--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I find myself thinking back to something…" description: "\"“I find myself thinking back to something I saw on the local news about a year ago. A teen football player had died in a car accident. The cameras show..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/david-levithan-67_ball-player_i-find-myself-thinking-back-to-something_889686.jpg" --- # I find myself thinking back to something I saw on the… ![“I find myself thinking back to something I saw on the local news about a year ago. A teen football player had died in a car accident. The cameras showed all his friends after the funeral—these big hulking guys, all in tears, saying, “I loved him. We all loved him so much.” I started crying, too…” quote by David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/david-levithan-67_ball-player_i-find-myself-thinking-back-to-something_889686.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/david-levithan-67_ball-player_i-find-myself-thinking-back-to-something_889686.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/david-levithan-67_ball-player_i-find-myself-thinking-back-to-something_889686.jpg) > ““I find myself thinking back to something I saw on the local news about a year ago. A teen football player had died in a car accident. The cameras showed all his friends after the funeral—these big hulking guys, all in tears, saying, “I loved him. We all loved him so much.” I started crying, too, and I wondered if these guys had told the football player they loved him while he was alive, or whether it was only with death that this strange word, love, could be used. I vowed then and there that I would never hesitate to speak up to the people I loved. They deserved to know they gave meaning to my life. They deserved to know I thought the world of them.”” [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reflects on missed opportunities to express love before loss, urging proactive appreciation of loved ones. **In simple terms:** Speak love before it's too late. Key Takeaway Never wait to tell people you love them. Themes love gratitude mortality communication Mood reflective empathetic Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - friendship - family - romantic partners - colleagues Key Concepts emotional intelligence psychology relationships Questions to Reflect On - How often do you hold back affection? - What would change if you voiced love daily? A Different Perspective Often we assume love is obvious, leading to silence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ball player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ball-player/) [Car accident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/car-accident/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Football player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football-player/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Loved Deserved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved-deserved-1134337/) [Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning/) [Meaning life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning-life/) [Saying Loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-loved-390535/) [Told Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-football-1134339/) [Word Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-love/) ## Related quotes > [I always told myself I was more than a football player, so every off season, I pushed myself to go outside the box and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colton-underwood/i-always-told-myself-i-was-more-than-a-football-player-so-every-off/) [Colton Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colton-underwood/) > [My dad at an early age told me football is easier when you have fun. I figured out that it was so that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-kittle/my-dad-at-an-early-age-told-me-football-is-easier-when-you-have-fun-i/) [George Kittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-kittle/) > [I told myself after my football career was over that if I ever started making good money again, I would invest it wisely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-layfield/i-told-myself-after-my-football-career-was-over-that-if-i-ever/) [John Layfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-layfield/) > [I still remember when my teacher told me that football wouldn't give me anything to eat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiano-ronaldo/i-still-remember-when-my-teacher-told-me-that-football-wouldn-t-give/) [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiano-ronaldo/) > [“Her legacy was that she loved with all she had, whether you deserved it or not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-newman/her-legacy-was-that-she-loved-with-all-she-had-whether-you-deserved/) [Liz Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-newman/) > [If I did meet somebody, I would only ever make room for someone that loved me how I deserved to be loved. Until then...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-j/if-i-did-meet-somebody-i-would-only-ever-make-room-for-someone-that/) [Jessie J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-j/) > [Never hurt anyone more than they deserved. because you never know they must have loved u more than u deserved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-hurt-anyone-more-than-they-deserved-because-you-never-know-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When you held out a hand to someone you loved, she deserved for it to be steady.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debora-geary/when-you-held-out-a-hand-to-someone-you-loved-she-deserved-for-it-to/) [Debora Geary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debora-geary/) > [“Once upon a time, this girl loved me. I never deserved it, but she gave it to me anyway. She gave me her heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-james/once-upon-a-time-this-girl-loved-me-i-never-deserved-it-but-she-gave/) [Ella James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-james/) > [The only thing Jess really cared about were those two children and letting them know they were okay. Because even if the whole world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo-moyes/the-only-thing-jess-really-cared-about-were-those-two-children-and/) [Jojo Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo-moyes/) > [The thing is.. I loved you so much.. more than you deserved... and it wasnt enough I wasnt enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-thing-is-i-loved-you-so-much-more-than-you-deserved-and-it-wasnt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If we are to love sincerely, and with simplicity, we must first of all overcome the fear of not being loved. And this cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-we-are-to-love-sincerely-and-with-simplicity-we-must-first-of-all-2/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“I love you because you loved me first. Yet you love me, saying I loved you first. Funny, our love thrives believing the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/i-love-you-because-you-loved-me-first-yet-you-love-me-saying-i-loved/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [Remember that day you said you loved me? Remember that? See, you could do that because you're basically a sane person, who grew up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/remember-that-day-you-said-you-loved-me-remember-that-see-you-could/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“If it’s love, those tears are a sign of distress, not an act of defiance.        If it’s love, her bold fashion statement is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-macy-stafford/if-it-s-love-those-tears-are-a-sign-of-distress-not-an-act-of/) [Rachel Macy Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-macy-stafford/) ## More by David Levithan > [“When you jump, all you're going to do is fall. But leaping? Leaping is when you think there's something on the other side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-jump-all-you-re-going-to-do-is-fall-but-leaping-leaping-is/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“The past and the future are what's complicated. It's the present that's simple. And the simplicity is the sensation of it being just her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-past-and-the-future-are-what-s-complicated-it-s-the-present-that/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [You could be the leaf that never falls from the tree you could be the sun that never leaves the sky this might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-could-be-the-leaf-that-never-falls-from-the-tree-you-could-be-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Patrick: Is she worth the trouble? Cameron: I thought she was- Patrick: Either she is, or she isn't. So give it a shot, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/patrick-is-she-worth-the-trouble-cameron-i-thought-she-was-patrick/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“We saw our friends die. But we also see our friends live. So many of them live, and we often toast their long and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-saw-our-friends-die-but-we-also-see-our-friends-live-so-many-of/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [maybe tonight you're scared of falling, and maybe there's somebody here or somewhere else you're thinking about, worrying over, fretting over, trying to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/maybe-tonight-you-re-scared-of-falling-and-maybe-there-s-somebody/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“You never told me what you saw in him, not convincingly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-never-told-me-what-you-saw-in-him-not-convincingly/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“i nod to the other will grayson, up onstage. he nods to me. we have something between us, him and me. but the truth?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-nod-to-the-other-will-grayson-up-onstage-he-nods-to-me-we-have/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [The terrorists-those nineteen people, with hundreds or maybe thousands behind them-did the worst thing you can possibly imagine. But tens of millions people did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-terrorists-those-nineteen-people-with-hundreds-or-maybe-thousands/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [But I still has enough longing for that concept that I didn't want to dispel it completely. Meaning: I didn't want to tell Lily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/but-i-still-has-enough-longing-for-that-concept-that-i-didn-t-want-to/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“When you break someone's heart, you also break yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-break-someone-s-heart-you-also-break-yours/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Because toward the end all the words started leaving. Except for the ones that had to lock up at the end of the night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/because-toward-the-end-all-the-words-started-leaving-except-for-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“ misgivings , n . Last night, I got up the courage to ask you if you regretted us. "There are things I miss,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/misgivings-n-last-night-i-got-up-the-courage-to-ask-you-if-you/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Saving others is always more important than saving yourself. It has to be, or none of us would do any good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/saving-others-is-always-more-important-than-saving-yourself-it-has-to/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) [Explore all 1,648 David Levithan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) ## More Ball player quotes > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [I have friends in other industries but if I am training for a wrestling match, I would turn to the best wrestler to train,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-aries/i-have-friends-in-other-industries-but-if-i-am-training-for-a/) [Austin Aries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-aries/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I competed every day as a professional football player... You've got to like competing. That's how your team gets better, when you have competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-competed-every-day-as-a-professional-football-player-you-ve-got-to/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [“I can’t wait to knock you up and have a whole team of little baseball players around this place!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-sterling/i-can-t-wait-to-knock-you-up-and-have-a-whole-team-of-little-baseball/) [J. Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-sterling/) > [MOST AMAZING FOOTBALL PLAYER IN THE ENTIRE WORLD && IN REAL MADRID](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-amazing-football-player-in-the-entire-world-in-real-madrid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My older brothers were both basketball players so I just grew up around the gym.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brook-lopez/my-older-brothers-were-both-basketball-players-so-i-just-grew-up/) [Brook Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brook-lopez/) > [I'm a basketball player, so I want to do whatever I've got to do to be on the floor and I'm prepared for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrese-haliburton/i-m-a-basketball-player-so-i-want-to-do-whatever-i-ve-got-to-do-to-be/) [Tyrese Haliburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrese-haliburton/) > [“Seeing yourself in print is such an amazing concept: you can get so much attention without having to actually show up somewhere. While others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/seeing-yourself-in-print-is-such-an-amazing-concept-you-can-get-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People say baseball players should go out and have fun. No way. To me, baseball is pressure, I always feel it. This is work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/people-say-baseball-players-should-go-out-and-have-fun-no-way-to-me/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [Canada is a country whose main exports are hockey players and cold fronts. Our main imports are baseball players and acid rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/canada-is-a-country-whose-main-exports-are-hockey-players-and-cold/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [“The great thing about baseball players, from the point of view of personal hygiene, is how seldom they break a sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/the-great-thing-about-baseball-players-from-the-point-of-view-of/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [A lot of scouts and people are enamored with athleticism and youth. So they take that any day over mature, high-quality basketball players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-brogdon/a-lot-of-scouts-and-people-are-enamored-with-athleticism-and-youth-so/) [Malcolm Brogdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-brogdon/) > [I'm a baseball player. I've done this my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sale/i-m-a-baseball-player-i-ve-done-this-my-whole-life/) [Chris Sale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sale/) [Browse all 1,395 Ball player quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ball-player/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I find myself thinking back to something I saw on the local news about a year ago. A teen football player had died in a car accident. The cameras showed all his friends after the funeral—these big hulking guys, all in tears, saying, “I loved him. We all loved him so much.” I started crying, too, and I wondered if these guys had told the football player they loved him while he was alive, or whether it was only with death that this strange word, love, could be used. I vowed then and there that I would never hesitate to speak up to the people I loved. They deserved to know they gave meaning to my life. 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