--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cathy, don't look so defeated. She was…" description: "\"“Cathy, don't look so defeated. She was only trying to put us down again. Maybe nothing did work out right for her, but that doesn't mean we are doomed..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/v-c-andrews-2743_betrayed_cathy-don-t-look-so-defeated-she-was-onl_69647.jpg" --- # Cathy, don't look so defeated. She was only trying to put… ![“Cathy, don't look so defeated. She was only trying to put us down again. Maybe nothing did work out right for her, but that doesn't mean we are doomed. Let's go forth tomorrow with no great expectations of finding perfection. Then, expecting only a small share of happiness, we won't be…” quote by V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/v-c-andrews-2743_betrayed_cathy-don-t-look-so-defeated-she-was-onl_69647.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/v-c-andrews-2743_betrayed_cathy-don-t-look-so-defeated-she-was-onl_69647.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/v-c-andrews-2743_betrayed_cathy-don-t-look-so-defeated-she-was-onl_69647.jpg) > ““Cathy, don't look so defeated. She was only trying to put us down again. Maybe nothing did work out right for her, but that doesn't mean we are doomed. Let's go forth tomorrow with no great expectations of finding perfection. Then, expecting only a small share of happiness, we won't be disappointed." If a little hill of happiness would satisfy Chris, good for him. But after all these years of striving, hoping, dreaming, longing-I wanted a mountain high! A hill wasn't enough. From this day forward, I vowed to myself, I was in control of my life. Not fate, not God, not even Chris was ever again going to tell me what to do, or dominate me in any way. From this day forward, I was my own person, to take what I would, when I would, and I would answer only to myself. I'd been kept prisoner, held captive by greed. I'd been betrayed, deceived, tied to, used, poisoned ... but all that was over now.”” [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A declaration of personal agency, rejecting external control and unrealistic expectations to find contentment in modest, self‑determined happiness. **In simple terms:** Self‑empowerment over fate Key Takeaway Own your choices, seek realistic joy Themes self‑determination realistic expectations personal freedom overcoming oppression inner peace Mood defiant hopeful resolute Type personal manifesto motivational When to use this quote - after a period of manipulation - when feeling trapped by others - during a crisis of purpose - while confronting unrealistic standards Key Concepts agency self‑reliance resilience identity Practical Applications - setting personal boundaries - redefining success metrics Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to be truly free? - How can modest goals sustain long‑term fulfillment? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Betrayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betrayed/) [Captive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/captive/) [Decieved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decieved-43791/) [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Defeated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeated/) [Doom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doom/) [Doomed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doomed/) [Dreaming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreaming/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Fate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fate/) [Great expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-expectations/) [Greed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greed/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing/) [Longing Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing-wanted-919163/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Put downs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/put-downs/) [Striving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/striving/) [Striving Hoping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/striving-hoping-276938/) [Towmorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/towmorrow-193205/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Vow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vow/) [Vowed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vowed/) [Vowed Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vowed-control-919164/) [Vows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vows/) [Wanting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanting/) [Wants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wants/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years-of-struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-of-struggle-210427/) ## Related quotes > [“From this day forward, I vowed to myself, I was in control of my life. Not fate, not God, not even Chris was ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/from-this-day-forward-i-vowed-to-myself-i-was-in-control-of-my-life/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [“Cathy, don't look so defeated. She was only trying to put us down again. Maybe nothing did work out right for her, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/cathy-don-t-look-so-defeated-she-was-only-trying-to-put-us-down-again-2/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [“If a little hill of happiness would satisfy Chris, good for him. But after all these years of striving, hoping, dreaming, longing-I wanted a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/if-a-little-hill-of-happiness-would-satisfy-chris-good-for-him-but/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [And so, lifting as we climb, onward and upward we go, struggling and striving, and hoping that the buds and blossoms of our desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-church-terrell/and-so-lifting-as-we-climb-onward-and-upward-we-go-struggling-and/) [Mary Church Terrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-church-terrell/) > [And so, lifting as we climb, onward and upward we go, struggling and striving, and hoping that the buds and blossoms of our desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-church-terrell/and-so-lifting-as-we-climb-onward-and-upward-we-go-struggling-and-2/) [Mary Church Terrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-church-terrell/) > [“God doesn’t put that much prep into something that is insignificant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-doesn-t-put-that-much-prep-into-something-that-is-insignificant/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“After all the years, after everything that you'd had to endure, after everything that you'd undertaken, however good or bad, long after you'd given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-van-niekerk/after-all-the-years-after-everything-that-you-d-had-to-endure-after/) [Marlene Van Niekerk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-van-niekerk/) > [S(he's) br(ok)en because s(he) be(lie)ve(d)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ms-paradeez/s-he-s-br-ok-en-because-s-he-be-lie-ve-d-2/) [Ms Paradeez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ms-paradeez/) > [“Once you embrace your value, talents and strengths, it neutralizes when others think less of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-liano/once-you-embrace-your-value-talents-and-strengths-it-neutralizes-when/) [Rob Liano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-liano/) > [“But the part of ourselves we hate the most is our longing to be wanted and enjoyed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-b-allender/but-the-part-of-ourselves-we-hate-the-most-is-our-longing-to-be/) [Dan B. Allender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-b-allender/) > [“Then she sat as if paralyzed, thinking. She had never in her life felt such a longing. She wanted Mikael Blomkvist to ring the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stieg-larsson-translated-from-the-swedish-by-reg-keeland/then-she-sat-as-if-paralyzed-thinking-she-had-never-in-her-life-felt/) [Stieg Larsson translated from the Swedish by Reg Keeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stieg-larsson-translated-from-the-swedish-by-reg-keeland/) ## More by V.C. Andrews > [“Oh, it was wicked of me to make him the troublesome thing I was. He should stay always what he was, the happy-go-lucky cheerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/oh-it-was-wicked-of-me-to-make-him-the-troublesome-thing-i-was-he/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [“I sighed, he sighed, the wind and flowers sighed too. I think those marble statues sighed along as well, in their lack of understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/i-sighed-he-sighed-the-wind-and-flowers-sighed-too-i-think-those/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [“We are perfect children. Mentally, physically, emotionally, we are wholesome, and godly in every way possible. We have as much right to live, love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/we-are-perfect-children-mentally-physically-emotionally-we-are/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [“Death can be a good friend to those in extreme pain. I wondered how he held on so long...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/death-can-be-a-good-friend-to-those-in-extreme-pain-i-wondered-how-he/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [“His blue eyes gazed down into mine. Eyes so much alike. I loved him as I loved the better side of myself, the brighter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/his-blue-eyes-gazed-down-into-mine-eyes-so-much-alike-i-loved-him-as/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [“We all have to love you, and believe in you, and think you are looking out for our best interests. But look at us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/we-all-have-to-love-you-and-believe-in-you-and-think-you-are-looking/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [“What if I am a curse?" "Then you're the prettiest and nicest curse I know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/what-if-i-am-a-curse-then-you-re-the-prettiest-and-nicest-curse-i-know/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [“There were shadows in the corners and whispers on the stairs and time was irrelevant as honesty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/there-were-shadows-in-the-corners-and-whispers-on-the-stairs-and-time/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [“Y, sin embargo, me sentia irritada cada vez que alguien venia a preguntar como habia muerto y a decir que era una lastima que…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/y-sin-embargo-me-sentia-irritada-cada-vez-que-alguien-venia-a/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [“We don’t anticipate accidents, nor do we expect to die young.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/we-don-t-anticipate-accidents-nor-do-we-expect-to-die-young/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [“Cathy—look at me! Don’t turn your head and pretend you don’t know what I’m doing, what I’m saying! Look and see the torment you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/cathy-look-at-me-don-t-turn-your-head-and-pretend-you-don-t-know-what/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [“To my lady Catherine, I give you gold with a diamond you can barely see, But the gem would be castle-sized if it expressed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/to-my-lady-catherine-i-give-you-gold-with-a-diamond-you-can-barely/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [“me to see the contents. Was she giving me a gift, like she gave Bart anything he wanted? He was the”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/me-to-see-the-contents-was-she-giving-me-a-gift-like-she-gave-bart/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [“I don’t explain love, Bart. I don’t think anyone can. It grows from day to day from having contact with that other person who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/i-don-t-explain-love-bart-i-don-t-think-anyone-can-it-grows-from-day/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [“That's the way all life's battles are won.. You don't look at the overall picture. You take one step, then another, and another... until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/that-s-the-way-all-life-s-battles-are-won-you-don-t-look-at-the/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) [Explore all 122 V.C. Andrews quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) ## More Betrayed quotes > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nothing brings out the lower traits of human nature like office-seeking. Men of good character and impulses are betrayed by it into all sorts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/nothing-brings-out-the-lower-traits-of-human-nature-like-office/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [We are all too keenly aware that those of you who supported us by purchasing the 3DS in the beginningmay feel betrayed and criticize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satoru-iwata/we-are-all-too-keenly-aware-that-those-of-you-who-supported-us-by/) [Satoru Iwata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satoru-iwata/) > [In tragic life, God wot, No villain need be! Passions spin the plot: We are betrayed by what is false within.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-meredith/in-tragic-life-god-wot-no-villain-need-be-passions-spin-the-plot-we/) [George Meredith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-meredith/) > [The mantra of the new historicists was "we have betrayed ourselves." Since their emergence, there have been more or less interesting paradigm shifts having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-fry/the-mantra-of-the-new-historicists-was-we-have-betrayed-ourselves/) [Paul Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-fry/) > [It is less painful, it turns out, to feel betrayed than to feel forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-grosz/it-is-less-painful-it-turns-out-to-feel-betrayed-than-to-feel/) [Stephen Grosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-grosz/) > [Being betrayed by someone you love just makes you more selective and careful when trying out a new relationship/friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-someone-you-love-just-makes-you-more-selective-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Rome has betrayed itself. It knew the truth and chose violence, it knew humaneness and it chose tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/rome-has-betrayed-itself-it-knew-the-truth-and-chose-violence-it-knew/) [Friedrich Durrenmatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/) > [Those who are successfully to lead their fellow-men, should have once possessed the nobler feelings. We have all known individuals whose magnanimity was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/those-who-are-successfully-to-lead-their-fellow-men-should-have-once/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [I'm a military man, I did what I did only because my country had to be saved from tribalism and feudalism. If I failed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mengistu-haile-mariam/i-m-a-military-man-i-did-what-i-did-only-because-my-country-had-to-be/) [Mengistu Haile Mariam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mengistu-haile-mariam/) > [To be robbed and betrayed by a fiendish underground conspiracy, or by the earthly agents of Satan, is at least a romantic sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/to-be-robbed-and-betrayed-by-a-fiendish-underground-conspiracy-or-by/) [Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/) > [When I was young, I had a favorite movie star. One day, I saw one of his movies, and it was bad, and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/when-i-was-young-i-had-a-favorite-movie-star-one-day-i-saw-one-of-his/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I really had faith in you but you betrayed me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lafee/i-really-had-faith-in-you-but-you-betrayed-me/) [Lafee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lafee/) > [No-one is ever betrayed by true love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaufre-rudel/no-one-is-ever-betrayed-by-true-love/) [Jaufre Rudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaufre-rudel/) > [It was the BJP that betrayed me when one of its members made the Rs 150-crore bribery allegation against me without evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-kumaraswamy/it-was-the-bjp-that-betrayed-me-when-one-of-its-members-made-the-rs/) [H. D. Kumaraswamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-d-kumaraswamy/) [Browse all 708 Betrayed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betrayed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Cathy, don't look so defeated. She was only trying to put us down again. Maybe nothing did work out right for her, but that doesn't mean we are doomed. Let's go forth tomorrow with no great expectations of finding perfection. Then, expecting only a small share of happiness, we won't be disappointed.\" If a little hill of happiness would satisfy Chris, good for him. But after all these years of striving, hoping, dreaming, longing-I wanted a mountain high! A hill wasn't enough. From this day forward, I vowed to myself, I was in control of my life. Not fate, not God, not even Chris was ever again going to tell me what to do, or dominate me in any way. From this day forward, I was my own person, to take what I would, when I would, and I would answer only to myself. I'd been kept prisoner, held captive by greed. I'd been betrayed, deceived, tied to, used, poisoned ... but all that was over now.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "V.C. 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