--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The important thing is being capable of…" description: "\"The important thing is being capable of emotions, but to experience only one's own would be a sorry limitation.\" — Andre Gide" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9f/andre-gide-790_capable_the-important-thing-is-being-capable-of_547216.png" --- # The important thing is being capable of emotions, but to… ![“The important thing is being capable of emotions, but to experience only one's own would be a sorry limitation.” quote by Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9f/andre-gide-790_capable_the-important-thing-is-being-capable-of_547216.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9f/andre-gide-790_capable_the-important-thing-is-being-capable-of_547216.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9f/andre-gide-790_capable_the-important-thing-is-being-capable-of_547216.png) > “The important thing is being capable of emotions, but to experience only one's own would be a sorry limitation.” [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emotions are essential, yet limiting oneself to only personal feelings restricts growth and empathy. **In simple terms:** Feeling only your own emotions limits understanding. Key Takeaway Seek broader emotional experiences. Themes empathy growth self-awareness Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal relationships - artistic expression - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How can you broaden your emotional horizon? - What benefits arise from feeling others' emotions? A Different Perspective Personal bias can blind you to others' perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capable/) [Capable Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capable-emotions-4563631/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Diversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversity/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Emotional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional/) [Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions/) [Emotions Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions-experience-1406169/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Limitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limitation/) [Social justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-justice/) [Sorry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorry/) [Sorry Limitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorry-limitation-4563632/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [“Emotions, in my experience, aren't covered by single words. I don't believe in 'sadness,' 'joy,' or 'regret' . . . It oversimplifies feeling. I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/emotions-in-my-experience-aren-t-covered-by-single-words-i-don-t-5/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“Emotions, in my experience, aren’t covered by single words. I don’t believe in “sadness,” “joy,” or “regret.” Maybe the best proof that the language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/emotions-in-my-experience-aren-t-covered-by-single-words-i-don-t-4/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“Emotions, in my experience, aren't covered by single words. I don't believe in "sadness," "joy," or "regret." Maybe the best proof that the language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/emotions-in-my-experience-aren-t-covered-by-single-words-i-don-t-3/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“Poems are not often simply emotions but One has enough emotions -- they're experience Experience themselves are not important…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-suba-natarajan/poems-are-not-often-simply-emotions-but-one-has-enough-emotions-they/) [Angela Suba Natarajan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-suba-natarajan/) > [Outwardly I am 83, but inwardly I am every age, with the emotions and experience of each period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-jane-coatsworth/outwardly-i-am-83-but-inwardly-i-am-every-age-with-the-emotions-and/) [Elizabeth Jane Coatsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-jane-coatsworth/) > [If you think about it, when you listen to music, music makes you cry. It makes you happy. It makes you dance. It makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zak-bagans/if-you-think-about-it-when-you-listen-to-music-music-makes-you-cry-it/) [Zak Bagans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zak-bagans/) > [God gave me emotions so I could experience life, not destroy it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/god-gave-me-emotions-so-i-could-experience-life-not-destroy-it/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [What emotions would we experience if we weren't working ourselves to death? What wishes drive us? What fantasies hitch themselves to our continual busyness?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/what-emotions-would-we-experience-if-we-weren-t-working-ourselves-to/) [Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/) > [Emotions, in my experience, aren't covered by single words. I don't believe in "sadness", "joy", or "regret". Maybe the best proof that the language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/emotions-in-my-experience-aren-t-covered-by-single-words-i-don-t-2/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [You have to simply admire the intense emotions one can experience when a Picture can make you relive the best moments of your life...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mendoza/you-have-to-simply-admire-the-intense-emotions-one-can-experience/) [Jose Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mendoza/) > [Being able to channel my creativity, emotions and experience through a character was and is freedom for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/april-parker-jones/being-able-to-channel-my-creativity-emotions-and-experience-through-a/) [April Parker Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/april-parker-jones/) > [The Americans say that we are ungrateful-but I ask them for heaven's sake, what should we be grateful to them for-for murdering our fathers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-walker/the-americans-say-that-we-are-ungrateful-but-i-ask-them-for-heaven-s/) [David Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-walker/) > [Why should anyone think a white skin superior in evaluating the qualities of human life? I did not really admire a white skin so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/why-should-anyone-think-a-white-skin-superior-in-evaluating-the/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [Have therefore zeal to better thyself and then mayst thou have zeal to thy neighbor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/have-therefore-zeal-to-better-thyself-and-then-mayst-thou-have-zeal/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [The teacher is one who makes two ideas grow where only one grew before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-teacher-is-one-who-makes-two-ideas-grow-where-only-one-grew-before/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) ## More by Andre Gide > [Without mysticism man can achieve nothing great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/without-mysticism-man-can-achieve-nothing-great/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“The things one feels are different about oneself are the things that are rare, that give each person their value - and these are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/the-things-one-feels-are-different-about-oneself-are-the-things-that/) [André Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [I believe that in every circumstance I have been able to see rather clearly the most advantageous course I could follow, which is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/i-believe-that-in-every-circumstance-i-have-been-able-to-see-rather/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [Know thyself. A maxim as pernicious as it is ugly. Whoever studies himself arrest his own development. A caterpillar who seeks to know himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/know-thyself-a-maxim-as-pernicious-as-it-is-ugly-whoever-studies/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“There is a germ of revolt lying in the spirit of inquiry and critical curiosity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/there-is-a-germ-of-revolt-lying-in-the-spirit-of-inquiry-and-critical/) [André Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [Oh, would that my mind could let fall its dead ideas, as the tree does its withered leaves!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/oh-would-that-my-mind-could-let-fall-its-dead-ideas-as-the-tree-does/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [God lies ahead. I convince myself and constantly repeat to myself that: He depends on us. It is through us that God is achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/god-lies-ahead-i-convince-myself-and-constantly-repeat-to-myself-that/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“Welcome everything that comes to you, but do not long for anything else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/welcome-everything-that-comes-to-you-but-do-not-long-for-anything-else/) [André Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [There are many things that seem impossible only so long as one does not attempt them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/there-are-many-things-that-seem-impossible-only-so-long-as-one-does/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [Envying another man's happiness is madness; you wouldn't know what to do with it if you had it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/envying-another-man-s-happiness-is-madness-you-wouldn-t-know-what-to/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [So long as we live among men, let us cherish humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/so-long-as-we-live-among-men-let-us-cherish-humanity/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [It is one of life's laws that as soon as one door closes another opens. But the tragedy is we look at the closed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/it-is-one-of-life-s-laws-that-as-soon-as-one-door-closes-another/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“What would a narrative of happiness be like? All that can be described is what prepares it, and then what destroys it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/what-would-a-narrative-of-happiness-be-like-all-that-can-be-described/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [It is with noble sentiments that bad literature gets written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/it-is-with-noble-sentiments-that-bad-literature-gets-written/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“C'est dans l'extraordinaire que je me sens le plus naturel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/c-est-dans-l-extraordinaire-que-je-me-sens-le-plus-naturel/) [André Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) [Explore all 304 Andre Gide quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) ## More Capable quotes > [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/) [Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/) > [Everybody is different. Some writers can write reams of great books and then J. D. Salinger wrote just a few. Beethoven wrote nine symphonies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/everybody-is-different-some-writers-can-write-reams-of-great-books/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [People are capable of great, great change during the span of one lifetime. And women even more than men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/people-are-capable-of-great-great-change-during-the-span-of-one/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [But, outside of being a sweet little girl, she was awfully dumb and capable of doing horrible things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/but-outside-of-being-a-sweet-little-girl-she-was-awfully-dumb-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I was terrible student. I was capable, but I never like being told what to do, so I was always in the bottom class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lilley/i-was-terrible-student-i-was-capable-but-i-never-like-being-told-what/) [Chris Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lilley/) > [Not everyone is capable of madness; and of those lucky enough to be capable, not many have the courage for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/not-everyone-is-capable-of-madness-and-of-those-lucky-enough-to-be/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [ \[The Community's\] crosses and trials give me confidence. 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