--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That was the thing about being on the…" description: "\"That was the thing about being on the inside: the world was just going on, even when it seemed like time for you had stopped for good.\" — Sarah Dessen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c8/sarah-dessen-110_stopped_that-was-the-thing-about-being-on-the-in_2016375.png" --- # That was the thing about being on the inside: the world… ![“That was the thing about being on the inside: the world was just going on, even when it seemed like time for you had stopped for good.” quote by Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c8/sarah-dessen-110_stopped_that-was-the-thing-about-being-on-the-in_2016375.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c8/sarah-dessen-110_stopped_that-was-the-thing-about-being-on-the-in_2016375.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c8/sarah-dessen-110_stopped_that-was-the-thing-about-being-on-the-in_2016375.png) > “That was the thing about being on the inside: the world was just going on, even when it seemed like time for you had stopped for good.” [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. Life continues outside personal grief; time moves on even when we feel stuck. **In simple terms:** Life goes on despite personal pain. Key Takeaway Accept change and keep moving forward. Themes grief time resilience growth continuity Mood somber hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - bereavement - career setbacks - relationship endings - health crises Key Concepts existential continuity personal healing temporal perspective Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay present when grieving? - What small actions keep you connected? A Different Perspective Ignoring ongoing life can deepen isolation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inside World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inside-world-1404699/) [Stopped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stopped/) [Stopped Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stopped-good-3416391/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Stopped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-stopped-249322/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-just/) ## Related quotes > ['Good enough' stopped being good enough a long time ago. so why not be great?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/good-enough-stopped-being-good-enough-a-long-time-ago-so-why-not-be/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Would she understand that time had stopped while she was gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-july/would-she-understand-that-time-had-stopped-while-she-was-gone/) [Miranda July](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-july/) > [I'm writing all the time, I never stopped writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-dunbar/i-m-writing-all-the-time-i-never-stopped-writing/) [Adrian Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-dunbar/) > [You aren't making time for me, so I stopped making time for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/you-aren-t-making-time-for-me-so-i-stopped-making-time-for-you/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“Ari, it’s time you stopped running.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-alire-s-enz/ari-it-s-time-you-stopped-running/) [Benjamin Alire Sáenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-alire-s-enz/) > [With music, I wasn't curious anymore. There was no dialogue. By the time I stopped, I knew it wasn't going to be gone forever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/with-music-i-wasn-t-curious-anymore-there-was-no-dialogue-by-the-time/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [ In \[family snapshots\] the flow of profane time has been stopped and a sacred interval of self-conscious revelation has been cut from it by… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/in-family-snapshots-the-flow-of-profane-time-has-been-stopped-and-a/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“This is fine. Time... 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Get moving¦ Go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/even-if-you-are-falling-apart-on-the-inside-the-world-will-see-what/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [When you're a beautiful person on the inside, there is nothing in the world that can change that about you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-azevedo/when-you-re-a-beautiful-person-on-the-inside-there-is-nothing-in-the/) [Sasha Azevedo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-azevedo/) ## 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. 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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. 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I haven't stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/i-always-tell-asian-actors-especially-filipinos-wanting-to-break-into/) [Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/) > [I have stopped thinking too much. It all started against West Indies. I told myself that I want to enjoy my life. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shreyas-iyer/i-have-stopped-thinking-too-much-it-all-started-against-west-indies-i/) [Shreyas Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shreyas-iyer/) > [I've learned to suck in my stomach when photographers are around. 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Ginger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-j-ginger/) > [I stopped making films to look after animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigitte-bardot/i-stopped-making-films-to-look-after-animals/) [Brigitte Bardot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigitte-bardot/) > [“\*\*“I get it,” he said. “I was supposed to give you your space. I didn’t want to. So...I compromised. Only, you frustrate the hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-kauffman/i-get-it-he-said-i-was-supposed-to-give-you-your-space-i-didn-t-want/) [Donna Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-kauffman/) > [School bored me. Being educated and being intelligent are two different things. I thought I was smart enough. 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Choose to be stopped after you die... when your work is done and done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-can-choose-when-and-when-not-to-be-stopped-choose-to-be-stopped/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) [Browse all 757 Stopped quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stopped/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That was the thing about being on the inside: the world was just going on, even when it seemed like time for you had stopped for good.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sarah Dessen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/that-was-the-thing-about-being-on-the-inside-the-world-was-just-going/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Stopped" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/that-was-the-thing-about-being-on-the-inside-the-world-was-just-going/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c8/sarah-dessen-110_stopped_that-was-the-thing-about-being-on-the-in_2016375.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c8/sarah-dessen-110_stopped_that-was-the-thing-about-being-on-the-in_2016375.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c8/sarah-dessen-110_stopped_that-was-the-thing-about-being-on-the-in_2016375.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That was the thing about being on the inside: the world was just going on, even when it seemed like time for…” — 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": "That was the thing about being...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/that-was-the-thing-about-being-on-the-inside-the-world-was-just-going/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/that-was-the-thing-about-being-on-the-inside-the-world-was-just-going/#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 } } ] } ```