--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The person in misery does not need a look…" description: "\"The person in misery does not need a look that judges and criticizes but a comforting presence that brings peace and hope and life and says: 'you are a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/563/jean-vanier-3367_beloved_the-person-in-misery-does-not-need-a-loo_63665.png" --- # The person in misery does not need a look that judges and… ![“The person in misery does not need a look that judges and criticizes but a comforting presence that brings peace and hope and life and says: 'you are a human person: important, mysterious, infinitely precious, what you have to say is important because it flows from a humn person; in you there are…” quote by Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/563/jean-vanier-3367_beloved_the-person-in-misery-does-not-need-a-loo_63665.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/563/jean-vanier-3367_beloved_the-person-in-misery-does-not-need-a-loo_63665.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/563/jean-vanier-3367_beloved_the-person-in-misery-does-not-need-a-loo_63665.png) > “The person in misery does not need a look that judges and criticizes but a comforting presence that brings peace and hope and life and says: 'you are a human person: important, mysterious, infinitely precious, what you have to say is important because it flows from a humn person; in you there are those seeds of the infinite, those germs of love... of beauty which must rise from the earth of your misery so humanity be fulfilled. If you do not rise then something will be missing... Rise again because we all need you... be loved beloved.'” [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Compassionate presence restores dignity and hope to those suffering, affirming their inherent worth and potential to contribute to humanity. **In simple terms:** Empathy empowers the marginalized. Key Takeaway Seeing suffering as a catalyst for growth. Themes Compassion Human Dignity Hope Interconnectedness Transformation Mood Compassionate Uplifting Reflective Type Inspirational Affirmational Humanistic When to use this quote - Grieving friend - Patient in hospital - Person facing depression - Someone isolated socially - Individual in crisis Key Concepts Empathy Self-worth Resilience Collective responsibility Practical Applications - Therapeutic counseling - Support group facilitation Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance offering comfort with encouraging personal agency? - What practices help us recognize the inherent value in every person? A Different Perspective null ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beloved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beloved/) [Comforting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comforting/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Flow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flow/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Mysterious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mysterious/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) ## Related quotes > [“Society, in which we all live, is corrupt, immoral, aggressive, destructive. This society has been going on in primitive or modified form for thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/society-in-which-we-all-live-is-corrupt-immoral-aggressive/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [A society that admits misery, a humanity that admits war, seem to me an inferior society and a debased humanity; it is a higher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/a-society-that-admits-misery-a-humanity-that-admits-war-seem-to-me-an/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Certainly I believe that God gave us life for happiness, not misery. Humanity, I am sure, will never be made lazy or indifferent by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/certainly-i-believe-that-god-gave-us-life-for-happiness-not-misery/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [It smells terrible in here.' Well, what do you expect? The human body, when confined, produces certain odors which we tend to forget in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy-toole/it-smells-terrible-in-here-well-what-do-you-expect-the-human-body/) [John Kennedy Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy-toole/) > [As a human being, as a person, you can't make a decision based on what other people are going to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dion-waiters/as-a-human-being-as-a-person-you-can-t-make-a-decision-based-on-what/) [Dion Waiters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dion-waiters/) > [We can be human only together. A person is a person to other persons. We so desperately long for all of us to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/we-can-be-human-only-together-a-person-is-a-person-to-other-persons-2/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [The human person is the sum total of a 15 billion year chain of unbroken evolution now thinking about itself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/the-human-person-is-the-sum-total-of-a-15-billion-year-chain-of/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [Art is the work of a human being – something a person does with generosity to touch someone else to make a change for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/art-is-the-work-of-a-human-being-something-a-person-does-with/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [The human person is a unique composite - a unity of spirit and matter, soul and body, fashioned in the image of God and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-human-person-is-a-unique-composite-a-unity-of-spirit-and-matter/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [I'm a real human being. I'm a person, I have feelings, I have emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-stephens/i-m-a-real-human-being-i-m-a-person-i-have-feelings-i-have-emotions/) [Jeremy Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-stephens/) > [Nelson Mandela was just a human being, a person like other people, and everyone relaxed. Within a minute, that sort of thing about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumi-naidoo/nelson-mandela-was-just-a-human-being-a-person-like-other-people-and/) [Kumi Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumi-naidoo/) > [“The fully human person is in deep and meaningful contact with the world outside of him. He not only listens to himself, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-joseph-powell/the-fully-human-person-is-in-deep-and-meaningful-contact-with-the/) John Joseph Powell > [We can be human only together. A person is a person to other persons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/we-can-be-human-only-together-a-person-is-a-person-to-other-persons/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [What kind of human person has a favorite eraser?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/what-kind-of-human-person-has-a-favorite-eraser/) [William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/) > [“You can't take the human out of the person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-tran/you-can-t-take-the-human-out-of-the-person/) [Tommy Tran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-tran/) ## More by Jean Vanier > [When we start helping the weak and the poor to rise everyone will begin to change. Those who have power and riches will start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/when-we-start-helping-the-weak-and-the-poor-to-rise-everyone-will/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [...Individualistic material progress and the desire to gain prestige by coming out on top have taken over from the sense of fellowship, compassion and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/individualistic-material-progress-and-the-desire-to-gain-prestige-by/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [To invite others to live with us is a sign that we aren't afraid, that we have a treasure of truth and of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/to-invite-others-to-live-with-us-is-a-sign-that-we-aren-t-afraid-that/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [People are longing to rediscover true community. We have had enough of loneliness, independence and competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/people-are-longing-to-rediscover-true-community-we-have-had-enough-of/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [All of us have a secret desire to be seen as saints, heroes, martyrs. We are afraid to be children, to be ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/all-of-us-have-a-secret-desire-to-be-seen-as-saints-heroes-martyrs-we/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [To be free is to put justice, truth and service to others over and above our personal gain or our need for recognition, power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/to-be-free-is-to-put-justice-truth-and-service-to-others-over-and/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [If we love (the poor) people, we want to identify with them and share with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/if-we-love-the-poor-people-we-want-to-identify-with-them-and-share/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [“Sympathies and antipathies . . . Human friendships can very quickly become a club of mediocrities, enclosed in mutual flattery and approval, preventing people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/sympathies-and-antipathies-human-friendships-can-very-quickly-become/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [A community is only a community when the majority of its members are making the transition from 'the community for myself' to 'myself for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/a-community-is-only-a-community-when-the-majority-of-its-members-are/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [Each person is sacred, no matter what his or her culture, religion, handicap, or fragility. Each person is created in God’s image; each one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/each-person-is-sacred-no-matter-what-his-or-her-culture-religion/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [But let us not put our sights too high. We do not have to be saviours of the world! We are simply human beings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/but-let-us-not-put-our-sights-too-high-we-do-not-have-to-be-saviours/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [Each human being, however small or weak, has something to bring to humanity. As we start to really get to know others, as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/each-human-being-however-small-or-weak-has-something-to-bring-to/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [“Have patience . . . We are not the masters of our own feelings of attraction or revulsion; these come from places in ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/have-patience-we-are-not-the-masters-of-our-own-feelings-of/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [The people with the best sense of what is essential to a community, of what gives and maintains its spirit, are often doing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/the-people-with-the-best-sense-of-what-is-essential-to-a-community-of/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [The poor are always prophetic. As true prophets always point out, they reveal God's design. That is why we should take time to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/the-poor-are-always-prophetic-as-true-prophets-always-point-out-they/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) [Explore all 132 Jean Vanier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) ## More Beloved quotes > [My Chosen Daughter, No one can define you without your permission. I want you to be so secure in who you are in Me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/god/my-chosen-daughter-no-one-can-define-you-without-your-permission-i/) God > [Why should the Marquis de Cussy wage war on soup? I cannot understand a dinner without it. I hold soup to be the well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-antoine-careme/why-should-the-marquis-de-cussy-wage-war-on-soup-i-cannot-understand/) [Marie-Antoine Careme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-antoine-careme/) > [Beloved, let your eyes half close, and your heart beat Over my heart, and your hair fall over my breast, Drowning love's lonely hour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/beloved-let-your-eyes-half-close-and-your-heart-beat-over-my-heart/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [I made you, dear, and all I make is perfect. Please come close, for I desire you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/i-made-you-dear-and-all-i-make-is-perfect-please-come-close-for-i/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [A lover asked his beloved, Do you love yourself more than you love me? Beloved replied, I have died to myself and I live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-lover-asked-his-beloved-do-you-love-yourself-more-than-you-love-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He who believes in God is not careful for the morrow, but labors joyfully and with a great heart. "For He giveth His beloved,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/he-who-believes-in-god-is-not-careful-for-the-morrow-but-labors/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [My beloved like a jewel on my crown, In my vast and blue sky you are like a full-moon. I wish to stay entrapped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ranjan-dey/my-beloved-like-a-jewel-on-my-crown-in-my-vast-and-blue-sky-you-are/) [Ranjan Dey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ranjan-dey/) > [Love is doing what will enthrall the beloved with the greatest and longest joy. What will enthrall the beloved this way is the glory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/love-is-doing-what-will-enthrall-the-beloved-with-the-greatest-and/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Rest you well, beloved Jesus, Caesar’s Lord and Israel’s King, In the brooding of the Spirit, in the darkness of the spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/rest-you-well-beloved-jesus-caesar-s-lord-and-israel-s-king-in-the/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [My beloved friend - one of the most unique and charming personalities of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/my-beloved-friend-one-of-the-most-unique-and-charming-personalities/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [A lover goes toward his beloved as enthusiastically as a schoolboy leaving his books, but when he leaves his girlfriend, he feels as miserable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-lover-goes-toward-his-beloved-as-enthusiastically-as-a-schoolboy/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I lost my dad when I was younger, and I know what its like to lose a beloved parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/i-lost-my-dad-when-i-was-younger-and-i-know-what-its-like-to-lose-a/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [My beloved dog defied treatment from the best and most expensive veterinarians, holistic practitioners, trainers, and animal communicators. He was simply beyond my ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/my-beloved-dog-defied-treatment-from-the-best-and-most-expensive/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [Perhaps if only once you did enjoy The thousandth part of all the happiness A heart beloved enjoys, returning love, Repentant, you would surely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torquato-tasso/perhaps-if-only-once-you-did-enjoy-the-thousandth-part-of-all-the/) [Torquato Tasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torquato-tasso/) > [Wicked sons do not have the Holy Ghost in the same way as do beloved sons, and yet they do have Baptism. So, too,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/wicked-sons-do-not-have-the-holy-ghost-in-the-same-way-as-do-beloved/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) [Browse all 1,440 Beloved quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beloved/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The person in misery does not need a look that judges and criticizes but a comforting presence that brings peace and hope and life and says: 'you are a human person: important, mysterious, infinitely precious, what you have to say is important because it flows from a humn person; in you there are those seeds of the infinite, those germs of love... of beauty which must rise from the earth of your misery so humanity be fulfilled. If you do not rise then something will be missing... 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