--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He leveled his eyes at mine through the…" description: "\"“He leveled his eyes at mine through the darkness. “You asked me before if I could take away your memories. I can, and I wanted to. But taking them awa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79c/angela-b-wade-29525_darkness_he-leveled-his-eyes-at-mine-through-the_3123521.jpg" --- # He leveled his eyes at mine through the darkness. “You… ![“He leveled his eyes at mine through the darkness. “You asked me before if I could take away your memories. I can, and I wanted to. But taking them away wouldn’t have stopped what you were feeling. It just would’ve kept you from being able to understand. In the end the only thing I could do was let…” quote by Angela B. Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79c/angela-b-wade-29525_darkness_he-leveled-his-eyes-at-mine-through-the_3123521.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79c/angela-b-wade-29525_darkness_he-leveled-his-eyes-at-mine-through-the_3123521.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79c/angela-b-wade-29525_darkness_he-leveled-his-eyes-at-mine-through-the_3123521.jpg) > ““He leveled his eyes at mine through the darkness. “You asked me before if I could take away your memories. I can, and I wanted to. But taking them away wouldn’t have stopped what you were feeling. It just would’ve kept you from being able to understand. In the end the only thing I could do was let you go through whatever you had to go through and hope you were strong enough to make it to the other side. Turns out you’re pretty damn tough.”” [Angela B. Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-b-wade/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker believes that removing painful memories wouldn't stop the underlying feeling; true growth comes from confronting hardship and emerging stronger. **In simple terms:** Painful memories can't be erased; facing them builds strength. Key Takeaway Allow yourself to endure challenges to grow. Themes resilience pain growth Mood reflective hopeful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - therapy - personal crisis - grief - trauma recovery Key Concepts psychology emotional processing Questions to Reflect On - How can confronting pain lead to personal strength? - What does “letting go” truly mean? A Different Perspective Memory erasure may not address root causes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Darkness Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness-asked-5493718/) [Eyes Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes-darkness-896682/) [Leveled Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leveled-eyes-5493719/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Strong enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-enough/) ## Related quotes > [Faith is seeing the light with your heart when all your eyes see is darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usman-ismaheel/faith-is-seeing-the-light-with-your-heart-when-all-your-eyes-see-is/) [Usman Ismaheel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/usman-ismaheel/) > [“Marty coughed and spat a dark mass. Tears burned his eyes. The darkness grew darker. “No... help me!” And then”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lebbon/marty-coughed-and-spat-a-dark-mass-tears-burned-his-eyes-the-darkness/) [Tim Lebbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lebbon/) > [“This darkness is for sleeping, for escape; it's where I go when the other places ache with light; this is where I curl up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-pietrzyk/this-darkness-is-for-sleeping-for-escape-it-s-where-i-go-when-the/) [Leslie Pietrzyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-pietrzyk/) > [“Let us leave our old friend in one of those moments of unmixed happiness, of which, if we seek them, there are ever some,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/let-us-leave-our-old-friend-in-one-of-those-moments-of-unmixed-2/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Faith is seeing light with your heart when all your eyes see is darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/faith-is-seeing-light-with-your-heart-when-all-your-eyes-see-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As I open my eyes to the warmth of the morning sun, my day starts thinking of you, As I close my eyes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-i-open-my-eyes-to-the-warmth-of-the-morning-sun-my-day-starts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Power loves not the light of day, nor the attention of curious eyes. In darkness it thrives most...A lord may send his army hither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ruckley/power-loves-not-the-light-of-day-nor-the-attention-of-curious-eyes-in/) [Brian Ruckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ruckley/) > [“We are the eyes in the darkness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mladen-or-evi/we-are-the-eyes-in-the-darkness/) [Mladen Đorđević](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mladen-or-evi/) > [“The winter sky has already turned black, but I could still see Wesley's gray eyes in the darkness. They were exactly the color of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kody-keplinger/the-winter-sky-has-already-turned-black-but-i-could-still-see-wesley/) [Kody Keplinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kody-keplinger/) > [There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast. Some men, like bats or owls, have better eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-are-dark-shadows-on-the-earth-but-its-lights-are-stronger-in-2/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Every grievance you hold hides a little more of the light of the world from your eyes until the darkness becomes overwhelming. Everything you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/every-grievance-you-hold-hides-a-little-more-of-the-light-of-the/) [Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/) > [The sheer splendor of the sight made my chest tighten and tears sting my eyes. All the darkness lately made it easy to forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/the-sheer-splendor-of-the-sight-made-my-chest-tighten-and-tears-sting/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [He who sees without loving is only straining his eyes in the darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-maeterlinck/he-who-sees-without-loving-is-only-straining-his-eyes-in-the-darkness/) [Maurice Maeterlinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-maeterlinck/) > [These eyes can see through darkness clearly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mashi-kishimoto/these-eyes-can-see-through-darkness-clearly/) [Mashi Kishimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mashi-kishimoto/) > [“And this evening when I close my eyes against the darkness and think about her, I'll imagine iridescent wings fluttering, if only for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-stephan/and-this-evening-when-i-close-my-eyes-against-the-darkness-and-think/) [Nancy Stephan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-stephan/) ## More by Angela B. Wade > [“I twisted my body, suddenly unable to stand his hands on me. “Do you really think I give a damn what you are? That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-b-wade/i-twisted-my-body-suddenly-unable-to-stand-his-hands-on-me-do-you/) [Angela B. Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-b-wade/) > [“Daniel rested his hip on the counter, arms crossed, saying and offering nothing. “What? Are you thinking about sticking me with Luc permanently?” I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-b-wade/daniel-rested-his-hip-on-the-counter-arms-crossed-saying-and-offering/) [Angela B. Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-b-wade/) > [“I’m by myself,” she said finally. “No family to speak of.” “I see.” Leaning forward again, he rested his arms against the table. “That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-b-wade/i-m-by-myself-she-said-finally-no-family-to-speak-of-i-see-leaning/) [Angela B. Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-b-wade/) > [“What? You think your White Knight’s going to charge in and save the day? Not fucking likely. Nic’s locked up far away from anywhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-b-wade/what-you-think-your-white-knight-s-going-to-charge-in-and-save-the/) [Angela B. Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-b-wade/) > [“Then what’s the problem? You keep telling me she’s just a job. So, fine. The job’s done. You found her. You trained her. Now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-b-wade/then-what-s-the-problem-you-keep-telling-me-she-s-just-a-job-so-fine/) [Angela B. Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-b-wade/) > [“Belonging: that was the name for it. More tempting than sex and so far out of the question as to be unthinkable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-b-wade/belonging-that-was-the-name-for-it-more-tempting-than-sex-and-so-far/) [Angela B. Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-b-wade/) > [“That last night,” she said quietly. “Why did you say you hoped you'd never see me again?” He hadn’t said it; it had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-b-wade/that-last-night-she-said-quietly-why-did-you-say-you-hoped-you-d/) [Angela B. Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-b-wade/) > [“It had only been two days – two days – since he’d seen her last, and yet he’d missed her every step of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-b-wade/it-had-only-been-two-days-two-days-since-he-d-seen-her-last-and-yet/) [Angela B. Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-b-wade/) > [“When he’d woken that morning to find her gone, he’d used the time alone to clean himself up in every sense of the word.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-b-wade/when-he-d-woken-that-morning-to-find-her-gone-he-d-used-the-time/) [Angela B. Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-b-wade/) > [“Daniel came to sit beside me, ignoring my wariness and settling into the thin, worn cushion. “Who’d you think I was that first night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-b-wade/daniel-came-to-sit-beside-me-ignoring-my-wariness-and-settling-into/) [Angela B. Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-b-wade/) > [“Keep alone; keep alive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-b-wade/keep-alone-keep-alive/) [Angela B. Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-b-wade/) > [“How do you think I got to this point? Each day another step on an unending staircase? Months of searching, dredging through the filthiest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-b-wade/how-do-you-think-i-got-to-this-point-each-day-another-step-on-an/) [Angela B. Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-b-wade/) > [“He tasted like summertime - of wicked thunderstorms, fresh clover, and wild honeysuckle - and I had the sensation of falling, my stomach tumbling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-b-wade/he-tasted-like-summertime-of-wicked-thunderstorms-fresh-clover-and/) [Angela B. Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-b-wade/) > [“Nicholas wanted to scream until his throat bled. Or tear apart a wall of concrete with his bare hands. Anything – anything – to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-b-wade/nicholas-wanted-to-scream-until-his-throat-bled-or-tear-apart-a-wall/) [Angela B. Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-b-wade/) > [“I’m going to ask you a question,” I said. “And I want an answer this time, no dodging and no playing cryptic. Is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-b-wade/i-m-going-to-ask-you-a-question-i-said-and-i-want-an-answer-this-time/) [Angela B. Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-b-wade/) [Explore all 18 Angela B. Wade quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-b-wade/) ## More Darkness quotes > [“Narrative cannot sustain formlessness any more than light can sustain darkness - it is the antithesis of formlessness, and so it can never truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/narrative-cannot-sustain-formlessness-any-more-than-light-can-sustain/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“Wait here, wait here!" he cried and jumped up and began to run for help toward a cluster of lights he saw in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/wait-here-wait-here-he-cried-and-jumped-up-and-began-to-run-for-help/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [Strange - is it not? That of the myriads who Before us passed the door of Darkness through, Not one returns to tell us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/strange-is-it-not-that-of-the-myriads-who-before-us-passed-the-door/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Clear moments are so short. There is much more darkness. More ocean than terra firma. More shadow than form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-zagajewski/clear-moments-are-so-short-there-is-much-more-darkness-more-ocean/) [Adam Zagajewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-zagajewski/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“I promise to respect and protect your aloneness, knowing that everything created must have its period of darkness: child and bulb, poem and personality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/i-promise-to-respect-and-protect-your-aloneness-knowing-that/) [anne morrow lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [The beauty of darkness is how it lets you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/the-beauty-of-darkness-is-how-it-lets-you-see/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Even in darkness your lips taste of sunshine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/even-in-darkness-your-lips-taste-of-sunshine/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“Defy me not for gleam can only shine in my existence" said Darkness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defy-me-not-for-gleam-can-only-shine-in-my-existence-said-darkness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What does he look like? The question was soft- tentative. I knew who he meant. I interlaced my fingers through Rhysand's and squeezed tightly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/what-does-he-look-like-the-question-was-soft-tentative-i-knew-who-he/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) > [“Life is like coffee, the darker it gets, the more it energizes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankita-singhal/life-is-like-coffee-the-darker-it-gets-the-more-it-energizes/) [Ankita Singhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankita-singhal/) > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) [Nicole Gentile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-gentile/) [Browse all 8,219 Darkness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He leveled his eyes at mine through the darkness. “You asked me before if I could take away your memories. I can, and I wanted to. But taking them away wouldn’t have stopped what you were feeling. It just would’ve kept you from being able to understand. In the end the only thing I could do was let you go through whatever you had to go through and hope you were strong enough to make it to the other side. Turns out you’re pretty damn tough.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Angela B. Wade" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-b-wade/he-leveled-his-eyes-at-mine-through-the-darkness-you-asked-me-before/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Darkness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-b-wade/he-leveled-his-eyes-at-mine-through-the-darkness-you-asked-me-before/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79c/angela-b-wade-29525_darkness_he-leveled-his-eyes-at-mine-through-the_3123521.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79c/angela-b-wade-29525_darkness_he-leveled-his-eyes-at-mine-through-the_3123521.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79c/angela-b-wade-29525_darkness_he-leveled-his-eyes-at-mine-through-the_3123521.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He leveled his eyes at mine through the darkness. “You asked me before if I could take away your memories. I…” — Angela B. Wade", "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": "Angela B. Wade", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-b-wade/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“He leveled his eyes at mine...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-b-wade/he-leveled-his-eyes-at-mine-through-the-darkness-you-asked-me-before/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-b-wade/he-leveled-his-eyes-at-mine-through-the-darkness-you-asked-me-before/#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 } } ] } ```