--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I try to give myself passionately…" description: "\"I try to give myself passionately, totally, to whatever I'm observing, with as much affectionate curiosity as I can muster, as a means of understanding..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/diane-ackerman-1035_affectionate_i-try-to-give-myself-passionately-totall_2117643.png" --- # I try to give myself passionately, totally, to whatever… ![“I try to give myself passionately, totally, to whatever I'm observing, with as much affectionate curiosity as I can muster, as a means of understanding a little better what being human is.” quote by Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/diane-ackerman-1035_affectionate_i-try-to-give-myself-passionately-totall_2117643.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/diane-ackerman-1035_affectionate_i-try-to-give-myself-passionately-totall_2117643.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab2/diane-ackerman-1035_affectionate_i-try-to-give-myself-passionately-totall_2117643.png) > “I try to give myself passionately, totally, to whatever I'm observing, with as much affectionate curiosity as I can muster, as a means of understanding a little better what being human is.” [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She advocates deep, affectionate curiosity as a path to understanding humanity, encouraging immersive and empathetic observation. **In simple terms:** Observe with affection to understand humanity. Key Takeaway Cultivate empathetic curiosity. Themes humanity observation curiosity empathy Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical personal When to use this quote - journaling - field research - artistic creation - therapy - education Key Concepts mindfulness psychology anthropology self‑growth Questions to Reflect On - How does affection change perception? - What practices deepen curious observation? A Different Perspective May lead to emotional overwhelm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affectionate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affectionate/) [Being human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-human/) [Curiosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curiosity/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [I take the responsibility of playing another ethnicity very, very seriously, and I promise myself and those people that I will represent them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-curtis/i-take-the-responsibility-of-playing-another-ethnicity-very-very/) [Cliff Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-curtis/) > [Be bold. Envision yourself living a life that you love. 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They are the soul of a people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/libraries-change-lives-they-are-the-soul-of-a-people/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [“The etymology of the Hebrew word for prophet, navi, combines three processes: navach (to cry out), nava (to gush or flow), and navuv (to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/the-etymology-of-the-hebrew-word-for-prophet-navi-combines-three/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [Knee-deep in the cosmic overwhelm, I’m stricken by the ricochet wonder of it all: the plain everythingness of everything, in cahoots with the everythingness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/knee-deep-in-the-cosmic-overwhelm-i-m-stricken-by-the-ricochet-wonder/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [ Symbolic of life, hair bolts from our head\[s\]. Like the earth, it can be harvested, but it will rise again. We can change its… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/symbolic-of-life-hair-bolts-from-our-head-s-like-the-earth-it-can-be/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [“Most people know that 30 to 40 percent of the world's Jews were killed during World War II, but not that 80 to 90…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/most-people-know-that-30-to-40-percent-of-the-world-s-jews-were/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [Choice is a signature of our species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/choice-is-a-signature-of-our-species/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [The further we distance ourselves from the spell of the present, explored by our senses, the harder it will be to understand and protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/the-further-we-distance-ourselves-from-the-spell-of-the-present/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [Culture is what people invent when they have lost nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/culture-is-what-people-invent-when-they-have-lost-nature/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) [Explore all 304 Diane Ackerman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) ## More Affectionate quotes > [“Emira realized that Briar probably didn't know how to say good-bye because she never had to do it before. But whether she said good-bye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiley-reid/emira-realized-that-briar-probably-didn-t-know-how-to-say-good-bye/) Kiley Reid > [“She scanned the room, and her grin broadened when she saw Christian. She then sought me out. Her smile for him had been affectionate;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/she-scanned-the-room-and-her-grin-broadened-when-she-saw-christian/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [We must understand that God does not "love" us without liking us - through gritted teeth - as "Christian" love is sometimes thought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-must-understand-that-god-does-not-love-us-without-liking-us/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [There never was a tonic that would cure more social ailments than a healthy, happy home. There never was a greater source of social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/there-never-was-a-tonic-that-would-cure-more-social-ailments-than-a/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [I am convinced that human nature is basically affectionate and good. If our behavior follows our kind and loving nature, immense benefits will result,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/i-am-convinced-that-human-nature-is-basically-affectionate-and-good/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [With no other privilege than that of sympathy and sincere good wishes, I would address an affectionate exhortation to the youthful literati, grounded on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/with-no-other-privilege-than-that-of-sympathy-and-sincere-good-wishes/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [One realizes that human relationships are the tragic necessity of human life; that they can never be wholly satisfactory, that every ego is half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/one-realizes-that-human-relationships-are-the-tragic-necessity-of/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [I can be affectionate about a lot of things without watching them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/i-can-be-affectionate-about-a-lot-of-things-without-watching-them/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [ If I do manage to come up with a scheme \[to naming\], however, I stick to it, which is why my cats are named… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-vernon/if-i-do-manage-to-come-up-with-a-scheme-to-naming-however-i-stick-to/) [Ursula Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-vernon/) > [Josh Radnor is that rare thing: a writer-director who thinks like an actor but still knows how to create a comedy with shape and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-gleiberman/josh-radnor-is-that-rare-thing-a-writer-director-who-thinks-like-an/) Owen Gleiberman > [Always when I see a man fond of praise I always think it is because he is an affectionate man craving for affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-butler-yeats/always-when-i-see-a-man-fond-of-praise-i-always-think-it-is-because/) Jack Butler Yeats > [I feel that a genuine, affectionate smile is very important in our day-to-day lives. 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