--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In words which can still bring tears to…" description: "\"“In words which can still bring tears to the eyes, St. Augustine describes the desolation into which the death of his friend Nebridius plunged him (Con..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f8/c-s-lewis-121_charity_in-words-which-can-still-bring-tears-to_783926.jpg" --- # In words which can still bring tears to the eyes, St… ![“In words which can still bring tears to the eyes, St. Augustine describes the desolation into which the death of his friend Nebridius plunged him (Confessions IV, 10). Then he draws a moral. This is what comes, he says, of giving one’s heart to anything but God. All human beings pass away. Do not…” quote by C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f8/c-s-lewis-121_charity_in-words-which-can-still-bring-tears-to_783926.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f8/c-s-lewis-121_charity_in-words-which-can-still-bring-tears-to_783926.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f8/c-s-lewis-121_charity_in-words-which-can-still-bring-tears-to_783926.jpg) > ““In words which can still bring tears to the eyes, St. Augustine describes the desolation into which the death of his friend Nebridius plunged him (Confessions IV, 10). Then he draws a moral. This is what comes, he says, of giving one’s heart to anything but God. All human beings pass away. Do not let your happiness depend on something you may lose. If love is to be a blessing, not a misery, it must be for the only Beloved who will never pass away.”” [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human happiness should be rooted in the eternal, not fleeting relationships, to avoid suffering when loss occurs. **In simple terms:** Base happiness on the eternal, not temporary things. Key Takeaway Seek lasting, divine fulfillment. Themes spirituality impermanence faith Mood contemplative serene Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - personal loss - spiritual practice - grief counseling Key Concepts theology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What does eternal love mean to you? - How do you balance earthly bonds with spiritual focus? A Different Perspective May overlook the value of human relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/augustine/) [Augustine Describes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/augustine-describes-6035300/) [Charity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charity/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Draws Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draws-moral-6035301/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Giving Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-heart/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Blessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-blessing-292817/) ## Related quotes > [“All's I'm saying is love's a blessing, no matter all the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-roux/all-s-i-m-saying-is-love-s-a-blessing-no-matter-all-the-same/) [Abigail Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-roux/) > [I love you blessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lol/i-love-you-blessing/) [Lol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lol/) > [He, that noble prize possessing He that boasts a friend that's true, He whom woman's love is blessing, Let him join the chorus too!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/he-that-noble-prize-possessing-he-that-boasts-a-friend-that-s-true-he/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [Love is a blessing and you blessed me with this precious gift in my life. Without you I cant imagine a moment I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-a-blessing-and-you-blessed-me-with-this-precious-gift-in-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A mother's love is a blessing No matter where you roam. Keep her while you have her, You'll miss her when she's gone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/a-mother-s-love-is-a-blessing-no-matter-where-you-roam-keep-her-while/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [I still believe in love. I always will. It's my blessing and my burden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/i-still-believe-in-love-i-always-will-it-s-my-blessing-and-my-burden/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [“It's all right Vishous" she said "It's going to be all right." "I do not crave this." But he needed it before he became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/it-s-all-right-vishous-she-said-it-s-going-to-be-all-right-i-do-not/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [One of the best ways to walk in love is to be a blessing to other people or simply to help them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/one-of-the-best-ways-to-walk-in-love-is-to-be-a-blessing-to-other/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [If you live the life you love, you get the blessing from above.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/if-you-live-the-life-you-love-you-get-the-blessing-from-above/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [All human beings pass away. Do not let your happiness depend on something you may lose. If love is to be a blessing, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-human-beings-pass-away-do-not-let-your-happiness-depend-on/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Love is a blessing for everyone, sometimes curse becomes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/love-is-a-blessing-for-everyone-sometimes-curse-becomes/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [BEING IN LOVE IS A BLESSING N ALSO A CURSE](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/being-in-love-is-a-blessing-n-also-a-curse/) [Author Name](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/author-name/) > [Life is a book we all read... Love is a blessing we all need... Always be happy... Always have a smile... Cause in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/life-is-a-book-we-all-read-love-is-a-blessing-we-all-need-always-be/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“Its such a nice feeling to be in love, but its such a blessing for love reciprocated..to love and be loved back..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-maria/its-such-a-nice-feeling-to-be-in-love-but-its-such-a-blessing-for/) [Cindy Maria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-maria/) > [“Love and blessing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilia-ferguson/love-and-blessing/) [Emilia Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilia-ferguson/) ## More by C.S. Lewis > [“At the moment, then, of Man’s victory over Nature, we find the whole human race subjected to some individual men, and those individuals subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/at-the-moment-then-of-man-s-victory-over-nature-we-find-the-whole/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Isn’t it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified of the other?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a-fierce-left-and-a-fierce/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“All Hell is smaller than one pebble of your earthly world: but it is smaller than one atom of this world, the Real World.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/all-hell-is-smaller-than-one-pebble-of-your-earthly-world-but-it-is/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“the greatest service we can do to education today is to teach fewer subjects. No one has time to do more than a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/the-greatest-service-we-can-do-to-education-today-is-to-teach-fewer/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“If the Divine call does not make us better, it will make us very much worse. Of all bad men religious bad men are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/if-the-divine-call-does-not-make-us-better-it-will-make-us-very-much/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“The husband is the head of the wife just in so far as he is to her what Christ is to the Church -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/the-husband-is-the-head-of-the-wife-just-in-so-far-as-he-is-to-her/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“We use a most unfortunate idiom when we say, of a lustful man prowling the streets, that he "wants a woman". Strictly speaking, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/we-use-a-most-unfortunate-idiom-when-we-say-of-a-lustful-man-prowling/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Después de cada fracaso, pedid perdón, levantaos del suelo y volved a intentarlo. Muy a menudo, lo que Dios nos otorga primero no es…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/despu-s-de-cada-fracaso-pedid-perd-n-levantaos-del-suelo-y-volved-a/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Then two wonders happened at the same moment. One was that the voice was suddenly joined by other voices; more voices than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/then-two-wonders-happened-at-the-same-moment-one-was-that-the-voice/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/because-free-will-though-it-makes-evil-possible-is-also-the-only/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Laugh and fear not, creatures. Now that you are no longer dumb and witless, you need not always be grave. For jokes as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/laugh-and-fear-not-creatures-now-that-you-are-no-longer-dumb-and/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“When two humans have lived together for many years it usually happens that each has tones of voice and expressions of face which are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/when-two-humans-have-lived-together-for-many-years-it-usually-happens/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“He sees as well as you do that courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/he-sees-as-well-as-you-do-that-courage-is-not-simply-one-of-the/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“If you do not take the distinction between good and bad very seriously, then it is easy to say that anything you find in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/if-you-do-not-take-the-distinction-between-good-and-bad-very/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Now the whole offer which Christianity makes is this: that we can, if we let God have His way, come to share in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/now-the-whole-offer-which-christianity-makes-is-this-that-we-can-if/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) [Explore all 1,165 C.S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) ## More Augustine quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [ Again, I hear almost everyday from atheists who write off religion as primitive, premodern nonsense. I summon Aquinas, Augustine, Paul \[of Tarsus\], Teresa of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barron/again-i-hear-almost-everyday-from-atheists-who-write-off-religion-as/) [Robert Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barron/) > [There's a huge amount of work on Adam and Eve, from the ancient world to the present. Saint Augustine was obsessed with them.I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-greenblatt/there-s-a-huge-amount-of-work-on-adam-and-eve-from-the-ancient-world/) [Stephen Greenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-greenblatt/) > [Patience is the companion of wisdom. --Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/patience-is-the-companion-of-wisdom-saint-augustine/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [People are mostly sane enough, of course, in the affairs of common life: the getting of food, shelter, and so on. But the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-stove/people-are-mostly-sane-enough-of-course-in-the-affairs-of-common-life/) [David Stove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-stove/) > [“I have become an enigma to myself. So said Saint Augustine. And herein lies my sickness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/i-have-become-an-enigma-to-myself-so-said-saint-augustine-and-herein/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [Augustine says that we may, out of our dead sins, make stepping stones to rise to the heights of perfection. What did he mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stalker/augustine-says-that-we-may-out-of-our-dead-sins-make-stepping-stones/) [James Stalker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stalker/) > [St. Augustine teaches us that there is in each man a Serpent, an Eve, and an Adam. 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