--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've learned over the past years what it…" description: "\"“I've learned over the past years what it really means to be able to miss someone. In order to miss someone, that means you were privileged enough to h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/colleen-hoover-124_cute-things-guys-say_i-ve-learned-over-the-past-years-what-it_2473161.jpg" --- # I've learned over the past years what it really means to… ![“I've learned over the past years what it really means to be able to miss someone. In order to miss someone, that means you were privileged enough to have them in your life to begin with. And while seventeen years doesn't seem like near enough time to have spent with you over the course of a…” quote by Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/colleen-hoover-124_cute-things-guys-say_i-ve-learned-over-the-past-years-what-it_2473161.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/colleen-hoover-124_cute-things-guys-say_i-ve-learned-over-the-past-years-what-it_2473161.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/colleen-hoover-124_cute-things-guys-say_i-ve-learned-over-the-past-years-what-it_2473161.jpg) > ““I've learned over the past years what it really means to be able to miss someone. In order to miss someone, that means you were privileged enough to have them in your life to begin with. And while seventeen years doesn't seem like near enough time to have spent with you over the course of a lifetime, it's still seventeen more years than the people that never knew you at all. So if I look at it that way ... I'm pretty damn lucky. I'm the luckiest brother ever in the whole wide world.”” [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Missing someone shows you valued their presence; the longer the bond, the deeper the gratitude. **In simple terms:** Missing shows you valued. Key Takeaway Cherish relationships; appreciate time together. Themes gratitude family love appreciation Mood nostalgic reflective warm Type personal emotional When to use this quote - family gatherings - long-distance relationships - anniversaries - reflecting on past connections Key Concepts emotional connection privilege loneliness Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance gratitude for past bonds with living in the present? - What actions can you take to honor those relationships now? A Different Perspective Missing can also cause pain and longing, which may hinder present joy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cute-things-guys-say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cute-things-guys-say/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Losing someone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/losing-someone/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Missing you quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missing-you-quotes/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“I want to kiss her and make love to her and marry her and make her have my babies and I want it all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-want-to-kiss-her-and-make-love-to-her-and-marry-her-and-make-her/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“It's killing me Sky. It's killing me because I don't want you to go another day without knowing how I feel about you. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/it-s-killing-me-sky-it-s-killing-me-because-i-don-t-want-you-to-go/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Sky: "you're the best, most understanding boyfriend in the whole wide world." Holder: "No, I am not. I'm the most whipped boyfriend in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/sky-you-re-the-best-most-understanding-boyfriend-in-the-whole-wide/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [ “\[...\] Because I want your first kiss to be the best first kiss in the history of first kisses.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/because-i-want-your-first-kiss-to-be-the-best-first-kiss-in-the/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Les, I want to kiss her so fucking bad, but I'm too scared. I'm scared if I kiss her too soon, it'll feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/les-i-want-to-kiss-her-so-fucking-bad-but-i-m-too-scared-i-m-scared/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“I throw my arms around his neck and let him hold me. All seventeen years of me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-throw-my-arms-around-his-neck-and-let-him-hold-me-all-seventeen/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“I could cease to be a Grey and take the name of my mother should have had before she was married. I could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-could-cease-to-be-a-grey-and-take-the-name-of-my-mother-should-have/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“A small smile transformed his normally hardened features and he took my hand and ran it across his ribs. "Are they all there?" I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tillie-cole/a-small-smile-transformed-his-normally-hardened-features-and-he-took/) [Tillie Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tillie-cole/) > [“I don’t want a girl, or a woman, or a supermodel. I want you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/i-don-t-want-a-girl-or-a-woman-or-a-supermodel-i-want-you/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [“Nine, how your hands are always cold, but they are the warmest touch I've ever felt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-paolo/nine-how-your-hands-are-always-cold-but-they-are-the-warmest-touch-i/) [Theresa Paolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-paolo/) > [“I want this girl. I want her for my own. End of story. The world can fuck off for all I care. She’s mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendall-ryan/i-want-this-girl-i-want-her-for-my-own-end-of-story-the-world-can/) [Kendall Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendall-ryan/) > [“You know, if you're going to take me aside when I'm behaving badly, I may start behaving worse. Just to get some attention from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-lazebnik/you-know-if-you-re-going-to-take-me-aside-when-i-m-behaving-badly-i/) [Claire LaZebnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-lazebnik/) > [“Jenny," he whispered. "My Jenny.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-gray/jenny-he-whispered-my-jenny/) [Amanda Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-gray/) > [“You missed it? How? It streaked across the whole sky. Now you don’t get to make a wish.” I drew in a breath. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-missed-it-how-it-streaked-across-the-whole-sky-now-you-don-t-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He exhaled with a deep, contented sigh, speaking in a hushed voice. “I love you, Abby. I’m going to make you happy, I swear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/he-exhaled-with-a-deep-contented-sigh-speaking-in-a-hushed-voice-i/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) ## More by Colleen Hoover > [Please don't allow anyone to make you feel less than what you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/please-don-t-allow-anyone-to-make-you-feel-less-than-what-you-are/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Some people they grow wiser as they grow older. Unfortunately, most people just grow older.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/some-people-they-grow-wiser-as-they-grow-older-unfortunately-most/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“You can't get mad at a real ending. Some of them are ugly. It's the fake happily ever afters that should piss you off.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/you-can-t-get-mad-at-a-real-ending-some-of-them-are-ugly-it-s-the/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“I’ve been looking for you my whole damn life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-ve-been-looking-for-you-my-whole-damn-life/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“I tilt my head and look at him. He's watching me, but I can't tell what his face is trying to convey. If I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-tilt-my-head-and-look-at-him-he-s-watching-me-but-i-can-t-tell-what/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [Love and hate, despite their polar opposites, are both feelings that are induced by passion. I can handle that. It's the indifference I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/love-and-hate-despite-their-polar-opposites-are-both-feelings-that/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“We'll either come to a mutual understanding of one another, or he's going to kill me and chop me up into tiny pieces and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/we-ll-either-come-to-a-mutual-understanding-of-one-another-or-he-s/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“We kiss until the alarm sounds off on my phone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/we-kiss-until-the-alarm-sounds-off-on-my-phone/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“The sky is always beautiful. Even when it's dark or rainy or cloudy, it's still beautiful to look at. It's my favourite thing because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/the-sky-is-always-beautiful-even-when-it-s-dark-or-rainy-or-cloudy-it/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Ridge: Oh, and btw, I didn't write that on your forehead. What? I run to the dresser and look in the mirror for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/ridge-oh-and-btw-i-didn-t-write-that-on-your-forehead-what-i-run-to/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“I feel like my maybe someday just became my right now .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-feel-like-my-maybe-someday-just-became-my-right-now/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“That's all I need," I say. "Well...I need the lamp. And the astray. And the remote control. And the paddleball game. And you, Dean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/that-s-all-i-need-i-say-well-i-need-the-lamp-and-the-astray-and-the/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Because if you've never felt anything when someone's kissed you, then no one's ever really kissed you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/because-if-you-ve-never-felt-anything-when-someone-s-kissed-you-then/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Tate lays her head on my arm, and we both watch her. Our daughter. I love you so much, Sam. I’m looking down at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/tate-lays-her-head-on-my-arm-and-we-both-watch-her-our-daughter-i/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“I have been entertaining the idea, Sky. Believe me. It’s just a huge step that can’t be undone once it’s taken.” “What if it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-have-been-entertaining-the-idea-sky-believe-me-it-s-just-a-huge/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) [Explore all 1,065 Colleen Hoover quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) ## More Cute-things-guys-say quotes > [“He exhaled with a deep, contented sigh, speaking in a hushed voice. “I love you, Abby. I’m going to make you happy, I swear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/he-exhaled-with-a-deep-contented-sigh-speaking-in-a-hushed-voice-i/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [“You missed it? How? It streaked across the whole sky. Now you don’t get to make a wish.” I drew in a breath. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-missed-it-how-it-streaked-across-the-whole-sky-now-you-don-t-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Les, I want to kiss her so fucking bad, but I'm too scared. I'm scared if I kiss her too soon, it'll feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/les-i-want-to-kiss-her-so-fucking-bad-but-i-m-too-scared-i-m-scared/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Jenny," he whispered. "My Jenny.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-gray/jenny-he-whispered-my-jenny/) [Amanda Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-gray/) > [ “\[...\] Because I want your first kiss to be the best first kiss in the history of first kisses.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/because-i-want-your-first-kiss-to-be-the-best-first-kiss-in-the/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Sky: "you're the best, most understanding boyfriend in the whole wide world." Holder: "No, I am not. I'm the most whipped boyfriend in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/sky-you-re-the-best-most-understanding-boyfriend-in-the-whole-wide/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“You know, if you're going to take me aside when I'm behaving badly, I may start behaving worse. Just to get some attention from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-lazebnik/you-know-if-you-re-going-to-take-me-aside-when-i-m-behaving-badly-i/) [Claire LaZebnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-lazebnik/) > [“It's killing me Sky. It's killing me because I don't want you to go another day without knowing how I feel about you. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/it-s-killing-me-sky-it-s-killing-me-because-i-don-t-want-you-to-go/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“I want this girl. I want her for my own. End of story. The world can fuck off for all I care. She’s mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendall-ryan/i-want-this-girl-i-want-her-for-my-own-end-of-story-the-world-can/) [Kendall Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendall-ryan/) > [“Nine, how your hands are always cold, but they are the warmest touch I've ever felt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-paolo/nine-how-your-hands-are-always-cold-but-they-are-the-warmest-touch-i/) [Theresa Paolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-paolo/) > [“A small smile transformed his normally hardened features and he took my hand and ran it across his ribs. "Are they all there?" I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tillie-cole/a-small-smile-transformed-his-normally-hardened-features-and-he-took/) [Tillie Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tillie-cole/) > [“I could cease to be a Grey and take the name of my mother should have had before she was married. I could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-could-cease-to-be-a-grey-and-take-the-name-of-my-mother-should-have/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“I don’t want a girl, or a woman, or a supermodel. I want you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/i-don-t-want-a-girl-or-a-woman-or-a-supermodel-i-want-you/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [“I want to kiss her and make love to her and marry her and make her have my babies and I want it all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-want-to-kiss-her-and-make-love-to-her-and-marry-her-and-make-her/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“How come you’re in such a good mood? You couldn't have gotten much more sleep than I did last night. Are you a morning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-a-bartol/how-come-you-re-in-such-a-good-mood-you-couldn-t-have-gotten-much/) [Amy A. Bartol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-a-bartol/) [Browse all 17 Cute-things-guys-say quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cute-things-guys-say/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I've learned over the past years what it really means to be able to miss someone. In order to miss someone, that means you were privileged enough to have them in your life to begin with. And while seventeen years doesn't seem like near enough time to have spent with you over the course of a lifetime, it's still seventeen more years than the people that never knew you at all. So if I look at it that way ... I'm pretty damn lucky. 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