---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was still quite young I had a…"
description: "\"When I was still quite young I had a complete presentiment of life. It was like the nauseating smell of cooking escaping from a ventilator: you don't h..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de2/julian-barnes-522_cooking_when-i-was-still-quite-young-i-had-a-com_2519675.png"
---

#  When I was still quite young I had a complete presentiment…

![“When I was still quite young I had a complete presentiment of life. It was like the nauseating smell of cooking escaping from a ventilator: you don't have to have eaten it to know that it would make you throw up.” quote by Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de2/julian-barnes-522_cooking_when-i-was-still-quite-young-i-had-a-com_2519675.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de2/julian-barnes-522_cooking_when-i-was-still-quite-young-i-had-a-com_2519675.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de2/julian-barnes-522_cooking_when-i-was-still-quite-young-i-had-a-com_2519675.png)

> “When I was still quite young I had a complete presentiment of life. It was like the nauseating smell of cooking escaping from a ventilator: you don't have to have eaten it to know that it would make you throw up.”

[Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A vague, unsettling premonition can arise without direct experience, warning us of future discomfort.

**In simple terms:** Premonitions warn before we see the cause.

Key Takeaway

Heed subtle warnings.

Themes

intuition premonition foreshadowing

Mood

introspective poetic

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- creative writing
- risk assessment
- health monitoring
- personal reflection

Key Concepts

psychology anticipation subconscious

Questions to Reflect On

- When have you trusted a feeling that proved right?
- How do you differentiate intuition from fear?

A Different Perspective

Not all gut feelings are accurate; discernment needed.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Cooking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cooking/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Smell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smell/)

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