--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Oh, child, there's no explainin' the…" description: "\"“Oh, child, there's no explainin' the meanness in this world.\" Armetta shakes her head, wipes wetness off her cheek, then cradles my hands in her palms..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9e/susan-carol-mccarthy-53520_children_oh-child-there-s-no-explainin-the-meanne_2517836.jpg" --- # Oh, child, there's no explainin' the meanness in this… ![“Oh, child, there's no explainin' the meanness in this world." Armetta shakes her head, wipes wetness off her cheek, then cradles my hands in her palms. "But there's goodness here, too. You can't never lose sight of that, hold on to it. It's the goodness that gets us through.” quote by Susan Carol McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9e/susan-carol-mccarthy-53520_children_oh-child-there-s-no-explainin-the-meanne_2517836.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9e/susan-carol-mccarthy-53520_children_oh-child-there-s-no-explainin-the-meanne_2517836.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9e/susan-carol-mccarthy-53520_children_oh-child-there-s-no-explainin-the-meanne_2517836.jpg) > ““Oh, child, there's no explainin' the meanness in this world." Armetta shakes her head, wipes wetness off her cheek, then cradles my hands in her palms. "But there's goodness here, too. You can't never lose sight of that, hold on to it. It's the goodness that gets us through.”” [Susan Carol McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-carol-mccarthy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Amidst life's harshness, goodness persists and should be cherished. **In simple terms:** Goodness exists despite cruelty. Key Takeaway Hold onto and in tough times. Themes hope resilience humanity optimism Mood inspired reassuring Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal loss - social injustice - daily struggles Key Concepts moral courage inner strength compassion Questions to Reflect On - What small acts of kindness have you witnessed? - How can you nurture goodness within? A Different Perspective Goodness can be hard to see. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) ## Related quotes > [The family remains the basic unit of society and the first school in which children learn the human, spiritual and moral values which enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-family-remains-the-basic-unit-of-society-and-the-first-school-in/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“Sometimes resilience arrives in the moment you discover your own unshakeable goodness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-boyle/sometimes-resilience-arrives-in-the-moment-you-discover-your-own/) [Gregory Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-boyle/) > [And if thy heart be straight with God then every creature shall be to thee a mirror of life and a book of holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/and-if-thy-heart-be-straight-with-god-then-every-creature-shall-be-to/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [A good man therefore is a standing lesson to us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/a-good-man-therefore-is-a-standing-lesson-to-us-all/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [The future teachers I try to recruit are those show have refused to let themselves be neutered in this way, either in their private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/the-future-teachers-i-try-to-recruit-are-those-show-have-refused-to/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [The living can't quit living because the world has turned terrible and people they love and need are killed. They can't because they don't.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-living-can-t-quit-living-because-the-world-has-turned-terrible/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [To make one good action succeed another, is the perfection of goodness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/to-make-one-good-action-succeed-another-is-the-perfection-of-goodness/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [This is a proof of a well-trained mind, to rejoice in what is good and to grieve at the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/this-is-a-proof-of-a-well-trained-mind-to-rejoice-in-what-is-good-and/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [the path of goodness had a name it is called Love in it we find the key to every hope and has it's root…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-path-of-goodness-had-a-name-it-is-called-love-in-it-we-find-the/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [I've never had any desire to be good. I don't like goodness particularly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-ve-never-had-any-desire-to-be-good-i-don-t-like-goodness/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [One may not doubt that, somehow Good Shall come of Water and of Mud; And sure, the reverent eye must see A purpose in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-brooke/one-may-not-doubt-that-somehow-good-shall-come-of-water-and-of-mud/) [Rupert Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-brooke/) > [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [Love reacts with goodness towards those who ill-treat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/love-reacts-with-goodness-towards-those-who-ill-treat-it/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) Daniel K Judd > [What is sin? It is the glory of God not honored. The holiness of God not reverenced. The greatness of God not admired. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/what-is-sin-it-is-the-glory-of-god-not-honored-the-holiness-of-god/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) ## More by Susan Carol McCarthy > [“Nothing like an endangered pocketbook to help a businessman find his conscience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-carol-mccarthy/nothing-like-an-endangered-pocketbook-to-help-a-businessman-find-his/) [Susan Carol McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-carol-mccarthy/) > [“God and I aren't exactly on speaking terms these days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-carol-mccarthy/god-and-i-aren-t-exactly-on-speaking-terms-these-days/) [Susan Carol McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-carol-mccarthy/) > [“It is founded on the worst instincts of mankind. At its best, it is intolerant and bigoted. At its worst, it is sadistic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-carol-mccarthy/it-is-founded-on-the-worst-instincts-of-mankind-at-its-best-it-is/) [Susan Carol McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-carol-mccarthy/) > [“Because you believed in me, I figured I was honor-bound to believe in myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-carol-mccarthy/because-you-believed-in-me-i-figured-i-was-honor-bound-to-believe-in/) [Susan Carol McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-carol-mccarthy/) > [“We can't change the world overnight, Reesa. But we begin by changing the way we choose to live in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-carol-mccarthy/we-can-t-change-the-world-overnight-reesa-but-we-begin-by-changing/) [Susan Carol McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-carol-mccarthy/) [Explore all 6 Susan Carol McCarthy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-carol-mccarthy/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Oh, child, there's no explainin' the meanness in this world.\" Armetta shakes her head, wipes wetness off her cheek, then cradles my hands in her palms. \"But there's goodness here, too. You can't never lose sight of that, hold on to it. It's the goodness that gets us through.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Susan Carol McCarthy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-carol-mccarthy/oh-child-there-s-no-explainin-the-meanness-in-this-world-armetta/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Children" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-carol-mccarthy/oh-child-there-s-no-explainin-the-meanness-in-this-world-armetta/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9e/susan-carol-mccarthy-53520_children_oh-child-there-s-no-explainin-the-meanne_2517836.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9e/susan-carol-mccarthy-53520_children_oh-child-there-s-no-explainin-the-meanne_2517836.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9e/susan-carol-mccarthy-53520_children_oh-child-there-s-no-explainin-the-meanne_2517836.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Oh, child, there's no explainin' the meanness in this world.\" Armetta shakes her head, wipes wetness off her…” — Susan Carol McCarthy", "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": "Susan Carol McCarthy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-carol-mccarthy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Oh, child, there's no explainin' the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-carol-mccarthy/oh-child-there-s-no-explainin-the-meanness-in-this-world-armetta/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-carol-mccarthy/oh-child-there-s-no-explainin-the-meanness-in-this-world-armetta/#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 } } ] } ```