--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He always did the leaving. But not this…" description: "\"He always did the leaving. But not this time. She kept walking, and did not look back.\" — Sarah Dessen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/sarah-dessen-110_leaving_he-always-did-the-leaving-but-not-this-t_3080395.png" --- # He always did the leaving. But not this time. She kept… ![“He always did the leaving. But not this time. She kept walking, and did not look back.” quote by Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/sarah-dessen-110_leaving_he-always-did-the-leaving-but-not-this-t_3080395.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/sarah-dessen-110_leaving_he-always-did-the-leaving-but-not-this-t_3080395.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/sarah-dessen-110_leaving_he-always-did-the-leaving-but-not-this-t_3080395.png) > “He always did the leaving. But not this time. She kept walking, and did not look back.” [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. A character chooses to keep moving forward without looking back, indicating resolve and acceptance of change. **In simple terms:** She keeps walking forward, not looking back. Key Takeaway Embrace forward motion despite loss. Themes resilience acceptance growth Mood determined reflective Type narrative inspirational When to use this quote - breakups - career transitions - personal loss - new beginnings Key Concepts personal agency letting go Questions to Reflect On - What are you refusing to look back on? - How does moving forward help you heal? A Different Perspective May ignore unresolved feelings that need processing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Did Leaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did-leaving-3607675/) [Kept Walking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kept-walking-440183/) [Leaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaving/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Walking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walking/) [Walking Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walking-did-5251863/) ## Related quotes > [Why did you have to go? Leaving me something special that I cant let go. You pierced something deeply in my mind Giving me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louaiq8/why-did-you-have-to-go-leaving-me-something-special-that-i-cant-let/) [Louaiq8](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louaiq8/) > [Leaving you was probably the hardest thing I had to do. I made this decision, with listening to my brain, not my heart. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aisha/leaving-you-was-probably-the-hardest-thing-i-had-to-do-i-made-this/) [Aisha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aisha/) > [The kids kept walking, moving through the Henley's halls like a tide, but when Kat turned to leave, she walked in the opposite directions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/the-kids-kept-walking-moving-through-the-henley-s-halls-like-a-tide/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [ Yeah, my bad," Leo muttered. "I should've crashed on one of the other islands. Oh, wait-there aren't any!" She \[Calypso\] snarled and kept walking… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/yeah-my-bad-leo-muttered-i-should-ve-crashed-on-one-of-the-other/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“He kept walking, nevertheless. It was all that he had for sure: going ahead, even if he had no clear destination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irina-serban/he-kept-walking-nevertheless-it-was-all-that-he-had-for-sure-going/) [Irina Serban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina-serban/) > [“When I noticed other people, I wondered what it was like to be alive. They did not know, could not know, how I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-rottenberg/when-i-noticed-other-people-i-wondered-what-it-was-like-to-be-alive/) [Jonathan Rottenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-rottenberg/) > [When I looked in his eyes, I just kept on walking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-smith/when-i-looked-in-his-eyes-i-just-kept-on-walking/) [Bill Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-smith/) > [I wandered off, walking through streets that seemed emptier than ever, thinking that if I didn't stop, if I kept on walking, I wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/i-wandered-off-walking-through-streets-that-seemed-emptier-than-ever/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [She kept walking. The very small, brave part of her brain knew that this would be her one chance. If she turned around, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/she-kept-walking-the-very-small-brave-part-of-her-brain-knew-that/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [What you didn't say, I kept on listening to it just for nothing, without reason I kept on weaving dreams. don't know whose evil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aj/what-you-didn-t-say-i-kept-on-listening-to-it-just-for-nothing/) [AJ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aj/) > [“Griff kept walking, keeping his damp ramrod aimed away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-suede/griff-kept-walking-keeping-his-damp-ramrod-aimed-away/) [Damon Suede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-suede/) > [“Mama just stepped back on the treadmill of worry and hopeless, and kept walking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-bragg/mama-just-stepped-back-on-the-treadmill-of-worry-and-hopeless-and/) [Rick Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-bragg/) > [“Later that day when I passed the Admin lieutenant and the Sargeant standing by the Desk, I said casually, "I'm leaving too, Sarge." "Okay,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-conlon/later-that-day-when-i-passed-the-admin-lieutenant-and-the-sargeant/) [Edward Conlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-conlon/) > [“I kept walking. Have you ever done that? Just walk. Just walk and have no idea where you're going? It wasn't a good feeling,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-kept-walking-have-you-ever-done-that-just-walk-just-walk-and-have/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“You must be this tall," I said, leveling my hand well above his stocky height, "to ride this ride." I blew him a kiss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-bonilla/you-must-be-this-tall-i-said-leveling-my-hand-well-above-his-stocky/) [Amanda Bonilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-bonilla/) ## 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. The fireflies were probably already out: maybe it wasn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/this-was-just-one-night-one-chance-to-vary-and-see-where-it-took-me/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [call it chicken salad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/call-it-chicken-salad/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“For me, however, it was a mix of the two, this constant push and pull. I loved it here. 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 Leaving quotes > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) [Daniel K Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-k-judd/) > [Leaving North Korea is not like leaving any other country. It is more like leaving another universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/leaving-north-korea-is-not-like-leaving-any-other-country-it-is-more/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Our world is drowning in a sea of self-centeredness. You can make yourself quite unique right away by leaving this ocean of selfishness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/our-world-is-drowning-in-a-sea-of-self-centeredness-you-can-make/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) > [In my former life I was in insider, as much as anybody else. And I knew what it's like, and I still know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/in-my-former-life-i-was-in-insider-as-much-as-anybody-else-and-i-knew/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I'd always wanted to do a film than TV show because film is always where my heart has been. I like diving into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shailene-woodley/i-d-always-wanted-to-do-a-film-than-tv-show-because-film-is-always/) [Shailene Woodley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shailene-woodley/) > [“I have such great love for you, little one. Such great love.” “I love you just as much, Hunter. I thought I’d die when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/i-have-such-great-love-for-you-little-one-such-great-love-i-love-you/) [Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/) > [“I may be the one leaving, but you’re the one giving up everything and walking away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loni-flowers/i-may-be-the-one-leaving-but-you-re-the-one-giving-up-everything-and/) [Loni Flowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loni-flowers/) > [It's interesting, I don't really think too much about being a role model or leaving a legacy or whatever. 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