--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Listen carefully. Listen and you'll hear…" description: "\"“Listen carefully. Listen and you'll hear everything you need to know. a nightmare is a different case entirely, it's a box of black shadows and viciou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ec/alice-hoffman-427_first-sight_listen-carefully-listen-and-you-ll-hear_1064290.png" --- # Listen carefully. Listen and you'll hear everything you… ![“Listen carefully. Listen and you'll hear everything you need to know. a nightmare is a different case entirely, it's a box of black shadows and vicious red stars, something to keep carefully closed, lest the ground below be broken in two now it's a time like any other, long minutes, tedious…” quote by Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ec/alice-hoffman-427_first-sight_listen-carefully-listen-and-you-ll-hear_1064290.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ec/alice-hoffman-427_first-sight_listen-carefully-listen-and-you-ll-hear_1064290.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ec/alice-hoffman-427_first-sight_listen-carefully-listen-and-you-ll-hear_1064290.png) > ““Listen carefully. Listen and you'll hear everything you need to know. a nightmare is a different case entirely, it's a box of black shadows and vicious red stars, something to keep carefully closed, lest the ground below be broken in two now it's a time like any other, long minutes, tedious seconds, nothing more than flat time moving forward, like it or not it is impossible to stop some things, rainfall, for instance, and love at first sight, and the slow and steady path of sorrow the cruel and desperate variety that always accompanies yearning for someone you're bound to lose when you lose somebody you think you've lost the whole world as well, but that's not the way things turn out in the end. eventually, you pick yourself up and look out the window, and once you do you see everything that was there before the world ended is out there still. there are the same apple trees and the same songbirds, and over our heads, the very same sky that shine like heaven, so far above us qw can never hope to reach such heights sometimes those who love you best are the ones who leave you behind hearts were made for being broken. there's really no way around it if you want to be a human being. ...consider what people are capable of going through in this world and how much courage it's possible to have when someone kisses you with everything they feel, you don't stop thinking about it for a very long time. you didn't think you were going to get married and live happily ever after did you? you're not that stupid... a book of hope that has never been finished, a list of dreams left undone.”” [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage reflects on life's cyclical nature, the inevitability of loss, and the persistent hope that remains despite hardship. **In simple terms:** Life repeats, loss hurts, hope endures. Key Takeaway Embrace loss, seek hope. Themes loss hope resilience humanity time Mood melancholic reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - grief counseling - creative writing - personal reflection - mental health support - philosophical discussion Key Concepts existentialism psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do you find hope after loss? - What cycles in your life feel unchanging? A Different Perspective The poetic style may obscure actionable insight for some readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accompanies Yearning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accompanies-yearning-2616699/) [Carefully Listen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carefully-listen-1230305/) [First sight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-sight/) [Like Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-heaven/) [Listen Carefully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listen-carefully/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Love at first sight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-at-first-sight/) [Moving forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving-forward/) [Slow and steady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slow-and-steady/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) [Yearning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yearning/) ## Related quotes > [“Listen very carefully... listen to everyone and don't say much and think about what they say and how they say it and watch their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/listen-very-carefully-listen-to-everyone-and-don-t-say-much-and-think/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I think the intelligent thing about it is that you have to carefully listen to it all to grasp it, and because I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-darrow/i-think-the-intelligent-thing-about-it-is-that-you-have-to-carefully/) [Paul Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-darrow/) > [“To carefully listen is a powerful way of saying to another that we value that person. When we take the time to understand we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/to-carefully-listen-is-a-powerful-way-of-saying-to-another-that-we/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [My grandmother told me once that when you lose somebody you think you've lost the whole world as well, but that's not the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/my-grandmother-told-me-once-that-when-you-lose-somebody-you-think-you/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [If you want to give a show, make it real, and people will listen to you more carefully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bradley/if-you-want-to-give-a-show-make-it-real-and-people-will-listen-to-you/) [Charles Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bradley/) > [You need to listen very carefully to figure out what your girl is trying to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mazher/you-need-to-listen-very-carefully-to-figure-out-what-your-girl-is/) [Mazher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mazher/) > [“Listening is hard work. Listen carefully not only with your ears, but also listen with all of your senses. You will understand better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/listening-is-hard-work-listen-carefully-not-only-with-your-ears-but/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [If you want to understand any woman, you must first ask about her mother and then listen carefully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-want-to-understand-any-woman-you-must-first-ask-about-her/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When the world makes no sense, go inside yourself, and listen carefully to your needs, until you understand once more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-brown/when-the-world-makes-no-sense-go-inside-yourself-and-listen-carefully/) [Leon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-brown/) > [“It made Ender listen more carefully to what people meant, instead of what they said. It made him wise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-made-ender-listen-more-carefully-to-what-people-meant-instead-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Listen carefully. I'd crush you like a bug for causing my wife one single moment of pain. Believe it. Fear it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/listen-carefully-i-d-crush-you-like-a-bug-for-causing-my-wife-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's a natural mystic blowing through the air. If you listen carefully now, you will hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-marley/there-s-a-natural-mystic-blowing-through-the-air-if-you-listen/) [Bob Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-marley/) > [“I have failed many times in my life. But I don't give up. There is a voice that tells us not to give up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/i-have-failed-many-times-in-my-life-but-i-don-t-give-up-there-is-a/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [Shhh listen! Listen carefully, if you do you can hear through the silence of the night, my heart my heart crying out for you...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/shhh-listen-listen-carefully-if-you-do-you-can-hear-through-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Hoonie used to listen carefully to all the men who brought him news, and he would nod, exhale resolutely, and then get up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/min-jin-lee/hoonie-used-to-listen-carefully-to-all-the-men-who-brought-him-news/) [Min Jin Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/min-jin-lee/) ## More by Alice Hoffman > [Women know things that men will never know. We keep the best secrets. We tell the best stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/women-know-things-that-men-will-never-know-we-keep-the-best-secrets/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“All of the quarters in his hand were tarnished. He had no idea that the silver in a man’s pockets always turns black if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/all-of-the-quarters-in-his-hand-were-tarnished-he-had-no-idea-that/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [But most important of all, she explained that it was all right to say 'No. I disagree.' that was a gift. I understood it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/but-most-important-of-all-she-explained-that-it-was-all-right-to-say/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“It was after dark when the woods were most filled with magic, when there were fireflies and the mist was rising from the streams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/it-was-after-dark-when-the-woods-were-most-filled-with-magic-when/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Never look back, that's what she's told herself. Don't think about swans or being alone in the dark. Don't think of storms, or lightning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/never-look-back-that-s-what-she-s-told-herself-don-t-think-about/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [This was what it meant to be human, to know that time moved and all things changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/this-was-what-it-meant-to-be-human-to-know-that-time-moved-and-all/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“She preferred cats to human beings and turned down every offer from the men who fell in love with her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/she-preferred-cats-to-human-beings-and-turned-down-every-offer-from/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [I'm a really eclectic reader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/i-m-a-really-eclectic-reader/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [It's not the lie that's the problem; it's the distance the lie forges between you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/it-s-not-the-lie-that-s-the-problem-it-s-the-distance-the-lie-forges/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Her vision was going, but she could see him, the way people see clouds-beautiful, racing by, casting shadows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/her-vision-was-going-but-she-could-see-him-the-way-people-see-clouds/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [That's why there are ten gates to pass through before you reach the garden. If life were easy there would be one gate. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/that-s-why-there-are-ten-gates-to-pass-through-before-you-reach-the/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“...the summer of the gypsy moths when all the trees in their yard were bare, the leaves chewed by caterpillars. 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It rather denotes a lack of courage."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/my-darling-girl-when-are-you-going-to-realize-that-being-normal-is/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) [Explore all 571 Alice Hoffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) ## More First sight quotes > [ONE stone enough to break a glass,,, ONE sentence is enough to break a heart,,, FIRST sight is enough to fall in love,,, ONE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-stone-enough-to-break-a-glass-one-sentence-is-enough-to-break-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never believed that they was such thing as love at first sight but I think I'm having that feeliing @sarahlovemoody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mishack/i-never-believed-that-they-was-such-thing-as-love-at-first-sight-but/) [Mishack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mishack/) > [I do believe in love at first sight. I believe in a lot of thing. I truly believe everything happens for a reason, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-do-believe-in-love-at-first-sight-i-believe-in-a-lot-of-thing-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I had the love for the game at first sight. Growing up, I'd play anywhere, in any weather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-wan-bissaka/i-had-the-love-for-the-game-at-first-sight-growing-up-i-d-play/) [Aaron Wan-Bissaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-wan-bissaka/) > [I don't BeliEvE in lOvE at FirST SiGht ? because I BelIeVe in LoVe at EverY sIGHt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-believe-in-love-at-first-sight-because-i-believe-in-love-at/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometime when u meet somone u just click i don't believe in love at first sight, but I sure believe in the click](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiz/sometime-when-u-meet-somone-u-just-click-i-don-t-believe-in-love-at/) [Kiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiz/) > [It was love at first sight. Then I took a second look!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/it-was-love-at-first-sight-then-i-took-a-second-look/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [“Aah, man. Forty-one was far too fucking old for love at first sight. He might as well throw himself at her feet and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-scott/aah-man-forty-one-was-far-too-fucking-old-for-love-at-first-sight-he/) [Kylie Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-scott/) > [ p.61 He \[Roark\] was usually disliked, from the first sight of his face, anywhere he went. His face was closed like the door of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/p-61-he-roark-was-usually-disliked-from-the-first-sight-of-his-face/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [It was love at first sight. Until reality struck like lightning and burnt up everything leaving me with nothing but scars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-was-love-at-first-sight-until-reality-struck-like-lightning-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind, Two of us will help you, whichever you would find, One among us seven will let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/danger-lies-before-you-while-safety-lies-behind-two-of-us-will-help/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [When I was starting out, conceptual photography had become something that had to be amateur - like, that had to be black-and-white, or photocopied,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elad-lassry/when-i-was-starting-out-conceptual-photography-had-become-something/) [Elad Lassry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elad-lassry/) > [“Men often fall in love at first sight”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-archer/men-often-fall-in-love-at-first-sight/) [Jeffrey Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-archer/) > [I now believe in love at first sight. Especially after it's happened to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/i-now-believe-in-love-at-first-sight-especially-after-it-s-happened/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I don't really believe in love at first sight because your judging the person by their looks and usually the person is rude.I fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/destiny/i-don-t-really-believe-in-love-at-first-sight-because-your-judging/) [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/destiny/) [Browse all 594 First sight quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-sight/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Listen carefully. 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