--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I realised a long time ago that unless a…" description: "\"“I realised a long time ago that unless a person has experienced true terror, there is nothing you can do to make them understand how utterly debilitat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bb/k-l-slater-26672_long-time_i-realised-a-long-time-ago-that-unless-a_3205901.jpg" --- # I realised a long time ago that unless a person has… ![“I realised a long time ago that unless a person has experienced true terror, there is nothing you can do to make them understand how utterly debilitating it can be. Or how your safe, ordinary life can disappear in the space of a heartbeat.” quote by K.L. Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bb/k-l-slater-26672_long-time_i-realised-a-long-time-ago-that-unless-a_3205901.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bb/k-l-slater-26672_long-time_i-realised-a-long-time-ago-that-unless-a_3205901.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bb/k-l-slater-26672_long-time_i-realised-a-long-time-ago-that-unless-a_3205901.jpg) > ““I realised a long time ago that unless a person has experienced true terror, there is nothing you can do to make them understand how utterly debilitating it can be. Or how your safe, ordinary life can disappear in the space of a heartbeat.”” [K.L. Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-slater/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True terror is an experience that cannot be fully conveyed to those who have never felt it, and it can instantly shatter ordinary life. **In simple terms:** Only those who have felt terror truly understand its impact. Key Takeaway Recognize the limits of empathy for trauma. Themes trauma empathy vulnerability Mood somber reflective Type cautionary empathetic When to use this quote - combat veterans - disaster survivors - first responders - people facing sudden loss Key Concepts psychology existential fear social isolation Questions to Reflect On - How can we support those who have endured terror? - What can we do to bridge the empathy gap? A Different Perspective Understanding may be limited without shared experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ordinary life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-life/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“It was in the waiting that a person experienced too much of himself. Memories, doubts, regrets, anxieties, the whole range of possibilities the future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cronin/it-was-in-the-waiting-that-a-person-experienced-too-much-of-himself/) [Justin Cronin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cronin/) > [“Hearing about vacations is like hearing about dreams -- no one cares except the person who's experienced them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-hubbard/hearing-about-vacations-is-like-hearing-about-dreams-no-one-cares/) [Kirsten Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-hubbard/) > [“I was on edge despite knowing you for what feels like forever and trusting you with everything else I had to offer that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-silvera/i-was-on-edge-despite-knowing-you-for-what-feels-like-forever-and/) [Adam Silvera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-silvera/) > [Only the person who has experienced light and darkness, war and peace, rise and fall, only that person has truly experienced life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/only-the-person-who-has-experienced-light-and-darkness-war-and-peace/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“His months of teaching experience were now a lost age of youth and innocence. He could no longer sit in his office at Fort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis-gaddis/his-months-of-teaching-experience-were-now-a-lost-age-of-youth-and/) [John Lewis Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis-gaddis/) > [Sometimes I think to get to the emotional level of a scene, you don't necessarily have to have experienced the exact thing that person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-greer/sometimes-i-think-to-get-to-the-emotional-level-of-a-scene-you-don-t/) [Judy Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-greer/) > [What I really value in Angela Merkel is that she has never tried to tap the brakes on my élan, my enthusiasm. She tells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-macron/what-i-really-value-in-angela-merkel-is-that-she-has-never-tried-to/) [Emmanuel Macron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-macron/) > [People's experiences are all different, and you don't know what the person experienced. They know, but you don't, so I think it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-oliveros/people-s-experiences-are-all-different-and-you-don-t-know-what-the/) [Pauline Oliveros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-oliveros/) > [A person who has experienced something is almost always far more expert on it than are the experts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/a-person-who-has-experienced-something-is-almost-always-far-more/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“I remembered Daisy throwing daddy longlegs at me because she knew I hated them, and I'd scream and run away, flailing my arms but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-remembered-daisy-throwing-daddy-longlegs-at-me-because-she-knew-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [No man dies for what he knows to be true. Men die for what they want to be true, for what some terror in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/no-man-dies-for-what-he-knows-to-be-true-men-die-for-what-they-want/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“and I’d scream and run away, flailing my arms but not actually scared, because back then all emotions felt like play, like I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-i-d-scream-and-run-away-flailing-my-arms-but-not-actually-scared/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“True terror isn’t being scared; it’s not having a choice in the matter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/true-terror-isn-t-being-scared-it-s-not-having-a-choice-in-the-matter/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [True terror is a language and a vision. There is a deep narrative structure to terrorist acts, and they infiltrate and alter consciousness in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/true-terror-is-a-language-and-a-vision-there-is-a-deep-narrative/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [I just gave them a little scare. A touch of psychological terror. As Joseph Conrad once wrote, true terror is the kind that men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-just-gave-them-a-little-scare-a-touch-of-psychological-terror-as/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) ## More by K.L. Slater > [“You can never be sure quite how much time you’ve got with the people you love”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-slater/you-can-never-be-sure-quite-how-much-time-you-ve-got-with-the-people/) [K.L. Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-slater/) > [“Soon the boys will be here and the house will be transformed into a home once more. Noisy, glorious chaos again, just like when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-slater/soon-the-boys-will-be-here-and-the-house-will-be-transformed-into-a/) [K.L. Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-slater/) > [“how easy it is to hide your true feelings with a smile and a kind word.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-slater/how-easy-it-is-to-hide-your-true-feelings-with-a-smile-and-a-kind-word/) [K.L. Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-slater/) > [“Over time, our marriage has faded, like a vibrant painting left in strong sunlight for too many years. Time has slipped through our fingers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-slater/over-time-our-marriage-has-faded-like-a-vibrant-painting-left-in/) [K.L. Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-slater/) > [“As our kids get older and become adults themselves, there’s a stage we unknowingly pass, from which point forward our role as parents diminishes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-slater/as-our-kids-get-older-and-become-adults-themselves-there-s-a-stage-we/) [K.L. Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-slater/) > [“In some ways, a long marriage is a bit like embarking on a journey. There’s a point at which you may might realise the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-slater/in-some-ways-a-long-marriage-is-a-bit-like-embarking-on-a-journey/) [K.L. Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-slater/) > [“There’s a point at which you may might realise the journey isn’t really for you any more. But every time you get a chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-slater/there-s-a-point-at-which-you-may-might-realise-the-journey-isn-t/) [K.L. Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-slater/) > [“believed she was innocent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-slater/believed-she-was-innocent/) [K.L. Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-slater/) > [“send myself birthday cards every year, but it was the first time I’d done flowers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-slater/send-myself-birthday-cards-every-year-but-it-was-the-first-time-i-d/) [K.L. Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-slater/) > [“Imagine if someone took away all the chores and pressure and worries and replaced them with the sweetest joy that filled your heart and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-slater/imagine-if-someone-took-away-all-the-chores-and-pressure-and-worries/) [K.L. Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-slater/) > [“The full horror of what he did here is still too much for the village psyche to handle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-slater/the-full-horror-of-what-he-did-here-is-still-too-much-for-the-village/) [K.L. Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-slater/) > [“He had a good sense of direction. His class teacher had said so last summer when they went on the mini-beast hunt, here at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-slater/he-had-a-good-sense-of-direction-his-class-teacher-had-said-so-last/) [K.L. Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-slater/) > [“The job and the flat had been sorted for a while, and finally the story of her past was in place. She had rehearsed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-slater/the-job-and-the-flat-had-been-sorted-for-a-while-and-finally-the/) [K.L. Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-slater/) > [“because the hospital”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-slater/because-the-hospital/) [K.L. Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-slater/) > [“I start each day promising myself I’ll do better, I tell myself I can stop the destructive eating pattern. But something inside of me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-slater/i-start-each-day-promising-myself-i-ll-do-better-i-tell-myself-i-can/) [K.L. Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-slater/) [Explore all 18 K.L. Slater quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-slater/) ## More Long time quotes > [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [Forever is a really long time, you know? What do you do with forever?" "The same thing you do when you don't have forever."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/forever-is-a-really-long-time-you-know-what-do-you-do-with-forever/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) James T. Conway > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [“For a very long time, Viviane and Jack lived in that world people inhabit before love. Some people called that place friendship; others called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslye-walton/for-a-very-long-time-viviane-and-jack-lived-in-that-world-people/) [Leslye Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslye-walton/) > [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [I've been around in public life for a long time. I think people know what I stand for. They know that I have strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-turnbull/i-ve-been-around-in-public-life-for-a-long-time-i-think-people-know/) [Malcolm Turnbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-turnbull/) > [“For a long time before I met you, I felt my life was this kind of test. I was in deep, cold water, swimming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-raeder/for-a-long-time-before-i-met-you-i-felt-my-life-was-this-kind-of-test/) [Leah Raeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-raeder/) > [“If you go to bed too early and get up too late you probably won't sleep especially well. This could show up as either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-a-lewis/if-you-go-to-bed-too-early-and-get-up-too-late-you-probably-won-t/) [Penelope A. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-a-lewis/) > [I have been famous for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-beatty/i-have-been-famous-for-a-long-time/) [Warren Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-beatty/) > [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) Browse all 9,064 Long time quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I realised a long time ago that unless a person has experienced true terror, there is nothing you can do to make them understand how utterly debilitating it can be. Or how your safe, ordinary life can disappear in the space of a heartbeat.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "K.L. Slater" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-slater/i-realised-a-long-time-ago-that-unless-a-person-has-experienced-true/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Long time" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-slater/i-realised-a-long-time-ago-that-unless-a-person-has-experienced-true/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bb/k-l-slater-26672_long-time_i-realised-a-long-time-ago-that-unless-a_3205901.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bb/k-l-slater-26672_long-time_i-realised-a-long-time-ago-that-unless-a_3205901.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bb/k-l-slater-26672_long-time_i-realised-a-long-time-ago-that-unless-a_3205901.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I realised a long time ago that unless a person has experienced true terror, there is nothing you can do to…” — K.L. Slater", "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": "K.L. Slater", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-slater/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I realised a long time ago...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-slater/i-realised-a-long-time-ago-that-unless-a-person-has-experienced-true/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-slater/i-realised-a-long-time-ago-that-unless-a-person-has-experienced-true/#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 } } ] } ```