--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But that's just the thing thought. Family…" description: "\"“But that's just the thing thought. Family isn't something that is supposed to be static or set. People marry in, divorce out. They’re born, they die. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/388/sarah-dessen-110_family_but-that-s-just-the-thing-thought-family_611781.png" --- # But that's just the thing thought. Family isn't something… ![“But that's just the thing thought. Family isn't something that is supposed to be static or set. People marry in, divorce out. They’re born, they die. It’s always evolving, turning into something else. Even that picture of James’s family was only the true representation for that day. By the next…” quote by Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/388/sarah-dessen-110_family_but-that-s-just-the-thing-thought-family_611781.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/388/sarah-dessen-110_family_but-that-s-just-the-thing-thought-family_611781.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/388/sarah-dessen-110_family_but-that-s-just-the-thing-thought-family_611781.png) > ““But that's just the thing thought. Family isn't something that is supposed to be static or set. People marry in, divorce out. They’re born, they die. It’s always evolving, turning into something else. Even that picture of James’s family was only the true representation for that day. By the next, something has probably changed. It had to.”” [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Family is fluid, constantly changing and reshaping itself over time. **In simple terms:** Family changes over time. Key Takeaway Accept change as natural. Themes family change impermanence Mood reflective hopeful Type narrative inspirational When to use this quote - marriage - divorce - parenting - family gatherings Key Concepts relationships identity growth Questions to Reflect On - How do you adapt to shifting family dynamics? - What rituals help maintain continuity? A Different Perspective It may overlook the emotional impact of loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) ## Related quotes > [I thought my family was really funny. Everybody in my family was funny. My mom and dad both have great senses of humor and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-ebersole/i-thought-my-family-was-really-funny-everybody-in-my-family-was-funny/) [Christine Ebersole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-ebersole/) > [Family isn’t something that’s supposed to be static, or set. People marry in, divorce out. They’re born, they die. It’s always evolving, turning into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/family-isn-t-something-that-s-supposed-to-be-static-or-set-people/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“Well,' she said, adjusting a pot lid, 'I have my family of origin, which is you and Mom. And then Jaime's family, my family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/well-she-said-adjusting-a-pot-lid-i-have-my-family-of-origin-which-is/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [The diagram of the house is a portrait of the family, a true portrait, whether it's sad or happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/the-diagram-of-the-house-is-a-portrait-of-the-family-a-true-portrait/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [There's nothing like meeting someone's family to get a true sense of them and a reflection of their ethics and personality. It just makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenora-crichlow/there-s-nothing-like-meeting-someone-s-family-to-get-a-true-sense-of/) [Lenora Crichlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenora-crichlow/) > [There's so much written about my family, some true, mostly not true, and I felt that it's not something I want to add to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shweta-bachchan-nanda/there-s-so-much-written-about-my-family-some-true-mostly-not-true-and/) [Shweta Bachchan Nanda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shweta-bachchan-nanda/) > [This is for all my SQ Family it is so true:) <3 I love you all! And quite frankly, ya'll are the ones that make me so happy every day:)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-is-for-all-my-sq-family-it-is-so-true-3-i-love-you-all-and-quite/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We become what we celebrate. It is true not only of the life of a person but also of the life of a family.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/we-become-what-we-celebrate-it-is-true-not-only-of-the-life-of-a/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [Your family is your only true love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-family-is-your-only-true-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What is true of the individual will be true of the whole family; what is true of the family will be true of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-mcnair-wright/what-is-true-of-the-individual-will-be-true-of-the-whole-family-what/) [Julia McNair Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-mcnair-wright/) > [“I thought about my family. It was small by any standard, shrunken to a handful by Hitler, Stalin, and divorce.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-rojstaczer/i-thought-about-my-family-it-was-small-by-any-standard-shrunken-to-a/) [Stuart Rojstaczer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-rojstaczer/) > [My problem was my inability to spend much time at home. I thought my family was secure, so I went running around everyplace else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-robinson/my-problem-was-my-inability-to-spend-much-time-at-home-i-thought-my/) [Jackie Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-robinson/) > [I haven't really thought about family in my work. I simply play with people I meet. They mostly become friends. There is something like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaspar-claus/i-haven-t-really-thought-about-family-in-my-work-i-simply-play-with/) [Gaspar Claus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaspar-claus/) > [The revolution is carried out by means of one's thought, not through one's family background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-jong-il/the-revolution-is-carried-out-by-means-of-one-s-thought-not-through/) [Kim Jong Il](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-jong-il/) > [Feminists have not tried to "destroy the family". We just thought the family was such a good idea that men might want to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/feminists-have-not-tried-to-destroy-the-family-we-just-thought-the/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) ## More by Sarah Dessen > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“if i were a book i would be so open”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/if-i-were-a-book-i-would-be-so-open/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Harder to get in than out, like so little else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/harder-to-get-in-than-out-like-so-little-else/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“At times, I found myself questioning his very existence, even though I knew I had, in fact, spotted him, with my own eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/at-times-i-found-myself-questioning-his-very-existence-even-though-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [No relationship is perfect, ever. There are always some ways you have to bend, to compromise, to give something up in order to gain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/no-relationship-is-perfect-ever-there-are-always-some-ways-you-have/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [When you had to do something, you had to do it. And eventually, if you were lucky, you did it well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/when-you-had-to-do-something-you-had-to-do-it-and-eventually-if-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [the truth about forever is that it is happening right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/the-truth-about-forever-is-that-it-is-happening-right-now/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I jammed my hand in my jacket pocket, bracing myself fo the next hit, and fel something. Something grainy and samll, sticking to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-jammed-my-hand-in-my-jacket-pocket-bracing-myself-fo-the-next-hit/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I had no illusions about love anymore. It came, it went, it left casualties or it didn't. People weren't meant to be together forever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-had-no-illusions-about-love-anymore-it-came-it-went-it-left/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“But maybe that isn't so bad. You can't love anyone that way more than once in a lifetime. It's too hard and it hurts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/but-maybe-that-isn-t-so-bad-you-can-t-love-anyone-that-way-more-than/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [This was just one night, one chance to vary and see where it took me. 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But I'd been in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/for-me-however-it-was-a-mix-of-the-two-this-constant-push-and-pull-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I think whenever a writer is really enjoying themselves and liking what they are doing, that shows on the page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-think-whenever-a-writer-is-really-enjoying-themselves-and-liking/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) [Explore all 1,251 Sarah Dessen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## More Family quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. 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Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) Maureen Andeson > [Our concept of a family holiday was going to a guest house in the Lake district or Wales where walking was part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/our-concept-of-a-family-holiday-was-going-to-a-guest-house-in-the/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [“She knew how to play him so very well. He slipped his hand around hers. "Friends," he repeated roughly. Her smile was bright enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/she-knew-how-to-play-him-so-very-well-he-slipped-his-hand-around-hers/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [As a family, we all loved the Flyers. To me, rooting for the Flyers were how I bonded with my dad especially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-f-goldberg/as-a-family-we-all-loved-the-flyers-to-me-rooting-for-the-flyers-were/) [Adam F. Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-f-goldberg/) > [The people have always been family to me here in Las Vegas. 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An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-currie-jr/your-relationship-with-your-brother-will-be-in-many-ways-the-most/) [Ron Currie Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-currie-jr/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Family over friends, because real friends are family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/family-over-friends-because-real-friends-are-family/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 36,913 Family quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But that's just the thing thought. Family isn't something that is supposed to be static or set. 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