--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That was the one moment he would always…" description: "\"“That was the one moment he would always remember. The unhappiest moment of a happy childhood. The empty desolation of being on the wrong side of that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42c/jim-kelly-17911_childhood_that-was-the-one-moment-he-would-always_2997227.jpg" --- # That was the one moment he would always remember. The… ![“That was the one moment he would always remember. The unhappiest moment of a happy childhood. The empty desolation of being on the wrong side of that sheet of ice, in the cold sterile water, while the fire burnt at the farm and the smell of Christmas food seeped out of the kitchen. And above him…” quote by Jim Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42c/jim-kelly-17911_childhood_that-was-the-one-moment-he-would-always_2997227.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42c/jim-kelly-17911_childhood_that-was-the-one-moment-he-would-always_2997227.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42c/jim-kelly-17911_childhood_that-was-the-one-moment-he-would-always_2997227.jpg) > ““That was the one moment he would always remember. The unhappiest moment of a happy childhood. The empty desolation of being on the wrong side of that sheet of ice, in the cold sterile water, while the fire burnt at the farm and the smell of Christmas food seeped out of the kitchen. And above him always the criss-crossed pattern of his own skates.”” [Jim Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kelly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A vivid memory of a childhood accident intertwines fear, loss, and the stark contrast between danger and domestic warmth. **In simple terms:** A painful childhood memory mixes danger and home comfort. Key Takeaway Remember how contrast shapes memory. Themes memory contrast childhood danger comfort Mood melancholic reflective Type narrative emotional When to use this quote - family gatherings - winter sports - personal reflection Key Concepts psychology nostalgia trauma Questions to Reflect On - How does this memory affect current feelings? - What does the ice symbolize? A Different Perspective The quote may dramatize a single event, overlooking broader life context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Childhood Desolation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood-desolation-4740531/) [Happy childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-childhood/) [Moment Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment-remember-653974/) [Remember Unhappiest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember-unhappiest-4740528/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Unhappiest Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappiest-moment-4740530/) ## Related quotes > [The unhappiest moment I could never tell you. All our fights blend into each other and are in fact re-enactments of the same fight,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/the-unhappiest-moment-i-could-never-tell-you-all-our-fights-blend/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I had really loving parents and a happy childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-haynes/i-had-really-loving-parents-and-a-happy-childhood/) [Todd Haynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-haynes/) > [The stories my pupils told me were astonishing. One told how he had witnessed his cousin being shot in the back five times; another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-gruwell/the-stories-my-pupils-told-me-were-astonishing-one-told-how-he-had/) [Erin Gruwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-gruwell/) > [One doesn't know if one had a happy childhood or not. I don't really know what it means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-malkovich/one-doesn-t-know-if-one-had-a-happy-childhood-or-not-i-don-t-really/) [John Malkovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-malkovich/) > [I had good parents. Two older brothers, bit of a handful between us, all got ginger hair, a bit fiery. I remember a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-dyche/i-had-good-parents-two-older-brothers-bit-of-a-handful-between-us-all/) [Sean Dyche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-dyche/) > [I had a very happy childhood and very loving parents. We didn't have much money and I suppose therefore you felt that anything you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-leahy/i-had-a-very-happy-childhood-and-very-loving-parents-we-didn-t-have/) [Terry Leahy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-leahy/) > [My family life reads a bit like 'Little House on the Prairie.' I was big sister to Joan, Renee, and brother William, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maeve-binchy/my-family-life-reads-a-bit-like-little-house-on-the-prairie-i-was-big/) [Maeve Binchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maeve-binchy/) > [I had a really happy childhood - my siblings were great, my mother was very fanciful, and I loved to read. But there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-had-a-really-happy-childhood-my-siblings-were-great-my-mother-was/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [U were in college working part time waiting tables Left a small town, neva looked back I was a flight risk wid a fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cookie/u-were-in-college-working-part-time-waiting-tables-left-a-small-town/) [Cookie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cookie/) > [She stood beside me for years, or was it a moment? I cannot remember. Maybe I loved her, maybe I didn't. There was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strand/she-stood-beside-me-for-years-or-was-it-a-moment-i-cannot-remember/) [Mark Strand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strand/) > [That awkward moment when you remember something funny, start smiling like an idiot,, everyone stares at you wondering why you're smiling xU xQ!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-awkward-moment-when-you-remember-something-funny-start-smiling/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What is the happiest moment you can remember?” He didn’t hesitate. “The day they delivered my Ferrari.” “Fine! Tonight, you are going to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-morgan/what-is-the-happiest-moment-you-can-remember-he-didn-t-hesitate-the/) [Sarah Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-morgan/) > [Catching myself in the moment. Then I remember facts are just facts, circumstances are merely circumstances. Whenever I can catch myself having a negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-shiels/catching-myself-in-the-moment-then-i-remember-facts-are-just-facts/) [Graham Shiels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-shiels/) > [“He shot the rest of the roll for her, twenty portraits, twenty different expressions, a catalog of someone she will say she once knew.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-backhaus/he-shot-the-rest-of-the-roll-for-her-twenty-portraits-twenty/) [Jeff Backhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-backhaus/) > [“From this very moment, remember that you are not separate from existence. And don’t only remember, experiment: be one with the tree you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/from-this-very-moment-remember-that-you-are-not-separate-from/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) ## More by Jim Kelly > [There are things that you think about in your life that you're proud of, some things that you're not proud of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kelly/there-are-things-that-you-think-about-in-your-life-that-you-re-proud/) [Jim Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kelly/) > [I don't worry anymore because there's only one person that knows when your day is, and that's the good Lord above.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kelly/i-don-t-worry-anymore-because-there-s-only-one-person-that-knows-when/) [Jim Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kelly/) > [I threw up before every single football game I played, and I did so up through my NFL career. It was good pressure. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kelly/i-threw-up-before-every-single-football-game-i-played-and-i-did-so-up/) [Jim Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kelly/) > [Where my cancer was, if it moves just a tiny bit... towards the area where there's no return, it stays, then there's no turning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kelly/where-my-cancer-was-if-it-moves-just-a-tiny-bit-towards-the-area/) [Jim Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kelly/) > [Ultimately, one of the best decisions I ever made was when I became a Buffalo Bill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kelly/ultimately-one-of-the-best-decisions-i-ever-made-was-when-i-became-a/) [Jim Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kelly/) > [What I love about elk hunting is its similarities to turkey hunting. 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Have an attitude that you will make someone else's life better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kelly/never-walk-into-a-hospital-crying-have-an-attitude-that-you-will-make/) [Jim Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kelly/) > [I cried when I was drafted by Buffalo... You can't be a great quarterback in snow and 30 mile-an-hour wind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kelly/i-cried-when-i-was-drafted-by-buffalo-you-can-t-be-a-great/) [Jim Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kelly/) > [“Science...how beautiful science was - that it was one of the proofs of God's presence. All that order out of chaos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kelly/science-how-beautiful-science-was-that-it-was-one-of-the-proofs-of/) [Jim Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kelly/) > [Turkey hunting is my passion because I love the thrill of calling them in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kelly/turkey-hunting-is-my-passion-because-i-love-the-thrill-of-calling/) [Jim Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kelly/) > [I played football ever since I was a little boy. Coming from a family of six boys, I guess we learned the game of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kelly/i-played-football-ever-since-i-was-a-little-boy-coming-from-a-family/) [Jim Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kelly/) > [I've been through so much. I just live each day, and whatever happens, happens. I've lived a very good life. My life has definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kelly/i-ve-been-through-so-much-i-just-live-each-day-and-whatever-happens/) [Jim Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kelly/) [Explore all 36 Jim Kelly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kelly/) ## More Childhood quotes > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [“From childhood’s hour I have not been As others were—I have not seen As others saw—I could not bring My passions from a common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/from-childhood-s-hour-i-have-not-been-as-others-were-i-have-not-seen/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [I had a rough upbringing. Group homes. Foster homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shamrock/i-had-a-rough-upbringing-group-homes-foster-homes/) [Frank Shamrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shamrock/) > [When I talk about my childhood I used to say it as if it was scripted and I'd make jokes because it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/when-i-talk-about-my-childhood-i-used-to-say-it-as-if-it-was-scripted/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [Every man remembers his childhood as a kind of mythical age, just as every nation's childhood is its mythical age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/every-man-remembers-his-childhood-as-a-kind-of-mythical-age-just-as/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [It's a very familiar type of place where people either go to their house on the lake or they get together in different places.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/it-s-a-very-familiar-type-of-place-where-people-either-go-to-their/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [Downstairs in my house, I have a museum room. I keep all of my awards down there, and childhood photos, and even all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/downstairs-in-my-house-i-have-a-museum-room-i-keep-all-of-my-awards/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [On paper, it looks rough, but I had a great childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/on-paper-it-looks-rough-but-i-had-a-great-childhood/) [Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/) > [Let positive, strong, helpful thoughts enter into your brains from very childhood. 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It was a mixture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-jansson/i-m-not-sure-i-would-have-ever-started-to-draw-let-alone-write-if-my/) [Tove Jansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-jansson/) [Browse all 5,837 Childhood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“That was the one moment he would always remember. The unhappiest moment of a happy childhood. The empty desolation of being on the wrong side of that sheet of ice, in the cold sterile water, while the fire burnt at the farm and the smell of Christmas food seeped out of the kitchen. 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