--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But - I cannot make a choice. I have my…" description: "\"But - I cannot make a choice. I have my own sorrow, but I suffer with him, too; I share his pain. I understand all - that is my trouble.\" — Albert Camus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ac/albert-camus-47_choices_but-i-cannot-make-a-choice-i-have-my-own_888814.jpg" --- # But - I cannot make a choice. I have my own sorrow, but I… ![“But - I cannot make a choice. I have my own sorrow, but I suffer with him, too; I share his pain. I understand all - that is my trouble.” quote by Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ac/albert-camus-47_choices_but-i-cannot-make-a-choice-i-have-my-own_888814.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ac/albert-camus-47_choices_but-i-cannot-make-a-choice-i-have-my-own_888814.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ac/albert-camus-47_choices_but-i-cannot-make-a-choice-i-have-my-own_888814.jpg) > “But - I cannot make a choice. I have my own sorrow, but I suffer with him, too; I share his pain. I understand all - that is my trouble.” [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator feels trapped by his own empathy, unable to separate his sorrow from another's suffering. **In simple terms:** He cannot choose because he shares another's pain. Key Takeaway Recognize personal boundaries in empathy. Themes existentialism empathy indecision Mood reflective somber Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal relationships - mental health counseling - conflict resolution Key Concepts absurdism self-awareness Questions to Reflect On - How does sharing another's pain affect your decisions? - Can you separate your sorrow from others? A Different Perspective Empathy can blur self-identity, leading to paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) ## Related quotes > [If I didn't drain the sorrow, you would have made me suffer a life of no love anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naquitta-faith/if-i-didn-t-drain-the-sorrow-you-would-have-made-me-suffer-a-life-of/) [Naquitta Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naquitta-faith/) > [“There is no greater pleasure than winning a competition with one's sister and no greater sorrow than to see her suffer because of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-sharp/there-is-no-greater-pleasure-than-winning-a-competition-with-one-s/) Adrienne Sharp > [The world I live in is loathsome to me, but I feel one with the men who suffer in it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-world-i-live-in-is-loathsome-to-me-but-i-feel-one-with-the-men/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it’s those who, instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genna-rulon/when-we-honestly-ask-ourselves-which-person-in-our-lives-means-the/) [Genna Rulon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genna-rulon/) > [In tough times, everyone has to take their share of the pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-may/in-tough-times-everyone-has-to-take-their-share-of-the-pain/) [Theresa May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-may/) > [Each must drain His share of pleasure, share of pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/each-must-drain-his-share-of-pleasure-share-of-pain/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [Every moment that you share someone else's pain, feel what they feel, makes you more human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-murray/every-moment-that-you-share-someone-else-s-pain-feel-what-they-feel/) [Bill Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-murray/) > [“Do you understand pain a little now? 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But I always try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/like-most-people-i-have-encountered-my-own-share-of-pain-as-i-have/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/when-we-honestly-ask-ourselves-which-person-in-our-lives-mean-the-2/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-honestly-ask-ourselves-which-person-in-our-lives-mean-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If life is a journey then let my soul travel and share your pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/if-life-is-a-journey-then-let-my-soul-travel-and-share-your-pain/) [Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/) ## More by Albert Camus > [“The whole town rushed outside to celebrate this crowded minute when the time of suffering had ended and the time of forgetting had not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-whole-town-rushed-outside-to-celebrate-this-crowded-minute-when/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Generally, I like all islands. There, it is easier to rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/generally-i-like-all-islands-there-it-is-easier-to-rule/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Being is good, but getting rich is better… If the gods had only the riches of men's adoration, they would be as poor as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/being-is-good-but-getting-rich-is-better-if-the-gods-had-only-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The more I produce, the less I am certain. On the road along which the artist walks, night falls ever more densely. 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Don’t just wait for a man to come along. That’s the mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/you-have-so-much-inside-you-and-the-noblest-happiness-of-all-don-t/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The desire for possession is insatiable, to such a point that it can survive even love itself. To love, therefore, is to sterilize the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-desire-for-possession-is-insatiable-to-such-a-point-that-it-can/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) [Explore all 1,600 Albert Camus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) Alison James > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. 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When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But - I cannot make a choice. 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