--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: he had been afraid of finding things…" description: "\"“he had been afraid of finding things quite different, and now it pained him to find them so unchanged. the prospect of meeting people, of looking up o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry-174_friendship_he-had-been-afraid-of-finding-things-qui_2129896.jpg" --- # he had been afraid of finding things quite different, and… ![“he had been afraid of finding things quite different, and now it pained him to find them so unchanged. the prospect of meeting people, of looking up old friends left him vaguely bored. from a distance fancy is free to roam. the tender friendships one gives up, on parting, leave their bite on the…” quote by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry-174_friendship_he-had-been-afraid-of-finding-things-qui_2129896.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry-174_friendship_he-had-been-afraid-of-finding-things-qui_2129896.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry-174_friendship_he-had-been-afraid-of-finding-things-qui_2129896.jpg) > ““he had been afraid of finding things quite different, and now it pained him to find them so unchanged. the prospect of meeting people, of looking up old friends left him vaguely bored. from a distance fancy is free to roam. the tender friendships one gives up, on parting, leave their bite on the heart, but also a curious feeling of a treasure somewhere buried. what selfish love such flights occasionally attest !”” [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He feels disappointment when the world stays unchanged, yet nostalgia for past friendships leaves a lingering, buried treasure of emotion. **In simple terms:** Change is scarce, but memories hold hidden value. Key Takeaway Seek meaning in both constancy and loss. Themes nostalgia disappointment change memory Mood melancholic thoughtful Type literary reflective When to use this quote - reunion gatherings - reflecting on past relationships - personal growth - creative writing Key Concepts existential longing emotional resonance human connection Questions to Reflect On - What “treasure” do you keep hidden in unchanged routines? - How can nostalgia inspire present actions? A Different Perspective May overlook the positive aspects of stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Curious Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curious-feeling-558583/) [Friends Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends-left-430858/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Friendships Gives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendships-gives-4385103/) [Heart Curious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-curious-4385102/) [Meeting people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meeting-people/) [Old friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-friends/) [Selfish love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfish-love/) [Tender Friendships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tender-friendships-4385101/) ## Related quotes > [The tender friendships one gives up, on parting, leave their bite on the heart, but also a curious feeling of a treasure somewhere buried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/the-tender-friendships-one-gives-up-on-parting-leave-their-bite-on/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“What made Jules extraordinary though, was that her heart was made of the most curious fabric. 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Merry Christmas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-all-of-my-family-and-the-friends-i-have-made-those-who-left-for-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If you talked to your friends the way you talk to your body, you’d have no friends left at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-hutchinson/if-you-talked-to-your-friends-the-way-you-talk-to-your-body-you-d/) [Marcia Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-hutchinson/) > [I wish that my husband's friends had left him where he is, happy and contented in retirement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-harrison/i-wish-that-my-husband-s-friends-had-left-him-where-he-is-happy-and/) [Anna Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-harrison/) > [RD Burman was one of the greatest and yet in the end, even his closest friends left him and he was all alone. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajesh-roshan/rd-burman-was-one-of-the-greatest-and-yet-in-the-end-even-his-closest/) [Rajesh Roshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajesh-roshan/) > [“Miserable! That was the only word I could find to describe how I felt. And I thought once more of the friends I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kahler/miserable-that-was-the-only-word-i-could-find-to-describe-how-i-felt/) [Katrina Kahler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kahler/) ## More by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry > [“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/) > [A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/a-rock-pile-ceases-to-be-a-rock-pile-the-moment-a-single-man/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Treason implies responsibility for something, control over something, influence upon something, knowledge of something. Treason in our time is a proof of genius. 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Experience teaches us that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/once-we-are-bound-together-to-our-brothers-by-a-common-good-that-is/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“The stars are beautiful, because of a flower that cannot be seen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/the-stars-are-beautiful-because-of-a-flower-that-cannot-be-seen/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“You are beautiful but you are empty. One could not die for you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/you-are-beautiful-but-you-are-empty-one-could-not-die-for-you/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“And the fox said to the little prince: men have forgotten this truth, but you must not forget it. 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No one has tamed you, and you have tamed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/you-are-not-at-all-like-my-rose-he-said-as-yet-you-are-nothing-no-one/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Loneliness is bred of a mind that has grown earth-bound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/loneliness-is-bred-of-a-mind-that-has-grown-earth-bound/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“Stretched out before the fire I looked at the glowing fruit and said to myself that men did not know what an orange was.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/stretched-out-before-the-fire-i-looked-at-the-glowing-fruit-and-said/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) [Explore all 719 Antoine de Saint-Exupéry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) ## More Friendship 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/) > [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) [Maureen Andeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-andeson/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) [Unknwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknwon/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. 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