--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I cannot think of it without sadness. I…" description: "\"“I cannot think of it without sadness. I think of the day-long, intimate hours in her apartment with the same record playing over and over, phrases fro..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/997/james-salter-2584_sadness_i-cannot-think-of-it-without-sadness-i-t_1384734.jpg" --- # I cannot think of it without sadness. I think of the… ![“I cannot think of it without sadness. I think of the day-long, intimate hours in her apartment with the same record playing over and over, phrases from it like some sort of oath I will know til the day I die.” quote by James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/997/james-salter-2584_sadness_i-cannot-think-of-it-without-sadness-i-t_1384734.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/997/james-salter-2584_sadness_i-cannot-think-of-it-without-sadness-i-t_1384734.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/997/james-salter-2584_sadness_i-cannot-think-of-it-without-sadness-i-t_1384734.jpg) > ““I cannot think of it without sadness. I think of the day-long, intimate hours in her apartment with the same record playing over and over, phrases from it like some sort of oath I will know til the day I die.”” [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker links love and melancholy, recalling repeated moments that become a lifelong vow. **In simple terms:** Love and sadness intertwine through repeated memories. Key Takeaway Embrace the depth of feeling. Themes love memory melancholy intimacy Mood nostalgic reflective Type literary emotional When to use this quote - romantic relationship - listening to music - personal reflection Key Concepts attachment ritual time identity Questions to Reflect On - How do repeated moments shape your identity? - Can you find comfort in melancholy? A Different Perspective Memories can become burdens if not processed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Sadness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadness/) ## Related quotes > [“In the day school she went to in New York she had long intimate conversations with them all in her imagination, but never in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/in-the-day-school-she-went-to-in-new-york-she-had-long-intimate/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [I think often sadness is a great place to get songs from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mclachlan/i-think-often-sadness-is-a-great-place-to-get-songs-from/) [Sarah McLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mclachlan/) > [A person can't know what happiness is without experiencing sadness. And I think that's healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jai-courtney/a-person-can-t-know-what-happiness-is-without-experiencing-sadness/) [Jai Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jai-courtney/) > [Self-pity” is just sadness, I think, in the pejorative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renata-adler/self-pity-is-just-sadness-i-think-in-the-pejorative/) [Renata Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renata-adler/) > [I think sadness is funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-hill/i-think-sadness-is-funny/) [Jonah Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-hill/) > [“It’s amazing what people create using their pain. Work that is touched by melancholy has its own unique beauty. Even the word ‘melancholy’ is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lang-leav/it-s-amazing-what-people-create-using-their-pain-work-that-is-touched/) [Lang Leav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lang-leav/) > [under our love making I felt a bleakness that couldnt be dispelled. The sadness was in both of us, and I think we pitied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/under-our-love-making-i-felt-a-bleakness-that-couldnt-be-dispelled/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [Part of me is drawn to the nature of sadness because I think life is sad, and sadness is not something that should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/part-of-me-is-drawn-to-the-nature-of-sadness-because-i-think-life-is/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [Looking for happiness is a sure way to sadness, I think. You have to take each moment as it comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/looking-for-happiness-is-a-sure-way-to-sadness-i-think-you-have-to/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [“I became part of the air that surrounded Sui, and breathed her incomprehensible sadness. 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We don't feel anything else but sadness because we have this killing every day, whether with chemical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/i-think-sadness-prevails-in-syria-now-we-don-t-feel-anything-else-but/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [I actually think sadness and darkness can be very beautiful and healing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-sheik/i-actually-think-sadness-and-darkness-can-be-very-beautiful-and/) [Duncan Sheik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-sheik/) > [All I can think about is the sadness in my head on other emotions they are all dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james/all-i-can-think-about-is-the-sadness-in-my-head-on-other-emotions/) [James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james/) > [Dying in unfamiliar surroundings miles away from home, it cannot possibly be good. There is a great sadness about that I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/dying-in-unfamiliar-surroundings-miles-away-from-home-it-cannot/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [It gave me a sharp kind of sadness to think that no matter how much I loved him and tried to put him back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/it-gave-me-a-sharp-kind-of-sadness-to-think-that-no-matter-how-much-i/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) ## More by James Salter > [It seems to me that literature is giving way a little bit to the immediacy of other diversions, other forms of entertainment. What will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/it-seems-to-me-that-literature-is-giving-way-a-little-bit-to-the/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [Women fall in love when they get to know you. Men are just the opposite. When they finally know you they're ready to leave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/women-fall-in-love-when-they-get-to-know-you-men-are-just-the/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [Not necessarily narrow so much as impatient, intense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/not-necessarily-narrow-so-much-as-impatient-intense/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [I write in longhand. I am accustomed to that proximity, that feel of writing. Then I sit down and type.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/i-write-in-longhand-i-am-accustomed-to-that-proximity-that-feel-of/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [A writer writes a book. People read it. You don't know what they're reading, really. You read a review and think, "That is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/a-writer-writes-a-book-people-read-it-you-don-t-know-what-they-re/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [“Strauss’s, for instance, which begins in the heavens. The artist doesn’t ascend to glory, he appears in it, he already has it and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/strauss-s-for-instance-which-begins-in-the-heavens-the-artist-doesn-t/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [Normally, what you’re envious of is a book, not a writer: standards, ideas, levels … almost nonexistent things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/normally-what-you-re-envious-of-is-a-book-not-a-writer-standards/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [Sometimes I write with a particular person in mind. I think it's fair to say that I write for a perceptive reader. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/sometimes-i-write-with-a-particular-person-in-mind-i-think-it-s-fair/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [Lots of scripts are written and not made, even scripts that people want to make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/lots-of-scripts-are-written-and-not-made-even-scripts-that-people/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [I'd given up everything to be a writer, and if I didn't then go on to do that - to write - then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/i-d-given-up-everything-to-be-a-writer-and-if-i-didn-t-then-go-on-to/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [“One should not believe too easily in a life which can easily vanish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/one-should-not-believe-too-easily-in-a-life-which-can-easily-vanish/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [“Life is separated by scars, like the rings in the inside of a tree.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/life-is-separated-by-scars-like-the-rings-in-the-inside-of-a-tree/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [“Dean is still asleep. His clothes are strewn about. The shutters are closed. He never dreams. He’s like a dead musician, like a spent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/dean-is-still-asleep-his-clothes-are-strewn-about-the-shutters-are/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [The dreams are the skeleton of all reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/the-dreams-are-the-skeleton-of-all-reality/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [There came a time when I felt I was not going to be satisfied with life unless I could write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/there-came-a-time-when-i-felt-i-was-not-going-to-be-satisfied-with/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) [Explore all 156 James Salter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) ## More Sadness quotes > [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [Every man has his secret sadness and sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-man-has-his-secret-sadness-and-sorrows-which-the-world-knows/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She searched her mind for a single day when it had felt good to be alive. There must have been one, surely?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-abbott/she-searched-her-mind-for-a-single-day-when-it-had-felt-good-to-be/) [Rachel Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-abbott/) > [Stop trying to give me hope ... I have no room left for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenn-f/stop-trying-to-give-me-hope-i-have-no-room-left-for-it/) [Jenn F](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenn-f/) > [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 > [One must not let oneself be overwhelmed by sadness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-must-not-let-oneself-be-overwhelmed-by-sadness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Got those moods a swinging, tears a slinging, nothing fits me, when it hits me, ranting, raving, misbehaving, PMS blues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/got-those-moods-a-swinging-tears-a-slinging-nothing-fits-me-when-it/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [But I saw the pain and sadness in everything, and swirled it round my mouth like a fine wine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-forrest/but-i-saw-the-pain-and-sadness-in-everything-and-swirled-it-round-my/) [Emma Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-forrest/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [Im tired, tired of putting more effort than you do. Im tired of always having to start the conversation and if I dont, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-tired-tired-of-putting-more-effort-than-you-do-im-tired-of-always/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Once upon a time, there was a naïve and innocent girl who thought she could tame the beast and live happily ever after. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-na-ve-and-innocent-girl-who-thought-she/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [I'd think the house was the source of great sadness or pressure. I knew it wasn't. I knew it was just where I lived.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-granduciel/i-d-think-the-house-was-the-source-of-great-sadness-or-pressure-i/) [Adam Granduciel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-granduciel/) > [Let smiles overshadow sadness. Let faith make you believe. Let confidence wash away doubts. Let love complete your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/let-smiles-overshadow-sadness-let-faith-make-you-believe-let/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“The whole idea of it makes me feel Like I’m coming down with something, Something worse than any stomach ache Or the headaches I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/the-whole-idea-of-it-makes-me-feel-like-i-m-coming-down-with/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [“Today, our view of genuine reality is increasingly clouded by professionals whose technical expertise often introduces a superficial and soulless model of the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-kleinman/today-our-view-of-genuine-reality-is-increasingly-clouded-by/) [Arthur Kleinman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-kleinman/) [Browse all 6,768 Sadness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I cannot think of it without sadness. 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