--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Above all, one could hold onto…" description: "\"“Above all, one could hold onto everything: the suffering to the quick and its whims, the sticky shadows, somber viscosity of the veil drawn taut aroun..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/h-l-ne-cixous-3823_day-life_above-all-one-could-hold-onto-everything_1749284.jpg" --- # Above all, one could hold onto everything: the suffering… ![“Above all, one could hold onto everything: the suffering to the quick and its whims, the sticky shadows, somber viscosity of the veil drawn taut around cities, everything could be borne, since legal outings of a few hours might take place, I told myself. Of course, I thought, no point pretending…” quote by Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/h-l-ne-cixous-3823_day-life_above-all-one-could-hold-onto-everything_1749284.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/h-l-ne-cixous-3823_day-life_above-all-one-could-hold-onto-everything_1749284.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/h-l-ne-cixous-3823_day-life_above-all-one-could-hold-onto-everything_1749284.jpg) > ““Above all, one could hold onto everything: the suffering to the quick and its whims, the sticky shadows, somber viscosity of the veil drawn taut around cities, everything could be borne, since legal outings of a few hours might take place, I told myself. Of course, I thought, no point pretending one wasn't dead. But on the other hand, rather than yield to the maneuvers of the conservation instinct, strategies that make us flee the pain within by hiding from ourselves within ourselves from whom we flee, its poppies, its hypnotic operations that the powerful currents of day-to-day life reinforce with a thousand vulgar, pressing duties which turn us from our hearts. do everything, I thought, on the contrary, whatever you can to resist the ingenious temptations of compromises, cling to the suffering, stir up the dread, for the monsters are also the benevolent guardians of the survivor's presence within me”” [Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Enduring suffering and confronting inner pain preserves authentic self, resisting comforting compromises that dilute existence. **In simple terms:** Facing pain keeps us true to ourselves. Key Takeaway Embrace discomfort to stay authentic. Themes authenticity pain self‑discovery resistance Mood introspective somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - grief counseling - creative writing - personal therapy - mindfulness practice Key Concepts existentialism psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What comforts are you using to avoid inner pain? - How can suffering become a guide? A Different Perspective Ignoring pain may lead to numbness and loss of self. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Pain Within](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain-within/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) ## Related quotes > [“do everything, I thought, on the contrary, whatever you can to resist the ingenious temptations of compromises, cling to the suffering, stir up the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/do-everything-i-thought-on-the-contrary-whatever-you-can-to-resist/) [Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/) > [Above all we must not wish to cling to our suffering. Suffering surely deepens us and enhances our person, but we must not desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/above-all-we-must-not-wish-to-cling-to-our-suffering-suffering-surely/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [“Of course we all suffer,' Priya often told her. 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But on the other hand, rather than yield to the maneuvers of the conservation instinct, strategies that make us flee the pain within by hiding from ourselves within ourselves from whom we flee, its poppies, its hypnotic operations that the powerful currents of day-to-day life reinforce with a thousand vulgar, pressing duties which turn us from our hearts. do everything, I thought, on the contrary, whatever you can to resist the ingenious temptations of compromises, cling to the suffering, stir up the dread, for the monsters are also the benevolent guardians of the survivor's presence within me”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hélène Cixous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/above-all-one-could-hold-onto-everything-the-suffering-to-the-quick/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Day life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/above-all-one-could-hold-onto-everything-the-suffering-to-the-quick/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/h-l-ne-cixous-3823_day-life_above-all-one-could-hold-onto-everything_1749284.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/h-l-ne-cixous-3823_day-life_above-all-one-could-hold-onto-everything_1749284.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/h-l-ne-cixous-3823_day-life_above-all-one-could-hold-onto-everything_1749284.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Above all, one could hold onto everything: the suffering to the quick and its whims, the sticky shadows…” — Hélène Cixous", "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": "Hélène Cixous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Above all, one could hold onto...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/above-all-one-could-hold-onto-everything-the-suffering-to-the-quick/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/above-all-one-could-hold-onto-everything-the-suffering-to-the-quick/#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 } } ] } ```