--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Grief is like a splinter deep into every…" description: "\"“Grief is like a splinter deep into every fingertip; to touch anything is torture.”\" — Erin Kelly" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/erin-kelly-28365_grief_grief-is-like-a-splinter-deep-into-every_2620501.jpg" --- # Grief is like a splinter deep into every fingertip; to… ![“Grief is like a splinter deep into every fingertip; to touch anything is torture.” quote by Erin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/erin-kelly-28365_grief_grief-is-like-a-splinter-deep-into-every_2620501.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/erin-kelly-28365_grief_grief-is-like-a-splinter-deep-into-every_2620501.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/erin-kelly-28365_grief_grief-is-like-a-splinter-deep-into-every_2620501.jpg) > ““Grief is like a splinter deep into every fingertip; to touch anything is torture.”” [Erin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kelly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Grief permeates every touch, making all contact painful. **In simple terms:** Grief makes every touch painful. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and heal grief. Themes pain loss sensory perception Mood somber empathetic Type psychological emotional When to use this quote - relationships - therapy - daily activities - self-care Key Concepts Emotional trauma psychological impact Questions to Reflect On - How does grief affect your daily life? - What coping strategies help? A Different Perspective Grief can be overwhelming. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Grief Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief-like-257433/) [Like Splinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-splinter-2106464/) [Splinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/splinter/) [Touch Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/touch-torture-2106463/) ## Related quotes > [“What you know you can't explain, but you feel it. You've felt it your entire life, that there's something wrong with the world. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morpheus/what-you-know-you-can-t-explain-but-you-feel-it-you-ve-felt-it-your/) [Morpheus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morpheus/) > [“Peri loved her father's tales. She had grown up with them. 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It's there even when you're not thinking about it. I've been trying real hard to pull it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-grave-tender/it-s-like-a-splinter-in-your-foot-it-s-there-even-when-you-re-not/) [The Grave Tender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-grave-tender/) > [“I didn't know what to say. It kind of hurt just to look at her, in a way i'd forgotten. Sort of like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-didn-t-know-what-to-say-it-kind-of-hurt-just-to-look-at-her-in-a/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Can we not? That's all Kieran can muster, for a moment. Seth pauses, staring at him, startled and expectant. Kieran swallows and fumbles for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-chant/can-we-not-that-s-all-kieran-can-muster-for-a-moment-seth-pauses/) [Austin Chant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-chant/) > [“I wonder if I were to have an X-ray at the little hospital, would the machine see my grief? Is it like rust, arheum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-barry/i-wonder-if-i-were-to-have-an-x-ray-at-the-little-hospital-would-the/) [Sebastian Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-barry/) > [“I picture Cully tromping through that high, deep snow. That's how I feel physically from all of this. Moving through grief like it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaui-hart-hemmings/i-picture-cully-tromping-through-that-high-deep-snow-that-s-how-i/) [Kaui Hart Hemmings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaui-hart-hemmings/) > [Don't make it sound like that. Like some ordinary sort of grief. It's not like that. They say time heals all wounds, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/don-t-make-it-sound-like-that-like-some-ordinary-sort-of-grief-it-s/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [There is no grief like heartbreak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/there-is-no-grief-like-heartbreak/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [Grief is like a long valley, a winding valley where any bend may reveal a totally new landscape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/grief-is-like-a-long-valley-a-winding-valley-where-any-bend-may/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Grief is like an ocean. It comes in waves - some waves are bigger than others and you cannot prepare for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-lane/grief-is-like-an-ocean-it-comes-in-waves-some-waves-are-bigger-than/) [Summer Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-lane/) > [These days grief seems like walking on a frozen river; most of the time he feels safe enough, but there is always that danger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/these-days-grief-seems-like-walking-on-a-frozen-river-most-of-the/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) ## More by Erin Kelly > [“If I waited for a proper occasion to dress up, I'd never wear half of these clothes. Put on the clothes and you make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/if-i-waited-for-a-proper-occasion-to-dress-up-i-d-never-wear-half-of/) [Erin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kelly/) > [“When anxiety wins, the mad part of me peels away from the rational one. My”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/when-anxiety-wins-the-mad-part-of-me-peels-away-from-the-rational-one/) [Erin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kelly/) > [“Leibniz said, Music is the mind counting without being conscious it’s counting. An eclipse is maths; it’s the most beautiful maths there is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/leibniz-said-music-is-the-mind-counting-without-being-conscious-it-s/) [Erin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kelly/) > [“that's the thing with secrets. They're leaky; you can't decide to share the bits that suit you without a million questions oozing out. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/that-s-the-thing-with-secrets-they-re-leaky-you-can-t-decide-to-share/) [Erin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kelly/) > [“but there is something of her in me; I feel it, behind my ribs. I like to think of it as all the love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/but-there-is-something-of-her-in-me-i-feel-it-behind-my-ribs-i-like/) [Erin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kelly/) > [A good mother loves fiercely but ultimately brings up her children to thrive without her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/a-good-mother-loves-fiercely-but-ultimately-brings-up-her-children-to/) [Erin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kelly/) > [“The stress hormones of adrenaline and cortisol, when pumped in sufficient quantity, rival anything you can smoke or swallow. Within a year of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/the-stress-hormones-of-adrenaline-and-cortisol-when-pumped-in/) [Erin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kelly/) > [“The moment you think about an act in terms of how, you are already halfway to doing it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/the-moment-you-think-about-an-act-in-terms-of-how-you-are-already/) [Erin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kelly/) > [“It’s Hardy’s idea of hell – fresh air, isolation, grass, never-ending sky – but he knows that the world’s full of idiots who love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/it-s-hardy-s-idea-of-hell-fresh-air-isolation-grass-never-ending-sky/) [Erin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kelly/) > [“Don’t you think it’s more important how you treat the person next to you?’ I asked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/don-t-you-think-it-s-more-important-how-you-treat-the-person-next-to/) [Erin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kelly/) > [“If revenge is a dish best served cold, confession should be dished up piping hot or not at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/if-revenge-is-a-dish-best-served-cold-confession-should-be-dished-up/) [Erin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kelly/) > [“Waiting for something horrible to happen is almost more draining than it actually happening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/waiting-for-something-horrible-to-happen-is-almost-more-draining-than/) [Erin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kelly/) > [“I know from my own counselling that anger always has hurt at its core.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/i-know-from-my-own-counselling-that-anger-always-has-hurt-at-its-core/) [Erin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kelly/) > [“When you only have one vanity, I think you’re allowed to indulge it.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/when-you-only-have-one-vanity-i-think-you-re-allowed-to-indulge-it/) [Erin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kelly/) > [A good mother loves fiercely but ultimately brings up her children to thrive without her. They must be the most important thing in her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/a-good-mother-loves-fiercely-but-ultimately-brings-up-her-children-to-2/) [Erin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kelly/) [Explore all 19 Erin Kelly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kelly/) ## More Grief quotes > [“...they had lived, they'd lived intensely. But no matter how deeply you live, it comes to this in the end: one of you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-morton/they-had-lived-they-d-lived-intensely-but-no-matter-how-deeply-you/) [Brian Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-morton/) > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [You felt a deep sorrow, the kind of melancholy you feel when you're in a beautiful place and the sun is going down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thrity-umrigar/you-felt-a-deep-sorrow-the-kind-of-melancholy-you-feel-when-you-re-in/) [Thrity Umrigar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thrity-umrigar/) > [... how much of our inner substance is it good for us to give to public griefs? The whole modern tendency to agonize over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bogan/how-much-of-our-inner-substance-is-it-good-for-us-to-give-to-public/) [Louise Bogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bogan/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“When we learn to attribute meaning to the events in our lives, we connect with our Higher Purpose, Higher Wisdom, or Source; we become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-barbara-apollon/when-we-learn-to-attribute-meaning-to-the-events-in-our-lives-we/) [Susan Barbara Apollon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-barbara-apollon/) > [Only to have a grief equal to all these tears!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/only-to-have-a-grief-equal-to-all-these-tears/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [Suppressed grief suffocates, it rages within the breast, and is forced to multiply its strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/suppressed-grief-suffocates-it-rages-within-the-breast-and-is-forced/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [That Woman is in love with her own grief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/that-woman-is-in-love-with-her-own-grief/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [Short time seems long in sorrow's sharp sustaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/short-time-seems-long-in-sorrow-s-sharp-sustaining/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [These days grief seems like walking on a frozen river; most of the time he feels safe enough, but there is always that danger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/these-days-grief-seems-like-walking-on-a-frozen-river-most-of-the/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“You've been my beacon of light in my storm of grief, and I don't know if I could live without you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-ashley/you-ve-been-my-beacon-of-light-in-my-storm-of-grief-and-i-don-t-know/) [Katie Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-ashley/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Meanwhile, the trees were just as green as before; the birds sang and the sun shone as clearly now as ever. The familiar surroundings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/meanwhile-the-trees-were-just-as-green-as-before-the-birds-sang-and/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) [Browse all 8,012 Grief quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Grief is like a splinter deep into every fingertip; to touch anything is torture.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Erin Kelly" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/grief-is-like-a-splinter-deep-into-every-fingertip-to-touch-anything/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Grief" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/grief-is-like-a-splinter-deep-into-every-fingertip-to-touch-anything/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/erin-kelly-28365_grief_grief-is-like-a-splinter-deep-into-every_2620501.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/erin-kelly-28365_grief_grief-is-like-a-splinter-deep-into-every_2620501.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/erin-kelly-28365_grief_grief-is-like-a-splinter-deep-into-every_2620501.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Grief is like a splinter deep into every fingertip; to touch anything is torture.” — Erin Kelly", "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": "Erin Kelly", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kelly/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Grief is like a splinter deep...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/grief-is-like-a-splinter-deep-into-every-fingertip-to-touch-anything/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/grief-is-like-a-splinter-deep-into-every-fingertip-to-touch-anything/#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 } } ] } ```