--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is easy to sympathize at a distance,'…" description: "\"It is easy to sympathize at a distance,' said an old gentleman with a beard. 'I value more the kind word that is spoken close to my ear.\" — Anonymous" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55c/anonymous-1_beard_it-is-easy-to-sympathize-at-a-distance-s_3146383.jpg" --- # It is easy to sympathize at a distance,' said an old… ![“It is easy to sympathize at a distance,' said an old gentleman with a beard. 'I value more the kind word that is spoken close to my ear.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55c/anonymous-1_beard_it-is-easy-to-sympathize-at-a-distance-s_3146383.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55c/anonymous-1_beard_it-is-easy-to-sympathize-at-a-distance-s_3146383.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55c/anonymous-1_beard_it-is-easy-to-sympathize-at-a-distance-s_3146383.jpg) > “It is easy to sympathize at a distance,' said an old gentleman with a beard. 'I value more the kind word that is spoken close to my ear.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Close, sincere words matter more than distant sympathy. **In simple terms:** Kind words nearby matter more. Key Takeaway Speak kindly in person. Themes kindness communication authenticity Mood thoughtful warm Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - personal advice - customer service - family gatherings Key Concepts empathy human connection Questions to Reflect On - How do you convey kindness from afar? - When is distant sympathy sufficient? A Different Perspective Physical proximity may not always be possible, limiting impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gentleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentleman/) [Kind word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind-word/) [Kind words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind-words/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [It is easy to sympathize with the MIS staffs around the world, I mean who hasn't lost work due to Windows or a Microsoft…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dibona/it-is-easy-to-sympathize-with-the-mis-staffs-around-the-world-i-mean/) [Chris DiBona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dibona/) > [The two most powerful things in existence: a kind word and a thoughtful gesture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-langone/the-two-most-powerful-things-in-existence-a-kind-word-and-a/) Kenneth Langone > [They say, You can't give a smile away; it always comes back. The same is true of a kind word or a conversation starter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-roane/they-say-you-can-t-give-a-smile-away-it-always-comes-back-the-same-is/) [Susan RoAne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-roane/) > [Many a friendship - long, loyal, and self-sacrificing - rested at first upon no thicker a foundation than a kind word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-faber/many-a-friendship-long-loyal-and-self-sacrificing-rested-at-first/) [Frederick William Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-faber/) > [Sometimes all it takes is a kind word of encouragement to get your heroes back on the right path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-duarte/sometimes-all-it-takes-is-a-kind-word-of-encouragement-to-get-your/) [Nancy Duarte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-duarte/) > [You can do more with a kind word and a gun than with just a kind word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-capone/you-can-do-more-with-a-kind-word-and-a-gun-than-with-just-a-kind-word/) [Al Capone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-capone/) > [If we must part for ever, Give me but one kind word to think upon, And please myself withal, whilst my heart's breaking!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-otway/if-we-must-part-for-ever-give-me-but-one-kind-word-to-think-upon-and/) [Thomas Otway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-otway/) > [Never lose a chance of saying a kind word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/never-lose-a-chance-of-saying-a-kind-word/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Always say a kind word if you can, if only that it may come in, perhaps, with singular opportuneness, entering some mournful man's darkened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/always-say-a-kind-word-if-you-can-if-only-that-it-may-come-in-perhaps/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [Be nice to people whether you mean it or not. 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Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Believe in miracles but don't depend on them. When you hear kind word spoken about a friend, tell him so. Spoil your spouse, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/believe-in-miracles-but-don-t-depend-on-them-when-you-hear-kind-word/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [A little attention, a pat on the head, and a kind word every now and then is all your dog asks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-sabin/a-little-attention-a-pat-on-the-head-and-a-kind-word-every-now-and/) [Louis Sabin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-sabin/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Beard quotes > [A beard is something that is almost like a mirror to the viewer. When someone sees you wearing a beard, they're seeing something in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/a-beard-is-something-that-is-almost-like-a-mirror-to-the-viewer-when/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [“Nay! Faith, let me not play a woman! I have a beard coming!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/nay-faith-let-me-not-play-a-woman-i-have-a-beard-coming/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The barman sidled toward them out of a back room. He was a grump-looking old man with a great deal of a long gray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-barman-sidled-toward-them-out-of-a-back-room-he-was-a-grump/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was born with a beard. We're quite hairy down in Latin America. We don't have to use sponges when we wash dishes. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devendra-banhart/i-was-born-with-a-beard-we-re-quite-hairy-down-in-latin-america-we/) [Devendra Banhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devendra-banhart/) > [“beard framing a face that had started to show his age, weathered and lined from years”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allibone/beard-framing-a-face-that-had-started-to-show-his-age-weathered-and/) Richard Allibone > [If I can play, and change the mind of one person about being a Muslim player and having a beard, then I'll feel as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moeen-ali/if-i-can-play-and-change-the-mind-of-one-person-about-being-a-muslim/) [Moeen Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moeen-ali/) > [“Pride is like a beard. It is just keeps growing; the solution?- Shave it every day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ong/pride-is-like-a-beard-it-is-just-keeps-growing-the-solution-shave-it/) George Ong > [“I have no idea why this is. I’m sure somebody with a beard and too much time on their hands would say it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-spalding/i-have-no-idea-why-this-is-i-m-sure-somebody-with-a-beard-and-too/) [Nick Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-spalding/) > [They were bullyin' him, Hermione, 'cause he's so small!" said Hagrid. "Small?" said Hermione. "Small?" "Hermione, I couldn't leave him," said Hagrid, tears now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-were-bullyin-him-hermione-cause-he-s-so-small-said-hagrid-small/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Allow me," said the elf, proffering Gimlet's beard to Frito, who was now sneezing uncontrollably.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-harvard-lampoon/allow-me-said-the-elf-proffering-gimlet-s-beard-to-frito-who-was-now/) [The Harvard Lampoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-harvard-lampoon/) > [Never insult a mans beard, you either get thunder or lightning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/never-insult-a-mans-beard-you-either-get-thunder-or-lightning/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [If we didn't live venturously, plucking the wild goat by the beard, and trembling over precipices, we should never be depressed, I've no doubt;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/if-we-didn-t-live-venturously-plucking-the-wild-goat-by-the-beard-and/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [If I had to choose between the two ways of approaching the deity, I should prefer the existential relational way, to the abstract philosophical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/if-i-had-to-choose-between-the-two-ways-of-approaching-the-deity-i/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [“Shave that Moses beard and you might have better luck. 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