--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To say I woke up one day and reached a…" description: "\"“To say I woke up one day and reached a point where I no longer cared about the pains to befall me would be a lie. Nor can I say that I have ever fully..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/644/l-m-browning-18708_depression_to-say-i-woke-up-one-day-and-reached-a-p_1722330.jpg" --- # To say I woke up one day and reached a point where I no… ![“To say I woke up one day and reached a point where I no longer cared about the pains to befall me would be a lie. Nor can I say that I have ever fully forgiven those who willfully did me harm. On a deep, internal battlefield, I wrestle with the thought that I have been robbed of any chance of…” quote by L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/644/l-m-browning-18708_depression_to-say-i-woke-up-one-day-and-reached-a-p_1722330.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/644/l-m-browning-18708_depression_to-say-i-woke-up-one-day-and-reached-a-p_1722330.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/644/l-m-browning-18708_depression_to-say-i-woke-up-one-day-and-reached-a-p_1722330.jpg) > ““To say I woke up one day and reached a point where I no longer cared about the pains to befall me would be a lie. Nor can I say that I have ever fully forgiven those who willfully did me harm. On a deep, internal battlefield, I wrestle with the thought that I have been robbed of any chance of normalcy by the losses suffered. Therapists and gurus alike tell us to, “Let go or be dragged,” as Zen proverb urges—to forgive for our own sake. But, in my experience, there is no letting go and forgiveness is transient. My inability to be free of it all isn’t for lack of an evolved consciousness on my part. I’ve “done the work” to process it all; rather, it is my irreconcilable, inescapable humanity that causes to clutch the pain close to me.”” [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Forgiveness is complex; letting go is not always possible, and pain may remain integral to identity. **In simple terms:** Forgiveness isn’t always freeing. Key Takeaway Accept pain, seek growth. Themes psychology healing forgiveness Mood reflective somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - personal journaling - support groups Key Concepts trauma self‑compassion Questions to Reflect On - Can pain be a teacher? - When is forgiveness insufficient? A Different Perspective Forgiveness may be temporary, not a cure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) [Dragged Zen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dragged-zen-1350785/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Forgiveness Transient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness-transient-1350784/) [Healing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healing/) [Internal Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internal-battle/) [Letting Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letting-forgiveness-1350783/) [Mental health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-health/) [Miscarriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miscarriage/) [Mountains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mountains/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [New mexico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-mexico/) [Ptsd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ptsd/) [Suicide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suicide/) [Trauma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trauma/) [Urges Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/urges-forgive-1350786/) [Zen proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zen-proverb/) ## Related quotes > [Forgiveness is the key to letting go. Forgiveness isnt about releasing him or her, its about releasing you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forgiveness-is-the-key-to-letting-go-forgiveness-isnt-about-releasing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“These two things are almost all I want, but unfortunately, neither one is my strong suit. I am very strong on blame, and wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/these-two-things-are-almost-all-i-want-but-unfortunately-neither-one/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [Zen phrase says The instant you speak about a thing you miss the mark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritjof-capra/zen-phrase-says-the-instant-you-speak-about-a-thing-you-miss-the-mark/) [Fritjof Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fritjof-capra/) > [The greatest effort is not concerned with results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atisa/the-greatest-effort-is-not-concerned-with-results/) [Atisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atisa/) > [No thought, no reflection, no analysis, no cultivation, no intention; let it settle itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilopa/no-thought-no-reflection-no-analysis-no-cultivation-no-intention-let/) [Tilopa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilopa/) > [What is the sound of one hand?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakuin-ekaku/what-is-the-sound-of-one-hand/) [Hakuin Ekaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakuin-ekaku/) > [To follow the path look to the master follow the master walk with the master see through the master become the master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sengcan/to-follow-the-path-look-to-the-master-follow-the-master-walk-with-the/) [Sengcan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sengcan/) > [Before enlightenment; chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment; chop wood, carry water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/before-enlightenment-chop-wood-carry-water-after-enlightenment-chop/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/flow-with-whatever-may-happen-and-let-your-mind-be-free/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [If you do not get it from yourself, where will you go for it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/if-you-do-not-get-it-from-yourself-where-will-you-go-for-it/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [Let your mind wander in the pure and simple. Be one with the infinite. Let all things take their course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/let-your-mind-wander-in-the-pure-and-simple-be-one-with-the-infinite/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [When you get there, there isn't any there there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/when-you-get-there-there-isn-t-any-there-there/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [To accept some idea of truth without experiencing it is like a painting of a cake on paper which you cannot eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/to-accept-some-idea-of-truth-without-experiencing-it-is-like-a/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sengcan/the-great-way-is-not-difficult-for-those-who-have-no-preferences/) [Sengcan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sengcan/) > [The whole moon and the entire sky are reflected in one dewdrop on the grass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/the-whole-moon-and-the-entire-sky-are-reflected-in-one-dewdrop-on-the/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) ## More by L.M. Browning > [“Now I know, you can’t change what’s happened to you or hide it, or spin it, or get over it. All you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/now-i-know-you-can-t-change-what-s-happened-to-you-or-hide-it-or-spin/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Belief acts as a temporary bridge when we are trying to accept something that seems incomprehensible. We use belief and simply accept the workings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/belief-acts-as-a-temporary-bridge-when-we-are-trying-to-accept/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“The pace of this modern age is not conducive to maintaining one’s consciousness. Glued to our electronics, we are blind and deaf to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/the-pace-of-this-modern-age-is-not-conducive-to-maintaining-one-s/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“The divine is in the present and you must be present to experience it. When you vacate the present and recede into your mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/the-divine-is-in-the-present-and-you-must-be-present-to-experience-it/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Throughout the journey West, I had a raging fever. In a mere two days, we drove 1,925 miles from Connecticut to Colorado Springs, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/throughout-the-journey-west-i-had-a-raging-fever-in-a-mere-two-days/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Evil demons dwelling in underworlds, Gods sitting on-high, angels battling and protecting. We have become so wrapped up in these stories, and in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/evil-demons-dwelling-in-underworlds-gods-sitting-on-high-angels/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Take all those things that would propose to be important, and weigh them upon the scale of your soul. Asking how much each thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/take-all-those-things-that-would-propose-to-be-important-and-weigh/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“We all have those things that help us carry on through life. It is important that these things upon which we depend for daily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/we-all-have-those-things-that-help-us-carry-on-through-life-it-is/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“There is no “letting go.” I would dare to take it further and say there is no healing from trauma. For nearly 25 years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/there-is-no-letting-go-i-would-dare-to-take-it-further-and-say-there/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“I’m broken. We’re all broken and right now we’re all isolated within that brokenness. The cure for the loneliness is connection—connection with that broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/i-m-broken-we-re-all-broken-and-right-now-we-re-all-isolated-within/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Question everything—no matter how beloved, or how long-held, or how exalted—without apology. Only those who build their world upon lies need fear an inquisitive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/question-everything-no-matter-how-beloved-or-how-long-held-or-how/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Survival is balance. Life’s ugliness is balanced by beauty. Trauma is balanced by awe. For me, being on the road has come to represent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/survival-is-balance-life-s-ugliness-is-balanced-by-beauty-trauma-is/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“I no longer seek those things that help me to heal but for those things that fortify me with the strength required to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/i-no-longer-seek-those-things-that-help-me-to-heal-but-for-those/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“The purpose of a pilgrimage is about setting aside a long period of time in which the only focus is to be the matters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/the-purpose-of-a-pilgrimage-is-about-setting-aside-a-long-period-of/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“We pass hatred and prejudice on to our children, as though they were heirlooms of humanity. We cling to traditions that keep us bound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/we-pass-hatred-and-prejudice-on-to-our-children-as-though-they-were/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) [Explore all 34 L.M. Browning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) ## More Depression quotes > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“As ofttimes as it rains on my little spot of earth, you'd think I'd grow accustomed to the gloom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/as-ofttimes-as-it-rains-on-my-little-spot-of-earth-you-d-think-i-d/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [There's only so much for a man to take...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gilchrist/there-s-only-so-much-for-a-man-to-take/) [Kirsten Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gilchrist/) > [“my stomach turned and burned with the acid of failure”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-ames/my-stomach-turned-and-burned-with-the-acid-of-failure/) [Heidi Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-ames/) > [That is the real problem of depression - a condition which will affect an estimated one in five of the population at some point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-andreae/that-is-the-real-problem-of-depression-a-condition-which-will-affect/) [Giles Andreae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-andreae/) > [Im tired, tired of putting more effort than you do. Im tired of always having to start the conversation and if I dont, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-tired-tired-of-putting-more-effort-than-you-do-im-tired-of-always/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Once upon a time, there was a naïve and innocent girl who thought she could tame the beast and live happily ever after. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-na-ve-and-innocent-girl-who-thought-she/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [“Why in depression" "If we are human, why not have the right to smile, Why in depression, young, and beautiful as earth, Why in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanilsa-pena/why-in-depression-if-we-are-human-why-not-have-the-right-to-smile-why/) [Yanilsa pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanilsa-pena/) > [“Depression makes me stronger”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shayamalan/depression-makes-me-stronger/) [Shayamalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shayamalan/) > [“Shorter believes that psychosomatic illnesses (such as leg paralysis at the turn of the twentieth century or multiple personality disorder at the turn of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-watters/shorter-believes-that-psychosomatic-illnesses-such-as-leg-paralysis/) [Ethan Watters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-watters/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Repression will provoke rebellion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-williamson/repression-will-provoke-rebellion/) [Hugh Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-williamson/) > [I'm certainly not a perfect mother, but I'm trying to be what my mother wasn't for me. 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