--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We all have such stories. It is a brutal…" description: "\"We all have such stories. It is a brutal arithmetic. But I - I am alive. You are alive. As long as we breathe, we can see and hear. As long as we can r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73d/jane-yolen-7302_alive_we-all-have-such-stories-it-is-a-brutal_543633.jpg" --- # We all have such stories. It is a brutal arithmetic. But I… ![“We all have such stories. It is a brutal arithmetic. But I - I am alive. You are alive. As long as we breathe, we can see and hear. As long as we can remember, all those gone before are alive inside us.” quote by Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73d/jane-yolen-7302_alive_we-all-have-such-stories-it-is-a-brutal_543633.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73d/jane-yolen-7302_alive_we-all-have-such-stories-it-is-a-brutal_543633.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73d/jane-yolen-7302_alive_we-all-have-such-stories-it-is-a-brutal_543633.jpg) > “We all have such stories. It is a brutal arithmetic. But I - I am alive. You are alive. As long as we breathe, we can see and hear. As long as we can remember, all those gone before are alive inside us.” [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living beings remain connected to those who have passed through remembrance; memory keeps the past alive within us. **In simple terms:** Remembering the dead keeps them alive in us. Key Takeaway Cultivate memory and storytelling. Themes memory legacy humanity survival Mood nostalgic thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - family gatherings - historical education - commemoration events - therapy sessions Key Concepts intergenerational bonds storytelling grief processing identity formation Questions to Reflect On - What stories do we choose to remember? - How does memory shape our identity? A Different Perspective Memory can be selective and may romanticize the past. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Arithmetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arithmetic/) [Brutal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brutal/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [See dear I don't cut to die I cut to remind myself That I'm still alive inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/see-dear-i-don-t-cut-to-die-i-cut-to-remind-myself-that-i-m-still/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing is ever over when it is alive inside a human heart. You'll always be an echo in my words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penfist/nothing-is-ever-over-when-it-is-alive-inside-a-human-heart-you-ll/) Penfist > [I'm alive inside. A bird is my heart. Mama and Daddy is not win. I'm winning. I'm drinking hot chocolate in the Village wif…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sapphire/i-m-alive-inside-a-bird-is-my-heart-mama-and-daddy-is-not-win-i-m/) [Sapphire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sapphire/) > [“The only time I really feel alive is when I'm inside you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-thorne/the-only-time-i-really-feel-alive-is-when-i-m-inside-you/) Olivia Thorne > [Nothing is how it looks like, me neither. I look alive, but inside I'm dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorenzo/nothing-is-how-it-looks-like-me-neither-i-look-alive-but-inside-i-m/) Lorenzo > [It's so weird to be alive and to be inside a body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/it-s-so-weird-to-be-alive-and-to-be-inside-a-body/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [I feel alive inside only when obstacles are arising that must be overcome and eliminated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yitzhak-shamir/i-feel-alive-inside-only-when-obstacles-are-arising-that-must-be/) [Yitzhak Shamir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yitzhak-shamir/) > [Wonderful invention, the phonograph. Keeps a man alive long after he's dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wonderful-invention-the-phonograph-keeps-a-man-alive-long-after-he-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As long as you feel pain, you're still alive. As long as you make mistakes, you're still human. And as long as you keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/as-long-as-you-feel-pain-you-re-still-alive-as-long-as-you-make/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [Resistance to unwanted circumstances has the power to keep those circumstances alive and well for a very long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/resistance-to-unwanted-circumstances-has-the-power-to-keep-those/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“In spite of illness, in spite even of the archenemy sorrow, one can remain alive long past the usual date of disintegration if one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/in-spite-of-illness-in-spite-even-of-the-archenemy-sorrow-one-can/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [Now he had recognized himself as a dead man it became important to stay alive as long as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/now-he-had-recognized-himself-as-a-dead-man-it-became-important-to/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [One can remain alive long past the usual date of disintegration if one is unafraid of change, insatiable in intellectual curiosity, interested in big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-can-remain-alive-long-past-the-usual-date-of-disintegration-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think the potential for man is so enormous, if we can stay alive long enough, we're going to be seeing a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-spiner/i-think-the-potential-for-man-is-so-enormous-if-we-can-stay-alive/) [Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-spiner/) > [The real trick is to stay alive as long as you live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/the-real-trick-is-to-stay-alive-as-long-as-you-live/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) ## More by Jane Yolen > [“You've got some power," Jakkin said. "One hug—and the lights go out!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/you-ve-got-some-power-jakkin-said-one-hug-and-the-lights-go-out/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) > [“Part of her revolted against the insanity of the rules. Part of her was grateful. In a world of chaos, any guidelines helped. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/part-of-her-revolted-against-the-insanity-of-the-rules-part-of-her/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) > [“Cinderella, until lately, has never been a passive dreamer waiting for rescue. The forerunners of the Ash-girl have all been hardy, active heroines who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/cinderella-until-lately-has-never-been-a-passive-dreamer-waiting-for/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) > [Stories," he'd said, his voice low and almost husky, "we are made up of stories. And even the one's that seem the most like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/stories-he-d-said-his-voice-low-and-almost-husky-we-are-made-up-of/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) > [Love the writing, love the writing, love the writing... the rest will follow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/love-the-writing-love-the-writing-love-the-writing-the-rest-will/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) > [Just write. If you have to make a choice, if you say, 'Oh well, I'm going to put the writing away until my children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/just-write-if-you-have-to-make-a-choice-if-you-say-oh-well-i-m-going/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) > [A child who can love the oddities of a fantasy book cannot possibly be xenophobic as an adult. What is a different color, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/a-child-who-can-love-the-oddities-of-a-fantasy-book-cannot-possibly/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) > [“1. Write every day 2. Write what interests you. 3. Write for the child inside of you. (Or the adult, if you are writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/1-write-every-day-2-write-what-interests-you-3-write-for-the-child/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) > [What is a vow... but the mouth repeating what the heart has already promised?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/what-is-a-vow-but-the-mouth-repeating-what-the-heart-has-already/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) > [A mist. A great mist. It covered the entire kingdom. And everyone in it - the good people and the not so good, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/a-mist-a-great-mist-it-covered-the-entire-kingdom-and-everyone-in-it/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) > [Readers re-create any story to suit their own needs. They re-clothe the story in their own shirts. Put simply: just as we write the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/readers-re-create-any-story-to-suit-their-own-needs-they-re-clothe/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) > [Ideas are the cheapest part of the writing. They are free. The hard part is what you do with ideas you've gathered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/ideas-are-the-cheapest-part-of-the-writing-they-are-free-the-hard/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) > [“As I thought about endings and – being a lover of fairy tales – I knew immediately that the deeply rooted last line in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/as-i-thought-about-endings-and-being-a-lover-of-fairy-tales-i-knew/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) > [Get up from your desk and wander outside occasionally. To be a good writer one needs to be a good observer, and there isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/get-up-from-your-desk-and-wander-outside-occasionally-to-be-a-good/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) > [Growth in the ability to write comes in spurts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-yolen/growth-in-the-ability-to-write-comes-in-spurts/) [Jane Yolen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) [Explore all 92 Jane Yolen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-yolen/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We all have such stories. It is a brutal arithmetic. But I - I am alive. You are alive. As long as we breathe, we can see and hear. 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