--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maybe it was loss or love or some other…" description: "\"“Maybe it was loss or love or some other word hat we say when it's too fucking late.”\" — Junot Díaz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/junot-diaz-531_late_maybe-it-was-loss-or-love-or-some-other_227765.jpg" --- # Maybe it was loss or love or some other word hat we say… ![“Maybe it was loss or love or some other word hat we say when it's too fucking late.” quote by Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/junot-diaz-531_late_maybe-it-was-loss-or-love-or-some-other_227765.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/junot-diaz-531_late_maybe-it-was-loss-or-love-or-some-other_227765.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/junot-diaz-531_late_maybe-it-was-loss-or-love-or-some-other_227765.jpg) > ““Maybe it was loss or love or some other word hat we say when it's too fucking late.”” [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. The speaker reflects on how people use vague terms like “loss” or “love” when they realize it’s too late to act. **In simple terms:** People blame vague feelings after missing chances. Key Takeaway Acknowledge emotions early. Themes regret language timing Mood melancholic reflective Type literary emotional When to use this quote - relationships - personal growth - decision making Key Concepts existentialism self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - What could you have said earlier? - How do you confront missed opportunities? A Different Perspective Often the words are a shield, not a solution. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [“Maybe every first is a loss. - Olive”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ra-fowley-doyle/maybe-every-first-is-a-loss-olive/) [Moïra Fowley-Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ra-fowley-doyle/) > [Certainly, it is. Love is love, and loss is loss. We all love, and we all die, and everyone suffers the pain of grieving.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynsay-sands/certainly-it-is-love-is-love-and-loss-is-loss-we-all-love-and-we-all/) [Lynsay Sands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynsay-sands/) > [At the end of the day, everyone knows what it is to be loved and to aspire to love someone, to want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/at-the-end-of-the-day-everyone-knows-what-it-is-to-be-loved-and-to/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [“Who knows about another's love? The more you love the more you know the burnt out loss of love, the more you heed the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/who-knows-about-another-s-love-the-more-you-love-the-more-you-know/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [The loss of love is a terrible thing; They lie who say that death is worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/countee-cullen/the-loss-of-love-is-a-terrible-thing-they-lie-who-say-that-death-is/) [Countee Cullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/countee-cullen/) > [“Anyone who says love is free has never truly been in love. Your lover will need comfort. Your spouse will have bad days. Your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anyone-who-says-love-is-free-has-never-truly-been-in-love-your-lover/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What was it Freud once said? All depression is caused by the loss of someone’s love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-meade/what-was-it-freud-once-said-all-depression-is-caused-by-the-loss-of/) [Glenn Meade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-meade/) > [“Don't lose yourself in the pain of the loss, but find yourself in the Love that was left behind”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiree-dismuke/don-t-lose-yourself-in-the-pain-of-the-loss-but-find-yourself-in-the/) Desiree Dismuke > [I suppose everyone is looking for love, and we live in a culture where we have opportunities to fall in love far more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leanne-shapton/i-suppose-everyone-is-looking-for-love-and-we-live-in-a-culture-where/) Leanne Shapton > [It's easier to identify with loss than love, because we have had so much more experience of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-s-easier-to-identify-with-loss-than-love-because-we-have-had-so/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [“Love. Loss. Love lost. Stories gained. --Kristen Jones”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smith-magazine/love-loss-love-lost-stories-gained-kristen-jones/) SMITH Magazine > [“She had quickly learned that to show unhappiness was to risk the loss of love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james-2/she-had-quickly-learned-that-to-show-unhappiness-was-to-risk-the-loss/) [P.D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james-2/) > [“All love is bittersweet. Love is inexplicable; it is part poetry and part masochism. Part of love is the loss of self-control because one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/all-love-is-bittersweet-love-is-inexplicable-it-is-part-poetry-and/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [The loss of love is the loss of all rights, even though one had them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-loss-of-love-is-the-loss-of-all-rights-even-though-one-had-them/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## 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 Late quotes > [You smile upon your friend to-day, To-day his ills are over; You hearken to the lover's say, And happy is the lover. 'Tis late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-smile-upon-your-friend-to-day-to-day-his-ills-are-over-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am on sabbatical as of right now, been too busy to think of about my OWN needs as of late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-diamond/i-am-on-sabbatical-as-of-right-now-been-too-busy-to-think-of-about-my/) [Jim Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-diamond/) > [The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-beat-generation-that-was-a-vision-that-we-had-john-clellon-holmes/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The late 1990s were really a moment of still tremendous hope and optimism about the relationship between Russia and the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/the-late-1990s-were-really-a-moment-of-still-tremendous-hope-and/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [There was a product on late night TV that you could attach to your garden hose - "You can water your hard-to-reach plants with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/there-was-a-product-on-late-night-tv-that-you-could-attach-to-your/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [God is never late, we're just impatient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/god-is-never-late-we-re-just-impatient/) [LeCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [The right decision is the wrong decision if it's made too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-iacocca/the-right-decision-is-the-wrong-decision-if-it-s-made-too-late/) [Lee Iacocca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-iacocca/) > [Love is all a matter of timing. It's no good meeting the right person too soon or too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wong-kar-wai/love-is-all-a-matter-of-timing-it-s-no-good-meeting-the-right-person/) [Wong Kar-wai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wong-kar-wai/) > [And my experience is the best titles, for me, emerge in the process of writing. They don't usually come at the very beginning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/and-my-experience-is-the-best-titles-for-me-emerge-in-the-process-of/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [For me, the melancholy of the late XXth Century is walking late at night by the Mont Blanc pen store and seeing these things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/for-me-the-melancholy-of-the-late-xxth-century-is-walking-late-at/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [I relish the time I have when there are no interruptions. Most often the best time for writing is late at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-armstrong/i-relish-the-time-i-have-when-there-are-no-interruptions-most-often/) [Franny Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-armstrong/) > [I've always been a late bloomer in some ways, and extremely precocious in other ways. When I was twenty I was living in New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-daum/i-ve-always-been-a-late-bloomer-in-some-ways-and-extremely-precocious/) [Meghan Daum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-daum/) > [I swam with my first shark in the 1980s. I was 20 miles off the coast of Rhode Island, working with a group of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-skerry/i-swam-with-my-first-shark-in-the-1980s-i-was-20-miles-off-the-coast/) [Brian Skerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-skerry/) > [God alone knows how great it is. All I hope is that it is not too late. I am very much afraid that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/god-alone-knows-how-great-it-is-all-i-hope-is-that-it-is-not-too-late/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) Browse all 5,113 Late quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Maybe it was loss or love or some other word hat we say when it's too fucking late.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Junot Díaz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/maybe-it-was-loss-or-love-or-some-other-word-hat-we-say-when-it-s-too/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Late" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/maybe-it-was-loss-or-love-or-some-other-word-hat-we-say-when-it-s-too/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/junot-diaz-531_late_maybe-it-was-loss-or-love-or-some-other_227765.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/junot-diaz-531_late_maybe-it-was-loss-or-love-or-some-other_227765.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/junot-diaz-531_late_maybe-it-was-loss-or-love-or-some-other_227765.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Maybe it was loss or love or some other word hat we say when it's too fucking late.” — Junot Díaz", "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": "Junot Díaz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Maybe it was loss or love...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/maybe-it-was-loss-or-love-or-some-other-word-hat-we-say-when-it-s-too/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/maybe-it-was-loss-or-love-or-some-other-word-hat-we-say-when-it-s-too/#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 } } ] } ```