---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But I was young and didn’t know better…"
description: "\"“But I was young and didn’t know better and someone should have told me to capture every second every kiss & every night Because now I’m sitting here a..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb2/charlotte-eriksson-3235_alone_but-i-was-young-and-didn-t-know-better-a_627019.jpg"
---

#  But I was young and didn’t know better and someone should…

![“But I was young and didn’t know better and someone should have told me to capture every second every kiss &amp; every night Because now I’m sitting here alone and it’s getting really hard to breath because tears are growing in my throat and they want to break out, but there are people watching and I…” quote by Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb2/charlotte-eriksson-3235_alone_but-i-was-young-and-didn-t-know-better-a_627019.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb2/charlotte-eriksson-3235_alone_but-i-was-young-and-didn-t-know-better-a_627019.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb2/charlotte-eriksson-3235_alone_but-i-was-young-and-didn-t-know-better-a_627019.jpg)

> ““But I was young and didn’t know better and someone should have told me to capture every second every kiss &amp; every night Because now I’m sitting here alone and it’s getting really hard to breath because tears are growing in my throat and they want to break out, but there are people watching and I just want to be somewhere silent somewhere still But still I don’t want to be alone because I’m scared and lonely and I don’t understand Because I was alone my whole life My whole life I was so damn lonely and I was content with that because I liked myself and my own company and I didn’t need anyone I thought But then there was you .. ... So, someone should have told me that love is for those few brave who can handle the unbearable emptiness, the unbearable guilt and lack of oneself, Because I lost myself to someone I love and I might get myself back one day but it will take time, it will take time. This is gonna take some time. I wish someone would have told me this. Someone should have told me this.””

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Love requires bravery to face emptiness and guilt; avoiding loneliness can lead to pain, but confronting it opens growth.

**In simple terms:** Love is brave, but it can feel empty and guilty.

Key Takeaway

Embrace vulnerability and allow time for healing.

Themes

love loneliness vulnerability growth self‑discovery

Mood

melancholic hopeful

Type

reflection inspirational

When to use this quote

- break‑up recovery
- self‑reflection
- therapy
- creative expression

Key Concepts

psychology emotional health relationships

Questions to Reflect On

- What does bravery look like for you in love?
- How can you nurture self‑compassion during loneliness?

A Different Perspective

Healing takes time; immediate relief is unrealistic.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alone/) [Charlotte-eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charlotte-eriksson/) [Every night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-night/) [Heartbreak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heartbreak/) [Kiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kiss/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lonely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lonely/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-story/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prose/) [Sad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sad/) [The-glass-child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-glass-child/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Young love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-love/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/)

## Related quotes

> [“And this is what being an artist means, being a poet? To sacrifice yourself for your art, sacrifice your heart for your art, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/and-this-is-what-being-an-artist-means-being-a-poet-to-sacrifice/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“I just want to be someone, to mean something to anyone…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-just-want-to-be-someone-to-mean-something-to-anyone/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“I feel ugly” I said and you looked at me as if I spoke a different language. There are things you will never understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/i-feel-ugly-i-said-and-you-looked-at-me-as-if-i-spoke-a-different/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“It doesn’t matter how many times you leave, it will always hurt to come back and remember what you once had and who you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/it-doesn-t-matter-how-many-times-you-leave-it-will-always-hurt-to/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“You read and write and sing and experience, thinking that one day these things will build the character you admire to live as. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/you-read-and-write-and-sing-and-experience-thinking-that-one-day/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“I want my life to be the greatest story. My very existence will be the greatest poem. Watch me burn. Love always, Charlotte”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/i-want-my-life-to-be-the-greatest-story-my-very-existence-will-be-the/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [I'm scared of lonely And I'm scared of being the only shadow I see along a wall And I'm scared of the only heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce/i-m-scared-of-lonely-and-i-m-scared-of-being-the-only-shadow-i-see/)

[Beyonce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce/)

> [“So many people will tell you ”no”, and you need to find something you believe in so hard that you just smile and tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/so-many-people-will-tell-you-no-and-you-need-to-find-something-you/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“I want to learn how to speak to anyone at any time and make us both feel a little bit better, lighter, richer, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/i-want-to-learn-how-to-speak-to-anyone-at-any-time-and-make-us-both/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“I don’t need anyone else to distract me from myself anymore, like I always thought I would.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/i-don-t-need-anyone-else-to-distract-me-from-myself-anymore-like-i/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [I worry that people will think that I have done what I've done just because I have access and resources. I hope people will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-disney/i-worry-that-people-will-think-that-i-have-done-what-i-ve-done-just/)

[Abigail Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-disney/)

> [“Time flows smoother when you are with people you love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/time-flows-smoother-when-you-are-with-people-you-love/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [I don't care if we don't admit it. But most women are scared of being lonely...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-care-if-we-don-t-admit-it-but-most-women-are-scared-of-being/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“No matter what you see, what you do, we have this one perfect time together. If you get scared or lonely, remember this...remember me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shayne-mcclendon/no-matter-what-you-see-what-you-do-we-have-this-one-perfect-time/)

[Shayne McClendon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shayne-mcclendon/)

> [“Spend more time doing things that make you forget about the time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/spend-more-time-doing-things-that-make-you-forget-about-the-time/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

## More by Charlotte Eriksson

> [“And so you live like this, day after day, striving and fighting simply to become, or even better - to be. Something better, something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/and-so-you-live-like-this-day-after-day-striving-and-fighting-simply/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“You need to belong to yourself, and let others belong to themselves too. You need to be free and detached from things and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/you-need-to-belong-to-yourself-and-let-others-belong-to-themselves/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“Spend more time doing things that make you forget about the time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/spend-more-time-doing-things-that-make-you-forget-about-the-time/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“Sometimes you have to realise that things will never change if you don’t make a change yourself, and sometimes, you need to realise that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/sometimes-you-have-to-realise-that-things-will-never-change-if-you/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“I used to be fine in my loneliness but something or someone snapped me out of it and showed me company. What it’s like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/i-used-to-be-fine-in-my-loneliness-but-something-or-someone-snapped/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“People who truly live their lives don't have time to complain or judge others. They're too busy enjoying life and love and everything in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/people-who-truly-live-their-lives-don-t-have-time-to-complain-or/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“Time flows smoother when you are with people you love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/time-flows-smoother-when-you-are-with-people-you-love/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“I was still sad and heartbroken, desperately trying to get him back. But it only took one night with someone new who looked at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/i-was-still-sad-and-heartbroken-desperately-trying-to-get-him-back/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“It’s the beating of my heart. The way I lie awake, playing with shadows slowly climbing up my wall. The gentle moonlight slipping through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/it-s-the-beating-of-my-heart-the-way-i-lie-awake-playing-with-shadows/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“You will never see me surrender, never see me cry, but you will often see me walk away. Turn around and just leave, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/you-will-never-see-me-surrender-never-see-me-cry-but-you-will-often/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“What is this thing? trading passions for a tiny bit of acceptance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/what-is-this-thing-trading-passions-for-a-tiny-bit-of-acceptance/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“You smoked another cigarette and we shared another coffee and it was just another morning that made me realise that this is all it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/you-smoked-another-cigarette-and-we-shared-another-coffee-and-it-was/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“Horizons, cheap whisky straight from the bottle and your hands in mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/horizons-cheap-whisky-straight-from-the-bottle-and-your-hands-in-mine/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“I don’t need anyone else to distract me from myself anymore, like I always thought I would.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/i-don-t-need-anyone-else-to-distract-me-from-myself-anymore-like-i/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

> [“I want to learn how to speak to anyone at any time and make us both feel a little bit better, lighter, richer, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/i-want-to-learn-how-to-speak-to-anyone-at-any-time-and-make-us-both/)

[Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

[Explore all 136 Charlotte Eriksson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/)

## More Alone quotes

> [I can be taken away from myself quite easily, I kind of start betraying myself and compromising my integrity, to keep someone else happy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-lou-wood/i-can-be-taken-away-from-myself-quite-easily-i-kind-of-start/)

[Aimee Lou Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-lou-wood/)

> [Perhaps our own opposition to even the level of European integration we have now, let alone any more, is well known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-farage/perhaps-our-own-opposition-to-even-the-level-of-european-integration/)

[Nigel Farage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-farage/)

> [If your goal is to look different, you'll see results faster with strength training than with cardio alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-kaiser/if-your-goal-is-to-look-different-you-ll-see-results-faster-with/)

[Anna Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-kaiser/)

> [With my songs, the question is always, 'Can you pull it off live, alone on just an acoustic guitar?' That's the litmus test. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-colvin/with-my-songs-the-question-is-always-can-you-pull-it-off-live-alone/)

[Shawn Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-colvin/)

> [I should have liked to get married, but over many decades I have lived essentially alone. I go to sleep when I'm tired, get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dennis/i-should-have-liked-to-get-married-but-over-many-decades-i-have-lived/)

[Felix Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-dennis/)

> [I am not alone in that I've had times of unemployment - unemployment is huge amongst disabled people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-jones/i-am-not-alone-in-that-i-ve-had-times-of-unemployment-unemployment-is/)

[Rosie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-jones/)

> [I never knew a heart could feel so cold so empty so broken until now , I don't know what to say I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-never-knew-a-heart-could-feel-so-cold-so-empty-so-broken-until-now/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If you're disabled or different from what general society deems normal, it's fine. There will always be people who won't accept you, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-simmonds/if-you-re-disabled-or-different-from-what-general-society-deems/)

[Millicent Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-simmonds/)

> [Real love is a permanently self-enlarging experience…A Journey With My Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luckybannu/real-love-is-a-permanently-self-enlarging-experience-a-journey-with/)

Luckybannu

> [“What I'm trying to say is that I spent the last four months learning to be alone, avoiding the world, hating pretty much anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-cremer/what-i-m-trying-to-say-is-that-i-spent-the-last-four-months-learning/)

[Andrea Cremer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-cremer/)

> [I'm used to being alone in a quiet, isolated environment - I'm kind of a low-energy, low-vibration, low-stamina person to begin with - so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-cain/i-m-used-to-being-alone-in-a-quiet-isolated-environment-i-m-kind-of-a/)

[Ethel Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-cain/)

> [“When I look back at myself at age twenty, what I remember most is being alone and lonely. I had no girlfriend to warm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-i-look-back-at-myself-at-age-twenty-what-i-remember-most-is/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [I have developed a nasty habit of losing to the guy who wins the tournament, and that alone makes you think what you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/i-have-developed-a-nasty-habit-of-losing-to-the-guy-who-wins-the/)

[Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/)

> [As a child, I was this record collector/listener that would sit in a room and listen to the entire Beatles catalog alone, over and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cornell/as-a-child-i-was-this-record-collector-listener-that-would-sit-in-a/)

[Chris Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cornell/)

> [How one hates to think of oneself as alone. How one avoids it. It seems to imply rejection or unpopularity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/how-one-hates-to-think-of-oneself-as-alone-how-one-avoids-it-it-seems/)

[Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/)

[Browse all 3,082 Alone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alone/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“But I was young and didn’t know better and someone should have told me to capture every second every kiss & every night Because now I’m sitting here alone and it’s getting really hard to breath because tears are growing in my throat and they want to break out, but there are people watching and I just want to be somewhere silent somewhere still But still I don’t want to be alone because I’m scared and lonely and I don’t understand Because I was alone my whole life My whole life I was so damn lonely and I was content with that because I liked myself and my own company and I didn’t need anyone I thought But then there was you .. ... So, someone should have told me that love is for those few brave who can handle the unbearable emptiness, the unbearable guilt and lack of oneself, Because I lost myself to someone I love and I might get myself back one day but it will take time, it will take time. This is gonna take some time. I wish someone would have told me this. Someone should have told me this.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Charlotte Eriksson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/but-i-was-young-and-didn-t-know-better-and-someone-should-have-told/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Alone"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/but-i-was-young-and-didn-t-know-better-and-someone-should-have-told/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb2/charlotte-eriksson-3235_alone_but-i-was-young-and-didn-t-know-better-a_627019.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb2/charlotte-eriksson-3235_alone_but-i-was-young-and-didn-t-know-better-a_627019.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb2/charlotte-eriksson-3235_alone_but-i-was-young-and-didn-t-know-better-a_627019.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“But I was young and didn’t know better and someone should have told me to capture every second every kiss &…” — Charlotte Eriksson",
                "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": "Charlotte Eriksson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“But I was young and didn’t...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/but-i-was-young-and-didn-t-know-better-and-someone-should-have-told/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/but-i-was-young-and-didn-t-know-better-and-someone-should-have-told/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
