--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The human longings that are deep inside…" description: "\"The human longings that are deep inside of us never go away. They exist across cultures; they exist throughout life. When people were first made, our d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52b/john-ortberg-932_culture_the-human-longings-that-are-deep-inside_2820149.png" --- # The human longings that are deep inside of us never go… ![“The human longings that are deep inside of us never go away. They exist across cultures; they exist throughout life. When people were first made, our deepest longing was to know and be known. And after the Fall, when we all got weird, it's still our deepest longing - but it's now also our deepest…” quote by John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52b/john-ortberg-932_culture_the-human-longings-that-are-deep-inside_2820149.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52b/john-ortberg-932_culture_the-human-longings-that-are-deep-inside_2820149.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52b/john-ortberg-932_culture_the-human-longings-that-are-deep-inside_2820149.png) > “The human longings that are deep inside of us never go away. They exist across cultures; they exist throughout life. When people were first made, our deepest longing was to know and be known. And after the Fall, when we all got weird, it's still our deepest longing - but it's now also our deepest fear.” [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans have an enduring desire to be understood and to understand others, a need that persists across cultures and life stages, yet it also creates fear of rejection. **In simple terms:** We long to be known and to know others, which can also cause fear. Key Takeaway Embrace vulnerability and seek authentic connections. Themes identity connection fear longing culture Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - therapy - team building - cross‑cultural communication - personal growth Key Concepts existential psychology spirituality Questions to Reflect On - What relationships do you avoid out of fear? - How can you safely share your true self? A Different Perspective Fear can lead to avoidance, limiting deep connections. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Deep inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-inside/) [Deepest fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deepest-fear/) [Deepest Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deepest-longing-869730/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Going away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-away/) [Human Longings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-longings-1050728/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Known](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/known/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing/) [Longing Deepest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing-deepest-3583848/) [Longings Deep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longings-deep-3583849/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Nostalgia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nostalgia/) [Our deepest fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-deepest-fear/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) ## Related quotes > [Our deepest fear is judgment. Our deepest longing is love. The gospel of grace removes the one and provides the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/our-deepest-fear-is-judgment-our-deepest-longing-is-love-the-gospel/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/we-were-born-to-make-manifest-the-glory-of-god-within-us/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [That has been my personal relationship with God-a connection with the powerful, loving, wise energy in all of us, in all creation. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-gawain/that-has-been-my-personal-relationship-with-god-a-connection-with-the/) [Shakti Gawain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-gawain/) > [To see ourselves as we truly are—a wisp of love itself—is perhaps our deepest fear. But it is also our greatest grace. 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We are all meant to shine, as children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/there-is-nothing-enlightened-about-shrinking-so-that-other-people/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We spend our whole lives worrying about the future, planning for the future, trying to predict the future, as if figuring it out will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/we-spend-our-whole-lives-worrying-about-the-future-planning-for-the/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-we-are-liberated-from-our-own-fear-our-presence-automatically/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [People sometimes strive after and think they will find deep satisfaction for their psyches in wealth, sex or drugs, but then find that ultimately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/people-sometimes-strive-after-and-think-they-will-find-deep/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) ## More by John Ortberg > [“What do we do in the dark night? 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You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/hurry-is-the-great-enemy-of-spiritual-life-in-our-day-you-must/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [In reality, each thought we have carries with it a little spiritual power, a tug toward or away from God. No thought is purely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/in-reality-each-thought-we-have-carries-with-it-a-little-spiritual/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [The miracle of Sunday is that a dead man lives. The miracle of Saturday is that the eternal Son of God lies dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-miracle-of-sunday-is-that-a-dead-man-lives-the-miracle-of/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [“The most important thing about you,” Dallas would often say, “is not the things that you achieve; it is the person that you become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-most-important-thing-about-you-dallas-would-often-say-is-not-the/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Jesus had a universal concern for those who suffered that transcended the rules of the ancient world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/jesus-had-a-universal-concern-for-those-who-suffered-that-transcended/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [God is a God of endless opportunities to do good; the God of the open door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/god-is-a-god-of-endless-opportunities-to-do-good-the-god-of-the-open/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [One of the most painful aspects of suffering is the loneliness of it. Others may offer support or empathy, but no one can walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/one-of-the-most-painful-aspects-of-suffering-is-the-loneliness-of-it/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) [Explore all 325 John Ortberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) ## More Culture quotes > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. 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Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) [Browse all 15,940 Culture quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The human longings that are deep inside of us never go away. They exist across cultures; they exist throughout life. When people were first made, our deepest longing was to know and be known. 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