--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never forget that once upon a time, in an…" description: "\"Never forget that once upon a time, in an unguarded moment, you recognized yourself as a friend.\" — Elizabeth Gilbert" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f22/elizabeth-gilbert-131_friendship_never-forget-that-once-upon-a-time-in-an_1580481.jpg" --- # Never forget that once upon a time, in an unguarded… ![“Never forget that once upon a time, in an unguarded moment, you recognized yourself as a friend.” quote by Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f22/elizabeth-gilbert-131_friendship_never-forget-that-once-upon-a-time-in-an_1580481.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f22/elizabeth-gilbert-131_friendship_never-forget-that-once-upon-a-time-in-an_1580481.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f22/elizabeth-gilbert-131_friendship_never-forget-that-once-upon-a-time-in-an_1580481.jpg) > “Never forget that once upon a time, in an unguarded moment, you recognized yourself as a friend.” [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. The quote reminds us to remember moments when we saw ourselves as friends, emphasizing self‑acceptance and inner companionship. **In simple terms:** Recall times you saw yourself as a friend. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑friendship for inner peace. Themes self‑acceptance friendship mindfulness Mood inspirational gentle Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - therapy - journaling - meditation - daily reflection Key Concepts inner dialogue self‑compassion personal growth Questions to Reflect On - How do you practice being your own friend? - What moments reveal your inner companion? A Different Perspective Self‑friendship can be challenged by self‑criticism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Moment Recognized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment-recognized-630532/) [Never forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never-forget/) [Recognized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recognized/) [Recognized Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recognized-friend-5969202/) [Self worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-worth/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Unguarded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unguarded/) [Unguarded Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unguarded-moment-2134316/) ## Related quotes > [O that one unguarded moment! / Were it mine to live again, / All the strength of its temptation / Would appeal to me in vain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-cary/o-that-one-unguarded-moment-were-it-mine-to-live-again-all-the/) [Phoebe Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-cary/) > [“I always knew she loved me, but I didn’t need to accept everything she gave me, like her fears that people would let you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mani-feniger/i-always-knew-she-loved-me-but-i-didn-t-need-to-accept-everything-she/) [Mani Feniger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mani-feniger/) > [Suddenly, I was just sure he was going to kiss me. He was there, I could feel his breath, the ground solid beneath us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/suddenly-i-was-just-sure-he-was-going-to-kiss-me-he-was-there-i-could/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“The longness and shortness of the present moment can be recognized by utilizing a big image of the moon, which is reflecting on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen-zenji/the-longness-and-shortness-of-the-present-moment-can-be-recognized-by/) [Dogen Zenji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen-zenji/) > [“You see, by dint of will people can make a good showing for a time, but sooner or later there will come that unguarded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/you-see-by-dint-of-will-people-can-make-a-good-showing-for-a-time-but/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [Most of my photos are grounded in people, I look for the unguarded moment, the essential soul peeking out, experience etched on a persons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mccurry/most-of-my-photos-are-grounded-in-people-i-look-for-the-unguarded/) [Steve McCurry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mccurry/) > [“unguarded moment she pictured herself waltzing with Viscount Whitleaf,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/unguarded-moment-she-pictured-herself-waltzing-with-viscount-whitleaf/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [Freedom is neither guaranteed nor automatic; not even in the United States. Left unguarded, it can slip away like a thief in the night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-reid/freedom-is-neither-guaranteed-nor-automatic-not-even-in-the-united/) [Joy Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-reid/) > [Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/your-worst-enemy-cannot-harm-you-as-much-as-your-own-unguarded/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“It is as if we need to be reminded of convention in order properly to appreciate the wonder of being unguarded...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/it-is-as-if-we-need-to-be-reminded-of-convention-in-order-properly-to/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“An unguarded gaze can spill a thousand secrets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roshani-chokshi/an-unguarded-gaze-can-spill-a-thousand-secrets/) [Roshani Chokshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roshani-chokshi/) > [Wide open and unguarded stand our gates And through them presses a wild motley throng Men from the Volga and the Tartar steppes Featureless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/wide-open-and-unguarded-stand-our-gates-and-through-them-presses-a/) [Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/) > [An unguarded strength is a double weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/an-unguarded-strength-is-a-double-weakness/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“An unguarded comment often proves every bit as valuable as a response to a direct question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-archer/an-unguarded-comment-often-proves-every-bit-as-valuable-as-a-response/) [Jeffrey Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-archer/) > [“Nothing can harm you as much as your own thoughts unguarded.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddha/nothing-can-harm-you-as-much-as-your-own-thoughts-unguarded/) [Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddha/) ## 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 Friend quotes > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) [Unknwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknwon/) > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/) [Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/) [Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/) > [That FRIEND who claim they do anything for you. but yet talk behind your back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kushsoulja/that-friend-who-claim-they-do-anything-for-you-but-yet-talk-behind/) [KushSoulja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kushsoulja/) > [In life, we never lose friends we only get to know who the true ones are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-kid/in-life-we-never-lose-friends-we-only-get-to-know-who-the-true-ones/) [Ace Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-kid/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“When you get lost in a really strange place, nothing is more comforting than found your friend whom you trust and can show the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-get-lost-in-a-really-strange-place-nothing-is-more/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [I fell in love with my best friend, but I know that if it doesn't last, it will never be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-yang/i-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend-but-i-know-that-if-it-doesn-t-last/) [Shelly Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-yang/) > [A best friend isn't someone who's just always there for you.Its someone who understands you a bit more than you understand yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-best-friend-isn-t-someone-who-s-just-always-there-for-you-its/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) [Browse all 14,984 Friend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Never forget that once upon a time, in an unguarded moment, you recognized yourself as a friend.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elizabeth Gilbert" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/never-forget-that-once-upon-a-time-in-an-unguarded-moment-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Friend" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/never-forget-that-once-upon-a-time-in-an-unguarded-moment-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f22/elizabeth-gilbert-131_friendship_never-forget-that-once-upon-a-time-in-an_1580481.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f22/elizabeth-gilbert-131_friendship_never-forget-that-once-upon-a-time-in-an_1580481.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f22/elizabeth-gilbert-131_friendship_never-forget-that-once-upon-a-time-in-an_1580481.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Never forget that once upon a time, in an unguarded moment, you recognized yourself as a friend.” — Elizabeth Gilbert", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Elizabeth Gilbert", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Never forget that once upon a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/never-forget-that-once-upon-a-time-in-an-unguarded-moment-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/never-forget-that-once-upon-a-time-in-an-unguarded-moment-you/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```