--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't be afraid to feel as angry or as…" description: "\"Don't be afraid to feel as angry or as loving as you can, because when you feel nothing, it's just death.\" — Lena Horne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46f/lena-horne-15555_angry_don-t-be-afraid-to-feel-as-angry-or-as-l_421487.jpg" --- # Don't be afraid to feel as angry or as loving as you can… ![“Don't be afraid to feel as angry or as loving as you can, because when you feel nothing, it's just death.” quote by Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46f/lena-horne-15555_angry_don-t-be-afraid-to-feel-as-angry-or-as-l_421487.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46f/lena-horne-15555_angry_don-t-be-afraid-to-feel-as-angry-or-as-l_421487.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46f/lena-horne-15555_angry_don-t-be-afraid-to-feel-as-angry-or-as-l_421487.jpg) > “Don't be afraid to feel as angry or as loving as you can, because when you feel nothing, it's just death.” [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Embracing strong emotions, whether anger or love, affirms life; numbness equates to spiritual death. **In simple terms:** Feel deeply, avoid emptiness. Key Takeaway Allow full emotional range. Themes emotion authenticity life death vulnerability Mood introspective empathetic Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - conflict - relationships - grief - celebration Key Concepts psychology existentialism emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - What emotions do you avoid? - How can you honor both anger and love? A Different Perspective Suppressing feelings can lead to disengagement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Angry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angry/) ## Related quotes > [“When I feel angry, I want to say something mean, or yell, or hit. But feeling like I want to is not the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-maude-spelman/when-i-feel-angry-i-want-to-say-something-mean-or-yell-or-hit-but/) Cornelia Maude Spelman > [If I am immune against all anger, I never feel angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/if-i-am-immune-against-all-anger-i-never-feel-angry/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“I do sometimes feel angry. Especially when guests are careless. When they forget that their actions have an impact on others, when I’m treated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-prose/i-do-sometimes-feel-angry-especially-when-guests-are-careless-when/) [Nita Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-prose/) > [When I wind someone up, it's never to make them feel angry or aggressive; that doesn't make good telly. It's about uncovering a layer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayvan-novak/when-i-wind-someone-up-it-s-never-to-make-them-feel-angry-or/) [Kayvan Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayvan-novak/) > [I feel angry that I have been born into a society where, by no choice of my own, by no agreement, by no actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/severn-cullis-suzuki/i-feel-angry-that-i-have-been-born-into-a-society-where-by-no-choice/) [Severn Cullis-Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/severn-cullis-suzuki/) > [Nobody should be wearing a scrunchie anymore. I feel angry. That is my tipping point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-barber/nobody-should-be-wearing-a-scrunchie-anymore-i-feel-angry-that-is-my/) [Andrea Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-barber/) > [There must be a reason why some people can afford to live well. They must have worked for it. I only feel angry when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/there-must-be-a-reason-why-some-people-can-afford-to-live-well-they/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [“Most adult children of toxic parents grow up feeling tremendous confusion about what love means and how it’s supposed to feel. Their parents did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-forward/most-adult-children-of-toxic-parents-grow-up-feeling-tremendous/) [Susan Forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-forward/) > [Thinking of you is all I can do, loving you is all I can feel and caring you is all I am here, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennilyn-pecasis/thinking-of-you-is-all-i-can-do-loving-you-is-all-i-can-feel-and/) [Jennilyn Pecasis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennilyn-pecasis/) > [One of the bonuses about loving yourself is that you get to feel good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/one-of-the-bonuses-about-loving-yourself-is-that-you-get-to-feel-good/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [I love her not with my mind or my imagination, but with my whole being. Loving her I feel myself to be an integral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-love-her-not-with-my-mind-or-my-imagination-but-with-my-whole-being/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Despite all the loving and caring relationships in the world, there is nothing more loving than the feel of my mother's hand on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tali/despite-all-the-loving-and-caring-relationships-in-the-world-there-is/) [Jonathan Tali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tali/) > [Her love is tender. Her touch is loving. I feel it, she cares.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/her-love-is-tender-her-touch-is-loving-i-feel-it-she-cares/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [When I am with you, I feel so fine, because now I can call you mine, I found love I never knew before, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaceem-madd/when-i-am-with-you-i-feel-so-fine-because-now-i-can-call-you-mine-i/) [Kaceem Madd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaceem-madd/) > [It feel so much of pain to see you loving someone else, But it feel good to see that no one can else love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anil-wadhawan/it-feel-so-much-of-pain-to-see-you-loving-someone-else-but-it-feel/) [Anil Wadhawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anil-wadhawan/) ## More by Lena Horne > [It's so nice to get flowers while you can still smell the fragrance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/it-s-so-nice-to-get-flowers-while-you-can-still-smell-the-fragrance/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it. Carry it by the comfortable handles of gratitude for what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/it-s-not-the-load-that-breaks-you-down-it-s-the-way-you-carry-it/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [I made a promise to myself to be kinder to other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/i-made-a-promise-to-myself-to-be-kinder-to-other-people/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [You have to be taught to be second class; you're not born that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/you-have-to-be-taught-to-be-second-class-you-re-not-born-that-way/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [Nobody black or white who really believes in democracy can stand aside now; everybody's got to stand up and be counted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/nobody-black-or-white-who-really-believes-in-democracy-can-stand/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [I'm not a career kind of person. When I saw new music, new trends coming in, I didn't see any place for me. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/i-m-not-a-career-kind-of-person-when-i-saw-new-music-new-trends/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [Malcolm X made me very strong at a time I needed to understand what I was angry about. He had peace in his heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/malcolm-x-made-me-very-strong-at-a-time-i-needed-to-understand-what-i/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [ I learned from Ethel Waters, Duke Ellington, Adelaide Hall, the Nicholas Brothers, the whole thing, the whole schmear. \[The Cotton Club\] was a great… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/i-learned-from-ethel-waters-duke-ellington-adelaide-hall-the-nicholas/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [Count Basie isn't just a man, or even just a band. He's a way of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/count-basie-isn-t-just-a-man-or-even-just-a-band-he-s-a-way-of-life/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [I had my schooling right there in the Cotton Club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/i-had-my-schooling-right-there-in-the-cotton-club/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [I want to sing like Aretha Franklin. Before her I wanted the technical ability of Ella Fitzgerald.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/i-want-to-sing-like-aretha-franklin-before-her-i-wanted-the-technical/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [After I got over the terrible pain of having something of mine taken from me, I began to think how bad everybody else must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/after-i-got-over-the-terrible-pain-of-having-something-of-mine-taken/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [I really do hate to sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/i-really-do-hate-to-sing/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [A little nepotism never hurt nobody, honey. If you got it, use it. Press on with it. Remind them of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/a-little-nepotism-never-hurt-nobody-honey-if-you-got-it-use-it-press/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [“I disconnected myself to shield myself from people who would sway to my songs in the club and call me 'nigger' in the street.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/i-disconnected-myself-to-shield-myself-from-people-who-would-sway-to/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) [Explore all 42 Lena Horne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) ## More Angry quotes > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [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 > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [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/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [When you're frustrated with people, when they've made you angry, it just may be because you haven't given them enough time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/when-you-re-frustrated-with-people-when-they-ve-made-you-angry-it/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [When I was writing 'Black Panther,' on one level, I was angry because DC would never let me write 'Batman,' so I was doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/when-i-was-writing-black-panther-on-one-level-i-was-angry-because-dc/) [Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/) > [Another step had her backed up against the wall, and he braced his arms on both sides of her. "I'm beginning to look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/another-step-had-her-backed-up-against-the-wall-and-he-braced-his/) [Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/) > [I'm an angry guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gandolfini/i-m-an-angry-guy/) [James Gandolfini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gandolfini/) > [Apparently, I'm the angriest man. I don't know. It's just an interpretation. If it was someone else, they might be called focused or competitive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alun-wyn-jones/apparently-i-m-the-angriest-man-i-don-t-know-it-s-just-an/) [Alun Wyn Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alun-wyn-jones/) > [In the 1998 Oscars, I found myself in the bathroom in a stall, next to Tom Selleck. So I leaned over and I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/in-the-1998-oscars-i-found-myself-in-the-bathroom-in-a-stall-next-to/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [Of course I get angry, but I want to use my brain a little bit and not just smash things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kacey-musgraves/of-course-i-get-angry-but-i-want-to-use-my-brain-a-little-bit-and-not/) [Kacey Musgraves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kacey-musgraves/) > [“Rather than being incensed by the nature of the bruise, maybe we should be inspired by the possibilities in the bruise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/rather-than-being-incensed-by-the-nature-of-the-bruise-maybe-we/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) [Browse all 3,857 Angry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angry/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Don't be afraid to feel as angry or as loving as you can, because when you feel nothing, it's just death.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lena Horne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/don-t-be-afraid-to-feel-as-angry-or-as-loving-as-you-can-because-when/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Angry" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/don-t-be-afraid-to-feel-as-angry-or-as-loving-as-you-can-because-when/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46f/lena-horne-15555_angry_don-t-be-afraid-to-feel-as-angry-or-as-l_421487.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46f/lena-horne-15555_angry_don-t-be-afraid-to-feel-as-angry-or-as-l_421487.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46f/lena-horne-15555_angry_don-t-be-afraid-to-feel-as-angry-or-as-l_421487.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Don't be afraid to feel as angry or as loving as you can, because when you feel nothing, it's just death.” — Lena Horne", "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": "Lena Horne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Don't be afraid to feel as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/don-t-be-afraid-to-feel-as-angry-or-as-loving-as-you-can-because-when/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/don-t-be-afraid-to-feel-as-angry-or-as-loving-as-you-can-because-when/#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 } } ] } ```