--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It came down to the smallest things…" description: "\"It came down to the smallest things, really, that a person could do to say I’m sorry, to say it’s okay, to say I forgive you. The tiniest of declaratio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/171/sara-zarr-2184_declaration_it-came-down-to-the-smallest-things-real_1584281.png" --- # It came down to the smallest things, really, that a person… ![“It came down to the smallest things, really, that a person could do to say I’m sorry, to say it’s okay, to say I forgive you. The tiniest of declarations that built, one on top of the other, until there was something solid beneath your feet. And then… and then. Who knew?” quote by Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/171/sara-zarr-2184_declaration_it-came-down-to-the-smallest-things-real_1584281.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/171/sara-zarr-2184_declaration_it-came-down-to-the-smallest-things-real_1584281.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/171/sara-zarr-2184_declaration_it-came-down-to-the-smallest-things-real_1584281.png) > “It came down to the smallest things, really, that a person could do to say I’m sorry, to say it’s okay, to say I forgive you. The tiniest of declarations that built, one on top of the other, until there was something solid beneath your feet. And then… and then. Who knew?” [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Small, sincere gestures of apology and forgiveness accumulate into a foundation of trust and emotional safety. **In simple terms:** Tiny apologies and forgiveness build trust. Key Takeaway Practice small acts of forgiveness daily. Themes relationships empathy healing Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - conflict resolution - personal relationships - team dynamics Key Concepts psychology emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn a small apology into lasting change? - What habits help you express forgiveness sincerely? A Different Perspective Forgiveness alone cannot fix deeper systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Declaration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/declaration/) [Feet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feet/) [Forgive Tiniest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive-tiniest-5991467/) [Forgiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiving/) [I forgive you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-forgive-you/) [I m sorry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-m-sorry/) [Okay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/okay/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Say Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-forgive-544544/) [Say Sorry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-sorry/) [Smallest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smallest/) [Smallest Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smallest-things-393656/) [Sorry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorry/) [Tiniest Declarations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tiniest-declarations-5991466/) ## Related quotes > [If I say, 'I forgive you,' I have implicitly said you have done something wrong to me. But what forgiveness is at its heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miroslav-volf/if-i-say-i-forgive-you-i-have-implicitly-said-you-have-done-something/) [Miroslav Volf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miroslav-volf/) > [And if your friend does evil to you, say to him, ''I forgive you for what you did to me, but how can I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/and-if-your-friend-does-evil-to-you-say-to-him-i-forgive-you-for-what/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [And if a friend does you wrong, then say: "I forgive you what you have done to me; that you have done it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/and-if-a-friend-does-you-wrong-then-say-i-forgive-you-what-you-have/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Don't be shy to say "I am sorry"; Never feel too big to say "Please forgive me"; Don't think it's unnecessary to say "thank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/don-t-be-shy-to-say-i-am-sorry-never-feel-too-big-to-say-please/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [A man bumps me on his busy way without so much as an apology. But that is all right. I forgive you, busy man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/a-man-bumps-me-on-his-busy-way-without-so-much-as-an-apology-but-that/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [I forgive you, but only because you said 'please.'" Smartass, I thought. Then I groaned at the instant chorus of "Please!" mixed with cries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/i-forgive-you-but-only-because-you-said-please-smartass-i-thought/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Only someone who can say 'I love you' is capable of saying 'I forgive you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/only-someone-who-can-say-i-love-you-is-capable-of-saying-i-forgive-you/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Whatever our religion, we know that if we really want to love, we must first learn to forgive before anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/whatever-our-religion-we-know-that-if-we-really-want-to-love-we-must/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [The weak can never forgive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-weak-can-never-forgive/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [There is some good in the worst of us, and some evil in the best of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/there-is-some-good-in-the-worst-of-us-and-some-evil-in-the-best-of-us/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [In the external scheme of things, shining moments are as brief as the twinkling of an eye, yet such twinklings are what eternity is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/in-the-external-scheme-of-things-shining-moments-are-as-brief-as-the/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [I am sorry," I whispered. "I am sorry for all of the ways that I failed you. I am sorry that I was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/i-am-sorry-i-whispered-i-am-sorry-for-all-of-the-ways-that-i-failed/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [Forgiving does not erase the bitter past. A healed memory is not a deleted memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/forgiving-does-not-erase-the-bitter-past-a-healed-memory-is-not-a-2/) [Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/) > [I dinna know what's a sadist. And if I forgive you for this afternoon, I reckon you'll forgive me, too, as soon as ye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-dinna-know-what-s-a-sadist-and-if-i-forgive-you-for-this-afternoon/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [Without being forgiven, released from the consequences of what we have done, our capacity to act would, as it were, be confined to one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/without-being-forgiven-released-from-the-consequences-of-what-we-have/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) ## More by Sara Zarr > [My books have been translated into various languages and sold in other countries, but I never have any contact with the foreign publishers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/my-books-have-been-translated-into-various-languages-and-sold-in/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [“Is this okay with you, Jenna? For him to stay here?" "Yeah," I said. "It's good. You have no idea what it takes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/is-this-okay-with-you-jenna-for-him-to-stay-here-yeah-i-said-it-s/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [Remember that no matter where I am or what I'm doing I've got a special place inside me that's all for you. It's been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/remember-that-no-matter-where-i-am-or-what-i-m-doing-i-ve-got-a/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [“I don't understand, Jenna, why you couldn't give him a ride home?" Mom struck the archetypal Mom pose-hands on hips, perplexed look on face,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/i-don-t-understand-jenna-why-you-couldn-t-give-him-a-ride-home-mom/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [I lived too much in my head instead of the real world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/i-lived-too-much-in-my-head-instead-of-the-real-world/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [The importance of our connection, what it meant to find each other again, the way it made what happened to us and between us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/the-importance-of-our-connection-what-it-meant-to-find-each-other/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [“And part of being American is respecting all people's right to be whatever they want to be and at the same time respecting your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/and-part-of-being-american-is-respecting-all-people-s-right-to-be/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [And he left. I watched him walk out – he didn’t say good-bye, he didn’t even look back. It scared me, how easy it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/and-he-left-i-watched-him-walk-out-he-didn-t-say-good-bye-he-didn-t/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [I tend to describe recurring themes as being part of a writer's DNA - something so deeply embedded in us that even we don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/i-tend-to-describe-recurring-themes-as-being-part-of-a-writer-s-dna/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [I do have a little bit more confidence in - or at least familiarity with - my process. For example, when it feels like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/i-do-have-a-little-bit-more-confidence-in-or-at-least-familiarity/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [The world was full of beauty. She wanted to grab hold of it and take it down into her bones. Yet always it seemed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/the-world-was-full-of-beauty-she-wanted-to-grab-hold-of-it-and-take/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [“Does all this have anything to do with Cameron coming back?" "Basically." She didn't put any letters down. Our game had effectively stopped. "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/does-all-this-have-anything-to-do-with-cameron-coming-back-basically/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [I'm not really a plot writer - I'm more interested in the characters and sort of small events that propel the story forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/i-m-not-really-a-plot-writer-i-m-more-interested-in-the-characters/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [“Apparently, the world was perfect in 1958.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/apparently-the-world-was-perfect-in-1958/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [“The sight of them (her friends) let a little air into her soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/the-sight-of-them-her-friends-let-a-little-air-into-her-soul/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) [Explore all 181 Sara Zarr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) ## More Declaration quotes > [Our times demand the declaration of the world's resources as the common heritage of all people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/our-times-demand-the-declaration-of-the-world-s-resources-as-the/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/throughout-our-history-the-words-of-the-declaration-have-inspired/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [It was often this way, life consisted of a series of false beginnings, bluff declarations of arrival to destinations not even glimpsed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/it-was-often-this-way-life-consisted-of-a-series-of-false-beginnings/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. 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Go along,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/scott-noticed-will-staring-at-it-and-grinned-like-what-you-see/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I have read and re-read the Arusha Declaration and found nothing wrong with it except perhaps replacing a few commas here and there... it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-nyerere/i-have-read-and-re-read-the-arusha-declaration-and-found-nothing/) [Julius Nyerere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-nyerere/) > [Making a definitive declaration of intent or meaning kills the photograph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daido-moriyama/making-a-definitive-declaration-of-intent-or-meaning-kills-the/) [Daido Moriyama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daido-moriyama/) > [Nothing is more disgusting than the crowing about liberty by slaves, as most men are, and the flippant mistaking for freedom of some paper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/nothing-is-more-disgusting-than-the-crowing-about-liberty-by-slaves/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“I've tired so hard to stay away from you, buy your soul is so powerful. 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Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [We stand today at the threshold of a great event both in the life of the United Nations and in the life of mankind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/we-stand-today-at-the-threshold-of-a-great-event-both-in-the-life-of/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [That government is best which governs the least, so taught the courageous founders of this nation. This simple declaration is diametrically opposed to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/that-government-is-best-which-governs-the-least-so-taught-the/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [ \[One\] principle that actuated the lives of the fathers who founded our Constitution was faith in God. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/one-principle-that-actuated-the-lives-of-the-fathers-who-founded-our/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) [Browse all 685 Declaration quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/declaration/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It came down to the smallest things, really, that a person could do to say I’m sorry, to say it’s okay, to say I forgive you. The tiniest of declarations that built, one on top of the other, until there was something solid beneath your feet. And then… and then. 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