thing-as-handsome-princes-she-told-herself-there-s/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“The world turned itself into a better place around him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/the-world-turned-itself-into-a-better-place-around-him/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“Go on and honk," Eleanor said. "You think you can intimidate me with your swanlike good looks, but I'm not that kind of girl."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/go-on-and-honk-eleanor-said-you-think-you-can-intimidate-me-with-your/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“I just want to break that song into pieces," she said, "and love them all to death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/i-just-want-to-break-that-song-into-pieces-she-said-and-love-them-all/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“I don't even know what it means to be Korean..." he said. "Well, I don't know what it means to be Danish and Scottish,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/i-don-t-even-know-what-it-means-to-be-korean-he-said-well-i-don-t/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“That's what people say- 'it's not good-bye' - when they're too afraid to face what they're really feeling, I'm not going to see you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/that-s-what-people-say-it-s-not-good-bye-when-they-re-too-afraid-to/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“No matter what happens," Park said, "I love you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/no-matter-what-happens-park-said-i-love-you/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“I just can't believe that life would give us to each other," he said, "and then take it back." "I can," she said. "Life's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/i-just-can-t-believe-that-life-would-give-us-to-each-other-he-said-2/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“This kiss had to last Park forever. It had to get him home. He needed to remember it when he woke up scared in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/this-kiss-had-to-last-park-forever-it-had-to-get-him-home-he-needed/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“What were the chances you'd ever meet someone like that? he wondered. Someone you could love forever, someone who would forever love you back?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/what-were-the-chances-you-d-ever-meet-someone-like-that-he-wondered/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“Ever since the first day they'd met, Eleanor was always seeing him in unexpected places. It was like their lives were overlapping lines, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/ever-since-the-first-day-they-d-met-eleanor-was-always-seeing-him-in/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“Sit down." He said It came out angrily. The girl turned him like she couldn't tell weather he was another jerk or what. "Jesus-Fuck,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/sit-down-he-said-it-came-out-angrily-the-girl-turned-him-like-she/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“Good-bye." she said. "Good-bye, Park." "Good-bye, Eleanor. You know, until tonight. When you're going to call me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/good-bye-she-said-good-bye-park-good-bye-eleanor-you-know-until/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

[Browse all 25 Eleanor-and-park quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eleanor-and-park/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“That's what people say- 'it's not good-bye' - when they're too afraid to face what they're really feeling. I'm not going to see you tomorrow, Park- I don't know when I'll see you again. That deserves more than 'it's not good-bye.'\" \"I'm not afraid to face what I'm feeling.\" he said. \"Not you,\" she said, her voice breaking. \"Me.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rainbow Rowell"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/that-s-what-people-say-it-s-not-good-bye-when-they-re-too-afraid-to-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Eleanor-and-park"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/that-s-what-people-say-it-s-not-good-bye-when-they-re-too-afraid-to-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b60/rainbow-rowell-135_eleanor-and-park_that-s-what-people-say-it-s-not-good-bye_1310823.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b60/rainbow-rowell-135_eleanor-and-park_that-s-what-people-say-it-s-not-good-bye_1310823.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b60/rainbow-rowell-135_eleanor-and-park_that-s-what-people-say-it-s-not-good-bye_1310823.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“That's what people say- 'it's not good-bye' - when they're too afraid to face what they're really feeling…” — Rainbow Rowell",
                "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": "Rainbow Rowell",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“That's what people say- 'it's not...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/that-s-what-people-say-it-s-not-good-bye-when-they-re-too-afraid-to-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/that-s-what-people-say-it-s-not-good-bye-when-they-re-too-afraid-to-2/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
