--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let me be the first to say that I know…" description: "\"“Let me be the first to say that I know the name for everything and if I don’t I’ll make them up: dukkha, naufragio, talinhaga. Just like the young who..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58b/eric-gamalinda-31206_beauty_let-me-be-the-first-to-say-that-i-know-t_1177408.jpg" --- # Let me be the first to say that I know the name for… ![“Let me be the first to say that I know the name for everything and if I don’t I’ll make them up: dukkha, naufragio, talinhaga. Just like the young whose hearts give no shame, I love the excesses of beauty, there is never enough sunlight in the world I will live in, never enough room for love. I…” quote by Eric Gamalinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58b/eric-gamalinda-31206_beauty_let-me-be-the-first-to-say-that-i-know-t_1177408.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58b/eric-gamalinda-31206_beauty_let-me-be-the-first-to-say-that-i-know-t_1177408.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58b/eric-gamalinda-31206_beauty_let-me-be-the-first-to-say-that-i-know-t_1177408.jpg) > ““Let me be the first to say that I know the name for everything and if I don’t I’ll make them up: dukkha, naufragio, talinhaga. Just like the young whose hearts give no shame, I love the excesses of beauty, there is never enough sunlight in the world I will live in, never enough room for love. I fear none of us will last long enough to prove what I’ve always suspected, that the sky is a membrane in an angel’s skull, trees talk to each other at night, ice is water in a state of silence, the embryo listens to everything we say. I am afraid for the child skipping rope on the corner of my street, the girl on the train with flowers in her hair, the man whose memory is entirely in Spanish. I am more afraid of losing consciousness when I go to sleep, or that in my sleep I will grow old and forget how desire once drove me mad with wakefulness. Just like the perfect seasons they will die and I will die and you will die also; no one knows who will go first, and this is the source of all my grief.”” [Eric Gamalinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gamalinda/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker feels overwhelmed by existential dread, fearing impermanence, loss, and the unknowable nature of reality. **In simple terms:** Fear of loss and impermanence dominates thoughts. Key Takeaway Embrace present moments despite uncertainty. Themes existential dread impermanence beauty memory fear Mood melancholic reflective poetic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - artistic creation - mental health coping - childhood concerns - spiritual contemplation Key Concepts philosophy poetry psychology Questions to Reflect On - What anchors you when everything feels fleeting? - How can you find meaning amid uncertainty? A Different Perspective The poetic style may obscure concrete solutions to anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fear none](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-none/) [Grow Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grow-old/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) ## Related quotes > [My love, I fear the silence of your hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-darwish/my-love-i-fear-the-silence-of-your-hands/) [Mahmoud Darwish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-darwish/) > [We don't ever want to shut down and say, I'm afraid to go that far down the road because there's going to be pain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/we-don-t-ever-want-to-shut-down-and-say-i-m-afraid-to-go-that-far/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [There's something you're afraid to say, and someone you're afraid to lose. It's gonna hurt. It's gonna hurt because it matters..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-something-you-re-afraid-to-say-and-someone-you-re-afraid-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'd like nothing better than to say that I was not afraid of Islam.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gadiel/i-d-like-nothing-better-than-to-say-that-i-was-not-afraid-of-islam/) Peter Gadiel > [“tiny: maybe there's something you're afraid to say, or someone you're afraid to love, or somewhere you're afraid to go. it's gonna hurt. it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/tiny-maybe-there-s-something-you-re-afraid-to-say-or-someone-you-re/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [When people say they're not afraid, they're lying. It's a feeling that everyone has. It's a part of our lives. It's just a matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-rublev/when-people-say-they-re-not-afraid-they-re-lying-it-s-a-feeling-that/) [Andrey Rublev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-rublev/) > [I just wanted to say things that women wanted to say, but were afraid to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-robinson/i-just-wanted-to-say-things-that-women-wanted-to-say-but-were-afraid/) [Sylvia Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-robinson/) > [I always say that you can't be afraid to ask the question. What's the worst that could happen? The answer could be "no" and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-stroman/i-always-say-that-you-can-t-be-afraid-to-ask-the-question-what-s-the/) [Susan Stroman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-stroman/) > [“Maybe there's something you´re afraid to say, or someone you´re afraid to love, or somewhere you´re afraid to go. It´s gonna hurt. It´s gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/maybe-there-s-something-you-re-afraid-to-say-or-someone-you-re-afraid-2/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Being near Tom and Doug at night kept me from having to say to myself I am not afraid whenever I heard a branch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/being-near-tom-and-doug-at-night-kept-me-from-having-to-say-to-myself/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [It's not that people want to be like me, but some want to say the things I say and can't because they're afraid. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardi-b/it-s-not-that-people-want-to-be-like-me-but-some-want-to-say-the/) [Cardi B](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardi-b/) > [“A handy tip: When angels say “be not afraid,” you should be afraid. Also, as I said earlier, we have to memorize angel names…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/a-handy-tip-when-angels-say-be-not-afraid-you-should-be-afraid-also/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Maybe there's something you're afraid to say, or someone you're afraid to love, or somewhere you're afraid to go, you know? It's gonna hurt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/maybe-there-s-something-you-re-afraid-to-say-or-someone-you-re-afraid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Music says the things that people don't say or are afraid to say, and that's the best part about it for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justine-skye/music-says-the-things-that-people-don-t-say-or-are-afraid-to-say-and/) [Justine Skye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justine-skye/) > [People say, 'Are you afraid? Are you scared for your life?' and I tell them: If I choose today to tone it down, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/people-say-are-you-afraid-are-you-scared-for-your-life-and-i-tell/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) ## More by Eric Gamalinda > [“Rely on no one. Depend on no one for your happiness. I am declaring my independence. I am establishing a republic unto myself. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-gamalinda/rely-on-no-one-depend-on-no-one-for-your-happiness-i-am-declaring-my/) [Eric Gamalinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gamalinda/) > [Love is a fragile, useless thing. It decomposes easily in the tropic heat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-gamalinda/love-is-a-fragile-useless-thing-it-decomposes-easily-in-the-tropic/) [Eric Gamalinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gamalinda/) > [“... it's pointless to think in moral terms when everything is permissible. We have become the people we detest. We have lost the capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-gamalinda/it-s-pointless-to-think-in-moral-terms-when-everything-is-permissible/) [Eric Gamalinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gamalinda/) > [Forgetting: that, too, was the heart's slow way of healing, but it could only be done alone. Love and loss turns us into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-gamalinda/forgetting-that-too-was-the-heart-s-slow-way-of-healing-but-it-could/) [Eric Gamalinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gamalinda/) > [“People who think they have the full support of God, any god, think they're invincible. They will do anything and not even think twice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-gamalinda/people-who-think-they-have-the-full-support-of-god-any-god-think-they/) [Eric Gamalinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gamalinda/) > [“Even dictators become dictators because somehow, deep in their hearts, they believe they've been chosen to save the world. Everyone is chosen. There lies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-gamalinda/even-dictators-become-dictators-because-somehow-deep-in-their-hearts/) [Eric Gamalinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gamalinda/) > [“Because you brand our tongues with silence. Because you watch us in fear, even while we sing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-gamalinda/because-you-brand-our-tongues-with-silence-because-you-watch-us-in/) [Eric Gamalinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gamalinda/) > [“I deny the fact that when I kill time, time is actually killing me”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-gamalinda/i-deny-the-fact-that-when-i-kill-time-time-is-actually-killing-me/) [Eric Gamalinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gamalinda/) > [“I love the excesses of beauty, there is never enough sunlight in the world I will live in, never enough room for love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-gamalinda/i-love-the-excesses-of-beauty-there-is-never-enough-sunlight-in-the/) [Eric Gamalinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gamalinda/) > [“Then she decided she was ready to die. But before she did, she asked the poets to record these moments in song, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-gamalinda/then-she-decided-she-was-ready-to-die-but-before-she-did-she-asked/) [Eric Gamalinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gamalinda/) > [“America: the name itself is synonymous with imperialism - you've taken the name of two entire continents & claimed it as your own, &…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-gamalinda/america-the-name-itself-is-synonymous-with-imperialism-you-ve-taken/) [Eric Gamalinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gamalinda/) > [“The monsoon came, six months of infinite rain. The towns I once knew were wiped clean, and everyone said it was God revising his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-gamalinda/the-monsoon-came-six-months-of-infinite-rain-the-towns-i-once-knew/) [Eric Gamalinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gamalinda/) > [“He tells me that Filipinos are in jail because we Americans want a better world for ourselves. It's America that gives ammunitions to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-gamalinda/he-tells-me-that-filipinos-are-in-jail-because-we-americans-want-a/) [Eric Gamalinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gamalinda/) > [He was a poet -oh all men are when they're in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-gamalinda/he-was-a-poet-oh-all-men-are-when-they-re-in-love/) [Eric Gamalinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gamalinda/) > [“There's a strong message of divine righteousness in dictatorships. Every megalomaniac has to believe his actions are sanctioned by God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-gamalinda/there-s-a-strong-message-of-divine-righteousness-in-dictatorships/) [Eric Gamalinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gamalinda/) [Explore all 16 Eric Gamalinda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gamalinda/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) Darlene Senger > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Let me be the first to say that I know the name for everything and if I don’t I’ll make them up: dukkha, naufragio, talinhaga. Just like the young whose hearts give no shame, I love the excesses of beauty, there is never enough sunlight in the world I will live in, never enough room for love. I fear none of us will last long enough to prove what I’ve always suspected, that the sky is a membrane in an angel’s skull, trees talk to each other at night, ice is water in a state of silence, the embryo listens to everything we say. I am afraid for the child skipping rope on the corner of my street, the girl on the train with flowers in her hair, the man whose memory is entirely in Spanish. I am more afraid of losing consciousness when I go to sleep, or that in my sleep I will grow old and forget how desire once drove me mad with wakefulness. 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