--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People always are encouraging about a…" description: "\"People always are encouraging about a terrible loss, so that sometimes the loser would like to strangle them.\" — Garrison Keillor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/garrison-keillor-1037_loser_people-always-are-encouraging-about-a-te_2437406.jpg" --- # People always are encouraging about a terrible loss, so… ![“People always are encouraging about a terrible loss, so that sometimes the loser would like to strangle them.” quote by Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/garrison-keillor-1037_loser_people-always-are-encouraging-about-a-te_2437406.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/garrison-keillor-1037_loser_people-always-are-encouraging-about-a-te_2437406.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/garrison-keillor-1037_loser_people-always-are-encouraging-about-a-te_2437406.jpg) > “People always are encouraging about a terrible loss, so that sometimes the loser would like to strangle them.” [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often give empty encouragement after a loss, which can feel aggravating to the grieving person. **In simple terms:** Well-meaning words can irritate the hurt. Key Takeaway Offer genuine empathy instead of clichés. Themes grief communication empathy Mood reflective empathetic Type advice observational When to use this quote - bereavement counseling - support groups - personal conversations Key Concepts social dynamics psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you respond to someone's loss without sounding dismissive? - What alternatives to platitudes can you offer? A Different Perspective Not all support is helpful; timing and tone matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Encouraging Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouraging-terrible-357696/) [Loser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loser/) [Loser Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loser-like-357697/) [Losing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/losing/) [Loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss/) [Loss Loser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss-loser-357698/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Encouraging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-encouraging-357699/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible/) [Terrible Loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible-loss-357700/) ## Related quotes > [The gain to the winner is always less than the loss to the loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/the-gain-to-the-winner-is-always-less-than-the-loss-to-the-loser/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [“Before he slept he reflected, as he had often reflected in other moments of triumph at the card table, that the gain to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/before-he-slept-he-reflected-as-he-had-often-reflected-in-other/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [I feel a terrible loss when I (eventually must) complete a work of fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-feel-a-terrible-loss-when-i-eventually-must-complete-a-work-of/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I didn't have any money. I had a sense of terrible loss. But what I also had was a fire in my belly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmylou-harris/i-didn-t-have-any-money-i-had-a-sense-of-terrible-loss-but-what-i/) [Emmylou Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmylou-harris/) > [I thought eventually I'd have a family and I really didn't want to be a loser like that guy in his 40s still shopping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-rogan/i-thought-eventually-i-d-have-a-family-and-i-really-didn-t-want-to-be/) [Joe Rogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-rogan/) > [Just go ahead and hate on me and run your mouth So everyone can hear Hit me with the worst you got and knock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glee/just-go-ahead-and-hate-on-me-and-run-your-mouth-so-everyone-can-hear/) [Glee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glee/) > [Dear folks join my new P.E.N.I.S foundation (People Encouraging Niceness In Society). P.E.N.I.S it's not hard unless you make it that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dear-folks-join-my-new-p-e-n-i-s-foundation-people-encouraging/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's all about giving back, helping people and encouraging people. I love to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-andrews/it-s-all-about-giving-back-helping-people-and-encouraging-people-i/) [Julie Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-andrews/) > [“Bright and wild like fire. Ha. Friendless and alone like a pathetic loser was more like it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-peter-hughes/bright-and-wild-like-fire-ha-friendless-and-alone-like-a-pathetic/) [Mark Peter Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-peter-hughes/) > [It was almost like I gravitated toward the people who were encouraging me to be like myself and to be creative and be different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobin-heath/it-was-almost-like-i-gravitated-toward-the-people-who-were/) [Tobin Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobin-heath/) > [“He wants to dream like a young man with the wisdom of a old man, he wants his home and securities, he wants to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/he-wants-to-dream-like-a-young-man-with-the-wisdom-of-a-old-man-he/) [Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/) > [Winners are losers who got up and gave it one more try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-deyoung/winners-are-losers-who-got-up-and-gave-it-one-more-try/) [Dennis DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-deyoung/) > [Show me a good and gracious loser and I'll show you a failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/knute-rockne/show-me-a-good-and-gracious-loser-and-i-ll-show-you-a-failure/) [Knute Rockne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/knute-rockne/) > [I just didn't want to be a loser anymore... -Mitsuko Souma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koushun-takami/i-just-didn-t-want-to-be-a-loser-anymore-mitsuko-souma/) [Koushun Takami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koushun-takami/) > [Everybody has bad days, but how you respond to it is a testament to whether you are a winner or a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gordon/everybody-has-bad-days-but-how-you-respond-to-it-is-a-testament-to/) [Aaron Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gordon/) ## More by Garrison Keillor > [God writes a lot of comedy... the trouble is, he's stuck with so many bad actors who don't know how to play funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/god-writes-a-lot-of-comedy-the-trouble-is-he-s-stuck-with-so-many-bad/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [The socially redeeming aspect of golf lies in the vast number of lawyers and bankers and managers who play it, and when you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-socially-redeeming-aspect-of-golf-lies-in-the-vast-number-of/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [God plays a lot of jokes on us to get our attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/god-plays-a-lot-of-jokes-on-us-to-get-our-attention/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Ha! Easy for nuns to talk about giving up things. That's what they do for a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/ha-easy-for-nuns-to-talk-about-giving-up-things-that-s-what-they-do/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [This is the big reason most humorists fail. Drunks don't read books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/this-is-the-big-reason-most-humorists-fail-drunks-don-t-read-books/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Before the world was made, when it was only darkness and mist and waters, God was well aware of Lake Wobegon, my family, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/before-the-world-was-made-when-it-was-only-darkness-and-mist-and/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [On investments, 1998: Where I'm from we don't trust paper. Wealth is what's here on the premises. If I open a cupboard and see,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/on-investments-1998-where-i-m-from-we-don-t-trust-paper-wealth-is/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“The rich can afford to be progressive. Poor people have reason to be afraid of the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-rich-can-afford-to-be-progressive-poor-people-have-reason-to-be/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [English is the perfect language for preachers because it allows you to talk until you think of what to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/english-is-the-perfect-language-for-preachers-because-it-allows-you/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“If you can't read a simple goddam sign and follow one simple goddam instruction then get your fat butt the hell out of here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/if-you-can-t-read-a-simple-goddam-sign-and-follow-one-simple-goddam/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“The Gospel is meant to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-gospel-is-meant-to-comfort-the-afflicted-and-afflict-the/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [I don't want them to be told to remember me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/i-don-t-want-them-to-be-told-to-remember-me/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Childhood is the small town everyone came from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/childhood-is-the-small-town-everyone-came-from/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [I have taken so many wrong turns and been so careless with precious things and managed to lose, or break, or leave out in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/i-have-taken-so-many-wrong-turns-and-been-so-careless-with-precious/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Where I'm from we don't trust paper. Wealth is what's here on the premises. If I open a cupboard and see, say, thirty cans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/where-i-m-from-we-don-t-trust-paper-wealth-is-what-s-here-on-the/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) [Explore all 304 Garrison Keillor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) ## More Loser quotes > [Everybody has bad days, but how you respond to it is a testament to whether you are a winner or a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gordon/everybody-has-bad-days-but-how-you-respond-to-it-is-a-testament-to/) [Aaron Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gordon/) > [I just didn't want to be a loser anymore... -Mitsuko Souma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koushun-takami/i-just-didn-t-want-to-be-a-loser-anymore-mitsuko-souma/) [Koushun Takami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koushun-takami/) > [Show me a good and gracious loser and I'll show you a failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/knute-rockne/show-me-a-good-and-gracious-loser-and-i-ll-show-you-a-failure/) [Knute Rockne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/knute-rockne/) > [Winners are losers who got up and gave it one more try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-deyoung/winners-are-losers-who-got-up-and-gave-it-one-more-try/) [Dennis DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-deyoung/) > [“He wants to dream like a young man with the wisdom of a old man, he wants his home and securities, he wants to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/he-wants-to-dream-like-a-young-man-with-the-wisdom-of-a-old-man-he/) [Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/) > [I'm a very anxious, nervy kind of loser in many ways, and I get very stressed and a little tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-weeks/i-m-a-very-anxious-nervy-kind-of-loser-in-many-ways-and-i-get-very/) [Ed Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-weeks/) > [It's nice to be in first place. But just because you're not on a winner doesn't mean you're a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/it-s-nice-to-be-in-first-place-but-just-because-you-re-not-on-a/) [Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/) > [Always leave a sinking ship. There's no virtue in hanging on to losers. And stocks don't have feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-dunnan/always-leave-a-sinking-ship-there-s-no-virtue-in-hanging-on-to-losers/) [Nancy Dunnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-dunnan/) > [Those Aussie rugby fans are a bunch of sore losers. I hate 'em all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-wilkinson/those-aussie-rugby-fans-are-a-bunch-of-sore-losers-i-hate-em-all/) [Jonny Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-wilkinson/) > [When you look around you wonder do you play to win? Or are you just a bad loser?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pet-shop-boys/when-you-look-around-you-wonder-do-you-play-to-win-or-are-you-just-a/) [Pet Shop Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pet-shop-boys/) > [Nothing would make me happier than to train the next winner on 'The Biggest Loser' because it means the world to me. Everybody has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-castronuova/nothing-would-make-me-happier-than-to-train-the-next-winner-on-the/) [Cara Castronuova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-castronuova/) > [Literature is not a sack race. There aren't real winners and losers in the Republic of Letters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baxter/literature-is-not-a-sack-race-there-aren-t-real-winners-and-losers-in/) [Charles Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baxter/) > [America loves a winner, and will not tolerate a loser, this is why America has never, and will never, lose a war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/america-loves-a-winner-and-will-not-tolerate-a-loser-this-is-why/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [I can see that I imagine all kinds of rejection that never happens. I can see that I beg and plead for love that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-wurtzel/i-can-see-that-i-imagine-all-kinds-of-rejection-that-never-happens-i/) [Elizabeth Wurtzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-wurtzel/) > [It will be great to play a short, fat sweaty loser for a change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/it-will-be-great-to-play-a-short-fat-sweaty-loser-for-a-change/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) [Browse all 1,203 Loser quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loser/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People always are encouraging about a terrible loss, so that sometimes the loser would like to strangle them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Garrison Keillor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/people-always-are-encouraging-about-a-terrible-loss-so-that-sometimes/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Loser" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/people-always-are-encouraging-about-a-terrible-loss-so-that-sometimes/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/garrison-keillor-1037_loser_people-always-are-encouraging-about-a-te_2437406.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/garrison-keillor-1037_loser_people-always-are-encouraging-about-a-te_2437406.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/garrison-keillor-1037_loser_people-always-are-encouraging-about-a-te_2437406.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People always are encouraging about a terrible loss, so that sometimes the loser would like to strangle them.” — Garrison Keillor", "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": "Garrison Keillor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "People always are encouraging about a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/people-always-are-encouraging-about-a-terrible-loss-so-that-sometimes/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/people-always-are-encouraging-about-a-terrible-loss-so-that-sometimes/#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 } } ] } ```