--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Oh, yes. Choosing... it has always hurt…" description: "\"“Oh, yes. Choosing... it has always hurt. And always will. I know. -Maester Aemon Targaryen, A Game of Thrones”\" — George R.R. Martin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/george-r-r-martin-48_choosing_oh-yes-choosing-it-has-always-hurt-and-a_2049168.png" --- # Oh, yes. Choosing... it has always hurt. And always will… ![“Oh, yes. Choosing... it has always hurt. And always will. I know. -Maester Aemon Targaryen, A Game of Thrones” quote by George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/george-r-r-martin-48_choosing_oh-yes-choosing-it-has-always-hurt-and-a_2049168.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/george-r-r-martin-48_choosing_oh-yes-choosing-it-has-always-hurt-and-a_2049168.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/george-r-r-martin-48_choosing_oh-yes-choosing-it-has-always-hurt-and-a_2049168.png) > ““Oh, yes. Choosing... it has always hurt. And always will. I know. -Maester Aemon Targaryen, A Game of Thrones”” [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing often brings pain that endures, underscoring the inevitability of loss with decisions. **In simple terms:** Choices cause lasting pain. Key Takeaway Accept pain as part of growth. Themes choice pain inevitability Mood somber reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - career decisions - relationships - ethical dilemmas - health choices - creative projects Key Concepts sacrifice consequence personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What painful choice led to growth? - Can pain be a teacher? A Different Perspective Some choices bring necessary growth despite hurt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choosing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choosing/) [Choosing Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choosing-hurt-1668668/) [Game Thrones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game-thrones-242502/) [Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt/) [Yes Choosing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yes-choosing-3852237/) ## Related quotes > [Choosing... it has always hurt. And always will. I know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/choosing-it-has-always-hurt-and-always-will-i-know/) [George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/) > [The old man laid a withered, spotted hand on his shoulder. "It hurts, boy," he said softly. "Oh, yes. Choosing . . . it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-old-man-laid-a-withered-spotted-hand-on-his-shoulder-it-hurts-boy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There's different ways of doing things wrong, Lynn, and not all of it is choosing to hurt others. Sometimes it's the things you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-mcginnis/there-s-different-ways-of-doing-things-wrong-lynn-and-not-all-of-it/) [Mindy McGinnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-mcginnis/) > [“When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/when-you-play-the-game-of-thrones-you-win-or-you-die-there-is-no/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Fire—A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and A Dance with Dragons—as well as Tuf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/fire-a-game-of-thrones-a-clash-of-kings-a-storm-of-swords-a-feast-for/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“In the game of thrones, even the humblest pieces can have wills of their own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/in-the-game-of-thrones-even-the-humblest-pieces-can-have-wills-of-2/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“But the old wolf’s dead and young one’s gone south to play the game of thrones,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/but-the-old-wolf-s-dead-and-young-one-s-gone-south-to-play-the-game/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“If … if certain things should come to pass, I will send word to each of you. Things can change quickly in the game of thrones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/if-if-certain-things-should-come-to-pass-i-will-send-word-to-each-of/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“It is no matter to them if the high lords play their game of thrones, so long as they are left in peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/it-is-no-matter-to-them-if-the-high-lords-play-their-game-of-thrones/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die, Cersei Lannister had told him in the godswood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/when-you-play-the-game-of-thrones-you-win-or-you-die-cersei-lannister/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die,” she whispered. Ned had played and lost, and his men had paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/when-you-play-the-game-of-thrones-you-win-or-you-die-she-whispered/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“I am tempted to say this is no game we play, daughter, but of course it is. The game of thrones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/i-am-tempted-to-say-this-is-no-game-we-play-daughter-but-of-course-it/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“The common people pray for rain, healthy children, and a summer that never ends," Ser Jorah told her. "It is no matter to them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-common-people-pray-for-rain-healthy-children-and-a-summer-that/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Things can change quickly in the game of thrones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/things-can-change-quickly-in-the-game-of-thrones/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“He had no choice, he had told her, and then he left, choosing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/he-had-no-choice-he-had-told-her-and-then-he-left-choosing/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) ## More by George R.R. Martin > [“Neither's the one you get, less you want me to see if your apple's ripe, yet. - Yoren”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/neither-s-the-one-you-get-less-you-want-me-to-see-if-your-apple-s/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“You are the queen, he ought to be begging leave of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/you-are-the-queen-he-ought-to-be-begging-leave-of-you/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“It is my look they will flinch from now, my frown that they must fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/it-is-my-look-they-will-flinch-from-now-my-frown-that-they-must-fear/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“A good threat is often more telling than a blow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-good-threat-is-often-more-telling-than-a-blow/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“This wine is very choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/this-wine-is-very-choice/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Everything Syrio Forel had ever taught her vanished in a heartbeat. In that instant of sudden terror, the only lesson Arya could remember was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/everything-syrio-forel-had-ever-taught-her-vanished-in-a-heartbeat-in/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Megga couldn’t sing, but she was mad to be kissed. She and Alla played a kissing game sometimes, she confessed, but it wasn’t the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/megga-couldn-t-sing-but-she-was-mad-to-be-kissed-she-and-alla-played/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“The rain feels good against my face, Sam. It feels like tears. Let me stay a while longer, I pray you. It has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-rain-feels-good-against-my-face-sam-it-feels-like-tears-let-me/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Every man who walks the earth casts a shadow on the world. Some are thin and weak, others long and dark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/every-man-who-walks-the-earth-casts-a-shadow-on-the-world-some-are/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“The shy girl she had known at Riverrun had grown into a woman who was by turns proud, fearful, cruel, dreamy, reckless, timid, stubborn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-shy-girl-she-had-known-at-riverrun-had-grown-into-a-woman-who-was/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“He won the war on the battlefield and lost it in a bedchamber, poor fool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/he-won-the-war-on-the-battlefield-and-lost-it-in-a-bedchamber-poor/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“On the morning after battle the crows had feasted on victors and vanquished alike. How much can a crown be worth when a crow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/on-the-morning-after-battle-the-crows-had-feasted-on-victors-and/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“The little man gave the big one a look. One of his eyes was green, one was black, and both were cool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-little-man-gave-the-big-one-a-look-one-of-his-eyes-was-green-one/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Jon, could there be honor in a lie, if it were told for a...good purpose? - Samwell”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/jon-could-there-be-honor-in-a-lie-if-it-were-told-for-a-good-purpose/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“My mother said my father had a drop of dragon blood.” “Two drops. That, or a cock six feet long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/my-mother-said-my-father-had-a-drop-of-dragon-blood-two-drops-that-or/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) [Explore all 1,761 George R.R. Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) ## More Choosing quotes > [Our world is drowning in a sea of self-centeredness. You can make yourself quite unique right away by leaving this ocean of selfishness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/our-world-is-drowning-in-a-sea-of-self-centeredness-you-can-make/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [Choosing a job or business is the same thing. I'm not the best one to advise someone how to make billions of dollars; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-roy/choosing-a-job-or-business-is-the-same-thing-i-m-not-the-best-one-to/) [Rachel Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-roy/) > [Choosing how you live should be up to you not the people that would criticise your well being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-hayward/choosing-how-you-live-should-be-up-to-you-not-the-people-that-would/) [Courtney Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-hayward/) > [I'm very smart when it comes to choosing dancers and trying to show the world that there's a whole lot of dancing going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-jamison/i-m-very-smart-when-it-comes-to-choosing-dancers-and-trying-to-show/) [Judith Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-jamison/) > [Anyone who will look at my life from the outside won't see the struggles inside. Sometimes, things are not always as we see or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanda-kaushik/anyone-who-will-look-at-my-life-from-the-outside-won-t-see-the/) [Chanda Kaushik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanda-kaushik/) > [I can always choose, but I ought to know that if I do not choose, I am still choosing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/i-can-always-choose-but-i-ought-to-know-that-if-i-do-not-choose-i-am/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [Choosing what you want to do, and when to do it, is an act of creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/choosing-what-you-want-to-do-and-when-to-do-it-is-an-act-of-creation/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [“So much must be established at birth . . . in the random choosing of a name.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-barich/so-much-must-be-established-at-birth-in-the-random-choosing-of-a-name/) [Bill Barich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-barich/) > [The thing that counts most in the pursuit of happiness is choosing the right companion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/the-thing-that-counts-most-in-the-pursuit-of-happiness-is-choosing/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [“In choosing a mate, don't pick the tallest and most handsome or the most beautiful. Don't choose one just because that person raises your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-quist-milligan/in-choosing-a-mate-don-t-pick-the-tallest-and-most-handsome-or-the/) [Helen Quist Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-quist-milligan/) > [I see myself as a roving mosquito, choosing it's target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-williams/i-see-myself-as-a-roving-mosquito-choosing-it-s-target/) [Kenneth Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-williams/) > [Travel, I was coming to realize, was a metaphor not only for the countless options life offers but also for the fact that choosing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rolf-potts/travel-i-was-coming-to-realize-was-a-metaphor-not-only-for-the/) [Rolf Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rolf-potts/) > [“If I am to choose between integrity and wealth, I will go for integrity because I believe that lack of integrity is the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/if-i-am-to-choose-between-integrity-and-wealth-i-will-go-for/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Every time I've gotten myself into trouble, it's because I'm choosing a project based on a long-term career goal as opposed to something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/every-time-i-ve-gotten-myself-into-trouble-it-s-because-i-m-choosing/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [Growing up as a singer, and a cast member, and now as an adult, a songwriter, I get the luxury of choosing the kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/growing-up-as-a-singer-and-a-cast-member-and-now-as-an-adult-a/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) [Browse all 585 Choosing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choosing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Oh, yes. 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