--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have to understand, my dears, that…" description: "\"You have to understand, my dears, that the shortest distance between truth and a human being is a story.\" — Anthony de Mello" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3de/anthony-de-mello-1331_distance_you-have-to-understand-my-dears-that-the_2119193.png" --- # You have to understand, my dears, that the shortest… ![“You have to understand, my dears, that the shortest distance between truth and a human being is a story.” quote by Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3de/anthony-de-mello-1331_distance_you-have-to-understand-my-dears-that-the_2119193.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3de/anthony-de-mello-1331_distance_you-have-to-understand-my-dears-that-the_2119193.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3de/anthony-de-mello-1331_distance_you-have-to-understand-my-dears-that-the_2119193.png) > “You have to understand, my dears, that 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 personal experience, making ideas relatable. **In simple terms:** Stories make truth relatable. Key Takeaway Use narratives to convey ideas. Themes communication storytelling truth Mood engaging thoughtful Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - Teaching - public speaking - marketing - personal counseling Key Concepts Narrative psychology cognitive empathy Questions to Reflect On - How can you ensure stories preserve nuance? - When might facts be better than stories? A Different Perspective Stories can oversimplify complex truths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Distance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distance/) [Distance Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distance-truth-2090182/) [Human Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-story/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-human-269465/) [Understand Dears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-dears-4314407/) ## Related quotes > [“The shortest distance between truth and a human being is a story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-shortest-distance-between-truth-and-a-human-being-is-a-story/) [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 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/) > [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/) > [“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/) > [“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/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [“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/) ## 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 Distance quotes > [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/) > [I raised another shot. "That sound you hear is the heads of moral conservatives spontaneously exploding in the distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thurman/i-raised-another-shot-that-sound-you-hear-is-the-heads-of-moral/) [Rob Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thurman/) > [I think hair gel was invented to make it easier to identify assholes from a distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-think-hair-gel-was-invented-to-make-it-easier-to-identify-assholes/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [Distance sometimes endears friendship, and absence sweeteneth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howell/distance-sometimes-endears-friendship-and-absence-sweeteneth-it/) [James Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howell/) > [Prison experience puts distance between me and any person who hasn't been there, done that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-mcconnell/prison-experience-puts-distance-between-me-and-any-person-who-hasn-t/) [Patricia McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-mcconnell/) > [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [When somebody mentions that I did a play with George C. Scott, I'm like, it can't have happened. What was I doing on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dano/when-somebody-mentions-that-i-did-a-play-with-george-c-scott-i-m-like/) [Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dano/) > [She watched the prairies the rivers, the towns slipping past at an untouchable distance below - and she noted that the sense of detachment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/she-watched-the-prairies-the-rivers-the-towns-slipping-past-at-an/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Memories seem to surface in no particular order, with no time attached. Yesterday can seem as distant as last year. My life now consists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-olsson/memories-seem-to-surface-in-no-particular-order-with-no-time-attached/) [Linda Olsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-olsson/) > [I've never bought this idea of taking a therapeutic distance. If I see a student or house staff cry, I take great faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/i-ve-never-bought-this-idea-of-taking-a-therapeutic-distance-if-i-see/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [Combining the experience of a seasoned university president with the analysis of a respected legal scholar, Derek Bok explores what he concludes are 'signs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-h-t-rhodes/combining-the-experience-of-a-seasoned-university-president-with-the/) [Frank H. T. Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-h-t-rhodes/) > [To be a champion long-distance runner you have to run on the edge of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toshihiko-seko/to-be-a-champion-long-distance-runner-you-have-to-run-on-the-edge-of/) [Toshihiko Seko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toshihiko-seko/) > [The sectaries of a persecuted religion, depressed by fear, animated with resentment, and perhaps heated by enthusiasm, are seldom in a proper temper of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-sectaries-of-a-persecuted-religion-depressed-by-fear-animated/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Within walking distance of any spot on Earth there's probably more than enough mystery to investigate in a lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alix-kates-shulman/within-walking-distance-of-any-spot-on-earth-there-s-probably-more/) [Alix Kates Shulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alix-kates-shulman/) > [It takes a little more time to get into the role, but not very much more. In making a record you don't have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-callas/it-takes-a-little-more-time-to-get-into-the-role-but-not-very-much/) [Maria Callas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-callas/) [Browse all 3,296 Distance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You have to understand, my dears, that 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/you-have-to-understand-my-dears-that-the-shortest-distance-between/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Distance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-have-to-understand-my-dears-that-the-shortest-distance-between/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3de/anthony-de-mello-1331_distance_you-have-to-understand-my-dears-that-the_2119193.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3de/anthony-de-mello-1331_distance_you-have-to-understand-my-dears-that-the_2119193.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3de/anthony-de-mello-1331_distance_you-have-to-understand-my-dears-that-the_2119193.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You have to understand, my dears, that 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": "You have to understand, my dears,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-have-to-understand-my-dears-that-the-shortest-distance-between/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-have-to-understand-my-dears-that-the-shortest-distance-between/#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 } } ] } ```