--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Is that what makes me sad? The eagerness…" description: "\"“Is that what makes me sad? The eagerness and belief that filled me then and exacted a pledge from life that life could never fulfill?”\" — Bernhard Sch..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/bernhard-schlink-3329_eagerness_is-that-what-makes-me-sad-the-eagerness_2906637.png" --- # Is that what makes me sad? The eagerness and belief that… ![“Is that what makes me sad? The eagerness and belief that filled me then and exacted a pledge from life that life could never fulfill?” quote by Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/bernhard-schlink-3329_eagerness_is-that-what-makes-me-sad-the-eagerness_2906637.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/bernhard-schlink-3329_eagerness_is-that-what-makes-me-sad-the-eagerness_2906637.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/bernhard-schlink-3329_eagerness_is-that-what-makes-me-sad-the-eagerness_2906637.png) > ““Is that what makes me sad? The eagerness and belief that filled me then and exacted a pledge from life that life could never fulfill?”” [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reflects on youthful optimism that made promises life could not fulfill, leading to melancholy. **In simple terms:** Youthful hopes may be unfulfilled. Key Takeaway Temper expectations with realism. Themes nostalgia disillusionment growth Mood melancholic thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal development - career planning - relationship counseling Key Concepts coming of age existential reflection Questions to Reflect On - What promises have you unmet? - How can you reconcile past hopes? A Different Perspective Idealism can cause lasting disappointment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eagerness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eagerness/) [Exacted Pledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exacted-pledge-4163379/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Fulfill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-fulfill-1744871/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Pledge Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pledge-life-3931904/) [Sad Eagerness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sad-eagerness-4163378/) [Sadness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadness/) ## Related quotes > [I didn't like the way I looked, the way I dressed and moved, what I achieved and what I felt I was worth. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/i-didn-t-like-the-way-i-looked-the-way-i-dressed-and-moved-what-i/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [As the patriots of seventy-six did to the support of the Declaration of Independence, so to the support of the Constitution and Laws, let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/as-the-patriots-of-seventy-six-did-to-the-support-of-the-declaration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [One central need in life is to fulfill its own potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/one-central-need-in-life-is-to-fulfill-its-own-potential/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [“Beyond work and love, I would add two other ingredients that give meaning to life. First, to fulfill whatever talents we are born with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/beyond-work-and-love-i-would-add-two-other-ingredients-that-give-2/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [“Some people have big dreams in life which they never fulfill. Others don't have any dreams in life, and they don't fulfill those either.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/some-people-have-big-dreams-in-life-which-they-never-fulfill-others/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [Beyond work and love, I would add two other ingredients that give meaning to life. First, to fulfill whatever talents we are born with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/beyond-work-and-love-i-would-add-two-other-ingredients-that-give/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [The ultimate aim in life should be to fulfill to the utmost all that within our ability and to share that which is good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yehudi-menuhin/the-ultimate-aim-in-life-should-be-to-fulfill-to-the-utmost-all-that/) [Yehudi Menuhin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yehudi-menuhin/) > [God wills us to have everything. As we express life, we fulfill God's law of abundance, but we do this only as we realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-holmes/god-wills-us-to-have-everything-as-we-express-life-we-fulfill-god-s/) [Ernest Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-holmes/) > [God cast you in His play, wrote you into His story. He has a definite direction for your life. Fulfill it and enjoy fulfillment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/god-cast-you-in-his-play-wrote-you-into-his-story-he-has-a-definite/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [You bring such happiness to my life and fulfill that love I have looked and searched for](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-bring-such-happiness-to-my-life-and-fulfill-that-love-i-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We have two choices in life: One is to fulfill ourselves. The other is to take the time and energy that we would utilize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/we-have-two-choices-in-life-one-is-to-fulfill-ourselves-the-other-is/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“morning,” Kenny remarked, his fingers clutching at the glass with remarkable eagerness. “Who the fuck cares?” “Point taken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-reed/morning-kenny-remarked-his-fingers-clutching-at-the-glass-with/) [J.C. Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-reed/) > [I arise full of eagerness and energy, knowing well what achievement lies ahead of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zane-grey/i-arise-full-of-eagerness-and-energy-knowing-well-what-achievement/) [Zane Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zane-grey/) > [I found a special eagerness among the younger, and I am sorry to say, the more intelligent Negroes, to dismiss the spiritual as something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-robeson/i-found-a-special-eagerness-among-the-younger-and-i-am-sorry-to-say/) [Paul Robeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-robeson/) > [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/) ## More by Bernhard Schlink > [“Ne ispada li, onda, da je egzistencijalni umor rezultat premalog, a ne prevelikog angažovanja? Postajemo li umorni usled toga što olakšavamo sebi situaciju, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/ne-ispada-li-onda-da-je-egzistencijalni-umor-rezultat-premalog-a-ne/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [Why? Why does what was beautiful suddenly shatter in hindsight because it concealed dark truths? Why does the memory of years of happy marriage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/why-why-does-what-was-beautiful-suddenly-shatter-in-hindsight-because/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [“...if something hurts me, the hurts I suffered back then come back to me, and when I feel guilty, the feelings of guilt return;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/if-something-hurts-me-the-hurts-i-suffered-back-then-come-back-to-me/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [“The truth of what one says lies in what one does.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/the-truth-of-what-one-says-lies-in-what-one-does/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [“When she had fallen asleep on me, and the saw in the yard was quiet, and a blackbird was singing as the colors of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/when-she-had-fallen-asleep-on-me-and-the-saw-in-the-yard-was-quiet/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [“To anyone ignorant of history, it would be easy to see ways of life in earlier times simply as ways of life in foreign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/to-anyone-ignorant-of-history-it-would-be-easy-to-see-ways-of-life-in/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [“What is it?' 'Nothing,' he said, and put his arm around her. 'You sighed.' 'I'd like to be further along than I am.' She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/what-is-it-nothing-he-said-and-put-his-arm-around-her-you-sighed-i-d/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [“But the finger I pointed at her turned back to me. I had loved her. Not only had I loved her, I had chosen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/but-the-finger-i-pointed-at-her-turned-back-to-me-i-had-loved-her-not/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [“I wanted to pose myself both tasks - understanding and condemnation. But it was impossible to do both”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/i-wanted-to-pose-myself-both-tasks-understanding-and-condemnation-but/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [Sometimes the memory of happiness cannot stay true because it ended unhappily..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/sometimes-the-memory-of-happiness-cannot-stay-true-because-it-ended/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [“I had no one to point at. Certainly not my parents, because I had nothing to accuse them of. The zeal for letting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/i-had-no-one-to-point-at-certainly-not-my-parents-because-i-had/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [Sometimes I had the feeling that all of us in his family were like pets to him. The dog you take for a walk,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/sometimes-i-had-the-feeling-that-all-of-us-in-his-family-were-like/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [“There are matters one simply cannot get drawn into, that one must distance oneself from, if the price is not life and limb. هناك أمور لا يمكن للواحد ببساطة أن ينخرط فيها ، يجب على الواحد ان ينحي نفسه عنها ، حتى وإن كان الثمن موته أو بتره.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/there-are-matters-one-simply-cannot-get-drawn-into-that-one-must/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [She was struggling, as she always had struggled, not to show what she could do but to hide what she couldn't do. A life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/she-was-struggling-as-she-always-had-struggled-not-to-show-what-she/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [As an author, you hope for a director and a cast that will make something wonderful out of your book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/as-an-author-you-hope-for-a-director-and-a-cast-that-will-make/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) [Explore all 104 Bernhard Schlink quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) ## More Eagerness quotes > [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/) > [I found a special eagerness among the younger, and I am sorry to say, the more intelligent Negroes, to dismiss the spiritual as something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-robeson/i-found-a-special-eagerness-among-the-younger-and-i-am-sorry-to-say/) [Paul Robeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-robeson/) > [I arise full of eagerness and energy, knowing well what achievement lies ahead of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zane-grey/i-arise-full-of-eagerness-and-energy-knowing-well-what-achievement/) [Zane Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zane-grey/) > [“morning,” Kenny remarked, his fingers clutching at the glass with remarkable eagerness. “Who the fuck cares?” “Point taken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-reed/morning-kenny-remarked-his-fingers-clutching-at-the-glass-with/) [J.C. Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-reed/) > [There is surely no more unselfish person than the anthologist. For while all we others are striving to ensure our own immortality with eagerness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-webb/there-is-surely-no-more-unselfish-person-than-the-anthologist-for/) [Mary Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-webb/) > [One great flaw in the reforming passion is that in its eagerness to remedy social wrongs it tends to neglect, certainly to undervalue, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-howe/one-great-flaw-in-the-reforming-passion-is-that-in-its-eagerness-to/) [Irving Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-howe/) > [“available to them, generally display a refreshing enthusiasm and eagerness about learning. Learning isn’t a chore, they’ve discovered, it’s a by-product of engaging in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-dobson/available-to-them-generally-display-a-refreshing-enthusiasm-and/) [Linda Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-dobson/) > [I did not believe him capable of love. That is an emotion in which tenderness is an essential part, but Strickland had no tenderness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-did-not-believe-him-capable-of-love-that-is-an-emotion-in-which/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [God never forces a person's will into surrender, and He never begs. He patiently waits until that person willingly yields to Him. True surrender…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/god-never-forces-a-person-s-will-into-surrender-and-he-never-begs-he/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“Soon enough, we are all going to leave this earth for good. The thought of this alone should make us love deeply, and live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/soon-enough-we-are-all-going-to-leave-this-earth-for-good-the-thought/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Baseball is the exponent of American Courage, Confidence, Combativeness, American Dash, Discipline, Determination, American Energy, Eagerness, Enthusiasm, American Pluck, Persistency, Performance, American Spirit, Sagacity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-goodwill-spalding/baseball-is-the-exponent-of-american-courage-confidence-combativeness/) [Albert Goodwill Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-goodwill-spalding/) > [The products we design are going to be ridden in, sat upon, looked at, talked into, activated, operated, or in some way used by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-dreyfuss/the-products-we-design-are-going-to-be-ridden-in-sat-upon-looked-at/) [Henry Dreyfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-dreyfuss/) > [Do you love this world? Do you cherish your humble and silky life? Do you adore the green grass, with its terror beneath? Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/do-you-love-this-world-do-you-cherish-your-humble-and-silky-life-do/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [Eagerness to please attracts bullies and bores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/eagerness-to-please-attracts-bullies-and-bores/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [As for Vietnam, what matters is that Kennedy successfully resisted pressure to send anything more than military advisers, a stance that was a likely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/as-for-vietnam-what-matters-is-that-kennedy-successfully-resisted/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) [Browse all 178 Eagerness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eagerness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Is that what makes me sad? The eagerness and belief that filled me then and exacted a pledge from life that life could never fulfill?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bernhard Schlink" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/is-that-what-makes-me-sad-the-eagerness-and-belief-that-filled-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Eagerness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/is-that-what-makes-me-sad-the-eagerness-and-belief-that-filled-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/bernhard-schlink-3329_eagerness_is-that-what-makes-me-sad-the-eagerness_2906637.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/bernhard-schlink-3329_eagerness_is-that-what-makes-me-sad-the-eagerness_2906637.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/bernhard-schlink-3329_eagerness_is-that-what-makes-me-sad-the-eagerness_2906637.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Is that what makes me sad? The eagerness and belief that filled me then and exacted a pledge from life that…” — Bernhard Schlink", "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": "Bernhard Schlink", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Is that what makes me sad?...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/is-that-what-makes-me-sad-the-eagerness-and-belief-that-filled-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/is-that-what-makes-me-sad-the-eagerness-and-belief-that-filled-me/#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 } } ] } ```