--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Before I knowed it, I was sayin' out…" description: "\"“Before I knowed it, I was sayin' out loud, 'The hell with it! There ain't no sin and there ain't no virtue. There's just stuff people do. It's all par..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/660/john-steinbeck-71_love_before-i-knowed-it-i-was-sayin-out-loud_2451508.jpg" --- # Before I knowed it, I was sayin' out loud, 'The hell with… ![“Before I knowed it, I was sayin' out loud, 'The hell with it! There ain't no sin and there ain't no virtue. There's just stuff people do. It's all part of the same thing.' . . . . I says, 'What's this call, this sperit?' An' I says, 'It's love. I love people so much I'm fit to bust, sometimes.'…” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/660/john-steinbeck-71_love_before-i-knowed-it-i-was-sayin-out-loud_2451508.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/660/john-steinbeck-71_love_before-i-knowed-it-i-was-sayin-out-loud_2451508.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/660/john-steinbeck-71_love_before-i-knowed-it-i-was-sayin-out-loud_2451508.jpg) > ““Before I knowed it, I was sayin' out loud, 'The hell with it! There ain't no sin and there ain't no virtue. There's just stuff people do. It's all part of the same thing.' . . . . I says, 'What's this call, this sperit?' An' I says, 'It's love. I love people so much I'm fit to bust, sometimes.' . . . . I figgered, 'Why do we got to hang it on God or Jesus? Maybe,' I figgered, 'maybe it's all men an' all women we love; maybe that's the Holy Sperit-the human sperit-the whole shebang. Maybe all men got one big soul ever'body's a part of.' Now I sat there thinkin' it, an' all of a suddent-I knew it. I knew it so deep down that it was true, and I still know it.”” [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## 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 realizes that love and humanity transcend religious labels, seeing all actions as part of a shared human spirit. **In simple terms:** Love is a universal human spirit beyond religion. Key Takeaway Embrace love as a shared human experience. Themes spirituality humanity love Mood contemplative introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - creative writing - philosophical discourse - counseling Key Concepts human spirit universality religion existence Questions to Reflect On - What does love mean to you beyond religion? - How does recognizing shared humanity affect your actions? 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I love people so much I'm fit to bust, sometimes.' . . . . I figgered, 'Why do we got to hang it on God or Jesus? Maybe,' I figgered, 'maybe it's all men an' all women we love; maybe that's the Holy Sperit-the human sperit-the whole shebang. Maybe all men got one big soul ever'body's a part of.' Now I sat there thinkin' it, an' all of a suddent-I knew it. 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