--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Oftentimes we call Life bitter names, but…" description: "\"Oftentimes we call Life bitter names, but only when we ourselves are bitter and dark. And we deem her empty and unprofitable, but only when the soul go..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/kahlil-gibran-1330_bitterness_oftentimes-we-call-life-bitter-names-but_2551777.jpg" --- # Oftentimes we call Life bitter names, but only when we… ![“Oftentimes we call Life bitter names, but only when we ourselves are bitter and dark. And we deem her empty and unprofitable, but only when the soul goes wandering in desolate places, and the heart is drunken with overmindfulness of self” quote by Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/kahlil-gibran-1330_bitterness_oftentimes-we-call-life-bitter-names-but_2551777.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/kahlil-gibran-1330_bitterness_oftentimes-we-call-life-bitter-names-but_2551777.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/kahlil-gibran-1330_bitterness_oftentimes-we-call-life-bitter-names-but_2551777.jpg) > “Oftentimes we call Life bitter names, but only when we ourselves are bitter and dark. And we deem her empty and unprofitable, but only when the soul goes wandering in desolate places, and the heart is drunken with overmindfulness of self” [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We label life negatively when we are bitter; our perception shapes experience. **In simple terms:** Negativity colors our view of life. Key Takeaway Cultivate gratitude to change perception. Themes philosophy mindfulness self-awareness Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - therapy - journaling - mindful practice Key Concepts existentialism emotional health perception Questions to Reflect On - How does personal bitterness affect worldview? - What practices foster a more positive outlook? A Different Perspective Changing language alone may not heal deep sorrow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bitter Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitter-names-457515/) [Bitterness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitterness/) [Complicated life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complicated-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Bitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-bitter-283644/) [Names Bitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names-bitter-457517/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Wandering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wandering/) [Wandering Desolate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wandering-desolate-1528702/) ## Related quotes > [“Oftentimes we call Life bitter names, but only when we ourselves are bitter and dark. And we deem her empty and unprofitable, but only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/oftentimes-we-call-life-bitter-names-but-only-when-we-ourselves-are/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [Life is too bitter already, without territories and wars and noble feuds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-too-bitter-already-without-territories-and-wars-and-noble/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When Life is Well say THANK YOU & CELEBRATE, and when life is Bitter say THANK YOU & GROW.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/when-life-is-well-say-thank-you-celebrate-and-when-life-is-bitter-say/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [But what of life whose bitter hungry sea Flows at our heels, and gloom of sunless night Covers the days which never more return?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/but-what-of-life-whose-bitter-hungry-sea-flows-at-our-heels-and-gloom/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Sleep; and if life was bitter to thee, pardon, If sweet, give thanks; thou hast no more to live; And to give thanks is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/sleep-and-if-life-was-bitter-to-thee-pardon-if-sweet-give-thanks-thou/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [Preacher who says that the sweet life is made from bitter parts is more or less telling those who have come to mourn the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-minor/preacher-who-says-that-the-sweet-life-is-made-from-bitter-parts-is/) [Kyle Minor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-minor/) > [I will to make life less bitter for a few within my reach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/i-will-to-make-life-less-bitter-for-a-few-within-my-reach/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“And do you know another thing, Arthur? 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That is the law of life-the bitter unchangeable law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-clement-davies/everything-dies-that-is-the-law-of-life-the-bitter-unchangeable-law/) [David Clement-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-clement-davies/) > [Though I can't change what happened, I can choose how to react. 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I love you worshipping in your church, kneeling in your temple, and praying in your mosque.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/you-are-my-brother-and-i-love-you-i-love-you-worshipping-in-your/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [“You need not fear, my love, for never have the stars on high told what they know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/you-need-not-fear-my-love-for-never-have-the-stars-on-high-told-what/) [Kahlil Gibrán](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [“The soul walks not upon a line, neither does it grow like a reed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/the-soul-walks-not-upon-a-line-neither-does-it-grow-like-a-reed/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [“For if you should enter the temple for no other purpose than asking you shall not receive:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/for-if-you-should-enter-the-temple-for-no-other-purpose-than-asking/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [“For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/for-even-as-love-crowns-you-so-shall-he-crucify-you-even-as-he-is-for/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [“The deeper that sorrow carves into your being,the more joy you can contain. Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/the-deeper-that-sorrow-carves-into-your-being-the-more-joy-you-can/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [“You are good when you are fully awake in your speech.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/you-are-good-when-you-are-fully-awake-in-your-speech/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) [Explore all 233 Kahlil Gibran quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) ## More Bitterness quotes > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [If Japanese tea 'stands,' it acquires a coarse bitterness and an unwholesome astringency. Milk and sugar are not used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-bird/if-japanese-tea-stands-it-acquires-a-coarse-bitterness-and-an/) [Isabella Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-bird/) > [Stronger than alcohol, vaster than poetry, Ferment the freckled red bitterness of love!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rimbaud/stronger-than-alcohol-vaster-than-poetry-ferment-the-freckled-red/) [Arthur Rimbaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rimbaud/) > [“What?" I ask. I try not to get snappy with her. She hasn't really done anything wrong. 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"I didn't know that," and as I say it I feel flooded with bitterness at all the things Ingrid kept secret…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-lacour/no-i-say-i-didn-t-know-that-and-as-i-say-it-i-feel-flooded-with/) [Nina LaCour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-lacour/) > [Forgiving someone who've done you wrong or didn't treat you right could mean that you are allowing yourself to end up away from bitterness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/april-t-pascua/forgiving-someone-who-ve-done-you-wrong-or-didn-t-treat-you-right/) [April T Pascua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/april-t-pascua/) > [You cannot be inspired if you are surrounded with negativity, open the door and step into the inspirational garden of nature. Do not let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/you-cannot-be-inspired-if-you-are-surrounded-with-negativity-open-the/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it. 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Resentment destroys the perception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-walters/not-forgiving-prolongs-hurt-and-anger-and-leads-to-smoldering/) [Richard Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-walters/) > [Let us not give in to pessimism, to that bitterness that the devil offers us every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/let-us-not-give-in-to-pessimism-to-that-bitterness-that-the-devil/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“Sometimes it is good to remind ourselves how bitterness tastes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rin-chupeco/sometimes-it-is-good-to-remind-ourselves-how-bitterness-tastes/) [Rin Chupeco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rin-chupeco/) > [What folly made young people, even those in middle age, think they were immortal? 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