--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If only everything were like that. It's…" description: "\"“If only everything were like that. It's not easy to do: owning and accepting the pain of our past, the heartbreak, our misgivings, and using them for ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62d/j-b-salsbury-12995_heartbreak_if-only-everything-were-like-that-it-s-n_2513053.jpg" --- # If only everything were like that. It's not easy to do… ![“If only everything were like that. It's not easy to do: owning and accepting the pain of our past, the heartbreak, our misgivings, and using them for good. Make our lives better not in spite of it all...but because of it.” quote by J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62d/j-b-salsbury-12995_heartbreak_if-only-everything-were-like-that-it-s-n_2513053.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62d/j-b-salsbury-12995_heartbreak_if-only-everything-were-like-that-it-s-n_2513053.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62d/j-b-salsbury-12995_heartbreak_if-only-everything-were-like-that-it-s-n_2513053.jpg) > ““If only everything were like that. It's not easy to do: owning and accepting the pain of our past, the heartbreak, our misgivings, and using them for good. Make our lives better not in spite of it all...but because of it.”” [J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Embrace past pain and misgivings, transform them into positive force for growth. **In simple terms:** Use past hurt to improve life. Key Takeaway Turn suffering into strength. Themes resilience healing growth Mood reflective hopeful Type psychological inspirational When to use this quote - therapy - creative projects - leadership challenges Key Concepts trauma integration self‑acceptance Questions to Reflect On - What past pain can you repurpose? - How can you help others heal? A Different Perspective Pain may linger despite positive reframing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heartbreak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heartbreak/) [Misgivings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misgivings/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I want a relationship like the one my mom and dad had, what every strong relationship around me looks like, and I wasn't going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-kufrin/i-want-a-relationship-like-the-one-my-mom-and-dad-had-what-every/) [Becca Kufrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-kufrin/) > [I have no misgivings about using a flight computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-j-glover/i-have-no-misgivings-about-using-a-flight-computer/) [Victor J. Glover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-j-glover/) > [Pain is an integral part of life, accepting pain as a blessing and patience are an integral part of Wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/pain-is-an-integral-part-of-life-accepting-pain-as-a-blessing-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Accepting our pain is a way to say we treasure the sacred gift of life — run to your pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/accepting-our-pain-is-a-way-to-say-we-treasure-the-sacred-gift-of/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [Your own pain is involuntary; you feel overwhelmed and have no control. When feeling the pain of others, there is an element of discomfort,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/your-own-pain-is-involuntary-you-feel-overwhelmed-and-have-no-control/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“It is in experiencing and accepting the pain of defeat, that we may truly acknowledge the joy of victory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-bramble/it-is-in-experiencing-and-accepting-the-pain-of-defeat-that-we-may/) [Andre Bramble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-bramble/) > [“Healing is more about accepting the pain and finding a way to peacefully co-exist with it. In the sea of life, pain is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaeda-dewalt/healing-is-more-about-accepting-the-pain-and-finding-a-way-to/) [Jaeda DeWalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaeda-dewalt/) > [“And yet I cannot shake off my misgivings. Even now I can picture her face—so innocent in appearance, so distressed at being accused—and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-setterfield/and-yet-i-cannot-shake-off-my-misgivings-even-now-i-can-picture-her/) [Diane Setterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-setterfield/) > [I had been conscious of depression and so I voiced to (Sec. Of War Stimson) my grave misgivings, first on the basis of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/i-had-been-conscious-of-depression-and-so-i-voiced-to-sec-of-war/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Those obstinate questionings Of sense and outward things, Fallings from us, vanishings; Blank misgivings of a Creature Moving about in worlds not realised, High…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/those-obstinate-questionings-of-sense-and-outward-things-fallings/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [“When we fail to reflect on the undercurrents of the circumstances of our life, we may have permanent misgivings about the quality of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/when-we-fail-to-reflect-on-the-undercurrents-of-the-circumstances-of/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [Initially, less appealing to me than the idea of a vampire that is drawn by some misgiving or drawn by some sense of longing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-farrell/initially-less-appealing-to-me-than-the-idea-of-a-vampire-that-is/) [Colin Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-farrell/) > [“Part II: Misgivings & Magic Darkness? Is it terrifying, or is it beautiful?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-vaineo/part-ii-misgivings-magic-darkness-is-it-terrifying-or-is-it-beautiful/) [J.R. Vaineo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-vaineo/) > [Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [“ misgivings , n . Last night, I got up the courage to ask you if you regretted us. "There are things I miss,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/misgivings-n-last-night-i-got-up-the-courage-to-ask-you-if-you/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) ## More by J.B. Salsbury > [“What’s a girl like you doing in a dirty mind like mine?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-salsbury/what-s-a-girl-like-you-doing-in-a-dirty-mind-like-mine/) [J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/) > [“You kick ass with a microwave, baby. Don’t sell yourself short.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-salsbury/you-kick-ass-with-a-microwave-baby-don-t-sell-yourself-short/) [J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/) > [“there’s one thing I know about girls like Miss Moorehead—they’re more chore than whore. But I’ll enjoy the eye-gasm I get every time I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-salsbury/there-s-one-thing-i-know-about-girls-like-miss-moorehead-they-re-more/) [J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/) > [“Nothing about us makes sense except for what I feel when I’m with you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-salsbury/nothing-about-us-makes-sense-except-for-what-i-feel-when-i-m-with-you/) [J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/) > [“The whole time I thought I was living. But the day I met you, the lights came on. You fill me with things I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-salsbury/the-whole-time-i-thought-i-was-living-but-the-day-i-met-you-the/) [J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/) > [“If she tried to leave me, I’d fight to get her back”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-salsbury/if-she-tried-to-leave-me-i-d-fight-to-get-her-back/) [J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/) > [Hanging on by a nut hair, I search for a distraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-salsbury/hanging-on-by-a-nut-hair-i-search-for-a-distraction/) [J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/) > [“you want peace, prepare for war.” His expression is serious, and I wonder what his story is. “What does that mean?” “It means you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-salsbury/you-want-peace-prepare-for-war-his-expression-is-serious-and-i-wonder/) [J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/) > [“Fuck, this woman, I despise what she’s doing and I love every square inch of her. She’s loyal to a fault, honest, viciously protective,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-salsbury/fuck-this-woman-i-despise-what-she-s-doing-and-i-love-every-square/) [J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/) > [“There’s so much to say, every time we’re together. But the fear and the pain seem to go on forever. Every night that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-salsbury/there-s-so-much-to-say-every-time-we-re-together-but-the-fear-and-the/) [J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/) > [“Even though we’ve only spent a handful of nights together, it somehow feels like I’ve always known him. He touches me with the surety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-salsbury/even-though-we-ve-only-spent-a-handful-of-nights-together-it-somehow/) [J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/) > [“Life is beautiful and terrifying … And we deserve to feel it down to our bones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-salsbury/life-is-beautiful-and-terrifying-and-we-deserve-to-feel-it-down-to/) [J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/) > [“I know what it feels like to have something living inside that eats away at your sanity. They call it trauma, a deeply distressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-salsbury/i-know-what-it-feels-like-to-have-something-living-inside-that-eats/) [J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/) > [“I better go.” I push up from the couch and move to the door like a vapor, there in one aspect, completely gone in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-salsbury/i-better-go-i-push-up-from-the-couch-and-move-to-the-door-like-a/) [J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/) > [“When we’re together it’s as if I’m the air and he’s begging for his next breath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-salsbury/when-we-re-together-it-s-as-if-i-m-the-air-and-he-s-begging-for-his/) [J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/) [Explore all 52 J.B. Salsbury quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/) ## More Heartbreak quotes > [It hurts wanting the best for someone you love, even if they feel the best isn't you. That's real love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-hurts-wanting-the-best-for-someone-you-love-even-if-they-feel-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's only so much for a man to take...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gilchrist/there-s-only-so-much-for-a-man-to-take/) Kirsten Gilchrist > [“Love can give you such happiness, then can break the very heart it filled, leaving a hole that can never be fixed or protected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mcleod/love-can-give-you-such-happiness-then-can-break-the-very-heart-it/) Kevin McLeod > [“If you'd only let me come by myself, none of this would have happened. Having you around makes everything worse.' She buried her head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-standiford/if-you-d-only-let-me-come-by-myself-none-of-this-would-have-happened/) [Natalie Standiford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-standiford/) > [If you leave someone for another person, don't be surprised if that person leaves you for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-leave-someone-for-another-person-don-t-be-surprised-if-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...what happens when you return and find nothing but a hollowed shell, shingles and floor, walls and echoes and the light that lead you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellie-elmore/what-happens-when-you-return-and-find-nothing-but-a-hollowed-shell/) [Kellie Elmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellie-elmore/) > [“Sometimes family breakups are catastrophic, they can lead to decades of ill-feeling within the family unit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-ellis/sometimes-family-breakups-are-catastrophic-they-can-lead-to-decades/) [Joy Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-ellis/) > [It's fucking terrifying that no matter how many promises they made, no matter how long you've been together, someone can get up & walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larissa-derrah/it-s-fucking-terrifying-that-no-matter-how-many-promises-they-made-no/) Larissa Derrah > [“3:29:50 pm what is it that you love about him is it the way he lets you down incapable of lifting you up is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-sin/3-29-50-pm-what-is-it-that-you-love-about-him-is-it-the-way-he-lets/) [R.H. Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-sin/) > [The discovery that heartbreak is indeed heartbreaking consoles us about our humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/the-discovery-that-heartbreak-is-indeed-heartbreaking-consoles-us/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“I don’t know what it is with you and that asshole. Four years and a bad breakup later and you’re still in a fucking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarryn-fisher/i-don-t-know-what-it-is-with-you-and-that-asshole-four-years-and-a/) [Tarryn Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarryn-fisher/) > [“I wish I believed him. He's looking at me like he can see where I begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcnamara/i-wish-i-believed-him-he-s-looking-at-me-like-he-can-see-where-i-begin/) [Amy McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcnamara/) > [I dont regret meeting you, I regret letting you into my heart only to have you break it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-dont-regret-meeting-you-i-regret-letting-you-into-my-heart-only-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you ask people about love, they tell you about heartbreak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/when-you-ask-people-about-love-they-tell-you-about-heartbreak/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [A heartbreak isnt as loud as a bomb exploding. Sometimes it can be as quiet as a feather falling and the most painful thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/superman/a-heartbreak-isnt-as-loud-as-a-bomb-exploding-sometimes-it-can-be-as/) Superman [Browse all 3,477 Heartbreak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heartbreak/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If only everything were like that. It's not easy to do: owning and accepting the pain of our past, the heartbreak, our misgivings, and using them for good. Make our lives better not in spite of it all...but because of it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J.B. 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