--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It’s only when you’ve lost someone that…" description: "\"It’s only when you’ve lost someone that you realize the nonsense of that phrase “It’s a small world”. It isn’t. It’s a vast, devouring world, especiall..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/clive-barker-773_devouring_it-s-only-when-you-ve-lost-someone-that_497538.jpg" --- # It’s only when you’ve lost someone that you realize the… ![“It’s only when you’ve lost someone that you realize the nonsense of that phrase “It’s a small world”. It isn’t. It’s a vast, devouring world, especially if you’re alone.” quote by Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/clive-barker-773_devouring_it-s-only-when-you-ve-lost-someone-that_497538.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/clive-barker-773_devouring_it-s-only-when-you-ve-lost-someone-that_497538.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/clive-barker-773_devouring_it-s-only-when-you-ve-lost-someone-that_497538.jpg) > “It’s only when you’ve lost someone that you realize the nonsense of that phrase “It’s a small world”. It isn’t. It’s a vast, devouring world, especially if you’re alone.” [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Loss reveals the vastness and loneliness of the world, contradicting the comforting notion of a small, interconnected world. **In simple terms:** Loss shows the world is vast and lonely. Key Takeaway Seek meaningful connections despite isolation. Themes loss loneliness worldview Mood somber reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - grief counseling - solo travel - creative writing Key Concepts existentialism human connection Questions to Reflect On - How does loss change your perception of connection? - What steps can you take to build community? A Different Perspective Some find comfort in the “small world” idea despite loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Devouring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devouring/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [Nonsense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonsense/) [Phrase Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phrase-small-4244280/) [Phrases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phrases/) [Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) [Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small/) [Small world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Especially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-especially-2544986/) [World Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-isn/) ## Related quotes > [Racism is a problem everywhere, especially in this country, but all over the world, and especially within queer space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-velour/racism-is-a-problem-everywhere-especially-in-this-country-but-all/) [Sasha Velour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-velour/) > [It certainly would be possible for America to redefine its role in the world, especially if, in the short run, America is able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/it-certainly-would-be-possible-for-america-to-redefine-its-role-in/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [There are so many clichés in the world, especially in music, that it's a never-ending creative font to just bring two of them together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephin-merritt/there-are-so-many-clich-s-in-the-world-especially-in-music-that-it-s/) [Stephin Merritt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephin-merritt/) > [Photography cannot change the world, but it can show the world, especially when it changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-riboud/photography-cannot-change-the-world-but-it-can-show-the-world/) [Marc Riboud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-riboud/) > [To be able to travel the world, especially to places I never thought I'd be it's really, you know, still fascinating for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/to-be-able-to-travel-the-world-especially-to-places-i-never-thought-i/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [Being a journalist seemed the ideal way of both having a job and experiencing the world, especially for anyone with a sense of adventure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-kennedy/being-a-journalist-seemed-the-ideal-way-of-both-having-a-job-and/) [Jackie Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-kennedy/) > [Observe the world around you everything you do, and especially everything you hate to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/observe-the-world-around-you-everything-you-do-and-especially/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [Now imagine a world in which everyone, but especially people with power and influence, holds an expanded view of our place in the cosmos.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/now-imagine-a-world-in-which-everyone-but-especially-people-with/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [There's lots of fun in this world, after all. And if there isn't, there is in the next. And we're going there, sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris-hunt/there-s-lots-of-fun-in-this-world-after-all-and-if-there-isn-t-there/) [William Morris Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris-hunt/) > [The world isn't ready for what I have to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-david-mitchell/the-world-isn-t-ready-for-what-i-have-to-say/) [Brian David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-david-mitchell/) > [“The world isn't necessarily going to explode. There will just be vast change. There is hope. It is in the rain forests, the healing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/the-world-isn-t-necessarily-going-to-explode-there-will-just-be-vast/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [I like that the art world isn't regulated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/i-like-that-the-art-world-isn-t-regulated/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [The world isn't just the way it is. It is how we understand it, no? And in understanding something, we bring something to it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-world-isn-t-just-the-way-it-is-it-is-how-we-understand-it-no-and/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [The world isn't a sad place, it's just big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-world-isn-t-a-sad-place-it-s-just-big/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The world isn't always black and white. sometimes, it's gray, and sometimes that gray explodes into colors you never knew existed before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/the-world-isn-t-always-black-and-white-sometimes-it-s-gray-and/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) ## More by Clive Barker > [I've always thought that the most extraordinary special effect you could do is to buy a child at the moment of its birth, sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-ve-always-thought-that-the-most-extraordinary-special-effect-you/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Those old hypocrites. They talk about killing witches but the Good Book’s full of magic. Turning the Nile to blood and parting the Red…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/those-old-hypocrites-they-talk-about-killing-witches-but-the-good/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I dreamt a limitless book, A book unbound, Its leaves scattered in fantastic abundance On every line there was a new horizon drawn, New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-dreamt-a-limitless-book-a-book-unbound-its-leaves-scattered-in/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Only when they have outrun the all-too-eager shadows of the Canyon and they are back in the glare of the billboards on Sunset Boulevard,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/only-when-they-have-outrun-the-all-too-eager-shadows-of-the-canyon/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I firmly believe that a story is only as good as the villain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-firmly-believe-that-a-story-is-only-as-good-as-the-villain/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Let us not neglect the forbidden. Let us not sophisticate ourselves out of the cheap thrill and chill of it: the story told for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/let-us-not-neglect-the-forbidden-let-us-not-sophisticate-ourselves/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [You can plan to be brave - it's even better if you just try to be brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/you-can-plan-to-be-brave-it-s-even-better-if-you-just-try-to-be-brave/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Pleasure is a reward, given to the human system by evolution in return for services rendered to the preservation and increase of the species.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/pleasure-is-a-reward-given-to-the-human-system-by-evolution-in-return/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I love meeting people who've read my books. The prime reason to be on the planet is to make things I can show to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-love-meeting-people-who-ve-read-my-books-the-prime-reason-to-be-on/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Nothing happens carelessly. We’re not brought into the world without reason, even though we may never understand the reason. An infant that lives an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/nothing-happens-carelessly-we-re-not-brought-into-the-world-without/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Despite his intent, tears sprang to his eyes, and he went into her embrace, both of them sobbing freely, like enemies joined by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/despite-his-intent-tears-sprang-to-his-eyes-and-he-went-into-her/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Always, worlds within worlds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/always-worlds-within-worlds/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“I'm an inclusionist. I've always divided up (very, very broadly, I admit) the artistic instincts into the inclusionist and the exclusionist. The exclusionist is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-m-an-inclusionist-i-ve-always-divided-up-very-very-broadly-i-admit/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I think I'm less and less labelled a 'horror writer'. The books tend not to go on horror shelves any more, and when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-think-i-m-less-and-less-labelled-a-horror-writer-the-books-tend-not/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“Horror shows us that the control we believe we have is purely illusory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/horror-shows-us-that-the-control-we-believe-we-have-is-purely-illusory/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) [Explore all 365 Clive Barker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) ## More Devouring quotes > [Introspection is a devouring monster. You have to feed it with much material, much experience, many people, many places, many loves, many creations, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/introspection-is-a-devouring-monster-you-have-to-feed-it-with-much/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Science is the only truth and it is the great lie. It knows nothing, and people think it knows everything. It is misrepresented. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remy-de-gourmont/science-is-the-only-truth-and-it-is-the-great-lie-it-knows-nothing/) [Remy de Gourmont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remy-de-gourmont/) > [Do you know, I always imagine that the subway trains are dragons,' Rose said to Bear as they clung to his coat for support…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-doman/do-you-know-i-always-imagine-that-the-subway-trains-are-dragons-rose/) [Regina Doman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-doman/) > [The cruelty of a Fijian god, who, represented as devouring the souls of the dead, may be supposed to inflict torture during the process,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/the-cruelty-of-a-fijian-god-who-represented-as-devouring-the-souls-of/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [Marriage must perforce fight against the all-devouring monster of habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/marriage-must-perforce-fight-against-the-all-devouring-monster-of/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [In the tension between devouring want or simple need it's clear the only lines between the ones we preserve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/as-i-lay-dying/in-the-tension-between-devouring-want-or-simple-need-it-s-clear-the/) [As I Lay Dying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/as-i-lay-dying/) > [We want something desperately and we try to force the God to give it up before it is ready. We want everything now. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-want-something-desperately-and-we-try-to-force-the-god-to-give-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Men had better be without education than be educated by their rulers; for their education is but the mere breaking in of the steer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hodgskin/men-had-better-be-without-education-than-be-educated-by-their-rulers/) [Thomas Hodgskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hodgskin/) > [We have unmistakable proof that throughout all past time, there has been a ceaseless devouring of the weak by the strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/we-have-unmistakable-proof-that-throughout-all-past-time-there-has/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [Growing up, I didn't have any comic books, at all. But my friend had a trunk full of them, so comic books were like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-spader/growing-up-i-didn-t-have-any-comic-books-at-all-but-my-friend-had-a/) [James Spader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-spader/) > [Fame requires every kind of excess. I mean true fame, a devouring neon, not the sombre renown of waning statesmen or chinless kings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/fame-requires-every-kind-of-excess-i-mean-true-fame-a-devouring-neon/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [The pure present is an ungraspable advance of the past devouring the future. In truth, all sensation is already memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-pure-present-is-an-ungraspable-advance-of-the-past-devouring-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Wolves and women are relational by nature, inquiring, possessed of great endurance and strength. They are deeply intuitive, intensely concerned with their young, their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/wolves-and-women-are-relational-by-nature-inquiring-possessed-of/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [Precisely because the State has the monopoly of coercion it can be allowed the monopoly only of coercion. Only if the modern State can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/precisely-because-the-state-has-the-monopoly-of-coercion-it-can-be/) [Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/) > [Society proceeds like the ocean. After a disaster, it resume its wonted level and rhythms; its devouring interests efface all traces of damage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/society-proceeds-like-the-ocean-after-a-disaster-it-resume-its-wonted/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) [Browse all 112 Devouring quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devouring/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It’s only when you’ve lost someone that you realize the nonsense of that phrase “It’s a small world”. It isn’t. 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