---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Here was a boy who liked flaws, who saw…"
description: "\"Here was a boy who liked flaws, who saw them not as failings but as strengths. Who knew such a person could exist, or what would have happened if we'd ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/sarah-dessen-110_a-perfect-world_here-was-a-boy-who-liked-flaws-who-saw-t_1474446.jpg"
---

#  Here was a boy who liked flaws, who saw them not as…

![“Here was a boy who liked flaws, who saw them not as failings but as strengths. Who knew such a person could exist, or what would have happened if we'd found each other under different circumstances? Maybe in a perfect world. But not in this one.” quote by Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/sarah-dessen-110_a-perfect-world_here-was-a-boy-who-liked-flaws-who-saw-t_1474446.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/sarah-dessen-110_a-perfect-world_here-was-a-boy-who-liked-flaws-who-saw-t_1474446.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/sarah-dessen-110_a-perfect-world_here-was-a-boy-who-liked-flaws-who-saw-t_1474446.jpg)

> “Here was a boy who liked flaws, who saw them not as failings but as strengths. Who knew such a person could exist, or what would have happened if we'd found each other under different circumstances? Maybe in a perfect world. But not in this one.”

[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 boy appreciates imperfections as strengths, pondering how different circumstances might have changed their connection, yet reality remains imperfect.

**In simple terms:** Embracing flaws can be powerful, but life’s conditions limit possibilities.

Key Takeaway

Value imperfections, accept reality.

Themes

self‑acceptance relationships what‑ifs

Mood

hopeful thoughtful

Type

philosophical reflective

When to use this quote

- friendship
- romantic relationships
- personal growth
- social dynamics

Key Concepts

human nature psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- What flaws do you see as strengths?
- How do circumstances shape connections?

A Different Perspective

Ideal scenarios rarely materialize; expectations can disappoint.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Flaws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flaws/) [Perfect world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [A man who has never lost himself in a cause bigger than himself has missed one of life's mountaintop experiences. Only in losing himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/a-man-who-has-never-lost-himself-in-a-cause-bigger-than-himself-has/)

[Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/)

> [I have been compelled to dig deep inside and pull out strengths I never knew I possessed in order to protect my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadya-suleman/i-have-been-compelled-to-dig-deep-inside-and-pull-out-strengths-i/)

[Nadya Suleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadya-suleman/)

> [ In a perfect world, I don't think it \[one's sexual orientation\] is anyone else's business, but I do think there is value in standing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anderson-cooper/in-a-perfect-world-i-don-t-think-it-one-s-sexual-orientation-is/)

[Anderson Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anderson-cooper/)

> [In a perfect world, everybody would be gay. I mean if everybody looked like Zach Braff, you just wouldn't be able to resist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/in-a-perfect-world-everybody-would-be-gay-i-mean-if-everybody-looked/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [Our lives are marked and shaped by our regrets. Things we all want to take back and can’t. In a perfect world, we would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/our-lives-are-marked-and-shaped-by-our-regrets-things-we-all-want-to/)

[Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/)

> [Inside the snow globe on my father's desk, there was a penguin wearing a red-and-white-striped scarf. When I was little my father would pull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/inside-the-snow-globe-on-my-father-s-desk-there-was-a-penguin-wearing/)

[Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/)

> [Nothing has to be changed, because all is beautiful - that is enlightenment. All is as it should be, everything is perfect. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/nothing-has-to-be-changed-because-all-is-beautiful-that-is/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [In a perfect world, I could be doing some bigger films and balance that with some independent films because they seem to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherilyn-fenn/in-a-perfect-world-i-could-be-doing-some-bigger-films-and-balance/)

[Sherilyn Fenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherilyn-fenn/)

> [I'm friends with everybody, I love everybody. I trust everybody because they don't give me reasons not to you know what I'm saying? So,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christofer-drew/i-m-friends-with-everybody-i-love-everybody-i-trust-everybody-because/)

[Christofer Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christofer-drew/)

> [Anything and everything at any given time is sort of the point I think. We're dealing in real situations and that's why we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-dushku/anything-and-everything-at-any-given-time-is-sort-of-the-point-i/)

[Eliza Dushku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-dushku/)

> [In a perfect world, my tennis game gets better. I have kids and a beautiful wife and live on some hill somewhere that's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-perry/in-a-perfect-world-my-tennis-game-gets-better-i-have-kids-and-a/)

[Matthew Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-perry/)

> [In a perfect world we don't want to be overly dependent on any single asset or be so dependent on the cycle or where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-packer/in-a-perfect-world-we-don-t-want-to-be-overly-dependent-on-any-single/)

[James Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-packer/)

> [I think every musician is different, every artist is different, and in a perfect world people would be able to pursue their own path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/i-think-every-musician-is-different-every-artist-is-different-and-in/)

[Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/)

> [So that's one of the reasons why we took time between the last one and this one, was to make sure that we could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-burk/so-that-s-one-of-the-reasons-why-we-took-time-between-the-last-one/)

[Bryan Burk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-burk/)

> [Even in a perfect world where everyone was equal. I'd still own the film rights and be working on the sequel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/even-in-a-perfect-world-where-everyone-was-equal-i-d-still-own-the/)

[Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/)

## 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 A perfect world quotes

> [Even in a perfect world where everyone was equal. I'd still own the film rights and be working on the sequel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/even-in-a-perfect-world-where-everyone-was-equal-i-d-still-own-the/)

[Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/)

> [So that's one of the reasons why we took time between the last one and this one, was to make sure that we could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-burk/so-that-s-one-of-the-reasons-why-we-took-time-between-the-last-one/)

[Bryan Burk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-burk/)

> [I think every musician is different, every artist is different, and in a perfect world people would be able to pursue their own path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/i-think-every-musician-is-different-every-artist-is-different-and-in/)

[Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/)

> [In a perfect world we don't want to be overly dependent on any single asset or be so dependent on the cycle or where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-packer/in-a-perfect-world-we-don-t-want-to-be-overly-dependent-on-any-single/)

[James Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-packer/)

> [The world can be better if there's love, tolerance and humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irena-sendler/the-world-can-be-better-if-there-s-love-tolerance-and-humility/)

[Irena Sendler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irena-sendler/)

> [In a perfect world, my tennis game gets better. I have kids and a beautiful wife and live on some hill somewhere that's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-perry/in-a-perfect-world-my-tennis-game-gets-better-i-have-kids-and-a/)

[Matthew Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-perry/)

> [Anything and everything at any given time is sort of the point I think. We're dealing in real situations and that's why we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-dushku/anything-and-everything-at-any-given-time-is-sort-of-the-point-i/)

[Eliza Dushku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-dushku/)

> [I'm friends with everybody, I love everybody. I trust everybody because they don't give me reasons not to you know what I'm saying? So,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christofer-drew/i-m-friends-with-everybody-i-love-everybody-i-trust-everybody-because/)

[Christofer Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christofer-drew/)

> [In a perfect world, I could be doing some bigger films and balance that with some independent films because they seem to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherilyn-fenn/in-a-perfect-world-i-could-be-doing-some-bigger-films-and-balance/)

[Sherilyn Fenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherilyn-fenn/)

> [Nothing has to be changed, because all is beautiful - that is enlightenment. All is as it should be, everything is perfect. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/nothing-has-to-be-changed-because-all-is-beautiful-that-is/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [Inside the snow globe on my father's desk, there was a penguin wearing a red-and-white-striped scarf. When I was little my father would pull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/inside-the-snow-globe-on-my-father-s-desk-there-was-a-penguin-wearing/)

[Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/)

> [Our lives are marked and shaped by our regrets. Things we all want to take back and can’t. In a perfect world, we would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/our-lives-are-marked-and-shaped-by-our-regrets-things-we-all-want-to/)

[Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/)

> [“Zackary Connor's office building was made of glass, endless windows giving the impression of being outside. It was exactly how I liked nature--air conditioned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-hanson/zackary-connor-s-office-building-was-made-of-glass-endless-windows/)

[Caroline Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-hanson/)

> [In a perfect world, everybody would be gay. I mean if everybody looked like Zach Braff, you just wouldn't be able to resist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/in-a-perfect-world-everybody-would-be-gay-i-mean-if-everybody-looked/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [ In a perfect world, I don't think it \[one's sexual orientation\] is anyone else's business, but I do think there is value in standing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anderson-cooper/in-a-perfect-world-i-don-t-think-it-one-s-sexual-orientation-is/)

[Anderson Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anderson-cooper/)

Browse all 122 A perfect world quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Here was a boy who liked flaws, who saw them not as failings but as strengths. Who knew such a person could exist, or what would have happened if we'd found each other under different circumstances? Maybe in a perfect world. But not in this one.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sarah Dessen"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/here-was-a-boy-who-liked-flaws-who-saw-them-not-as-failings-but-as/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "A perfect world"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/here-was-a-boy-who-liked-flaws-who-saw-them-not-as-failings-but-as/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/sarah-dessen-110_a-perfect-world_here-was-a-boy-who-liked-flaws-who-saw-t_1474446.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/sarah-dessen-110_a-perfect-world_here-was-a-boy-who-liked-flaws-who-saw-t_1474446.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/sarah-dessen-110_a-perfect-world_here-was-a-boy-who-liked-flaws-who-saw-t_1474446.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Here was a boy who liked flaws, who saw them not as failings but as strengths. Who knew such a person could…” — Sarah Dessen",
                "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": "Sarah Dessen",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Here was a boy who liked...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/here-was-a-boy-who-liked-flaws-who-saw-them-not-as-failings-but-as/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/here-was-a-boy-who-liked-flaws-who-saw-them-not-as-failings-but-as/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
