--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I could no longer cling to my normal…" description: "\"When I could no longer cling to my normal supports I discovered that true support and real safety lie far beyond the structures of our world.\" — Henri ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/henri-nouwen-600_lying_when-i-could-no-longer-cling-to-my-norma_2498210.png" --- # When I could no longer cling to my normal supports I… ![“When I could no longer cling to my normal supports I discovered that true support and real safety lie far beyond the structures of our world.” quote by Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/henri-nouwen-600_lying_when-i-could-no-longer-cling-to-my-norma_2498210.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/henri-nouwen-600_lying_when-i-could-no-longer-cling-to-my-norma_2498210.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/henri-nouwen-600_lying_when-i-could-no-longer-cling-to-my-norma_2498210.png) > “When I could no longer cling to my normal supports I discovered that true support and real safety lie far beyond the structures of our world.” [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True safety lies beyond conventional structures, found in deeper spiritual or communal support. **In simple terms:** Real support is beyond ordinary structures. Key Takeaway Seek deeper, authentic support. Themes spirituality community security Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - life crises - spiritual quests - social isolation Key Concepts theology psychology Questions to Reflect On - Where do you find true safety? - How can you build deeper connections? A Different Perspective Finding deeper support can be challenging without community. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Our world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-world/) [Safety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safety/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [An aristocracy is the true support of a monarchy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/an-aristocracy-is-the-true-support-of-a-monarchy/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [There are many people around me, supporting me. There are always ups and downs, and you can really see the true support quite easily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valtteri-bottas/there-are-many-people-around-me-supporting-me-there-are-always-ups/) [Valtteri Bottas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valtteri-bottas/) > [“The real safety net of life is community, family and nature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-real-safety-net-of-life-is-community-family-and-nature/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [We will never have real safety and security for wage earners unless we provide for safety and security for the wage payers and wage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-h-boetcker/we-will-never-have-real-safety-and-security-for-wage-earners-unless/) [William J. H. Boetcker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-h-boetcker/) > [When the safety of America is threatened, we will spend any amount of money. The real safety of our nation is preparing this next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/when-the-safety-of-america-is-threatened-we-will-spend-any-amount-of/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [“Real safety is your willingness to not run away from yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/real-safety-is-your-willingness-to-not-run-away-from-yourself/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [I don't think the game needs to be changed unless there's a real safety concern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-tucker/i-don-t-think-the-game-needs-to-be-changed-unless-there-s-a-real/) [Justin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-tucker/) > [It is not easy to enter into the silence and reach beyond the many boisterous and demanding voices of our world and to discover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/it-is-not-easy-to-enter-into-the-silence-and-reach-beyond-the-many/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Where is peace to be found? The answer is surprising but clear. In weakness. Why there? Because in our weakness, our familiar ways of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/where-is-peace-to-be-found-the-answer-is-surprising-but-clear-in/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [The Question is not how much are you going to accomplish? Or can you show some results? But are you in love with Jesus?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-question-is-not-how-much-are-you-going-to-accomplish-or-can-you/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [If it is written and read with serious attention, a novel, like a myth or any great work of art, can become an initiation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-it-is-written-and-read-with-serious-attention-a-novel-like-a-myth/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [All the dangers in our world are like a blessed wake up call. They tell us to live life NOW... not tomorrow, not when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/all-the-dangers-in-our-world-are-like-a-blessed-wake-up-call-they/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [Drill in exact translation is an excellent way of disposing the mind against that looseness and exaggeration with which the sensationalists have corrupted our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-weaver/drill-in-exact-translation-is-an-excellent-way-of-disposing-the-mind/) [Richard M. Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-weaver/) > [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/) > [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) ## More by Henri Nouwen > [We are not the healers, we are not the reconcilers, we are not the givers of life. We are sinful, broken, vulnerable people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/we-are-not-the-healers-we-are-not-the-reconcilers-we-are-not-the/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [The more we touch the intimate love of God which creates, sustains, and guides us, the more we recognize the multitude of fruits that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-more-we-touch-the-intimate-love-of-god-which-creates-sustains-and/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Feelings of guilt dominate our work as peacemakers we cannot last long. But when we have opened each other's eyes to the great human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/feelings-of-guilt-dominate-our-work-as-peacemakers-we-cannot-last/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [...we all want to hear stories, from the moment we are born to the moment we die. Stories connect our little lives with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/we-all-want-to-hear-stories-from-the-moment-we-are-born-to-the-moment/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [I have found it very important...to let go of my wishes and start hoping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/i-have-found-it-very-important-to-let-go-of-my-wishes-and-start-hoping/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Simply being with someone is difficult because it asks of us that we share in the other's vulnerability, enter with him or her into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/simply-being-with-someone-is-difficult-because-it-asks-of-us-that-we/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Somewhere we know that without silence, words lose their meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/somewhere-we-know-that-without-silence-words-lose-their-meaning/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Jesus says, "Keep your heart on the kingdom first. Keep your heart on God's love. Keep focused on the fact that you are God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/jesus-says-keep-your-heart-on-the-kingdom-first-keep-your-heart-on/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [This sounds very simple and maybe even trite, but very few people know that they are loved without condition or limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/this-sounds-very-simple-and-maybe-even-trite-but-very-few-people-know/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [“The more preoccupied we are with security the more visible the force of death becomes, whether in the form of a pistol beside our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-more-preoccupied-we-are-with-security-the-more-visible-the-force/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [If you feel a great loneliness and a deep longing for human contact, you have to be extremely discerning...and ask yourself whether this situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/if-you-feel-a-great-loneliness-and-a-deep-longing-for-human-contact/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [I choose L'Arche; L'Arche chooses me. I would be dead if I weren't here. I need people to love me and care for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/i-choose-l-arche-l-arche-chooses-me-i-would-be-dead-if-i-weren-t-here/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [The truth, even though I cannot feel it right now, is that I am the chosen child of God, precious in God's eyes, called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-truth-even-though-i-cannot-feel-it-right-now-is-that-i-am-the/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [In a world so torn apart by rivalry, anger, and hatred, we have the privileged vocation to be living signs of a love that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/in-a-world-so-torn-apart-by-rivalry-anger-and-hatred-we-have-the/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Where true inner freedom is, there is God. 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When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [ \[Islam\] Leaves no room of human legislation in an Islamic state, because herein all legislative functions vest in God and the only function left… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abul-a-la-maududi/islam-leaves-no-room-of-human-legislation-in-an-islamic-state-because/) [Abul A'la Maududi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abul-a-la-maududi/) > [What is history after all? 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