--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But if these years have taught me…" description: "\"“But if these years have taught me anything it is this: you can never run away. Not ever. The only way out is in. And that's what I guess these stories..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/junot-diaz-531_run-away_but-if-these-years-have-taught-me-anythi_3212842.jpg" --- # But if these years have taught me anything it is this: you… ![“But if these years have taught me anything it is this: you can never run away. Not ever. The only way out is in. And that's what I guess these stories are all about. Yes, no doubt about it: I would have run. La Inca or not, I would have run.” quote by Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/junot-diaz-531_run-away_but-if-these-years-have-taught-me-anythi_3212842.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/junot-diaz-531_run-away_but-if-these-years-have-taught-me-anythi_3212842.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/junot-diaz-531_run-away_but-if-these-years-have-taught-me-anythi_3212842.jpg) > ““But if these years have taught me anything it is this: you can never run away. Not ever. The only way out is in. And that's what I guess these stories are all about. Yes, no doubt about it: I would have run. La Inca or not, I would have run.”” [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoidance is futile; confronting inner turmoil is the only path to growth, as reflected in the character’s struggle. **In simple terms:** You can’t escape problems; face them inside. Key Takeaway Embrace introspection and confront personal challenges. Themes self‑confrontation growth inevitability inner conflict Mood reflective hopeful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal therapy - creative writing - mindfulness practice - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology narrative therapy resilience Questions to Reflect On - What does “the only way out is in” mean for you? - How can you safely explore inner conflicts? A Different Perspective Facing inner issues can be painful and may trigger anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [“Give others the benefit of the doubt. Until they run out of benefit and you run out of doubt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pen/give-others-the-benefit-of-the-doubt-until-they-run-out-of-benefit/) [Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pen/) > [“When in trouble, when in doubt. Run in circles scream and shout.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-paraskevas/when-in-trouble-when-in-doubt-run-in-circles-scream-and-shout/) Betty Paraskevas > [“When in problem, or in doubt, run in cirles, scream and shout”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/when-in-problem-or-in-doubt-run-in-cirles-scream-and-shout/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [“She couldn’t run away from him. She’d be running from her own heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerrelyn-sparks/she-couldn-t-run-away-from-him-she-d-be-running-from-her-own-heart/) [Kerrelyn Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerrelyn-sparks/) > [So what if I'm ninety-three? So what if I'm ancient and cranky and my body's a wreck? If they're willing to accept me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/so-what-if-i-m-ninety-three-so-what-if-i-m-ancient-and-cranky-and-my/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [A hero is someone who simply got too frightened to use his good sense and run away, then somehow lived through it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-e-feist/a-hero-is-someone-who-simply-got-too-frightened-to-use-his-good-sense/) [Raymond E. Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-e-feist/) > [It is Very Easy to Run Away from Everything, yet Difficult to Wake Up; Dont Run from Your Life, from Your Duties, from those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/it-is-very-easy-to-run-away-from-everything-yet-difficult-to-wake-up/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You’ve learned a new rule and it’s simple: don’t put yourself in situations you’d like to run away from. But when you run, run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/you-ve-learned-a-new-rule-and-it-s-simple-don-t-put-yourself-in/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Happiness comes from moving toward something. When you run away, ofttimes you bring your misery with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-sullivan/happiness-comes-from-moving-toward-something-when-you-run-away/) [Michael J. Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-sullivan/) > [Everything runs its course. We had told a lot of stories that happened in our life. My kid was getting older, and we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/everything-runs-its-course-we-had-told-a-lot-of-stories-that-happened/) [Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/) > [I have no memory for things I have learned, nor things I have read, nor things experienced or heard, neither for people nor events;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/i-have-no-memory-for-things-i-have-learned-nor-things-i-have-read-nor/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Our eyes are not viewers, they're also projectors that are running a second story over the picture that we see in front of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/our-eyes-are-not-viewers-they-re-also-projectors-that-are-running-a/) [Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/) > [When I came back, after all those stories about Hitler and his snub, I came back to my native country, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/when-i-came-back-after-all-those-stories-about-hitler-and-his-snub-i/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [“Sometimes, I just want to run away from it all - Fruits Basket”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takaya-natsuki/sometimes-i-just-want-to-run-away-from-it-all-fruits-basket/) Takaya Natsuki > [Apparently I'm the most naked that anyone's been on TNT. My poor mother. I'm ready to run away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-lee/apparently-i-m-the-most-naked-that-anyone-s-been-on-tnt-my-poor/) [Sheryl Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-lee/) ## More by Junot Díaz > [It might interest you that just as the U.S. was ramping up its involvement in Vietnam, LBJ launched an illegal invasion of the Dominican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-might-interest-you-that-just-as-the-u-s-was-ramping-up-its/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Tell her that you love her hair, that you love her skin, her lips, because, in truth, you love them more than you love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/tell-her-that-you-love-her-hair-that-you-love-her-skin-her-lips/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [It took me sixteen years to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-took-me-sixteen-years-to-write/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [You ask everybody you know: How long does it usually take to get over it? There are many formulas. One year for every year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/you-ask-everybody-you-know-how-long-does-it-usually-take-to-get-over/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Instead of finding himself in nerd heaven—where every nerd gets fifty-eight virgins to role-play with—he woke up in Robert Wood Johnson with two broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/instead-of-finding-himself-in-nerd-heaven-where-every-nerd-gets-fifty/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [The one thing about being a dude and writing from a female perspective is that the baseline is, you suck. The baseline is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/the-one-thing-about-being-a-dude-and-writing-from-a-female/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“I used to think those were the barrio rules, Latinos and blacks in, whites out —a place we down cats weren’t supposed to go.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-used-to-think-those-were-the-barrio-rules-latinos-and-blacks-in/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“I put my hand on her knee. I just wish you'd say you love me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-put-my-hand-on-her-knee-i-just-wish-you-d-say-you-love-me/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [I've always thought that you don't love a country by turning a blind eye to its crimes and to a problem. The way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-ve-always-thought-that-you-don-t-love-a-country-by-turning-a-blind/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“Called her a whore and attacked her walls, tearing down her posters and throwing her books everywhere. I found out because some whitegirl ran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/called-her-a-whore-and-attacked-her-walls-tearing-down-her-posters/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [You're Dominican only if you do this, this, and that. And if you do this and that, you'll be accepted to a certain degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/you-re-dominican-only-if-you-do-this-this-and-that-and-if-you-do-this/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“Ramfis fled the country after Trujillo's death, lived dissolutely off his father's swag, and ended up dying in a car crash of his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/ramfis-fled-the-country-after-trujillo-s-death-lived-dissolutely-off/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [If you didn't grow up like I did then you don't know, and if you don't know it's probably better you don't judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/if-you-didn-t-grow-up-like-i-did-then-you-don-t-know-and-if-you-don-t/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“If you ask me I don't think there are any such things as curses. I think there is only life. That's enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/if-you-ask-me-i-don-t-think-there-are-any-such-things-as-curses-i/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [The only difference between a published and unpublished writer is a tolerance for imperfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/the-only-difference-between-a-published-and-unpublished-writer-is-a/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Explore all 486 Junot Díaz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) ## More Run away quotes > [“She couldn’t run away from him. She’d be running from her own heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerrelyn-sparks/she-couldn-t-run-away-from-him-she-d-be-running-from-her-own-heart/) [Kerrelyn Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerrelyn-sparks/) > [So what if I'm ninety-three? So what if I'm ancient and cranky and my body's a wreck? If they're willing to accept me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/so-what-if-i-m-ninety-three-so-what-if-i-m-ancient-and-cranky-and-my/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [Apparently I'm the most naked that anyone's been on TNT. My poor mother. I'm ready to run away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-lee/apparently-i-m-the-most-naked-that-anyone-s-been-on-tnt-my-poor/) [Sheryl Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-lee/) > [It is Very Easy to Run Away from Everything, yet Difficult to Wake Up; Dont Run from Your Life, from Your Duties, from those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/it-is-very-easy-to-run-away-from-everything-yet-difficult-to-wake-up/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“Sometimes, I just want to run away from it all - Fruits Basket”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takaya-natsuki/sometimes-i-just-want-to-run-away-from-it-all-fruits-basket/) Takaya Natsuki > [“People run away from the love game because they know they won't win the race.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/people-run-away-from-the-love-game-because-they-know-they-won-t-win/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [To be honest, whenever I run away from something, I land up straight into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shilpa-shinde/to-be-honest-whenever-i-run-away-from-something-i-land-up-straight/) [Shilpa Shinde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shilpa-shinde/) > [As a joke, I would love to stand in line at ATM machines, and when people put in their PIN, I yell Got it!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/as-a-joke-i-would-love-to-stand-in-line-at-atm-machines-and-when/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [Happiness comes from moving toward something. When you run away, ofttimes you bring your misery with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-sullivan/happiness-comes-from-moving-toward-something-when-you-run-away/) [Michael J. Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-sullivan/) > [“Never before did I feel so bound by the chains of the soul. Never before was there such pain of ripping my heart apart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-mcgahan/never-before-did-i-feel-so-bound-by-the-chains-of-the-soul-never/) [Kate McGahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-mcgahan/) > [Sometimes, you have to run away from the people you love, not for the sake of letting them realize your worth, but for you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-you-have-to-run-away-from-the-people-you-love-not-for-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You’ve learned a new rule and it’s simple: don’t put yourself in situations you’d like to run away from. But when you run, run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/you-ve-learned-a-new-rule-and-it-s-simple-don-t-put-yourself-in/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [A hero is someone who simply got too frightened to use his good sense and run away, then somehow lived through it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-e-feist/a-hero-is-someone-who-simply-got-too-frightened-to-use-his-good-sense/) [Raymond E. Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-e-feist/) > [I'll never know the reason why I always run away. Burning bridges one by one, what I'm doin' can't be undone .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-brooks/i-ll-never-know-the-reason-why-i-always-run-away-burning-bridges-one/) [Garth Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-brooks/) > [“When someone leaves you, it doesn't give you permission to run away from yourself too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodinsky/when-someone-leaves-you-it-doesn-t-give-you-permission-to-run-away/) [Dodinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodinsky/) Browse all 619 Run away quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But if these years have taught me anything it is this: you can never run away. Not ever. The only way out is in. And that's what I guess these stories are all about. Yes, no doubt about it: I would have run. 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