--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I looked briefly up from my notes. I was…" description: "\"“I looked briefly up from my notes. I was surrounded by hearts, sectioned and preserved. Hearts with holes. Hearts with leaking valves or thickened wal..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/claire-holden-rothman-47940_hearts_i-looked-briefly-up-from-my-notes-i-was_2281051.png" --- # I looked briefly up from my notes. I was surrounded by… ![“I looked briefly up from my notes. I was surrounded by hearts, sectioned and preserved. Hearts with holes. Hearts with leaking valves or thickened walls. Hearts with narrow or transposed aortas. I closed my eyes.” quote by Claire Holden Rothman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/claire-holden-rothman-47940_hearts_i-looked-briefly-up-from-my-notes-i-was_2281051.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/claire-holden-rothman-47940_hearts_i-looked-briefly-up-from-my-notes-i-was_2281051.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/041/claire-holden-rothman-47940_hearts_i-looked-briefly-up-from-my-notes-i-was_2281051.png) > ““I looked briefly up from my notes. I was surrounded by hearts, sectioned and preserved. Hearts with holes. Hearts with leaking valves or thickened walls. Hearts with narrow or transposed aortas. I closed my eyes.”” [Claire Holden Rothman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-holden-rothman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator observes damaged hearts, symbolizing human fragility and emotional wounds, prompting introspection about vulnerability and mortality. **In simple terms:** Seeing broken hearts highlights human frailty. Key Takeaway Recognize and tend to emotional wounds. Themes vulnerability mortality empathy Mood somber reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - grief counseling - medical training - creative writing - personal reflection Key Concepts human condition symbolism psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you cope with emotional pain? - What does a 'broken heart' mean to you? A Different Perspective The metaphor may overlook physical realities of heart disease. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hearts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hearts/) [Hearts Holes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hearts-holes-2674322/) [Hearts Leaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hearts-leaking-5324100/) [Hearts Sectioned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hearts-sectioned-5324098/) [Loneliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loneliness/) [Surrounded Hearts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrounded-hearts-5324099/) ## Related quotes > [“That’s what happens in our hearts. The holes do not disappear, but scar tissue grows and becomes part of who we are. The same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-gottlieb/that-s-what-happens-in-our-hearts-the-holes-do-not-disappear-but-scar/) [Daniel Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-gottlieb/) > [When you start looking at people's hearts,instead of their face,life becomes clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-start-looking-at-people-s-hearts-instead-of-their-face-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Different hearts beat on different strings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/different-hearts-beat-on-different-strings/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [Eat and drink; they say to you but their hearts are not with you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-flores/eat-and-drink-they-say-to-you-but-their-hearts-are-not-with-you/) [Lara Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-flores/) > [For you do not yet know the strengths of your hearts, and you cannot foresee what each may meet on the road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-you-do-not-yet-know-the-strengths-of-your-hearts-and-you-cannot/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“…the child's heart bled when it was broken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/the-child-s-heart-bled-when-it-was-broken/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [The thing is, it has to do with heart - we have to understand what hearts are for before we can get back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-trudell/the-thing-is-it-has-to-do-with-heart-we-have-to-understand-what/) [John Trudell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-trudell/) > [The Good Hearts always easily get broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/the-good-hearts-always-easily-get-broken/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [The last four years have not diluted the memory or weakened the resolve of our citizens. Four years later, our hearts still hurt for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-doolittle/the-last-four-years-have-not-diluted-the-memory-or-weakened-the/) [John Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-doolittle/) > [It's a fact of life. Hearts are always hurting. And yet they still keep pumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-castellucci/it-s-a-fact-of-life-hearts-are-always-hurting-and-yet-they-still-keep/) [Cecil Castellucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecil-castellucci/) > [When the time comes for you to give your heart to someone, make sure that you select someone who will never break your heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-the-time-comes-for-you-to-give-your-heart-to-someone-make-sure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Where can we go to find God if we cannot see Him in our own hearts and in every living being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/where-can-we-go-to-find-god-if-we-cannot-see-him-in-our-own-hearts/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“Well, write me into the list of Those Who Don’t Mind a Bit,” said Cupid, eyeing his perfectly toned arms and chest. “My, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/well-write-me-into-the-list-of-those-who-don-t-mind-a-bit-said-cupid/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) ## More by Claire Holden Rothman > [“In a single week I had lost the two most important men in my life. Yet the word “lost” was misleading. Neither had died…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-holden-rothman/in-a-single-week-i-had-lost-the-two-most-important-men-in-my-life-yet/) [Claire Holden Rothman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-holden-rothman/) > [It was the seventh of November, 1918. The war was finally over. Maybe it would be declared a holiday and named War's End Day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-holden-rothman/it-was-the-seventh-of-november-1918-the-war-was-finally-over-maybe-it/) [Claire Holden Rothman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-holden-rothman/) > [“You must have learned by now, Agnes, that it's not possible to judge a life from the outside," she said. Her voice had an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-holden-rothman/you-must-have-learned-by-now-agnes-that-it-s-not-possible-to-judge-a/) [Claire Holden Rothman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-holden-rothman/) > [“Maybe a certain degree of deprivation was necessary to the experience of pleasure, just as suffering was an integral part of joy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-holden-rothman/maybe-a-certain-degree-of-deprivation-was-necessary-to-the-experience/) [Claire Holden Rothman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-holden-rothman/) > [“I had achieved my dream, but what had it brought? Wealth? I glanced at my dress, worn too many days now without washing, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-holden-rothman/i-had-achieved-my-dream-but-what-had-it-brought-wealth-i-glanced-at/) [Claire Holden Rothman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-holden-rothman/) > [“Bookishness, an unfortunate trait for a girl, especially one who is not nice to look at.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-holden-rothman/bookishness-an-unfortunate-trait-for-a-girl-especially-one-who-is-not/) [Claire Holden Rothman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-holden-rothman/) > [Happiness is a strange thing. It is something I tend to recognize only after it has passed, when I realize I miss it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-holden-rothman/happiness-is-a-strange-thing-it-is-something-i-tend-to-recognize-only/) [Claire Holden Rothman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-holden-rothman/) [Explore all 8 Claire Holden Rothman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-holden-rothman/) ## More Hearts quotes > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Well, write me into the list of Those Who Don’t Mind a Bit,” said Cupid, eyeing his perfectly toned arms and chest. “My, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/well-write-me-into-the-list-of-those-who-don-t-mind-a-bit-said-cupid/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [Where can we go to find God if we cannot see Him in our own hearts and in every living being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/where-can-we-go-to-find-god-if-we-cannot-see-him-in-our-own-hearts/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [When the time comes for you to give your heart to someone, make sure that you select someone who will never break your heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-the-time-comes-for-you-to-give-your-heart-to-someone-make-sure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's a fact of life. Hearts are always hurting. And yet they still keep pumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-castellucci/it-s-a-fact-of-life-hearts-are-always-hurting-and-yet-they-still-keep/) [Cecil Castellucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecil-castellucci/) > [The last four years have not diluted the memory or weakened the resolve of our citizens. Four years later, our hearts still hurt for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-doolittle/the-last-four-years-have-not-diluted-the-memory-or-weakened-the/) [John Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-doolittle/) > [The Good Hearts always easily get broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/the-good-hearts-always-easily-get-broken/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [The thing is, it has to do with heart - we have to understand what hearts are for before we can get back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-trudell/the-thing-is-it-has-to-do-with-heart-we-have-to-understand-what/) [John Trudell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-trudell/) > [“…the child's heart bled when it was broken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/the-child-s-heart-bled-when-it-was-broken/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [For you do not yet know the strengths of your hearts, and you cannot foresee what each may meet on the road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-you-do-not-yet-know-the-strengths-of-your-hearts-and-you-cannot/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Eat and drink; they say to you but their hearts are not with you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-flores/eat-and-drink-they-say-to-you-but-their-hearts-are-not-with-you/) [Lara Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-flores/) > [Different hearts beat on different strings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/different-hearts-beat-on-different-strings/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [When you start looking at people's hearts,instead of their face,life becomes clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-start-looking-at-people-s-hearts-instead-of-their-face-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We've all had someone break our hearts or have been fired from a job or have been cheated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-sestero/we-ve-all-had-someone-break-our-hearts-or-have-been-fired-from-a-job/) [Greg Sestero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-sestero/) [Browse all 1,237 Hearts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hearts/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I looked briefly up from my notes. 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