--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we are young and sensitive, we are…" description: "\"“When we are young and sensitive, we are also at our most hurtful; whereas when the blood begins to slow, when we feel less sharply, when we are more a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/julian-barnes-522_sensitive_when-we-are-young-and-sensitive-we-are-a_1577357.png" --- # When we are young and sensitive, we are also at our most… ![“When we are young and sensitive, we are also at our most hurtful; whereas when the blood begins to slow, when we feel less sharply, when we are more armoured and have learnt how to bear hurt, we tread more carefully.” quote by Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/julian-barnes-522_sensitive_when-we-are-young-and-sensitive-we-are-a_1577357.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/julian-barnes-522_sensitive_when-we-are-young-and-sensitive-we-are-a_1577357.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/julian-barnes-522_sensitive_when-we-are-young-and-sensitive-we-are-a_1577357.png) > ““When we are young and sensitive, we are also at our most hurtful; whereas when the blood begins to slow, when we feel less sharply, when we are more armoured and have learnt how to bear hurt, we tread more carefully.”” [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. Youthful sensitivity makes us both vulnerable and capable of causing deep pain; with age we gain emotional armor and learn to handle hurt more carefully. **In simple terms:** Young people hurt easily; older people handle pain better. Key Takeaway Cultivate empathy and patience as you age. Themes sensitivity hurt emotional growth Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - parenting - workplace conflict - personal development Key Concepts psychology empathy resilience Questions to Reflect On - How does your age affect how you respond to hurt? - What can you do to protect younger selves? A Different Perspective Older age does not guarantee wisdom; some remain reactive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [The next day, when I was sober, I thought again about the three of us, and about time's many paradoxes. 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Rainey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-e-rainey/) > [“If I were ever asked by some young, sensitive writer just starting out, what key lesson I've learned in life (which I'll never be),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leyner/if-i-were-ever-asked-by-some-young-sensitive-writer-just-starting-out/) [Mark Leyner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leyner/) > [I was fat, and that was awful because when you're young and sensitive, you think the world is over because you're fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maeve-binchy/i-was-fat-and-that-was-awful-because-when-you-re-young-and-sensitive/) [Maeve Binchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maeve-binchy/) > [It was being young and sensitive and an actor. There was a lot of pressure, everything was a hurdle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-dillon/it-was-being-young-and-sensitive-and-an-actor-there-was-a-lot-of/) [Matt Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-dillon/) > [“her wariness, but he still had to tread carefully.  He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-grant/her-wariness-but-he-still-had-to-tread-carefully-he/) [Donna Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-grant/) > [“Tread carefully, Marty. I mean it. The world has completely changed around you while you weren't looking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/tread-carefully-marty-i-mean-it-the-world-has-completely-changed/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [With cinema it's a different ballgame, you really don't know how the audience will react, so one has to tread carefully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiten-tejwani/with-cinema-it-s-a-different-ballgame-you-really-don-t-know-how-the/) [Hiten Tejwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiten-tejwani/) > [It's easy to find your way into a Cancer's fragile heart, just tread carefully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-easy-to-find-your-way-into-a-cancer-s-fragile-heart-just-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Please tread carefully and keep away from the shadows; you are about to enter the abyss.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxim-jakubowski/please-tread-carefully-and-keep-away-from-the-shadows-you-are-about/) Maxim Jakubowski > [; From now on how you treat/talk to me will be in direct correlation of how you get treated. I strongly suggest you tread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/from-now-on-how-you-treat-talk-to-me-will-be-in-direct-correlation-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It ain't because lovers are so sensitive that they quarrel so often; it is because there is so much fun n the making up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/it-ain-t-because-lovers-are-so-sensitive-that-they-quarrel-so-often/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [Having small children and being an investigative reporter would seem like a difficult mix, but it worked well for me. I was often working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/having-small-children-and-being-an-investigative-reporter-would-seem/) [Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) ## More by Julian Barnes > [“You put together two things that have not been put together before. And the world is changed. People may not notice at the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-put-together-two-things-that-have-not-been-put-together-before/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“I settled into a contented routine of working, spending my free time with Veronica and, back in my student room, wanking explosively to fantasies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/i-settled-into-a-contented-routine-of-working-spending-my-free-time/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [The greatest patriotism is to tell your country when it is behaving dishonorably, foolishly, viciously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/the-greatest-patriotism-is-to-tell-your-country-when-it-is-behaving/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“There is only good vodka and very good vodka—there is no such thing as bad vodka.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/there-is-only-good-vodka-and-very-good-vodka-there-is-no-such-thing/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [Alice Munro can move characters through time in a way that no other writer can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/alice-munro-can-move-characters-through-time-in-a-way-that-no-other/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [How rarely do our emotions meet the object they seem to deserve? How hopelessly we signal; how dark the sky; how big the waves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/how-rarely-do-our-emotions-meet-the-object-they-seem-to-deserve-how/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [You put together two people who have not been put together before. Sometimes it is like that first attempt to harness a hydrogen balloon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-put-together-two-people-who-have-not-been-put-together-before/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Also, when you are young, you think you can predict the likely pains and bleaknesses that age might bring. You imagine yourself being lonely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/also-when-you-are-young-you-think-you-can-predict-the-likely-pains/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Why slum it where people were burdened by yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that? By history? Here, on the Island,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/why-slum-it-where-people-were-burdened-by-yesterday-and-the-day/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“In those years before mobile phones, email and Skype, travelers depended on the rudimentary communications system known as the postcard. Other methods--the long-distance phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/in-those-years-before-mobile-phones-email-and-skype-travelers/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“My train was late, slowed by the usual Sunday engineering work. I got home in the early evening. I remember that I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/my-train-was-late-slowed-by-the-usual-sunday-engineering-work-i-got/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [In life, every ending is just the start of another story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/in-life-every-ending-is-just-the-start-of-another-story/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Indeed, isn’t the whole business of ascribing responsibility kind of a cop-out? We want to blame an individual so that everyone else is exculpated.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/indeed-isn-t-the-whole-business-of-ascribing-responsibility-kind-of-a/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [Some of the freckles I once loved are now closer to liver spots. But it’s still the eyes we look at, isn’t it? That’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/some-of-the-freckles-i-once-loved-are-now-closer-to-liver-spots-but/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“And what percentage of people take up the option to die off?’ She looked at me, her glance telling me to be calm. ‘Oh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/and-what-percentage-of-people-take-up-the-option-to-die-off-she/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Explore all 454 Julian Barnes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) ## More Sensitive quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Having small children and being an investigative reporter would seem like a difficult mix, but it worked well for me. I was often working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/having-small-children-and-being-an-investigative-reporter-would-seem/) [Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [It ain't because lovers are so sensitive that they quarrel so often; it is because there is so much fun n the making up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/it-ain-t-because-lovers-are-so-sensitive-that-they-quarrel-so-often/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [I guess we're living in a pretty sensitive world and there's nothing you can do about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-monaghan/i-guess-we-re-living-in-a-pretty-sensitive-world-and-there-s-nothing/) [Dominic Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-monaghan/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [I don't get emotional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/i-don-t-get-emotional/) [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) > [I think that, as Americans, we should never forget that when we tamper with freedom of speech, it is a very sensitive issue that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-b-rangel/i-think-that-as-americans-we-should-never-forget-that-when-we-tamper/) [Charles B. Rangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-b-rangel/) > [Yes, I'm a nice man and I enjoy babies. I'm a sensitive guy. I held a baby the other day and it was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-shandling/yes-i-m-a-nice-man-and-i-enjoy-babies-i-m-a-sensitive-guy-i-held-a/) [Garry Shandling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-shandling/) > [“Men are very sensitive, Mma Makutsi. You would not always think it to look at them, but they are. They do not like you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/men-are-very-sensitive-mma-makutsi-you-would-not-always-think-it-to/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“When did we become so damn sensitive about everything? We love freedom, but yet we create more and more rules and seek new models…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-max-cromwell/when-did-we-become-so-damn-sensitive-about-everything-we-love-freedom/) [J. Max Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-max-cromwell/) > [“I never met a pig I didn't like. All pigs are intelligent, emotional, and sensitive souls. They all love company. They all crave contact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sy-montgomery/i-never-met-a-pig-i-didn-t-like-all-pigs-are-intelligent-emotional/) [Sy Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sy-montgomery/) > [It's so much easier for me to talk about my life in front of two thousand people than it is one-to-one. I'm a real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pryor/it-s-so-much-easier-for-me-to-talk-about-my-life-in-front-of-two/) [Richard Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pryor/) > [Composing a piece of music is very feminine. It is sensitive, emotional, contemplative. By comparison, doing housework is positively masculine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kolb/composing-a-piece-of-music-is-very-feminine-it-is-sensitive-emotional/) Barbara Kolb Browse all 1,787 Sensitive quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When we are young and sensitive, we are also at our most hurtful; whereas when the blood begins to slow, when we feel less sharply, when we are more armoured and have learnt how to bear hurt, we tread more carefully.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julian Barnes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/when-we-are-young-and-sensitive-we-are-also-at-our-most-hurtful/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Sensitive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/when-we-are-young-and-sensitive-we-are-also-at-our-most-hurtful/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/julian-barnes-522_sensitive_when-we-are-young-and-sensitive-we-are-a_1577357.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/julian-barnes-522_sensitive_when-we-are-young-and-sensitive-we-are-a_1577357.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/julian-barnes-522_sensitive_when-we-are-young-and-sensitive-we-are-a_1577357.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When we are young and sensitive, we are also at our most hurtful; whereas when the blood begins to slow…” — Julian Barnes", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Julian Barnes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When we are young and sensitive,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/when-we-are-young-and-sensitive-we-are-also-at-our-most-hurtful/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/when-we-are-young-and-sensitive-we-are-also-at-our-most-hurtful/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```