---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I finally get that sometimes we hold on…"
description: "\"“I finally get that sometimes we hold on to something - a person, a resentment, a regret, an idea of who we are - because we don't know what to reach f..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/huntley-fitzpatrick-4385_life_i-finally-get-that-sometimes-we-hold-on_2616241.jpg"
---

#  I finally get that sometimes we hold on to something - a…

![“I finally get that sometimes we hold on to something - a person, a resentment, a regret, an idea of who we are - because we don't know what to reach for next. That what we've done before is what we have to do again. That there are only re-dos and no do-overs. And maybe ... maybe I know better than…” quote by Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/huntley-fitzpatrick-4385_life_i-finally-get-that-sometimes-we-hold-on_2616241.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/huntley-fitzpatrick-4385_life_i-finally-get-that-sometimes-we-hold-on_2616241.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/huntley-fitzpatrick-4385_life_i-finally-get-that-sometimes-we-hold-on_2616241.jpg)

> ““I finally get that sometimes we hold on to something - a person, a resentment, a regret, an idea of who we are - because we don't know what to reach for next. That what we've done before is what we have to do again. That there are only re-dos and no do-overs. And maybe ... maybe I know better than that.””

[Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People cling to familiar pain or identity because they fear the unknown future, leading to repeated patterns without growth.

**In simple terms:** We hold onto old hurts because we lack new direction.

Key Takeaway

Seek new purpose to break cycles.

Themes

identity fear growth patterns

Mood

anxious reflective

Type

motivational philosophical

When to use this quote

- relationship breakup
- career transition
- personal therapy

Key Concepts

psychology attachment theory self‑actualization

Questions to Reflect On

- What new direction could replace your old attachment?
- How can you create a vision for the future?

A Different Perspective

Change requires confronting uncertainty, not just recognizing it.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Resentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resentment/)

## Related quotes

> [“If you want to, you can let go of any feelings of resentment, of regret, of anger. You can accept that you are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-templar/if-you-want-to-you-can-let-go-of-any-feelings-of-resentment-of-regret/)

[Richard Templar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-templar/)

> [“I don't buy 'regret' idea. I need life's good lesson.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/i-don-t-buy-regret-idea-i-need-life-s-good-lesson/)

[Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/)

> [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/)

> [The reality is that our military presence on foreign soil is as offensive to the people that live there as armed Chinese troops would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/the-reality-is-that-our-military-presence-on-foreign-soil-is-as/)

[Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/)

> [Not forgiving prolongs hurt and anger and leads to smoldering resentment, which will make us miserable until it kills us. Resentment destroys the perception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-walters/not-forgiving-prolongs-hurt-and-anger-and-leads-to-smoldering/)

Richard Walters

> [For seven days she lay in bed looking sullenly at the ceiling as though resenting the death she had cultivated for so many years.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/for-seven-days-she-lay-in-bed-looking-sullenly-at-the-ceiling-as/)

[William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/)

> [“Relationships automatically develop resentment when selfish and petty concerns become more important than the emotional connection between you. If”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-stosny/relationships-automatically-develop-resentment-when-selfish-and-petty/)

[Steven Stosny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-stosny/)

> [“The city centre was still crawling with Christmas shoppers looking to add to their already burgeoning piles of gifts. To Scott they were like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-city-centre-was-still-crawling-with-christmas-shoppers-looking-to/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Youre too beautiful to hold on to any resentment, bitterness &amp; anger. Forgive yourself &amp; Let it go!!! Be strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-housham/youre-too-beautiful-to-hold-on-to-any-resentment-bitterness-anger/)

[Ricardo Housham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-housham/)

> [“Nationalism is relativist, since the only truth is the resentment we feel when we contemplate others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-snyder/nationalism-is-relativist-since-the-only-truth-is-the-resentment-we/)

[Timothy Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-snyder/)

> [The sectaries of a persecuted religion, depressed by fear, animated with resentment, and perhaps heated by enthusiasm, are seldom in a proper temper of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-sectaries-of-a-persecuted-religion-depressed-by-fear-animated/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

> [No woman ever yet either reasoned or acted long together consequentially; but some little thing, some love, some resentment, somepresent momentary interest, some supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/no-woman-ever-yet-either-reasoned-or-acted-long-together/)

[Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/)

> [“What I’ve noticed being here is that many English people are in awe of America but also deeply resent it,” Obinze added. “Perfectly true,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/what-i-ve-noticed-being-here-is-that-many-english-people-are-in-awe/)

[Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/)

> [Thinking, or more precisely identification with thinking, gives rise to and maintains the ego, which, in our Western society in particular, is out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/thinking-or-more-precisely-identification-with-thinking-gives-rise-to/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/)

[Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/)

## More by Huntley Fitzpatrick

> [“Maybe she's a gymnast with superior muscle control." "She'd have to be in Cirque de Soleil to manage this.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/maybe-she-s-a-gymnast-with-superior-muscle-control-she-d-have-to-be/)

[Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/)

> [“I never felt with her the way I feel whenever I even catch sight of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/i-never-felt-with-her-the-way-i-feel-whenever-i-even-catch-sight-of/)

[Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/)

> [“You can't do this. You have to give me a chance to fix whatever it is I've done. What have I done?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/you-can-t-do-this-you-have-to-give-me-a-chance-to-fix-whatever-it-is/)

[Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/)

> [“Feel sorry for anyone who thinks what they think is right should be some universal law”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/feel-sorry-for-anyone-who-thinks-what-they-think-is-right-should-be/)

[Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/)

> [“The right thing to do is so easy to see when you're seventeen years old and don't have to make any big decisions. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/the-right-thing-to-do-is-so-easy-to-see-when-you-re-seventeen-years/)

[Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/)

> [“It is as if everything else in the world stops as we lie here in the summer night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/it-is-as-if-everything-else-in-the-world-stops-as-we-lie-here-in-the/)

[Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/)

> [“I cannot help but wonder if any parents ever actually schedule in adolescent drama on their day planners. Looks like a slow week, Sarah.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/i-cannot-help-but-wonder-if-any-parents-ever-actually-schedule-in/)

[Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/)

> [“When she's worried Vivien gives herself pedicures and facials. Nic lifts weights. I bake. So, Vivien ends up looking more glamourous. Nic gets fitter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/when-she-s-worried-vivien-gives-herself-pedicures-and-facials-nic/)

[Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/)

> [“Dressed-up Cass is like a creature from another planet. One I want to colonize.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/dressed-up-cass-is-like-a-creature-from-another-planet-one-i-want-to/)

[Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/)

> [“I thought I’d just go and come back a Sophisticated Woman Who Took Her Relationship to the Next Level in the Big Apple.” I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/i-thought-i-d-just-go-and-come-back-a-sophisticated-woman-who-took/)

[Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/)

> [“So here we are, in the family planning aisle with a cart full of sports drinks and our hands full of . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/so-here-we-are-in-the-family-planning-aisle-with-a-cart-full-of/)

[Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/)

> [“Who are these people, and why do they think their own opinions are the only right ones?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/who-are-these-people-and-why-do-they-think-their-own-opinions-are-the/)

[Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/)

> [“You can do better than that." He loops his arms around my waist and pulls me to him. "Where are your gloves?" "Better than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/you-can-do-better-than-that-he-loops-his-arms-around-my-waist-and/)

[Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/)

> [“Right. Because if you have trouble putting ketchup and mustard on a hot dog, you should totally move on to saving lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/right-because-if-you-have-trouble-putting-ketchup-and-mustard-on-a/)

[Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/)

> [“I return to the sprinklers and sit down. George plunks down next to me. “Did you know that a bird-eating tarantula is as big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/i-return-to-the-sprinklers-and-sit-down-george-plunks-down-next-to-me/)

[Huntley Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/)

[Explore all 108 Huntley Fitzpatrick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/)

## More Life quotes

> [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/)

[Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/)

> [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/)

[Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/)

> [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/)

[Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/)

> [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/)

[Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/)

> [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/)

[Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/)

> [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/)

Deanna L. Lawlis

> [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/)

[Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/)

> [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/)

[Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/)

> [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/)

[Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/)

> [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/)

[Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/)

> [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/)

[Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/)

> [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/)

[Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/)

[Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I finally get that sometimes we hold on to something - a person, a resentment, a regret, an idea of who we are - because we don't know what to reach for next. That what we've done before is what we have to do again. That there are only re-dos and no do-overs. And maybe ... maybe I know better than that.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Huntley Fitzpatrick"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/i-finally-get-that-sometimes-we-hold-on-to-something-a-person-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Life"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/i-finally-get-that-sometimes-we-hold-on-to-something-a-person-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/huntley-fitzpatrick-4385_life_i-finally-get-that-sometimes-we-hold-on_2616241.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/huntley-fitzpatrick-4385_life_i-finally-get-that-sometimes-we-hold-on_2616241.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f83/huntley-fitzpatrick-4385_life_i-finally-get-that-sometimes-we-hold-on_2616241.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I finally get that sometimes we hold on to something - a person, a resentment, a regret, an idea of who we…” — Huntley Fitzpatrick",
                "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": "Huntley Fitzpatrick",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huntley-fitzpatrick/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I finally get that sometimes we...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/i-finally-get-that-sometimes-we-hold-on-to-something-a-person-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huntley-fitzpatrick/i-finally-get-that-sometimes-we-hold-on-to-something-a-person-a/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
