--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Somebody said to me the other day, 'You…" description: "\"Somebody said to me the other day, 'You know, it's really senseless, what you're doing. There's always been suffering, there will always be suffering, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/audrey-hepburn-1706_accidents_somebody-said-to-me-the-other-day-you-kn_1005458.jpg" --- # Somebody said to me the other day, 'You know, it's really… ![“Somebody said to me the other day, 'You know, it's really senseless, what you're doing. There's always been suffering, there will always be suffering, and you're just prolonging the suffering of these children [by rescuing them].' My answer is, 'Okay, then, let's start with your grandchild. Don't…” quote by Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/audrey-hepburn-1706_accidents_somebody-said-to-me-the-other-day-you-kn_1005458.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/audrey-hepburn-1706_accidents_somebody-said-to-me-the-other-day-you-kn_1005458.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/audrey-hepburn-1706_accidents_somebody-said-to-me-the-other-day-you-kn_1005458.jpg) > “Somebody said to me the other day, 'You know, it's really senseless, what you're doing. There's always been suffering, there will always be suffering, and you're just prolonging the suffering of these children \[by rescuing them\].' My answer is, 'Okay, then, let's start with your grandchild. Don't buy antibiotics if it gets pneumonia. Don't take it to the hospital of it has an accident. It's against life-against humanity-to think that way.” [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) ## 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 rejects the notion that helping children prolongs suffering, arguing that refusing basic care is inhumane; true compassion means providing necessary aid. **In simple terms:** Helping children is compassionate, not harmful. Key Takeaway Provide essential care to those in need. Themes compassion ethical responsibility humanitarianism Mood compassionate urgent ethical Type humanitarian motivational When to use this quote - healthcare access - child welfare - disaster relief - community health initiatives Key Concepts care ethics medical ethics social justice Questions to Reflect On - When does aid become harmful? - How to balance help with empowerment? A Different Perspective Resources are limited; over‑intervention can cause dependency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Antibiotics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antibiotics/) [Buy Antibiotics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buy-antibiotics-2150371/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Gets Pneumonia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gets-pneumonia-2150369/) [Grandchildren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandchildren/) [Hospitals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hospitals/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Okay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/okay/) [Pneumonia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pneumonia/) [Prolonging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prolonging/) [Prolonging Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prolonging-suffering-2150370/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Start Grandchild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-grandchild-2150372/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Suffering Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering-children-1625575/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Unicef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unicef/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [...perhaps that is what ultimately unites us as a world: the fact that, no matter how prosperous a nation, how developed, all share the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/perhaps-that-is-what-ultimately-unites-us-as-a-world-the-fact-that-no/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [Throughout the world, half of all children go to bed hungry each night and one in seven of God's children is facing starvation. Before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-cahill/throughout-the-world-half-of-all-children-go-to-bed-hungry-each-night/) [Thomas Cahill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-cahill/) > [Communities are suffering, children are suffering, and our immigration policy appears in disarray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/communities-are-suffering-children-are-suffering-and-our-immigration/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [The inconvenience and the suffering of any children or any family members pales in comparison to the suffering and oppression that goes on in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/the-inconvenience-and-the-suffering-of-any-children-or-any-family/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [“You see the suffering of children all the time nowadays. Wars and famines are played out before us in our living rooms, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lawson/you-see-the-suffering-of-children-all-the-time-nowadays-wars-and/) [Mary Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lawson/) > [It is curious that while good people go to great lengths to spare their children from suffering, few of them seem to notice that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-benatar/it-is-curious-that-while-good-people-go-to-great-lengths-to-spare/) [David Benatar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-benatar/) > [“If the suffering of children goes to swell the sum of sufferings which was necessary to pay for truth, then I protest that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/if-the-suffering-of-children-goes-to-swell-the-sum-of-sufferings/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [Something in the heart of most human beings simply cannot abide pain inflicted on the innocent, especially children. Even broken men serving in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/something-in-the-heart-of-most-human-beings-simply-cannot-abide-pain/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [A large portion of Christ's miracles of love were wrought at the urgent request of parents for their suffering children. Is that ear gone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-l-cuyler/a-large-portion-of-christ-s-miracles-of-love-were-wrought-at-the/) [Theodore L. Cuyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-l-cuyler/) > [ My church \[Catholisism\] is hurting from arrogance and from its indifference to the suffering of children that were abused and the inclination of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/my-church-catholisism-is-hurting-from-arrogance-and-from-its/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [When we started, I was delivering meals to people in Atlanta. We were a direct-care organization. And it was - people needed meals, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/when-we-started-i-was-delivering-meals-to-people-in-atlanta-we-were-a/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [Stretching, which I do for five to 10 minutes before and after a match, is so important in general when it comes to prolonging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jozy-altidore/stretching-which-i-do-for-five-to-10-minutes-before-and-after-a-match/) [Jozy Altidore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jozy-altidore/) > [We have to ask ourselves whether medicine is to remain a humanitarian and respected profession or a new but depersonalized science in the service…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-kubler-ross/we-have-to-ask-ourselves-whether-medicine-is-to-remain-a-humanitarian/) [Elisabeth Kubler-Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-kubler-ross/) > [The soul of the truly benevolent man does not seem to reside much in his own body. Its life, to a great extent, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/the-soul-of-the-truly-benevolent-man-does-not-seem-to-reside-much-in/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [“In quixotically trying to conquer death doctors all too frequently do no good for their patients’ “ease” but at the same time they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kevorkian/in-quixotically-trying-to-conquer-death-doctors-all-too-frequently-do/) [Jack Kevorkian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kevorkian/) ## More by Audrey Hepburn > [Water is life, and clean water means health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/water-is-life-and-clean-water-means-health/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [I don't bite you know ... unless it's called for,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/i-don-t-bite-you-know-unless-it-s-called-for/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [I don't need a bedroom to prove my womanliness. I can convey just as much sex appeal picking apples off a tree or standing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/i-don-t-need-a-bedroom-to-prove-my-womanliness-i-can-convey-just-as/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [You can only hope to get a combination of happy work and a happy life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/you-can-only-hope-to-get-a-combination-of-happy-work-and-a-happy-life/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [Always be a first-rate version of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/always-be-a-first-rate-version-of-yourself/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/true-beauty-in-a-woman-is-reflected-in-her-soul/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/for-lovely-eyes-seek-out-the-good-in-people/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [Promise me one thing: don't take me home until I'm drunk - very drunk indeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/promise-me-one-thing-don-t-take-me-home-until-i-m-drunk-very-drunk/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [ It's sad if people think that's (homemaking) a dull existance, \[but\] you can't just buy an apartment and furnish it and walk away. It's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/it-s-sad-if-people-think-that-s-homemaking-a-dull-existance-but-you/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it's the think I like the most, so laugh, It cures a multitude of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/i-love-people-who-make-me-laugh-i-honestly-think-it-s-the-think-i/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [My first big mission for UNICEF in Ethiopia was just to attract attention, before it was too late, to conditions which threatened the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/my-first-big-mission-for-unicef-in-ethiopia-was-just-to-attract/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [I was born with an enrmous need for affection, and a terrible need to give it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/i-was-born-with-an-enrmous-need-for-affection-and-a-terrible-need-to/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [If my world were to cave in tomorrow, I would look back on all the pleasures, excitements and worthwhilenesses I have been lucky enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/if-my-world-were-to-cave-in-tomorrow-i-would-look-back-on-all-the/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [I've always had- how shall I say it? -the prize at the end. My whole life shows that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/i-ve-always-had-how-shall-i-say-it-the-prize-at-the-end-my-whole-life/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [I am not beautiful. My mother once called me an ugly duckling. But,listed separately, I have a few good features.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/i-am-not-beautiful-my-mother-once-called-me-an-ugly-duckling-but/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) [Explore all 213 Audrey Hepburn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) ## More Accidents quotes > [Almost all accidents take place because of human distraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/almost-all-accidents-take-place-because-of-human-distraction/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/it-was-no-accident-no-coincidence-that-the-seasons-came-round-and/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [No, I think most astronauts recognize that the space shuttle program is very high-risk, and are prepared for accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/no-i-think-most-astronauts-recognize-that-the-space-shuttle-program/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The only way to have a funeral is to invite everyone who ever knew the person and just wait for the accident to happen-somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/the-only-way-to-have-a-funeral-is-to-invite-everyone-who-ever-knew/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [Good films are not made by accident, nor is good photography. You can have good things happen, on occasion, by accident that can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-willis/good-films-are-not-made-by-accident-nor-is-good-photography-you-can/) [Gordon Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-willis/) > [By education I am an Englishman, by views an internationalist, by culture a Muslim and a Hindu only by accident of birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/by-education-i-am-an-englishman-by-views-an-internationalist-by/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [I made out with a homeless guy by accident. I had no idea -- he was really tan, he had no shoes on. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/i-made-out-with-a-homeless-guy-by-accident-i-had-no-idea-he-was/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [Naturally I feel no shame in writing these things because of the time which separates the moment when they are written--when only I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-ernaux/naturally-i-feel-no-shame-in-writing-these-things-because-of-the-time/) [Annie Ernaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-ernaux/) > [In a city where you walk around, it's impossible to plan your day and your life as accidents will happen, you'll overhear things, bump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-schwartzman/in-a-city-where-you-walk-around-it-s-impossible-to-plan-your-day-and/) [Jason Schwartzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-schwartzman/) > [I don't think it's by accident that I was first attracted to translating two French women poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-hacker/i-don-t-think-it-s-by-accident-that-i-was-first-attracted-to/) [Marilyn Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-hacker/) > [Despite my mentors advice that I would never go to heaven fishing with a weighted nymph and a float, I took it up. (As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bishop/despite-my-mentors-advice-that-i-would-never-go-to-heaven-fishing/) [Tony Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bishop/) > [Dont stand outside in a lightning shower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padraig/dont-stand-outside-in-a-lightning-shower/) [Padraig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padraig/) > [In the eyes of those lovers of perfection, a work is never finished a word that for them has no sense but abandoned; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/in-the-eyes-of-those-lovers-of-perfection-a-work-is-never-finished-a/) [Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) > [My musical career was an accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/my-musical-career-was-an-accident/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) [Browse all 1,971 Accidents quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Somebody said to me the other day, 'You know, it's really senseless, what you're doing. There's always been suffering, there will always be suffering, and you're just prolonging the suffering of these children [by rescuing them].' My answer is, 'Okay, then, let's start with your grandchild. Don't buy antibiotics if it gets pneumonia. Don't take it to the hospital of it has an accident. It's against life-against humanity-to think that way.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Audrey Hepburn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/somebody-said-to-me-the-other-day-you-know-it-s-really-senseless-what/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accidents" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/somebody-said-to-me-the-other-day-you-know-it-s-really-senseless-what/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/audrey-hepburn-1706_accidents_somebody-said-to-me-the-other-day-you-kn_1005458.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/audrey-hepburn-1706_accidents_somebody-said-to-me-the-other-day-you-kn_1005458.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/audrey-hepburn-1706_accidents_somebody-said-to-me-the-other-day-you-kn_1005458.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Somebody said to me the other day, 'You know, it's really senseless, what you're doing. There's always been…” — Audrey Hepburn", "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": "Audrey Hepburn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Somebody said to me the other...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/somebody-said-to-me-the-other-day-you-know-it-s-really-senseless-what/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/somebody-said-to-me-the-other-day-you-know-it-s-really-senseless-what/#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 } } ] } ```