--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [On her father's death:] I didn't know…" description: "\"[On her father's death:] I didn't know his leaving would hurt so much.\" — Erma Bombeck" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/221/erma-bombeck-780_death_on-her-father-s-death-i-didn-t-know-his_1914411.png" --- # \[On her father's death:\] I didn't know his leaving would… ![“[On her father's death:] I didn't know his leaving would hurt so much.” quote by Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/221/erma-bombeck-780_death_on-her-father-s-death-i-didn-t-know-his_1914411.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/221/erma-bombeck-780_death_on-her-father-s-death-i-didn-t-know-his_1914411.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/221/erma-bombeck-780_death_on-her-father-s-death-i-didn-t-know-his_1914411.png) > “\[On her father's death:\] I didn't know his leaving would hurt so much.” [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator reflects on the unexpected intensity of grief after a father's death, revealing how loss can be more painful than anticipated. **In simple terms:** Grief can be deeper than expected after losing a parent. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and process unexpected grief. Themes family loss emotional shock Mood somber empathetic Type personal reflective When to use this quote - funeral planning - counseling sessions - memoir writing Key Concepts psychological sociological Questions to Reflect On - How did you cope with the sudden pain? - What support helped you most? A Different Perspective May not capture cultural mourning differences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Father Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father-death/) [Father'S Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father-s-death/) [Hurt so much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt-so-much/) ## Related quotes > [My father's death took me to a place I had never been and a place I had never left. In his absence, I've had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-perez-firmat/my-father-s-death-took-me-to-a-place-i-had-never-been-and-a-place-i/) [Gustavo Perez Firmat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-perez-firmat/) > [Only after my father's death could I speak my own individual truths about him. In a sense, I had to turn him into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-joseph/only-after-my-father-s-death-could-i-speak-my-own-individual-truths/) [Allison Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-joseph/) > [“At thirteen, Noboru was convinced of his own genius (each of the others in the gang felt the same way) and certain that life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukio-mishima/at-thirteen-noboru-was-convinced-of-his-own-genius-each-of-the-others/) [Yukio Mishima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukio-mishima/) > [My father's death was the most terrible thing that happened to me in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-garland/my-father-s-death-was-the-most-terrible-thing-that-happened-to-me-in/) [Judy Garland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-garland/) > [“I buried him on the far side of the mountain in Dong Chong-ri, facing south toward the sea. That way he could see South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/i-buried-him-on-the-far-side-of-the-mountain-in-dong-chong-ri-facing/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [Obviously, at this age, I've lost people in my life. But with a parent, it's just different. I was very attached to my father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-leifer/obviously-at-this-age-i-ve-lost-people-in-my-life-but-with-a-parent/) [Carol Leifer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-leifer/) > [I was never in politics before I contested the Lok Sabha by-elections after my father's death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-patnaik/i-was-never-in-politics-before-i-contested-the-lok-sabha-by-elections/) [Naveen Patnaik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-patnaik/) > [A father's death is the most important event, the more heartbreaking and poignant loss in a man's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/a-father-s-death-is-the-most-important-event-the-more-heartbreaking/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [My father's death from prostate cancer in 1993 was tragic. He never complained about pain. He was a fighter. 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"We are all children until our fathers die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-bank/she-said-that-her-father-s-death-had-been-the-hardest-thing-in-her/) [Melissa Bank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-bank/) > [I'm not interested in using my father's death as some touch point for why I've become an actor - it's grossly opportunistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-m-not-interested-in-using-my-father-s-death-as-some-touch-point-for/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [After my father's death, nothing could touch me any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/after-my-father-s-death-nothing-could-touch-me-any-more/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [My experience of my father's death was that it was still taboo; nobody would meet me after my father died because they didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mcburney/my-experience-of-my-father-s-death-was-that-it-was-still-taboo-nobody/) [Simon McBurney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mcburney/) ## More by Erma Bombeck > [Cats invented self-esteem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/cats-invented-self-esteem/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [To my way of thinking, the American family started to decline when parents began to communicate with their children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/to-my-way-of-thinking-the-american-family-started-to-decline-when/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [The woman who says, 'My kids are all speaking to one another and they love us' is a psychopathic liar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-woman-who-says-my-kids-are-all-speaking-to-one-another-and-they/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [The term 'working mother' is redundant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-term-working-mother-is-redundant/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [To say, "Well, I write when I really get into it" is a bunch of bull. Put the paper in the typewriter, stare at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/to-say-well-i-write-when-i-really-get-into-it-is-a-bunch-of-bull-put/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [I used everything you gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/i-used-everything-you-gave-me/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [Just think of all those women on the Titanic who said, 'No thank you' to desert that night. And for what?!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/just-think-of-all-those-women-on-the-titanic-who-said-no-thank-you-to/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [The mole rat is the only rodent born without a fur coat. 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It's the only thing "real" men do that doesn't seem to threaten their masculinity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/making-coffee-has-become-the-great-compromise-of-the-decade-it-s-the/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [I have a friend who lives by a three-word philosophy: Seize the Moment. Just possibly, she may be the wisest woman on this planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/i-have-a-friend-who-lives-by-a-three-word-philosophy-seize-the-moment/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/when-i-stand-before-god-at-the-end-of-my-life-i-would-hope-that-i/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [Before we sent kids to computer camps and told them they were having a good time, there was imagination among the human species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/before-we-sent-kids-to-computer-camps-and-told-them-they-were-having/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) [Explore all 372 Erma Bombeck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. 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Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. 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