---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If only. Isn’t that what we all ask…"
description: "\"“If only. Isn’t that what we all ask ourselves at one time or another? If I had to guess, the question of if only has never left my mind. Ten years is ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77f/amy-matayo-30902_long-time_if-only-isn-t-that-what-we-all-ask-ourse_430429.jpg"
---

#  If only. Isn’t that what we all ask ourselves at one time…

![“If only. Isn’t that what we all ask ourselves at one time or another? If I had to guess, the question of if only has never left my mind. Ten years is a long time to live without answers. Hurt can’t overtake you when you raise a white flag of surrender.” quote by Amy Matayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77f/amy-matayo-30902_long-time_if-only-isn-t-that-what-we-all-ask-ourse_430429.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77f/amy-matayo-30902_long-time_if-only-isn-t-that-what-we-all-ask-ourse_430429.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77f/amy-matayo-30902_long-time_if-only-isn-t-that-what-we-all-ask-ourse_430429.jpg)

> ““If only. Isn’t that what we all ask ourselves at one time or another? If I had to guess, the question of if only has never left my mind. Ten years is a long time to live without answers. Hurt can’t overtake you when you raise a white flag of surrender.””

[Amy Matayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-matayo/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote reflects on lingering existential doubts and the struggle to find answers over time, using surrender as a metaphor for vulnerability.

**In simple terms:** We often wonder "if only" and feel stuck without answers.

Key Takeaway

Accept uncertainty and seek growth despite doubt.

Themes

existential self-doubt resilience

Mood

contemplative melancholic

Type

reflective philosophical

When to use this quote

- personal reflection
- long-term planning
- mental health
- creative projects

Key Concepts

philosophy psychology metaphor

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you confront lingering doubts?
- What does surrender mean to you?

A Different Perspective

Surrender may be seen as weakness, not strength.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [White flag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-flag/)

## Related quotes

> [“I think we’ve both seen this coming for a long… time. The only question left is… what are we going to do about it?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-think-we-ve-both-seen-this-coming-for-a-long-time-the-only-question/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [The only question left to be settled now is: Are women persons? And I hardly believe any of our opponents will have the hardihood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/the-only-question-left-to-be-settled-now-is-are-women-persons-and-i/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [The only question left to be settled now is: Are women persons?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/the-only-question-left-to-be-settled-now-is-are-women-persons/)

[Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/)

> [“Why?" The question left Luce's lips as a growl. "Why is it different now?" "Because of you," Abaddon said. "Losing someone special in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/why-the-question-left-luce-s-lips-as-a-growl-why-is-it-different-now/)

[J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/)

> [“There comes a time in life when you have two choices: either take a step back and let go a bit, or move forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/there-comes-a-time-in-life-when-you-have-two-choices-either-take-a/)

[Amy Matayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-matayo/)

> [“Twenty years was a long time. But Tengo knew that if he were to meet Aomame in another twenty years, he would feel the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/twenty-years-was-a-long-time-but-tengo-knew-that-if-he-were-to-meet/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [I have not had a drink for four years, which for me is a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-mcgillis/i-have-not-had-a-drink-for-four-years-which-for-me-is-a-long-time/)

[Kelly McGillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-mcgillis/)

> [A career of nearly 40 years, is not very long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/a-career-of-nearly-40-years-is-not-very-long/)

[David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/)

> [and I circle ten thousand years long; And I still don't know if I'm a falcon, a storm, or an unfinished song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/and-i-circle-ten-thousand-years-long-and-i-still-don-t-know-if-i-m-a/)

[Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/)

> [Love lasts about seven years. That's how long it takes for the cells of the body to totally replace themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-lasts-about-seven-years-that-s-how-long-it-takes-for-the-cells/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I'm there for 15 years - there's no one else for that long in the UFC. I'm grateful for everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mauricio-rua/i-m-there-for-15-years-there-s-no-one-else-for-that-long-in-the-ufc-i/)

[Mauricio Rua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mauricio-rua/)

> [Although I was only 25 years old, I had been at Chelsea for five years. So, I was there long enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar/although-i-was-only-25-years-old-i-had-been-at-chelsea-for-five-years/)

[Oscar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar/)

> [Four years is a long time. You really get to know somebody in that time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-oubre-jr/four-years-is-a-long-time-you-really-get-to-know-somebody-in-that-time/)

[Kelly Oubre, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-oubre-jr/)

> [At college, I felt frustrated thinking three years was a long time and I just wanted a job but afterwards I was in employment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bailey/at-college-i-felt-frustrated-thinking-three-years-was-a-long-time-and/)

[Bill Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bailey/)

> [I still love what I do and I've done OK over the years ... You're a long time retired and anyway, I'd get bored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-cummings/i-still-love-what-i-do-and-i-ve-done-ok-over-the-years-you-re-a-long/)

Bart Cummings

## More by Amy Matayo

> [“God is the one who puts dreams inside you. So you'd better chase them fast, before He decides to let them chase you instead…Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/god-is-the-one-who-puts-dreams-inside-you-so-you-d-better-chase-them/)

[Amy Matayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-matayo/)

> [“There comes a point in everyone's life when the only thing you can manage to do is sit. To sit and stare. To sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/there-comes-a-point-in-everyone-s-life-when-the-only-thing-you-can/)

[Amy Matayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-matayo/)

> [“I blink at the skyline visible through the window, knowing the only thing waiting out there for me is a funeral home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/i-blink-at-the-skyline-visible-through-the-window-knowing-the-only/)

[Amy Matayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-matayo/)

> [“You can ask why all day long if you want to. You can ask God why and your friends why and yourself why until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/you-can-ask-why-all-day-long-if-you-want-to-you-can-ask-god-why-and/)

[Amy Matayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-matayo/)

> [“You might not be able to run a paintbrush over unpleasant memories, but you can certainly cover them with a black cloth and pretend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/you-might-not-be-able-to-run-a-paintbrush-over-unpleasant-memories/)

[Amy Matayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-matayo/)

> [“Last words. They can kill you with their lack of meaning, slay you with the absence of thoughtfulness, shackle you to a career of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/last-words-they-can-kill-you-with-their-lack-of-meaning-slay-you-with/)

[Amy Matayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-matayo/)

> [“. . . because she knows the secret: that humans need contact to thrive, that a broken heart is only one crack away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/because-she-knows-the-secret-that-humans-need-contact-to-thrive-that/)

[Amy Matayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-matayo/)

> [“I'm more excited than I'll admit when my hand closes around the paperback. It's like I've been handed a secret, a piece of her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/i-m-more-excited-than-i-ll-admit-when-my-hand-closes-around-the/)

[Amy Matayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-matayo/)

> [“There comes a time in life when you have two choices: either take a step back and let go a bit, or move forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/there-comes-a-time-in-life-when-you-have-two-choices-either-take-a/)

[Amy Matayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-matayo/)

> [“No matter how hard life gets, there's always goodness right around the corner. All you have to do is look for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/no-matter-how-hard-life-gets-there-s-always-goodness-right-around-the/)

[Amy Matayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-matayo/)

> [“Say what you will about seeing the bright side in every situation, but sometimes there is no bright side. Sometimes the only thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/say-what-you-will-about-seeing-the-bright-side-in-every-situation-but/)

[Amy Matayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-matayo/)

> [“You'll never be ready. Some things you just have to deal with head on and see what happens. You can't save anything if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/you-ll-never-be-ready-some-things-you-just-have-to-deal-with-head-on/)

[Amy Matayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-matayo/)

> [“Don't let the whys have it. Don't let them take advantage of you. They'll crush your heart and steal your peace and mess with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/don-t-let-the-whys-have-it-don-t-let-them-take-advantage-of-you-they/)

[Amy Matayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-matayo/)

> [“Some people have the Midas touch, other’s dip their fingers in sticky, permanent black ink, Smudged. Unlucky.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/some-people-have-the-midas-touch-other-s-dip-their-fingers-in-sticky/)

[Amy Matayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-matayo/)

> [“When you hit your lowest point, you have two choices: stay down and let the circumstances drown you, or find your footing and kick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/when-you-hit-your-lowest-point-you-have-two-choices-stay-down-and-let/)

[Amy Matayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-matayo/)

[Explore all 17 Amy Matayo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-matayo/)

## More Long time quotes

> [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/)

[Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/)

> [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/)

[Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/)

> [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/)

> [Forever is a really long time, you know? What do you do with forever?" "The same thing you do when you don't have forever."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/forever-is-a-really-long-time-you-know-what-do-you-do-with-forever/)

[Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/)

> [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/)

James T. Conway

> [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/)

[Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/)

> [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/)

[Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/)

> [“For a very long time, Viviane and Jack lived in that world people inhabit before love. Some people called that place friendship; others called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslye-walton/for-a-very-long-time-viviane-and-jack-lived-in-that-world-people/)

[Leslye Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslye-walton/)

> [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/)

[Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/)

> [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/)

[John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/)

> [I've been around in public life for a long time. I think people know what I stand for. They know that I have strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-turnbull/i-ve-been-around-in-public-life-for-a-long-time-i-think-people-know/)

[Malcolm Turnbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-turnbull/)

> [“For a long time before I met you, I felt my life was this kind of test. I was in deep, cold water, swimming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-raeder/for-a-long-time-before-i-met-you-i-felt-my-life-was-this-kind-of-test/)

[Leah Raeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-raeder/)

> [“If you go to bed too early and get up too late you probably won't sleep especially well. This could show up as either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-a-lewis/if-you-go-to-bed-too-early-and-get-up-too-late-you-probably-won-t/)

[Penelope A. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-a-lewis/)

> [I have been famous for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-beatty/i-have-been-famous-for-a-long-time/)

[Warren Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-beatty/)

> [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

Browse all 9,064 Long time quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“If only. Isn’t that what we all ask ourselves at one time or another? If I had to guess, the question of if only has never left my mind. Ten years is a long time to live without answers. Hurt can’t overtake you when you raise a white flag of surrender.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Amy Matayo"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/if-only-isn-t-that-what-we-all-ask-ourselves-at-one-time-or-another/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Long time"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/if-only-isn-t-that-what-we-all-ask-ourselves-at-one-time-or-another/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77f/amy-matayo-30902_long-time_if-only-isn-t-that-what-we-all-ask-ourse_430429.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77f/amy-matayo-30902_long-time_if-only-isn-t-that-what-we-all-ask-ourse_430429.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77f/amy-matayo-30902_long-time_if-only-isn-t-that-what-we-all-ask-ourse_430429.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If only. Isn’t that what we all ask ourselves at one time or another? If I had to guess, the question of if…” — Amy Matayo",
                "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": "Amy Matayo",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-matayo/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“If only. Isn’t that what we...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/if-only-isn-t-that-what-we-all-ask-ourselves-at-one-time-or-another/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-matayo/if-only-isn-t-that-what-we-all-ask-ourselves-at-one-time-or-another/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
