--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes the simplest solution out of…" description: "\"“Sometimes the simplest solution out of conflict is becoming someone’s friend, instead of saying goodbye forever.”\" — Shannon L. Alder" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/shannon-l-alder-363_communication_sometimes-the-simplest-solution-out-of-c_1964381.jpg" --- # Sometimes the simplest solution out of conflict is… ![“Sometimes the simplest solution out of conflict is becoming someone’s friend, instead of saying goodbye forever.” quote by Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/shannon-l-alder-363_communication_sometimes-the-simplest-solution-out-of-c_1964381.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/shannon-l-alder-363_communication_sometimes-the-simplest-solution-out-of-c_1964381.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/shannon-l-alder-363_communication_sometimes-the-simplest-solution-out-of-c_1964381.jpg) > ““Sometimes the simplest solution out of conflict is becoming someone’s friend, instead of saying goodbye forever.”” [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Resolving conflict can be as simple as choosing friendship over permanent separation. **In simple terms:** Friendship can end conflict. Key Takeaway Choose to be a friend instead of cutting ties. Themes conflict resolution relationships empathy Mood hopeful reflective Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - family disputes - workplace disagreements - personal breakups - community tensions Key Concepts social bonding emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - Can you see a situation where friendship would not solve the problem? - What steps help turn an opponent into a friend? A Different Perspective Friendship may not address deeper issues that caused the conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Friendships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendships/) [Goodbye Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodbye-forever/) [Love one another](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-one-another/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Peacemaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peacemaker/) [Resolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resolution/) [Resolving conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resolving-conflict/) [Saying goodbye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-goodbye/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [He was not my boyfriend. On the other hand, he wasn't just a friend either. Instead, our relationship was elastic, stretching between those two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/he-was-not-my-boyfriend-on-the-other-hand-he-wasn-t-just-a-friend/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [There is no solution to the conflict except with the disappearance of Israel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hassan-nasrallah/there-is-no-solution-to-the-conflict-except-with-the-disappearance-of/) [Hassan Nasrallah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hassan-nasrallah/) > [Solution = Conflict + Collaboration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-baldoni/solution-conflict-collaboration/) [John Baldoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baldoni/) > [“I am not afraid to die; I am only afraid of saying goodbye to you forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/i-am-not-afraid-to-die-i-am-only-afraid-of-saying-goodbye-to-you/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“All things being equal, the simplest solution tends to be the best one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-of-ockham/all-things-being-equal-the-simplest-solution-tends-to-be-the-best-one/) [William of Ockham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-of-ockham/) > [The single most effective way to make a service as reliable as possible is to make it as simple as possible. Find the simplest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-limoncelli/the-single-most-effective-way-to-make-a-service-as-reliable-as/) Tom Limoncelli > [And the simplest solution for my happiness, has to be you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/payton-udo/and-the-simplest-solution-for-my-happiness-has-to-be-you/) [Payton Udo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/payton-udo/) > [Peace is a never-ending process, the work of many decisions by many people in many countries. It is an attitude, a way of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/peace-is-a-never-ending-process-the-work-of-many-decisions-by-many/) [Oscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [We have to have some form of politics. Politics is a form of resolving conflicts. Politics which comes from sincere motivation is constructive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/we-have-to-have-some-form-of-politics-politics-is-a-form-of-resolving/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“That these girls avoid use of physical violence in resolving conflict, does not mean that these conflicts are resolved in meaningful and enduring ways.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-chesler/that-these-girls-avoid-use-of-physical-violence-in-resolving-conflict/) [Phyllis Chesler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-chesler/) > [We found out that the young people who had a substantial number of lessons in the Resolving Conflict Creatively Curriculum ... not only did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lantieri/we-found-out-that-the-young-people-who-had-a-substantial-number-of/) Linda Lantieri > [A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon/a-gentle-answer-turns-away-wrath-but-a-harsh-word-stirs-up-anger/) [Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon/) > [It is hard to change our point of view in a conflict. Most often, it is because we are not nearly as interested in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/it-is-hard-to-change-our-point-of-view-in-a-conflict-most-often-it-is/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) > [The number one goal in resolving a conflict is to make sure both sides maintain their self-esteem. Resolving conflict is rarely about who is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/the-number-one-goal-in-resolving-a-conflict-is-to-make-sure-both/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) > [If an agency is the ultimate judge in every case of conflict, then it is also judge in all conflicts involving itself. Consequently, instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-hermann-hoppe/if-an-agency-is-the-ultimate-judge-in-every-case-of-conflict-then-it/) [Hans-Hermann Hoppe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hermann-hoppe/) ## More by Shannon L. Alder > [“Don’t waste your time trying to explain yourself to people that are committed to misunderstanding you. Instead, commit your time to explaining who they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/don-t-waste-your-time-trying-to-explain-yourself-to-people-that-are/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“It takes a female to have a baby, It takes a woman to raise a child, It takes a mother to raise them correctly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-takes-a-female-to-have-a-baby-it-takes-a-woman-to-raise-a-child-it/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“God is going to send you someone that will rescue you. Then one day you will rescue them in return and together your story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-is-going-to-send-you-someone-that-will-rescue-you-then-one-day/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“You can be bit in the leg by a rattlesnake and seek help to heal your wound, or you can run after it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/you-can-be-bit-in-the-leg-by-a-rattlesnake-and-seek-help-to-heal-your/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“It is not the self respect and pride that you take with you, but the heritage you leave behind to your children that matters.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-is-not-the-self-respect-and-pride-that-you-take-with-you-but-the/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“The art of being wise is the art of knowing that solutions don’t come from individuals, but rather experiences.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-art-of-being-wise-is-the-art-of-knowing-that-solutions-don-t-come/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“If you have feelings for someone, let them know. It doesn’t matter if they can be in your life or not. Maybe, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/if-you-have-feelings-for-someone-let-them-know-it-doesn-t-matter-if/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“After every storm, there is a rainbow. If you have eyes, you will find it. If you have wisdom, you will create it. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/after-every-storm-there-is-a-rainbow-if-you-have-eyes-you-will-find/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Don’t ever feel bad that someone couldn’t give you all of their heart. Be grateful that you can take the least complicated part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/don-t-ever-feel-bad-that-someone-couldn-t-give-you-all-of-their-heart/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“I don't know why anyone would be scared of a homeless person. The truly scary people are all the murder mystery writers. They spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/i-don-t-know-why-anyone-would-be-scared-of-a-homeless-person-the/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Until you have stood in another woman’s stilettos, you will never begin to know the year of pain she felt breaking them in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/until-you-have-stood-in-another-woman-s-stilettos-you-will-never/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“I don't understand women that call themselves a "bitch". It doesn't empower a woman. Rather, it reveals to everyone that you were deeply hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/i-don-t-understand-women-that-call-themselves-a-bitch-it-doesn-t/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“ The Prodigal Son They gave the deep end of their heart--a hue of crimson red, They whispered their desire and offered up their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-prodigal-son-they-gave-the-deep-end-of-their-heart-a-hue-of/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) [Explore all 639 Shannon L. Alder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [We should have a conversation when we hang up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/we-should-have-a-conversation-when-we-hang-up/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [“To engage in dialogue is to serve others via whatever is real inside you; to engage in debate is to ultimately serve the illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/to-engage-in-dialogue-is-to-serve-others-via-whatever-is-real-inside/) [Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/) > [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [In dialogue, there is opposition, yes, but no head-on collision. Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. I've been in a public bathroom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-reddy/i-ve-been-in-a-serious-conversation-with-one-of-my-children-and-a-fan/) [Helen Reddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-reddy/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Disability, in general, hasn't been included in the conversation about inclusivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-winston-george/disability-in-general-hasn-t-been-included-in-the-conversation-about/) [Jason Winston George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-winston-george/) > [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/) Yoram Wind > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) [Browse all 21,506 Communication quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Sometimes the simplest solution out of conflict is becoming someone’s friend, instead of saying goodbye forever.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shannon L. Alder" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/sometimes-the-simplest-solution-out-of-conflict-is-becoming-someone-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Communication" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/sometimes-the-simplest-solution-out-of-conflict-is-becoming-someone-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/shannon-l-alder-363_communication_sometimes-the-simplest-solution-out-of-c_1964381.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/shannon-l-alder-363_communication_sometimes-the-simplest-solution-out-of-c_1964381.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/shannon-l-alder-363_communication_sometimes-the-simplest-solution-out-of-c_1964381.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sometimes the simplest solution out of conflict is becoming someone’s friend, instead of saying goodbye…” — Shannon L. Alder", "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": "Shannon L. Alder", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Sometimes the simplest solution out of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/sometimes-the-simplest-solution-out-of-conflict-is-becoming-someone-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/sometimes-the-simplest-solution-out-of-conflict-is-becoming-someone-s/#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 } } ] } ```