--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I felt a glimmer of happiness when I…" description: "\"“I felt a glimmer of happiness when I started studying Italian, and when you sense a faint potentiality for happiness after such dark times you must gr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/elizabeth-gilbert-131_dark-times_i-felt-a-glimmer-of-happiness-when-i-sta_601238.jpg" --- # I felt a glimmer of happiness when I started studying… ![“I felt a glimmer of happiness when I started studying Italian, and when you sense a faint potentiality for happiness after such dark times you must grab onto the ankles of that happiness and not let go until it drags you face-first out of the dirt-this is not selfishness, but obligation. You were…” quote by Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/elizabeth-gilbert-131_dark-times_i-felt-a-glimmer-of-happiness-when-i-sta_601238.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/elizabeth-gilbert-131_dark-times_i-felt-a-glimmer-of-happiness-when-i-sta_601238.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/elizabeth-gilbert-131_dark-times_i-felt-a-glimmer-of-happiness-when-i-sta_601238.jpg) > ““I felt a glimmer of happiness when I started studying Italian, and when you sense a faint potentiality for happiness after such dark times you must grab onto the ankles of that happiness and not let go until it drags you face-first out of the dirt-this is not selfishness, but obligation. You were given life; it is your duty (and also your entitlement as a human being) to find something beautiful within life, no matter how slight”” [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Discovering happiness in learning Italian offers a lifeline during dark times, urging us to cling to joy and fulfill our duty to seek beauty. **In simple terms:** Learning a language can bring hope and purpose in difficult periods. Key Takeaway Seek and hold onto moments of happiness as a responsibility. Themes personal growth language learning resilience purpose joy Mood inspired optimistic thoughtful Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - language study - creative writing - mental health support - personal development Key Concepts mindfulness self‑care creative fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - What small joys can you pursue today? - How does learning a new skill change your outlook? A Different Perspective Happiness may be fleeting and requires active effort to sustain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dark times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-times/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Let](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-let-548278/) [Italian Sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/italian-sense-4901642/) [Potentiality Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/potentiality-happiness-4901641/) [Selfishness Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness-obligation-4901643/) ## Related quotes > [And when you sense a faint potentiality for happiness after such dark times you must grab onto the ankles of that happiness and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/and-when-you-sense-a-faint-potentiality-for-happiness-after-such-dark/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“Each woman is responsible for her own happiness. Let us strive to cultivate this spirit of gladness in our homes and let it shine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-w-winder/each-woman-is-responsible-for-her-own-happiness-let-us-strive-to/) [Barbara W. Winder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-w-winder/) > [“Today, many will choose to live free of conditions and rules governing their own happiness. Why not you? Do not let another day go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/today-many-will-choose-to-live-free-of-conditions-and-rules-governing/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [Its better to pursue your happiness , rather than to let people continuously ruin it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-better-to-pursue-your-happiness-rather-than-to-let-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I always say: 'Share your happiness with the world, give other people that happiness and let it come back,' but some things make me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-azalea/i-always-say-share-your-happiness-with-the-world-give-other-people/) [Iggy Azalea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-azalea/) > [Grudges are a waste of perfect happiness. Let it go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemant-smarty/grudges-are-a-waste-of-perfect-happiness-let-it-go/) [Hemant Smarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hemant-smarty/) > [If you were to give me forty such men, I never could be so happy as you. Till I have your disposition, your goodness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/if-you-were-to-give-me-forty-such-men-i-never-could-be-so-happy-as/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [Make up your mind to embrace happiness , let your personal identity get all wrapped up in the concept of happiness. Fold it around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/make-up-your-mind-to-embrace-happiness-let-your-personal-identity-get/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [The secret of happiness is this: let your interests be as wide as possible, and let your reactions to the things and persons that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-secret-of-happiness-is-this-let-your-interests-be-as-wide-as-2/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Sometimes the only obstacle to your own peace and happiness is yourself. Let go of past hurts and blame. Accept responsibility for your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/sometimes-the-only-obstacle-to-your-own-peace-and-happiness-is/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [The way to experience ultimate happiness is to let go of all worries and regrets, and to know that being happy is the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toshitsugu-takamatsu/the-way-to-experience-ultimate-happiness-is-to-let-go-of-all-worries/) [Toshitsugu Takamatsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toshitsugu-takamatsu/) > [May we never let the things we can't have, or don't have, or shouldn't have, spoil our enjoyment of the things we do have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/may-we-never-let-the-things-we-can-t-have-or-don-t-have-or-shouldn-t/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) > [The solution to happiness is to let go of what doesn't make you happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/the-solution-to-happiness-is-to-let-go-of-what-doesn-t-make-you-happy/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Happiness is when you let the pain out of your life, moving forward and start anew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happiness-is-when-you-let-the-pain-out-of-your-life-moving-forward/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Spread your happiness to others and let them spread theirs to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/spread-your-happiness-to-others-and-let-them-spread-theirs-to-you/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) ## More by Elizabeth Gilbert > [That's your friend. My husband is my best friend. He's not the mirror that holds up my flaws. He's just the guy who's like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/that-s-your-friend-my-husband-is-my-best-friend-he-s-not-the-mirror/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“Not to mention that I have finally arrived at that age where a woman starts to question whether the wisest way to get over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/not-to-mention-that-i-have-finally-arrived-at-that-age-where-a-woman/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“The Buddha taught that all human suffering is rooted in desire. Don't we all know this to be true? Any of us who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-buddha-taught-that-all-human-suffering-is-rooted-in-desire-don-t/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [ “And while \[we\] do have possibilities that are vast and magnificent and almost infinite in scope, it's important to remember that our choice-rich lives… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/and-while-we-do-have-possibilities-that-are-vast-and-magnificent-and/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Learn your way around loneliness. Make a map of it. Sit with it, for once in your life. Welcome to the human experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/learn-your-way-around-loneliness-make-a-map-of-it-sit-with-it-for/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [If we never leave our house except to drive to work, do we need to be even remotely aware of this powerful, humbling, extraordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/if-we-never-leave-our-house-except-to-drive-to-work-do-we-need-to-be/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I will tell you why we have these extraordinary minds and souls, Miss Whittaker," he continued, as though he had not heard her. "We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-will-tell-you-why-we-have-these-extraordinary-minds-and-souls-miss/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Both the five-year-olds looked at me with bewilderment and a bit of fearful uncertainty. I had a sudden horrifying image of the woman I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/both-the-five-year-olds-looked-at-me-with-bewilderment-and-a-bit-of/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“Clearing out all your misery gets you out of the way. You cease being an obstacle, not only to yourself but to anyone else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/clearing-out-all-your-misery-gets-you-out-of-the-way-you-cease-being/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [The ingredients of both darkness and light are equally present in all of us,...The madness of this planet is largely a result of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-ingredients-of-both-darkness-and-light-are-equally-present-in-all/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I was full of a hot, powerful sadness and would have loved to burst into the comfort of tears, but tried hard not to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-was-full-of-a-hot-powerful-sadness-and-would-have-loved-to-burst/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“I live in nature where everything is connected, circular. The seasons are circular. The planet is circular, and so is the planet around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-live-in-nature-where-everything-is-connected-circular-the-seasons/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“His spelling was several degrees beyond arbitrary, and his punctuation brought reason to sigh with unhappiness. But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/his-spelling-was-several-degrees-beyond-arbitrary-and-his-punctuation/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Before you realize this truth, say the Yogis, you will always be in despair, a notion nicely expressed in this exasperated line from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/before-you-realize-this-truth-say-the-yogis-you-will-always-be-in/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I actually have a great deal of respect for antidepressants; I think they can be enormously mighty tools toward recovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-actually-have-a-great-deal-of-respect-for-antidepressants-i-think/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) [Explore all 1,156 Elizabeth Gilbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) ## More Dark times quotes > [“Heine believed that in dark times people's best guide is religion, since the blind understand darkness much better than those with sight. But it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-g-rosenberg/heine-believed-that-in-dark-times-people-s-best-guide-is-religion/) [Jacob G. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-g-rosenberg/) > [I will always be able to get through the dark times in life, as long as my friends are waiting for me in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vino/i-will-always-be-able-to-get-through-the-dark-times-in-life-as-long/) [Vino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vino/) > [“How do we understand prejudice, hatred, and violence in the context of modern societies, like our own, among people much like ourselves, among men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-walser-smith/how-do-we-understand-prejudice-hatred-and-violence-in-the-context-of/) [Helmut Walser Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-walser-smith/) > [There's also some element of coming of age during the Reagan administration, which everybody has painted as some glorious time in America, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/there-s-also-some-element-of-coming-of-age-during-the-reagan/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [Life is a stream of happy and unhappy experiences, because that leads to Soul's purification. How do you get by in the dark times?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-klemp/life-is-a-stream-of-happy-and-unhappy-experiences-because-that-leads/) [Harold Klemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-klemp/) > [I've gone through some dark times, and at those times, my tattoos have helped and guided me through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronan-keating/i-ve-gone-through-some-dark-times-and-at-those-times-my-tattoos-have/) [Ronan Keating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronan-keating/) > [“We've all felt a little incompetent, insufficient, overexposed, helpless, unlovable, terrified, defective, unfit and unsung at times. And deep down, for whatever reason, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-clendening/we-ve-all-felt-a-little-incompetent-insufficient-overexposed-helpless/) [Anne Clendening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-clendening/) > [These are dark times, there is no denying. Our world has perhaps faced no greater threat than it does today. But I say this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/these-are-dark-times-there-is-no-denying-our-world-has-perhaps-faced/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My home city of Liverpool is known for having a sense of humour because it's experienced dark times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-mccausland/my-home-city-of-liverpool-is-known-for-having-a-sense-of-humour/) [Chris McCausland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-mccausland/) > [I am not a big crier. But I'd say it was after the Mendes fight. 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Why is it so hard to believe that I could make a real contribution in these dark times?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/none-of-you-appreciate-me-why-is-it-so-hard-to-believe-that-i-could-2/) [richelle mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [In those dark times, one rose to the very heights of humanity by simply remaining human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/in-those-dark-times-one-rose-to-the-very-heights-of-humanity-by/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) [Browse all 146 Dark times quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-times/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I felt a glimmer of happiness when I started studying Italian, and when you sense a faint potentiality for happiness after such dark times you must grab onto the ankles of that happiness and not let go until it drags you face-first out of the dirt-this is not selfishness, but obligation. 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