--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: it feels like a precious wound, like a…" description: "\"“it feels like a precious wound, like a heartbreak you won’t let go of because it hurts too good. We all want things to stay the same, David; settle fo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/019/elizabeth-gilbert-131_afraid-of-change_it-feels-like-a-precious-wound-like-a-he_2462471.jpg" --- # it feels like a precious wound, like a heartbreak you… ![“it feels like a precious wound, like a heartbreak you won’t let go of because it hurts too good. We all want things to stay the same, David; settle for living in misery because we’re afraid of change, of things crumbling to ruins. Then I looked around in this place [the augusteum], at the chaos…” quote by Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/019/elizabeth-gilbert-131_afraid-of-change_it-feels-like-a-precious-wound-like-a-he_2462471.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/019/elizabeth-gilbert-131_afraid-of-change_it-feels-like-a-precious-wound-like-a-he_2462471.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/019/elizabeth-gilbert-131_afraid-of-change_it-feels-like-a-precious-wound-like-a-he_2462471.jpg) > ““it feels like a precious wound, like a heartbreak you won’t let go of because it hurts too good. We all want things to stay the same, David; settle for living in misery because we’re afraid of change, of things crumbling to ruins. Then I looked around in this place \[the augusteum\], at the chaos its endured – the way it has been adapted, burned, pillaged and found a way to build itself back up again. And I was reassured that maybe my life hasn’t been so chaotic; tt’s just the world that is and the only real trap is getting attached to any of it. Ruin is a gift. Ruin is the road to transformation… We must always be prepared for endless waves of transformation. Both of us deserve better than staying together because we’re afraid we’ll be destroyed if we don’t.”” [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. Life’s chaos and ruin are gifts that lead to transformation; clinging to stability traps us. **In simple terms:** Ruin fuels growth; let go of fear. Key Takeaway Accept change as a catalyst for renewal. Themes change transformation impermanence Mood inspirational hopeful Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - personal crisis - urban renewal - relationship dynamics Key Concepts attachment resilience growth Questions to Reflect On - What “ruins” in your life have sparked growth? - How can you release attachment to outcomes? A Different Perspective Ruin can be overwhelming if not processed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid of change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-of-change/) [Deserve better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deserve-better/) [Heartbreak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heartbreak/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Ruin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruin/) ## Related quotes > [We all want things to stay the same. Settle for living in misery because we are afraid of change, of things crumbling to ruins.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/we-all-want-things-to-stay-the-same-settle-for-living-in-misery/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“A friend took me to the most amazing place the other day. It's called the Augusteum. Octavian Augustus built it to house his remains.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/a-friend-took-me-to-the-most-amazing-place-the-other-day-it-s-called/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [It's like a storm That cuts a path It breaks your will It feels like that You think you're lost But you're not lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rascal-flatts/it-s-like-a-storm-that-cuts-a-path-it-breaks-your-will-it-feels-like/) [Rascal Flatts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rascal-flatts/) > [Giving up doesn't always mean you're weak sometimes it means you're strong enough to let go. I'm going to let go now, even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/giving-up-doesn-t-always-mean-you-re-weak-sometimes-it-means-you-re/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I Love you but I have to let you go. Even it hurts but I need to do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-you-but-i-have-to-let-you-go-even-it-hurts-but-i-need-to-do-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Love is like two people pulling a rubber band. If one let it go, it hurts so much on who held on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/love-is-like-two-people-pulling-a-rubber-band-if-one-let-it-go-it/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“Let go of your hurts and fear. Let go of anger and revenge. Don't live destructive... Live a happy life instead!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/let-go-of-your-hurts-and-fear-let-go-of-anger-and-revenge-don-t-live/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [“Sometimes you have to give up on people. Not because you don't care but because they don't. A person's actions will tell you everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-green/sometimes-you-have-to-give-up-on-people-not-because-you-don-t-care-3/) Jennifer Green > [Boys are like sticky tape, once when you let go, it hurts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nylle/boys-are-like-sticky-tape-once-when-you-let-go-it-hurts/) Nylle > [Let go of what hurts and hold onto what feels good, if its hurting you, then its not good for you, if it makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/let-go-of-what-hurts-and-hold-onto-what-feels-good-if-its-hurting-you/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [Stop putting yourself through pain. Hes obviously happier without you now. You dont need to try anymore. Why try when you no longer have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/stop-putting-yourself-through-pain-hes-obviously-happier-without-you/) Patience > [“It's easier to just let it go. It hurts alot less”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-leighton/it-s-easier-to-just-let-it-go-it-hurts-alot-less/) [M. Leighton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-leighton/) > [“It hurts when the one you love does not reciprocate your feelings. It hurts when all your efforts to set things straight go in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arti-honrao/it-hurts-when-the-one-you-love-does-not-reciprocate-your-feelings-it/) [Arti Honrao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arti-honrao/) > [It hurts to see the one I love move on while I cant even let go. It hurts to see the one I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edchelyn/it-hurts-to-see-the-one-i-love-move-on-while-i-cant-even-let-go-it/) Edchelyn > [It hurts me to let you go but it hurts me more to see you unhappy with me¦](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-hurts-me-to-let-you-go-but-it-hurts-me-more-to-see-you-unhappy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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. 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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 Afraid of change quotes > [Don't be afraid of change. you may lose something good, but you may gain something even better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-be-afraid-of-change-you-may-lose-something-good-but-you-may/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We can't be afraid of change. You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in, but if you never venture out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c-2/we-can-t-be-afraid-of-change-you-may-feel-very-secure-in-the-pond/) [C JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c-2/) > [Habit is necessary. It is the habit of having habits, of turning a trail into a rut, that must be incessantly fought against if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/habit-is-necessary-it-is-the-habit-of-having-habits-of-turning-a/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [Ignorance is always afraid of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/ignorance-is-always-afraid-of-change/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [Cherish every second never let a day go by without self-improvement, also never be afraid of change, your whole life will pass you by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tonyg/cherish-every-second-never-let-a-day-go-by-without-self-improvement/) [Tonyg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tonyg/) > [One can remain alive long past the usual date of disintegration if one is unafraid of change, insatiable in intellectual curiosity, interested in big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-can-remain-alive-long-past-the-usual-date-of-disintegration-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“They think the government shows people everything —how to work, study, eat, sleep and that’s it. They are afraid of change. They do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-krotov/they-think-the-government-shows-people-everything-how-to-work-study/) Anton Krotov > [It's kind of depressing when you hear the anti-science rhetoric in America, but I think that people are just afraid of change, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-silva/it-s-kind-of-depressing-when-you-hear-the-anti-science-rhetoric-in/) [Jason Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-silva/) > [Most people are afraid of change. But if you look at it as something you can always count on, then it can be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/most-people-are-afraid-of-change-but-if-you-look-at-it-as-something/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [You can't be afraid of change, especially if it's for the better, for your own advancement..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-be-afraid-of-change-especially-if-it-s-for-the-better-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As much as we pretend otherwise, we want what's comfortable, and we're afraid of the different. We're afraid of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gehry/as-much-as-we-pretend-otherwise-we-want-what-s-comfortable-and-we-re/) [Frank Gehry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gehry/) > [“What if I told you 10 years from now your life would be exactly the same? Doubt you'd be happy. 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Then I looked around in this place [the augusteum], at the chaos its endured – the way it has been adapted, burned, pillaged and found a way to build itself back up again. And I was reassured that maybe my life hasn’t been so chaotic; tt’s just the world that is and the only real trap is getting attached to any of it. Ruin is a gift. Ruin is the road to transformation… We must always be prepared for endless waves of transformation. 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