--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And this is more or less all that I had…" description: "\"“And this is more or less all that I had left after the holidays. Nothing really; hopeless confusion, a narrative without a possible conclusion, full o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a53/juan-carlos-onetti-35314_grief_and-this-is-more-or-less-all-that-i-had_1534973.png" --- # And this is more or less all that I had left after the… ![“And this is more or less all that I had left after the holidays. Nothing really; hopeless confusion, a narrative without a possible conclusion, full of doubtful meanings, belied by the very elements that I had to give it shape. I didn't know the significance of what I'd seen, I was repelled by the…” quote by Juan Carlos Onetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a53/juan-carlos-onetti-35314_grief_and-this-is-more-or-less-all-that-i-had_1534973.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a53/juan-carlos-onetti-35314_grief_and-this-is-more-or-less-all-that-i-had_1534973.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a53/juan-carlos-onetti-35314_grief_and-this-is-more-or-less-all-that-i-had_1534973.png) > ““And this is more or less all that I had left after the holidays. Nothing really; hopeless confusion, a narrative without a possible conclusion, full of doubtful meanings, belied by the very elements that I had to give it shape. I didn't know the significance of what I'd seen, I was repelled by the idea of finding out and being sure. All that counts is that I felt at peace when I finished writing, certain I had enjoyed the greatest success one can expect from this kind of task: I had accepted a challenge, and turned at least one daily defeat into a victory.”” [Juan Carlos Onetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-carlos-onetti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing transforms daily defeats into victories, bringing peace and meaning despite uncertainty. **In simple terms:** Writing turns setbacks into success. Key Takeaway Embrace challenges as creative fuel. Themes creativity resilience peace Mood reflective introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal journaling - fiction writing - therapy sessions - academic essays Key Concepts Narrative Self‑reflection Artistic process Questions to Reflect On - What daily defeat can you turn into a victory? - How does writing help you find peace? A Different Perspective The peace described may be fleeting; lasting fulfillment requires ongoing effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [“I felt nothing but peace and I was happy that I gave that fat fuck exactly what he deserved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gideon-rathbone/i-felt-nothing-but-peace-and-i-was-happy-that-i-gave-that-fat-fuck/) [Gideon Rathbone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gideon-rathbone/) > [“Mary sat on a bench in the park. It was the middle of the night and she was alone and she felt at peace.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-fuller/mary-sat-on-a-bench-in-the-park-it-was-the-middle-of-the-night-and/) [Olivia Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-fuller/) > [“He reached over, cupping my face in his hands and lowered his face to kiss me gently. I was so in need of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-smith/he-reached-over-cupping-my-face-in-his-hands-and-lowered-his-face-to/) [Andrea Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-smith/) > [“He felt at peace knowing his little bit of a thing was safe and recovering inside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-theia/he-felt-at-peace-knowing-his-little-bit-of-a-thing-was-safe-and/) [V. Theia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-theia/) > [I felt peace, even though I was still scared to death. I thought that, whatever would happen to me - I could still be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diet-eman/i-felt-peace-even-though-i-was-still-scared-to-death-i-thought-that/) [Diet Eman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diet-eman/) > [As for me: I loyally remained right where I was, remembering the very first I had ever seen the boy and then just now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/as-for-me-i-loyally-remained-right-where-i-was-remembering-the-very/) [W. Bruce Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/) > [“Because it's all relative. You're pinned down in some filthy hellhole of a paddy, getting your ass delivered to kingdom come, but then for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/because-it-s-all-relative-you-re-pinned-down-in-some-filthy-hellhole/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [I desired to become a Christian, and prayed earnestly for the forgiveness of my sins. I felt a peace of mind resulting, and loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/i-desired-to-become-a-christian-and-prayed-earnestly-for-the/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [“In the morning he rose to run again. He didn’t run from something or to something, not for anyone or in spite of anyone;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/in-the-morning-he-rose-to-run-again-he-didn-t-run-from-something-or/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [“It was Wallachia---her land, her mother ---greeting her. This was how church was supposed to feel. She had never experienced the divine spirit within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/it-was-wallachia-her-land-her-mother-greeting-her-this-was-how-church/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [I never felt at peace with anything or anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-travis/i-never-felt-at-peace-with-anything-or-anybody/) [Randy Travis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-travis/) > [“Rather than worrying about work, schedules, and deadlines, I felt at peace with God. He was in control. The world at large would not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/rather-than-worrying-about-work-schedules-and-deadlines-i-felt-at/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [“People spent their lives searching for peace by chasing idle dreams, addictions, money, religion, and even other people, hoping to fill some gap. Now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mather/people-spent-their-lives-searching-for-peace-by-chasing-idle-dreams/) [Matthew Mather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mather/) > [“Ever since the day of the mistake with my Match. I've never known which life is my true one. Even with the reassurances of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/ever-since-the-day-of-the-mistake-with-my-match-i-ve-never-known/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“Edward breathed in the sweet fragrance of the dogwood blossoms. The delicious air came into his lungs and passed into his blood, coursing through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-decker/edward-breathed-in-the-sweet-fragrance-of-the-dogwood-blossoms-the/) [Steven Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-decker/) ## More by Juan Carlos Onetti > [I am not a writer except when I write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-carlos-onetti/i-am-not-a-writer-except-when-i-write/) [Juan Carlos Onetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-carlos-onetti/) > [“—Pero, ¿Por qué no acepta que nunca ya volverá a enamorarse? Era cierto; yo no quiero aceptarlo porque me parece que perdería el entusiasmo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-carlos-onetti/pero-por-qu-no-acepta-que-nunca-ya-volver-a-enamorarse-era-cierto-yo/) [Juan Carlos Onetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-carlos-onetti/) > [“Un hombre no hará nada si no se olvida de sí mismo.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-carlos-onetti/un-hombre-no-har-nada-si-no-se-olvida-de-s-mismo/) [Juan Carlos Onetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-carlos-onetti/) > [I applaud the courage of he who accepts each and every one of the laws of a game he did not invent and was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-carlos-onetti/i-applaud-the-courage-of-he-who-accepts-each-and-every-one-of-the/) [Juan Carlos Onetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-carlos-onetti/) [Explore all 5 Juan Carlos Onetti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-carlos-onetti/) ## More Grief quotes > [“...they had lived, they'd lived intensely. 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The whole modern tendency to agonize over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bogan/how-much-of-our-inner-substance-is-it-good-for-us-to-give-to-public/) [Louise Bogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bogan/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“When we learn to attribute meaning to the events in our lives, we connect with our Higher Purpose, Higher Wisdom, or Source; we become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-barbara-apollon/when-we-learn-to-attribute-meaning-to-the-events-in-our-lives-we/) [Susan Barbara Apollon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-barbara-apollon/) > [Only to have a grief equal to all these tears!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/only-to-have-a-grief-equal-to-all-these-tears/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [Suppressed grief suffocates, it rages within the breast, and is forced to multiply its strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/suppressed-grief-suffocates-it-rages-within-the-breast-and-is-forced/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [That Woman is in love with her own grief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/that-woman-is-in-love-with-her-own-grief/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [Short time seems long in sorrow's sharp sustaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/short-time-seems-long-in-sorrow-s-sharp-sustaining/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [These days grief seems like walking on a frozen river; most of the time he feels safe enough, but there is always that danger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/these-days-grief-seems-like-walking-on-a-frozen-river-most-of-the/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“You've been my beacon of light in my storm of grief, and I don't know if I could live without you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-ashley/you-ve-been-my-beacon-of-light-in-my-storm-of-grief-and-i-don-t-know/) [Katie Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-ashley/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Meanwhile, the trees were just as green as before; the birds sang and the sun shone as clearly now as ever. The familiar surroundings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/meanwhile-the-trees-were-just-as-green-as-before-the-birds-sang-and/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) [Browse all 8,012 Grief quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And this is more or less all that I had left after the holidays. Nothing really; hopeless confusion, a narrative without a possible conclusion, full of doubtful meanings, belied by the very elements that I had to give it shape. 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