--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The shortest distance between truth and a…" description: "\"“The shortest distance between truth and a human being is a story.”\" — Anthony de Mello" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/anthony-de-mello-1331_inspirational_the-shortest-distance-between-truth-and_2241925.png" --- # The shortest distance between truth and a human being is a… ![“The shortest distance between truth and a human being is a story.” quote by Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/anthony-de-mello-1331_inspirational_the-shortest-distance-between-truth-and_2241925.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/anthony-de-mello-1331_inspirational_the-shortest-distance-between-truth-and_2241925.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/anthony-de-mello-1331_inspirational_the-shortest-distance-between-truth-and_2241925.png) > ““The shortest distance between truth and a human being is a story.”” [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stories bridge the gap between abstract truth and human experience, making understanding accessible. **In simple terms:** Stories connect truth to people. Key Takeaway Use stories to convey complex ideas. Themes communication storytelling truth Mood engaging insightful Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - teaching - leadership - therapy Key Concepts narrative theory human cognition Questions to Reflect On - What story best illustrates a truth you hold? - How can stories mislead? A Different Perspective Stories can oversimplify nuanced truths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Distance Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distance-truth-2090182/) [Human Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-story/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-human-269465/) ## Related quotes > [You have to understand, my dears, that the shortest distance between truth and a human being is a story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-have-to-understand-my-dears-that-the-shortest-distance-between/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [It's amazing how much distance one truth can create between two people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/it-s-amazing-how-much-distance-one-truth-can-create-between-two-people/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“It's the basic truth of the human condition: everybody lies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/house/it-s-the-basic-truth-of-the-human-condition-everybody-lies/) [house](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/house/) > [“For the truth is ... that human beings have neither kindness, nor faith, nor charity beyond what serves to increase the pleasure of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/for-the-truth-is-that-human-beings-have-neither-kindness-nor-faith/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [It's a basic truth of the human condition that everybody lies. The only variable is about what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/it-s-a-basic-truth-of-the-human-condition-that-everybody-lies-the/) [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) > [In whatever adulation you get, there's truth and there's not truth. And wherever they dog you, and they say it was horrible - there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/in-whatever-adulation-you-get-there-s-truth-and-there-s-not-truth-and/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [I'm simply trying to tell the truth about human behaviour as I see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kane/i-m-simply-trying-to-tell-the-truth-about-human-behaviour-as-i-see-it/) [Sarah Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kane/) > [To really know the truth about any human being on earth, never assume and don't ask other people. If you can't trust them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/to-really-know-the-truth-about-any-human-being-on-earth-never-assume/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [A good song deals with the human condition, and the truth of the human condition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmylou-harris/a-good-song-deals-with-the-human-condition-and-the-truth-of-the-human/) [Emmylou Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmylou-harris/) > [I believe that a writer has to tell what they think is the truth in a human experience. The truth of the human experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/i-believe-that-a-writer-has-to-tell-what-they-think-is-the-truth-in-a/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [“Who is this historian who can say that he's telling the whole truth and nothing but the whole truth. Nobody, because you're human.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teodoro-a-agoncillo/who-is-this-historian-who-can-say-that-he-s-telling-the-whole-truth/) [Teodoro A. Agoncillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teodoro-a-agoncillo/) > [“Truth in the human world, is constructed, defined and then reconstructed by the human self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/truth-in-the-human-world-is-constructed-defined-and-then/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Take a good long look at human beings in their actual practices and motives; bring the utmost psychological and bio-economic factors to bear on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/take-a-good-long-look-at-human-beings-in-their-actual-practices-and/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [Justice is inseparable from truth in human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seyyed-hossein-nasr/justice-is-inseparable-from-truth-in-human-life/) [Seyyed Hossein Nasr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seyyed-hossein-nasr/) > [Any opportunity to reveal truth, human truth, is exciting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-hechinger/any-opportunity-to-reveal-truth-human-truth-is-exciting/) [Fred Hechinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-hechinger/) ## More by Anthony de Mello > [The poor think they will be happy when they become rich. The rich think they will be happy when they are rid of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-poor-think-they-will-be-happy-when-they-become-rich-the-rich/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You only change what you understand. What you do not understand and are not aware of, you repress. You dont change. But when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-only-change-what-you-understand-what-you-do-not-understand-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [A zealous disciple expressed a desire to teach others the Truth and asked the Master what he thought about this. The Master said, "Wait."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-zealous-disciple-expressed-a-desire-to-teach-others-the-truth-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [As the Arabs say, "The nature of rain is the same, but it makes thorns grow in the marshes and flowers in the gardens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/as-the-arabs-say-the-nature-of-rain-is-the-same-but-it-makes-thorns/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Sinners often speak the truth. And saints have led people astray. Examine what is said, not the one who says it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/sinners-often-speak-the-truth-and-saints-have-led-people-astray/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Isn't there such a thing as social liberation?" "Of course there is," said the Master. "How would you describe it?" "Liberation from the need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/isn-t-there-such-a-thing-as-social-liberation-of-course-there-is-said/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [The important thing is not to know who "I" is or what "I" is. You'll never succeed. There are no words for it. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-important-thing-is-not-to-know-who-i-is-or-what-i-is-you-ll-never/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [And increasingly - you know this and so do I we're losing the youth everywhere. They hate us; they are not interested in having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/and-increasingly-you-know-this-and-so-do-i-we-re-losing-the-youth/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Spirituality practiced in the state of activity is incomparably superior to that practiced in a state of withdrawel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/spirituality-practiced-in-the-state-of-activity-is-incomparably/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You know, all mystics - Catholic, Christian, non-Christian, no matter what their theology, no matter what their religion - are unanimous on one thing:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-know-all-mystics-catholic-christian-non-christian-no-matter-what/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [There were rules in the monastery, but the Master always warned against the tyranny of the law. 'Obedience keeps the rules,' he would say.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/there-were-rules-in-the-monastery-but-the-master-always-warned/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [A disciple, in his reverence for the Master, looked upon him as God incarnate. "Tell me, O Master," he said, "why you have come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-disciple-in-his-reverence-for-the-master-looked-upon-him-as-god/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [“And how about you? Do you want to understand and play the game of life or fool around with miracles?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/and-how-about-you-do-you-want-to-understand-and-play-the-game-of-life/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You don't have to add anything in order to be happy; you've got to drop something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-don-t-have-to-add-anything-in-order-to-be-happy-you-ve-got-to/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Rare indeed, is the relationship in which the other is not cultivated for what one can get for oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/rare-indeed-is-the-relationship-in-which-the-other-is-not-cultivated/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) [Explore all 253 Anthony de Mello quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## More Inspirational quotes > [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/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [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/) > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/) [Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) [Browse all 114,561 Inspirational quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The shortest distance between truth and a human being is a story.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anthony de Mello" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-shortest-distance-between-truth-and-a-human-being-is-a-story/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Inspirational" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-shortest-distance-between-truth-and-a-human-being-is-a-story/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/anthony-de-mello-1331_inspirational_the-shortest-distance-between-truth-and_2241925.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/anthony-de-mello-1331_inspirational_the-shortest-distance-between-truth-and_2241925.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/723/anthony-de-mello-1331_inspirational_the-shortest-distance-between-truth-and_2241925.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The shortest distance between truth and a human being is a story.” — Anthony de Mello", "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": "Anthony de Mello", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The shortest distance between truth and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-shortest-distance-between-truth-and-a-human-being-is-a-story/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-shortest-distance-between-truth-and-a-human-being-is-a-story/#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 } } ] } ```