--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You couldn’t just pick and choose at will…" description: "\"“You couldn’t just pick and choose at will when someone depended on you, or loved you. It wasn’t like a light switch, easy to shut on or off. If you we..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2c/sarah-dessen-110_choose_you-couldn-t-just-pick-and-choose-at-wil_1494602.png" --- # You couldn’t just pick and choose at will when someone… ![“You couldn’t just pick and choose at will when someone depended on you, or loved you. It wasn’t like a light switch, easy to shut on or off. If you were in, you were in. Out, you were out. To me, it didn’t seem complicated at all. In fact, it was the simplest thing in the world.” quote by Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2c/sarah-dessen-110_choose_you-couldn-t-just-pick-and-choose-at-wil_1494602.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2c/sarah-dessen-110_choose_you-couldn-t-just-pick-and-choose-at-wil_1494602.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2c/sarah-dessen-110_choose_you-couldn-t-just-pick-and-choose-at-wil_1494602.png) > ““You couldn’t just pick and choose at will when someone depended on you, or loved you. It wasn’t like a light switch, easy to shut on or off. If you were in, you were in. Out, you were out. To me, it didn’t seem complicated at all. In fact, it was the simplest thing in the world.”” [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. Commitment is absolute; you cannot toggle care on demand when others rely on you. **In simple terms:** Commitment is all‑or‑nothing. Key Takeaway Honor your promises fully. Themes commitment relationships responsibility Mood reflective serious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - friendship - family - romantic partnership - caregiving Key Concepts ethics dependence Questions to Reflect On - How do you demonstrate unwavering support? - What costs arise from treating love like a switch? A Different Perspective People may expect flexibility, but true loyalty resists conditionality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [You couldn't just pick and choose at will when someone depended on you, or loved you. It wasn't like a light switch, easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-couldn-t-just-pick-and-choose-at-will-when-someone-depended-on/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [He walked into a room and everything stopped. Elvis was just so physically beautiful that even if he didn't have any talent... just his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tuesday-weld/he-walked-into-a-room-and-everything-stopped-elvis-was-just-so/) [Tuesday Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tuesday-weld/) > [I remember somebody saying, "I feel really bad for kids growing up around iPads right now. It's just too complicated. Life's too complicated." I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/i-remember-somebody-saying-i-feel-really-bad-for-kids-growing-up/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) > [“I’ve yet to see any problem, however complicated, which when you looked at it the right way didn’t become still more complicated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/i-ve-yet-to-see-any-problem-however-complicated-which-when-you-looked/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [We're very lucky, men, that there are these fabulous parts. Women - once you've done all the parts in Shakespeare, they start running out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/we-re-very-lucky-men-that-there-are-these-fabulous-parts-women-once/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [I think you have to pick and choose what is most important to tell the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-wilson/i-think-you-have-to-pick-and-choose-what-is-most-important-to-tell/) [Patrick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-wilson/) > [The offseason is when you try to gain strength. You have 162 games during the year, so you've got to pick and choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-degrom/the-offseason-is-when-you-try-to-gain-strength-you-have-162-games/) [Jacob deGrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-degrom/) > [I think it would be great to be a cat! You come and go as you please. People always feed and pet you. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-mcpherson/i-think-it-would-be-great-to-be-a-cat-you-come-and-go-as-you-please/) Patricia McPherson > [I pick and choose when I like to have my moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caeleb-dressel/i-pick-and-choose-when-i-like-to-have-my-moments/) [Caeleb Dressel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caeleb-dressel/) > [I feel like a spoilt rapper. I get to pick and choose everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eminem/i-feel-like-a-spoilt-rapper-i-get-to-pick-and-choose-everything/) [Eminem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eminem/) > [I pick and choose what I want to do at any given time, and what not to do, importantly. My agents, I won't hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcdonagh/i-pick-and-choose-what-i-want-to-do-at-any-given-time-and-what-not-to/) [Martin McDonagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcdonagh/) > [What we wanted from an agent depended on what he brought in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-wolf/what-we-wanted-from-an-agent-depended-on-what-he-brought-in/) [Markus Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-wolf/) > [If I depended on critics and children to make a living I'd grow broke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/if-i-depended-on-critics-and-children-to-make-a-living-i-d-grow-broke/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [“The fate of many men depended on the fate of this one. And this one I could help”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-moser/the-fate-of-many-men-depended-on-the-fate-of-this-one-and-this-one-i/) [Nancy Moser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-moser/) > [Cherish your friends and family as if your life depended on it. Because it does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-richards/cherish-your-friends-and-family-as-if-your-life-depended-on-it/) [Ann Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-richards/) ## 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 Choose quotes > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [If somebody asks me to choose a biopic, it would be Narain Karthikeyan because I love racing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naga-chaitanya/if-somebody-asks-me-to-choose-a-biopic-it-would-be-narain-karthikeyan/) [Naga Chaitanya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naga-chaitanya/) > [“Either you soften your ego, or the world will do it for you. Choose!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-mccoy/either-you-soften-your-ego-or-the-world-will-do-it-for-you-choose/) [Bert McCoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-mccoy/) > [I'm aware of who I am and I'm comfortable with who I choose to date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shibani-dandekar/i-m-aware-of-who-i-am-and-i-m-comfortable-with-who-i-choose-to-date/) [Shibani Dandekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shibani-dandekar/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [If you choose to work at a larger company over a smaller company, you are more likely to be higher paid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-sweet/if-you-choose-to-work-at-a-larger-company-over-a-smaller-company-you/) [Julie Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-sweet/) > [You can't choose what stays and what stays away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/you-can-t-choose-what-stays-and-what-stays-away/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [It's only a thought and a thought can be changed. Choose good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-s-only-a-thought-and-a-thought-can-be-changed-choose-good-ones/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime...so you gotta choose who is good for you! Be wise, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-come-into-your-life-for-a-reason-a-season-or-a-lifetime-so-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not opposed - we manufacture a lot of socks in North Carolina - I just choose not to wear them. It's a Southern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-burr/i-m-not-opposed-we-manufacture-a-lot-of-socks-in-north-carolina-i/) [Richard Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-burr/) > [Having too many options is bad. I want one person, just one. Not a whole bunch to choose from,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roderickthefirst/having-too-many-options-is-bad-i-want-one-person-just-one-not-a-whole/) RoderickTheFirst > [If I could be anyone, I'd choose the lead singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kardashian/if-i-could-be-anyone-i-d-choose-the-lead-singer-of-arcade-fire-win/) [Rob Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kardashian/) > [People are as happy as they choose to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/people-are-as-happy-as-they-choose-to-be/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) Browse all 3,851 Choose quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You couldn’t just pick and choose at will when someone depended on you, or loved you. It wasn’t like a light switch, easy to shut on or off. If you were in, you were in. Out, you were out. To me, it didn’t seem complicated at all. 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