--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What we hunger for perhaps more than…" description: "\"“What we hunger for perhaps more than anything else is to be known in our full humanness, and yet that is often just what we also fear more than anythi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b3/frederick-buechner-883_little-by-little_what-we-hunger-for-perhaps-more-than-any_645916.png" --- # What we hunger for perhaps more than anything else is to… ![“What we hunger for perhaps more than anything else is to be known in our full humanness, and yet that is often just what we also fear more than anything else. It is important to tell at least from time to time the secret of who we truly and fully are . . . because otherwise we run the risk of…” quote by Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b3/frederick-buechner-883_little-by-little_what-we-hunger-for-perhaps-more-than-any_645916.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b3/frederick-buechner-883_little-by-little_what-we-hunger-for-perhaps-more-than-any_645916.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b3/frederick-buechner-883_little-by-little_what-we-hunger-for-perhaps-more-than-any_645916.png) > ““What we hunger for perhaps more than anything else is to be known in our full humanness, and yet that is often just what we also fear more than anything else. It is important to tell at least from time to time the secret of who we truly and fully are . . . because otherwise we run the risk of losing track of who we truly and fully are and little by little come to accept instead the highly edited version which we put forth in hope that the world will find it more acceptable than the real thing. It is important to tell our secrets too because it makes it easier . . . for other people to tell us a secret or two of their own . . . ”” [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People crave genuine acknowledgment of their whole selves, yet fear that honesty will be rejected, leading them to hide behind polished personas. **In simple terms:** We want to be seen fully, but fear honesty. Key Takeaway Embrace vulnerability. Themes identity fear authenticity Mood introspective hopeful Type psychological inspirational When to use this quote - personal relationships - therapy - creative writing - social media Key Concepts self-disclosure psychology Questions to Reflect On - What parts of yourself are you hiding and why? - How might sharing your true self deepen connections? A Different Perspective Full disclosure can expose one to judgment or exploitation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Known Humanness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/known-humanness-5176549/) [Little by little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-by-little/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Secret Truly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret-truly-1199367/) [Secrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrets/) [Tell Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-secret-317419/) [Tell Secrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-secrets-403244/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [It is important to tell our secrets too because ... it makes it easier for other people to tell us a secret or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/it-is-important-to-tell-our-secrets-too-because-it-makes-it-easier/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The secret of being truly happy is accepting where you are in life and making the most out of everyday. Go on, be happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-secret-of-being-truly-happy-is-accepting-where-you-are-in-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The secret of the truly successful ... is that they learned early in life how not to be busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/the-secret-of-the-truly-successful-is-that-they-learned-early-in-life/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [“I have come to believe that by and large the human family all has the same secrets, which are both very telling and very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/i-have-come-to-believe-that-by-and-large-the-human-family-all-has-the/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [ Tell your secrets. \[In reply to the question "How does one become a prophet?"\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-ginsberg/tell-your-secrets-in-reply-to-the-question-how-does-one-become-a/) [Allen Ginsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-ginsberg/) > [“It’s stupid not to communicate what you know to the adults. They’re only trying to protect us. And as far as the no-secrets zone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-hand/it-s-stupid-not-to-communicate-what-you-know-to-the-adults-they-re/) [Cynthia Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-hand/) > [I'll tell you all my secrets but I lie about my past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-ll-tell-you-all-my-secrets-but-i-lie-about-my-past/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Women, and young men, are very apt to tell what secrets they know, from the vanity of having been trusted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/women-and-young-men-are-very-apt-to-tell-what-secrets-they-know-from/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [“Do not tell your secrets to everyone in this headquarters, Earth. We have surveyed it well. There was nobody to whom to entrust secrets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/do-not-tell-your-secrets-to-everyone-in-this-headquarters-earth-we/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To journey for the sake of saving our own lives is little by little to cease to live in any sense that really matters,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/to-journey-for-the-sake-of-saving-our-own-lives-is-little-by-little/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Last night I begged the Wise One to tell me the secret of the world. Gently, gently, he whispered, "Be quiet, the secret cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/last-night-i-begged-the-wise-one-to-tell-me-the-secret-of-the-world/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [“Let me tell you a secret, Caitlin. We’re still in the cave. It’s just bigger, and we wear nicer clothes. We make alliances and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/let-me-tell-you-a-secret-caitlin-we-re-still-in-the-cave-it-s-just/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [Always tell the truth in your relationship. If you don't tell him/her, or keep it a secret. Him/her will find out and it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/makai1k5/always-tell-the-truth-in-your-relationship-if-you-don-t-tell-him-her/) [Makai1k5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/makai1k5/) > [It's safe to tell a secret to one. Risky to tell it to two. To tell it to three is thoughtless folly, everyone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-fisher/it-s-safe-to-tell-a-secret-to-one-risky-to-tell-it-to-two-to-tell-it/) [Catherine Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-fisher/) > [“What did you wish for?" I ask. "If I tell you, It won't come true." "Hmm..." A sudden, hard rush of longing fills my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-stone/what-did-you-wish-for-i-ask-if-i-tell-you-it-won-t-come-true-hmm-a/) [Clara Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-stone/) ## More by Frederick Buechner > [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [People are disturbed not by things but by the view they take of them. They may forget what you said, but they will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [It is impossible to conceive how different things would have turned out if that birth had not happened whenever, wherever, however it didfor millions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/it-is-impossible-to-conceive-how-different-things-would-have-turned/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [At least to look back over their own lives, as I have looked back over mine, for certain themes and patterns and signals that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/at-least-to-look-back-over-their-own-lives-as-i-have-looked-back-over/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Snobs are people who look down on other people, but that does not justify our looking down on them. 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Or she'd cover her mirth with her hands and shake till you'd think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/how-adewen-stuffed-her-braid-in-her-mouth-at-that-or-she-d-cover-her/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Resurrection means that the worst thing is never the last thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/resurrection-means-that-the-worst-thing-is-never-the-last-thing/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) [Explore all 339 Frederick Buechner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) ## More Little by little quotes > [When we first met, I didn't want to get involved with anyone. 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