--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But if I hope to understand in order to…" description: "\"“But if I hope to understand in order to accept things - the act of surrender will never happen. I must take the plunge all at once, a plunge that incl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a7/clarice-lispector-1401_acceptance_but-if-i-hope-to-understand-in-order-to_1726227.jpg" --- # But if I hope to understand in order to accept things… ![“But if I hope to understand in order to accept things - the act of surrender will never happen. I must take the plunge all at once, a plunge that includes comprehension and especially incomprehension. And who am I to dare to think? What I have to do is surrender. How is it done? I know however…” quote by Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a7/clarice-lispector-1401_acceptance_but-if-i-hope-to-understand-in-order-to_1726227.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a7/clarice-lispector-1401_acceptance_but-if-i-hope-to-understand-in-order-to_1726227.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a7/clarice-lispector-1401_acceptance_but-if-i-hope-to-understand-in-order-to_1726227.jpg) > ““But if I hope to understand in order to accept things - the act of surrender will never happen. I must take the plunge all at once, a plunge that includes comprehension and especially incomprehension. And who am I to dare to think? What I have to do is surrender. How is it done? I know however that only by walking do you know how to walk and - miracle - find yourself walking.”” [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding requires surrender, but surrender itself demands a leap of faith that embraces both knowledge and mystery. **In simple terms:** Surrender needs a bold leap into the unknown. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty fully. Themes self‑discovery faith paradox Mood reflective introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - spiritual practice - creative work Key Concepts existentialism mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How can you trust the process without full understanding? - What does surrender look like in your life? A Different Perspective Art acceptance may be impossible without confronting incomprehension. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) [Act Surrender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act-surrender-806081/) [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Behaviour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behaviour/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Commitment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) [Comprehension](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comprehension/) [Dare Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dare-think-250814/) [Falling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falling/) [Learning by doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-by-doing/) [Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle/) [Moving on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving-on/) [Psychoanalysis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychoanalysis/) [Surrender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrender/) [Surrender Happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrender-happen-1386929/) [Surrender Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrender-know-1386930/) [Think Surrender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-surrender-1386928/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value/) ## Related quotes > [Do not think that if you surrender to God you will be loser. You will not lose anything except bondage, frustration and suffering. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/do-not-think-that-if-you-surrender-to-god-you-will-be-loser-you-will/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [Surrender to what you know and you'll know more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/surrender-to-what-you-know-and-you-ll-know-more/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [“To think you cannot fight fate is only an act of surrender.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-duigan/to-think-you-cannot-fight-fate-is-only-an-act-of-surrender/) [John Duigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-duigan/) > [“Because the act of surrender means: "I trust you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/because-the-act-of-surrender-means-i-trust-you/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“You will not mock me—and you will let me finish. I have owned and lost a kingdom, and I have battled death. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/you-will-not-mock-me-and-you-will-let-me-finish-i-have-owned-and-lost/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [Listening to something is an act of surrender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/listening-to-something-is-an-act-of-surrender/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [“I sometimes wonder whether the act of surrender is not one of the greatest of all - the highest. It is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-mansfield/i-sometimes-wonder-whether-the-act-of-surrender-is-not-one-of-the/) [Katherine Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-mansfield/) > [“Sometimes we can't fix what has been broken. The act of surrender is accepting that truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ruiz-jr/sometimes-we-can-t-fix-what-has-been-broken-the-act-of-surrender-is/) [Miguel Ruiz Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ruiz-jr/) > [“The...act of surrender—or devotion, as the case may be—was, to him, a kind of lifeline for those who sought a quick answer and didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashim-shanker/the-act-of-surrender-or-devotion-as-the-case-may-be-was-to-him-a-kind/) [Ashim Shanker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashim-shanker/) > [who would dare think that, forever? Some idiot girl who wouldn’t know how things played out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-handler/who-would-dare-think-that-forever-some-idiot-girl-who-wouldn-t-know/) [Daniel Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-handler/) > [I'm not trying to counsel any of you to do anything really special except dare to think. And to dare to go with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/i-m-not-trying-to-counsel-any-of-you-to-do-anything-really-special/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [“Dare to think!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/dare-to-think/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [We must dare to think 'unthinkable' thoughts. We must learn to explore all the options and possibilities that confront us in a complex and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/we-must-dare-to-think-unthinkable-thoughts-we-must-learn-to-explore/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [To know how to say what other people only think, is what makes poets and sages; and to dare to say what others only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-charles/to-know-how-to-say-what-other-people-only-think-is-what-makes-poets/) [Elizabeth Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-charles/) > [In my family, I would never dare to think of being Paris Hilton! And to me, that doesn't look like a happy existence -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-hewson/in-my-family-i-would-never-dare-to-think-of-being-paris-hilton-and-to/) [Eve Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-hewson/) ## More by Clarice Lispector > [“I find it hard to believe that I shall die. Because I'm bubbling in cold freshness. My life will be very long because each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/i-find-it-hard-to-believe-that-i-shall-die-because-i-m-bubbling-in/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [“We shall be inhuman - as humankind's greatest conquest. To be is to be beyond the human. To be a human being doesn't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/we-shall-be-inhuman-as-humankind-s-greatest-conquest-to-be-is-to-be/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [The only truth is that I live. Sincerely, I live. Who am I? Well, that's a bit much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/the-only-truth-is-that-i-live-sincerely-i-live-who-am-i-well-that-s-a/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [Brazil is where I have to be, where I have my roots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/brazil-is-where-i-have-to-be-where-i-have-my-roots/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [“her short stories read like perfect songs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/her-short-stories-read-like-perfect-songs/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [“Between two musical notes there exists another note, between two facts there exists another fact, between two grains of sand, no matter how close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/between-two-musical-notes-there-exists-another-note-between-two-facts/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [I' is merely one of the world's instantaneous spasms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/i-is-merely-one-of-the-world-s-instantaneous-spasms/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [“It isn't for us that cows' milk comes forth, but we drink it. Flowers weren't made for us to look at or for us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/it-isn-t-for-us-that-cows-milk-comes-forth-but-we-drink-it-flowers/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [To think is an act. To feel is a fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/to-think-is-an-act-to-feel-is-a-fact/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [Love is now, is always. All that is missing is the coup de grâce- which is called passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/love-is-now-is-always-all-that-is-missing-is-the-coup-de-gr-ce-which/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [What I want is to live of that initial and primordial something that was what made some things reach the point of aspiring to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/what-i-want-is-to-live-of-that-initial-and-primordial-something-that/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [“I see that the wardrobe looks penetrable because it has a door. But when I open it, I see that penetration has been put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/i-see-that-the-wardrobe-looks-penetrable-because-it-has-a-door-but/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [“I knew that cockroaches could go more than a month without food or water. And they could even survive on wood for food. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/i-knew-that-cockroaches-could-go-more-than-a-month-without-food-or/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [“Beatitude starts in the moment when the act of thinking has freed itself from the necessity of form. Beatitude starts at the moment when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/beatitude-starts-in-the-moment-when-the-act-of-thinking-has-freed/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [“Beyond thought I reach a state. I refuse to divide it up into words - and what I cannot and do not want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/beyond-thought-i-reach-a-state-i-refuse-to-divide-it-up-into-words/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) [Explore all 196 Clarice Lispector quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) ## More Acceptance quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Acceptance of death when it arrives is one thing, but to allow it to upstage the joys of living is ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-blythe/acceptance-of-death-when-it-arrives-is-one-thing-but-to-allow-it-to/) [Ronald Blythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-blythe/) > [“Loving someone who does not love you back hurts, alot, i know. It is liking seeing these pair of shoes at the retail store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomthandazo-tsembeni/loving-someone-who-does-not-love-you-back-hurts-alot-i-know-it-is/) [Nomthandazo Tsembeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomthandazo-tsembeni/) > [Take responsibily for your past, the bad memories of poor decisions you took were your choices once, and you liked them for the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marvin/take-responsibily-for-your-past-the-bad-memories-of-poor-decisions/) [Aruho Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marvin/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [“There was beauty in chaos, she'd just never known it before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-linsmeier/there-was-beauty-in-chaos-she-d-just-never-known-it-before/) [Amanda Linsmeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-linsmeier/) > [Accepting the challenges in life makes it interesting and overcoming them makes it eloquent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accepting-the-challenges-in-life-makes-it-interesting-and-overcoming/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Acceptance is the only thing you should teach. Be it Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Dalit, you must inculcate acceptance, not tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-haasan/acceptance-is-the-only-thing-you-should-teach-be-it-christian-muslim/) [Kamal Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-haasan/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sense-that-in-this-universe-we-are-treated-as-strangers-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 3,960 Acceptance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But if I hope to understand in order to accept things - the act of surrender will never happen. I must take the plunge all at once, a plunge that includes comprehension and especially incomprehension. And who am I to dare to think? What I have to do is surrender. How is it done? I know however that only by walking do you know how to walk and - miracle - find yourself walking.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Clarice Lispector" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/but-if-i-hope-to-understand-in-order-to-accept-things-the-act-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acceptance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/but-if-i-hope-to-understand-in-order-to-accept-things-the-act-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a7/clarice-lispector-1401_acceptance_but-if-i-hope-to-understand-in-order-to_1726227.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a7/clarice-lispector-1401_acceptance_but-if-i-hope-to-understand-in-order-to_1726227.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a7/clarice-lispector-1401_acceptance_but-if-i-hope-to-understand-in-order-to_1726227.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But if I hope to understand in order to accept things - the act of surrender will never happen. I must take…” — Clarice Lispector", "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": "Clarice Lispector", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But if I hope to understand...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/but-if-i-hope-to-understand-in-order-to-accept-things-the-act-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/but-if-i-hope-to-understand-in-order-to-accept-things-the-act-of/#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 } } ] } ```