--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We may talk a good game and write even…" description: "\"We may talk a good game and write even better ones, but we never outgrow those small wounded things we were when we were five and six and seven.\" — Chr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/chris-bohjalian-8312_games_we-may-talk-a-good-game-and-write-even-b_2215552.jpg" --- # We may talk a good game and write even better ones, but we… ![“We may talk a good game and write even better ones, but we never outgrow those small wounded things we were when we were five and six and seven.” quote by Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/chris-bohjalian-8312_games_we-may-talk-a-good-game-and-write-even-b_2215552.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/chris-bohjalian-8312_games_we-may-talk-a-good-game-and-write-even-b_2215552.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/chris-bohjalian-8312_games_we-may-talk-a-good-game-and-write-even-b_2215552.jpg) > “We may talk a good game and write even better ones, but we never outgrow those small wounded things we were when we were five and six and seven.” [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We never fully outgrow the emotional wounds of childhood, which continue to shape our adult selves. **In simple terms:** Childhood wounds linger into adulthood. Key Takeaway Heal and integrate early emotional pain. Themes growth healing childhood memory psychology Mood reflective hopeful nostalgic Type psychological motivational literary When to use this quote - therapy - parenting - self‑reflection - creative writing - education Key Concepts Attachment theory emotional development trauma resilience Questions to Reflect On - What childhood experiences still influence you? - Can you transform past pain into strength? A Different Perspective The quote may overgeneralize; not everyone retains the same wounds. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Wounded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wounded/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Cover that bosom that I must not see: souls are wounded by such things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/cover-that-bosom-that-i-must-not-see-souls-are-wounded-by-such-things/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [“O good Horatio, what a wounded name, Things standing thus unknown, shall live behind me! If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakespeare/o-good-horatio-what-a-wounded-name-things-standing-thus-unknown-shall/) [Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakespeare/) > [“In material things, there are seven wonders; in human beings there is only one wonder - and that's you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/in-material-things-there-are-seven-wonders-in-human-beings-there-is/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“The way to transmute the pain of life is to reveal the wounded side of things, evil, even, and then place the wound inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/the-way-to-transmute-the-pain-of-life-is-to-reveal-the-wounded-side/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [There's that area, right there, where you can be too hard on yourself or you need to be really hard on yourself - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-johnson/there-s-that-area-right-there-where-you-can-be-too-hard-on-yourself/) [Cody Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-johnson/) > [My motivations are thinking I can write better songs, that the concerts can be better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrique-iglesias/my-motivations-are-thinking-i-can-write-better-songs-that-the/) [Enrique Iglesias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrique-iglesias/) > [I feel like I'm always just trying to write better music and keep topping myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/borns/i-feel-like-i-m-always-just-trying-to-write-better-music-and-keep/) [Borns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/borns/) > [“Writers and learners will write better and learn more if they understand the "why" of what they are studying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-zinsser/writers-and-learners-will-write-better-and-learn-more-if-they/) [William Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-zinsser/) > [Anyone can write. Some people can write a bit better than others; they're called authors. Then there are some who can write better than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-moers/anyone-can-write-some-people-can-write-a-bit-better-than-others-they/) [Walter Moers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-moers/) > [It's funny how you can struggle with one piece and write a better one in a minute. When things come easy, it means it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-satriani/it-s-funny-how-you-can-struggle-with-one-piece-and-write-a-better-one/) [Joe Satriani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-satriani/) > [“It's wonderful to look back at our old writing and cringe. It simply means we have grown and can write better now. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-voelker/it-s-wonderful-to-look-back-at-our-old-writing-and-cringe-it-simply/) [Jeanne Voelker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-voelker/) > [Writing style is something is a consequence of who you are. I think that I had a certain propensity for a style that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-giddins/writing-style-is-something-is-a-consequence-of-who-you-are-i-think/) [Gary Giddins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-giddins/) > [When I really want to learn about something, I write a book on it. Then the real research begins, as I begin to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/when-i-really-want-to-learn-about-something-i-write-a-book-on-it-then/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [Every story I write is different. Some are hard. Some aren't. 'Chronicle' was tremendously easy. I have a hard time comparing my process on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-landis/every-story-i-write-is-different-some-are-hard-some-aren-t-chronicle/) [Max Landis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-landis/) > [Somebody - and I'm going to guess it was Hitchcock - once said that everyone has their reasons. If you remember that, as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-lurie/somebody-and-i-m-going-to-guess-it-was-hitchcock-once-said-that/) [Rod Lurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-lurie/) ## More by Chris Bohjalian > [I think the most important lesson isn't necessarily to try and write a different book every time, or to try and brand yourself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/i-think-the-most-important-lesson-isn-t-necessarily-to-try-and-write/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [The honest answer is more complex. On some level I was sent. Or inspired. Or called. But my calling, such as it was, wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/the-honest-answer-is-more-complex-on-some-level-i-was-sent-or/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [“A term came to her that they used on occasion at the shelter: the double bind...They used the expression in much the same way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/a-term-came-to-her-that-they-used-on-occasion-at-the-shelter-the/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [“But history does matter. There are lines connecting the Armenians and the Jews and the Cambodians and the Serbs and the Rwandans. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/but-history-does-matter-there-are-lines-connecting-the-armenians-and/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [What is most important to me is that my narrator's voice is believable, and that, though it is clearly an absolute fiction, it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/what-is-most-important-to-me-is-that-my-narrator-s-voice-is/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [He defined himself almost wholly in the negative: It was not who he was, it was who he was not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/he-defined-himself-almost-wholly-in-the-negative-it-was-not-who-he/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [“A moment later, all of the men at the party, stupefied by the way the hooker had gone banshee,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/a-moment-later-all-of-the-men-at-the-party-stupefied-by-the-way-the/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [“Those who participate in a genocide as well as those who merely look away rarely volunteer much in the way of anecdote or observation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/those-who-participate-in-a-genocide-as-well-as-those-who-merely-look/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [“The Beatrice that obsessed Dante was a Florentine named Bice di Folco Portinari. Envision this moment (and, in all fairness, I am envisioning it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/the-beatrice-that-obsessed-dante-was-a-florentine-named-bice-di-folco/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [“Boys look at us like we look at horses: color, height, eyes. tail. They can't help but have preferences.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/boys-look-at-us-like-we-look-at-horses-color-height-eyes-tail-they/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [He recalls what that first German soldier said to his major: No God-not yours or mine-approves of what you're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/he-recalls-what-that-first-german-soldier-said-to-his-major-no-god/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [“But she insists the family hadn’t a choice. Not true. We always have choices. Isn’t that what Dante teaches us? I really have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/but-she-insists-the-family-hadn-t-a-choice-not-true-we-always-have/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [“I love it when the snowflakes are flying like butterflies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/i-love-it-when-the-snowflakes-are-flying-like-butterflies/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [Why a ghost story? Well, I love them. They're fun to read - and, yes, fun to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/why-a-ghost-story-well-i-love-them-they-re-fun-to-read-and-yes-fun-to/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [The reality is that most of North America knows next to nothing of the 20th centurys first genocide - the systematic slaughter of 1.5…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/the-reality-is-that-most-of-north-america-knows-next-to-nothing-of/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) [Explore all 82 Chris Bohjalian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) ## More Games quotes > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I know that in the rap game you've got a lot of people, that come from poverty, was born in poverty and if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-connor/i-know-that-in-the-rap-game-you-ve-got-a-lot-of-people-that-come-from/) [Jon Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-connor/) > [And I have been very blessed, having coached some of the greatest that have ever played the game. But if I had to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/and-i-have-been-very-blessed-having-coached-some-of-the-greatest-that/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/i-d-noticed-him-watching-me-for-a-year-or-so-especially-when-we-d/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [You just can't let the outside world affect your game.You can't hold anything back. You can't play a different game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-palmer/you-just-can-t-let-the-outside-world-affect-your-game-you-can-t-hold/) [Carson Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-palmer/) > [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. In other countries, people are still buying CDs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/look-at-music-for-what-it-s-worth-around-the-world-and-not-just/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [I learned so much from Sue about the Xs and Os of the game of basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/i-learned-so-much-from-sue-about-the-xs-and-os-of-the-game-of/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [Palindrome as well. My sister's name is Hannah. Father liked word games. He was fourteen times World Scrabble Champion. When he died, we buried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/palindrome-as-well-my-sister-s-name-is-hannah-father-liked-word-games/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [You got to harden yourself. Make, like, a shell around you. But not everyone can do it. If they got nothing to hang on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/you-got-to-harden-yourself-make-like-a-shell-around-you-but-not/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) > [Playing video games is something I enjoy in my spare time. I'm a gamer, always have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-garnett/playing-video-games-is-something-i-enjoy-in-my-spare-time-i-m-a-gamer/) [Kevin Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-garnett/) > [“Let the motherfucking games begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-mchugh/let-the-motherfucking-games-begin/) [Gail McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-mchugh/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) > [Kids, if anything, are harder to write for because they are a more discerning audience. They will not stay with you if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/kids-if-anything-are-harder-to-write-for-because-they-are-a-more/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) [Browse all 11,463 Games quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We may talk a good game and write even better ones, but we never outgrow those small wounded things we were when we were five and six and seven.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chris Bohjalian" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/we-may-talk-a-good-game-and-write-even-better-ones-but-we-never/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Games" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/we-may-talk-a-good-game-and-write-even-better-ones-but-we-never/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/chris-bohjalian-8312_games_we-may-talk-a-good-game-and-write-even-b_2215552.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/chris-bohjalian-8312_games_we-may-talk-a-good-game-and-write-even-b_2215552.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/chris-bohjalian-8312_games_we-may-talk-a-good-game-and-write-even-b_2215552.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We may talk a good game and write even better ones, but we never outgrow those small wounded things we were…” — Chris Bohjalian", "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": "Chris Bohjalian", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We may talk a good game...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/we-may-talk-a-good-game-and-write-even-better-ones-but-we-never/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/we-may-talk-a-good-game-and-write-even-better-ones-but-we-never/#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 } } ] } ```