--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was nothing, nothing to depend on…" description: "\"There was nothing, nothing to depend on. And why was I surprised?\" — Sarah Dessen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4db/sarah-dessen-110_depend_there-was-nothing-nothing-to-depend-on-a_1594559.png" --- # There was nothing, nothing to depend on. And why was I… ![“There was nothing, nothing to depend on. And why was I surprised?” quote by Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4db/sarah-dessen-110_depend_there-was-nothing-nothing-to-depend-on-a_1594559.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4db/sarah-dessen-110_depend_there-was-nothing-nothing-to-depend-on-a_1594559.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4db/sarah-dessen-110_depend_there-was-nothing-nothing-to-depend-on-a_1594559.png) > “There was nothing, nothing to depend on. And why was I surprised?” [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 realization that life lacks certainty, yet surprise is unnecessary when expectations are low. **In simple terms:** Life is uncertain; surprise is natural. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and adjust expectations. Themes uncertainty surprise growth Mood reflective empathetic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal setbacks - career changes - relationship shifts Key Concepts expectation management resilience Questions to Reflect On - How do you cope with uncertainty? - When have low expectations helped you? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on control can cause anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Depend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depend/) [Depend Surprised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depend-surprised-2189167/) [Surprised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprised/) ## Related quotes > [I just stood there, looking at her. My head was spinning, my mouth dry, and all I could think about was that I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-just-stood-there-looking-at-her-my-head-was-spinning-my-mouth-dry/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“Depend upon God only and leave everything to Him. Try to be satisfied always with his judgement and seek him only because only God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/depend-upon-god-only-and-leave-everything-to-him-try-to-be-satisfied/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone in the world needs someone they can depend on. Be their faithful friends, determined advocates, or a loving family. But occasionally in life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-alice/everyone-in-the-world-needs-someone-they-can-depend-on-be-their/) [Mary Alice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-alice/) > [Dont depend too much on anyone in this world. Because even your own shadow leaves you in the darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-depend-too-much-on-anyone-in-this-world-because-even-your-own/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To depend on others is to build on sand. Its always better to take help from your own good right hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/self-reliance/to-depend-on-others-is-to-build-on-sand-its-always-better-to-take/) [Self-reliance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/self-reliance/) > [“Don't depend on someone else if you can be your own master," Logan replied.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karice-bolton/don-t-depend-on-someone-else-if-you-can-be-your-own-master-logan/) [Karice Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karice-bolton/) > [Umm... I don't judge my relationship with Puff or Bad Boy according to other people or past artists. At the end of the day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/french-montana/umm-i-don-t-judge-my-relationship-with-puff-or-bad-boy-according-to/) [French Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/french-montana/) > [Don't depend too much on anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-taymiyyah/don-t-depend-too-much-on-anyone/) [Ibn Taymiyyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-taymiyyah/) > [Sometimes when God brings things into an individual's life, it makes them totally depend on Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrae-crouch/sometimes-when-god-brings-things-into-an-individual-s-life-it-makes/) [Andrae Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrae-crouch/) > [A true friend, Someone who : Wouldnt leave me behind Someone I : Can always depend on Someone who : Is always there for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-true-friend-someone-who-wouldnt-leave-me-behind-someone-i-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Broadband Internet access shouldn't depend on who you are or where you're from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajit-pai/broadband-internet-access-shouldn-t-depend-on-who-you-are-or-where/) [Ajit Pai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajit-pai/) > [“depend on things that change less often than you do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandi-metz/depend-on-things-that-change-less-often-than-you-do/) [Sandi Metz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandi-metz/) > [Must whales and dolphins be subjected to deafening noise that will cause more than 3.5 million instances of temporary and/or permanent hearing loss? For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/must-whales-and-dolphins-be-subjected-to-deafening-noise-that-will/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [All of us depend on fate. But I have to openly say that there comes a time when I've had enough of fate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-heinz-rummenigge/all-of-us-depend-on-fate-but-i-have-to-openly-say-that-there-comes-a/) [Karl-Heinz Rummenigge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-heinz-rummenigge/) > [“Depend on no one else to give you what you want”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/destiny-s-child/depend-on-no-one-else-to-give-you-what-you-want/) [Destiny's Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/destiny-s-child/) ## 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 Depend quotes > [“Depend on no one else to give you what you want”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/destiny-s-child/depend-on-no-one-else-to-give-you-what-you-want/) [Destiny's Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/destiny-s-child/) > [All of us depend on fate. But I have to openly say that there comes a time when I've had enough of fate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-heinz-rummenigge/all-of-us-depend-on-fate-but-i-have-to-openly-say-that-there-comes-a/) [Karl-Heinz Rummenigge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-heinz-rummenigge/) > [Must whales and dolphins be subjected to deafening noise that will cause more than 3.5 million instances of temporary and/or permanent hearing loss? For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/must-whales-and-dolphins-be-subjected-to-deafening-noise-that-will/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [“depend on things that change less often than you do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandi-metz/depend-on-things-that-change-less-often-than-you-do/) [Sandi Metz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandi-metz/) > [Broadband Internet access shouldn't depend on who you are or where you're from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajit-pai/broadband-internet-access-shouldn-t-depend-on-who-you-are-or-where/) [Ajit Pai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajit-pai/) > [A true friend, Someone who : Wouldnt leave me behind Someone I : Can always depend on Someone who : Is always there for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-true-friend-someone-who-wouldnt-leave-me-behind-someone-i-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes when God brings things into an individual's life, it makes them totally depend on Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrae-crouch/sometimes-when-god-brings-things-into-an-individual-s-life-it-makes/) [Andrae Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrae-crouch/) > [Don't depend too much on anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-taymiyyah/don-t-depend-too-much-on-anyone/) [Ibn Taymiyyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-taymiyyah/) > [Umm... I don't judge my relationship with Puff or Bad Boy according to other people or past artists. At the end of the day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/french-montana/umm-i-don-t-judge-my-relationship-with-puff-or-bad-boy-according-to/) [French Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/french-montana/) > [“Don't depend on someone else if you can be your own master," Logan replied.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karice-bolton/don-t-depend-on-someone-else-if-you-can-be-your-own-master-logan/) [Karice Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karice-bolton/) > [To depend on others is to build on sand. Its always better to take help from your own good right hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/self-reliance/to-depend-on-others-is-to-build-on-sand-its-always-better-to-take/) [Self-reliance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/self-reliance/) > [Dont depend too much on anyone in this world. Because even your own shadow leaves you in the darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-depend-too-much-on-anyone-in-this-world-because-even-your-own/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone in the world needs someone they can depend on. Be their faithful friends, determined advocates, or a loving family. But occasionally in life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-alice/everyone-in-the-world-needs-someone-they-can-depend-on-be-their/) [Mary Alice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-alice/) > [“Depend upon God only and leave everything to Him. Try to be satisfied always with his judgement and seek him only because only God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/depend-upon-god-only-and-leave-everything-to-him-try-to-be-satisfied/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to be a consistent individual. I want to be someone my team can depend on all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-lara/i-want-to-be-a-consistent-individual-i-want-to-be-someone-my-team-can/) [Brian Lara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-lara/) [Browse all 460 Depend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depend/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There was nothing, nothing to depend on. 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