---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The troubles came and I saved what I…"
description: "\"The troubles came and I saved what I could save. A thread of light, a particle, a wave.\" — Leonard Cohen"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/937/leonard-cohen-448_light_the-troubles-came-and-i-saved-what-i-cou_1824334.jpg"
---

#  The troubles came and I saved what I could save. A thread…

![“The troubles came and I saved what I could save. A thread of light, a particle, a wave.” quote by Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/937/leonard-cohen-448_light_the-troubles-came-and-i-saved-what-i-cou_1824334.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/937/leonard-cohen-448_light_the-troubles-came-and-i-saved-what-i-cou_1824334.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/937/leonard-cohen-448_light_the-troubles-came-and-i-saved-what-i-cou_1824334.jpg)

> “The troubles came and I saved what I could save. A thread of light, a particle, a wave.”

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

## 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 acknowledges surviving chaos by salvaging what is possible, likening hope to light, particle, and wave.

**In simple terms:** Survive by holding onto any light you can find.

Key Takeaway

Focus on preserving small hopes amid turmoil.

Themes

survival hope resilience

Mood

determined hopeful

Type

inspirational philosophical

When to use this quote

- personal crisis
- war zones
- mental health recovery

Key Concepts

physics metaphors optimism

Questions to Reflect On

- What small light can you protect now?
- How do you balance realism with optimism?

A Different Perspective

Hope may be fragile and fleeting.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Came Saved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/came-saved-738333/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Particles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particles/) [Saved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saved/) [Saved Save](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saved-save-1938622/) [Thread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thread/) [Trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble/) [Troubles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/troubles/) [Troubles Came](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/troubles-came-2220945/) [Wave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wave/)

## Related quotes

> [I stepped back from the doubts overtaking me. They were breaking me, so I know what you've been through. Don't you stray or run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-ready-set/i-stepped-back-from-the-doubts-overtaking-me-they-were-breaking-me-so/)

[The Ready Set](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-ready-set/)

> [The lord came and saved us all and died for our sins, we r forever in his debt but yet he forgives us but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pastor-nj-taylor/the-lord-came-and-saved-us-all-and-died-for-our-sins-we-r-forever-in/)

[Pastor NJ Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pastor-nj-taylor/)

> [He saved others, himself he cannot save!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-of-xanten/he-saved-others-himself-he-cannot-save/)

[Norbert of Xanten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-of-xanten/)

> [Rap music came along and saved my life. I started to tell the stories of the streets and that was my way out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/rap-music-came-along-and-saved-my-life-i-started-to-tell-the-stories/)

[Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/)

> [She saved everyone but couldnt save herself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa/she-saved-everyone-but-couldnt-save-herself/)

[Alyssa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa/)

> [“But he came, when I was at my darkest. I prayed him down from the sky, and he came in a flash of blue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-klune/but-he-came-when-i-was-at-my-darkest-i-prayed-him-down-from-the-sky/)

[T.J. Klune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-klune/)

> [This whole electric universe is a complex maze of similar tensions. Every particle of matter in the universe is separated from its condition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell/this-whole-electric-universe-is-a-complex-maze-of-similar-tensions/)

[Walter Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell/)

> [There is an infinity of landscape here, caused by the purity of the atmosphere. It has been said that there is a lack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-heysen/there-is-an-infinity-of-landscape-here-caused-by-the-purity-of-the/)

[Hans Heysen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-heysen/)

> [For five hundred dollars, I'll name a subatomic particle after you. Some of my satisfied customers include Arthur C. Quark and George Meson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/for-five-hundred-dollars-i-ll-name-a-subatomic-particle-after-you/)

[Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/)

> [War should be carried on like a monsoon; one changeless determination of every particle towards the one unalterable aim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/war-should-be-carried-on-like-a-monsoon-one-changeless-determination/)

[Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/)

> [The body and mind are continually changing, and are, in fact, only names of series of changeful phenomena, like rivers whose waters are in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-body-and-mind-are-continually-changing-and-are-in-fact-only-names/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [“Leonardo believed his research had the potential to convert millions to a more spiritual life. Last year he categorically proved the existence of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/leonardo-believed-his-research-had-the-potential-to-convert-millions/)

[Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/)

> [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/)

[J. Willard Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-willard-gibbs/)

> [I'm a fan of supersymmetry, largely because it seems to be the only route by which gravity can be brought into the scheme. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-higgs/i-m-a-fan-of-supersymmetry-largely-because-it-seems-to-be-the-only/)

[Peter Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-higgs/)

> [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

## More by Leonard Cohen

> [The blizzard of the world has crossed the threshold and it's overturned the order of the soul...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-blizzard-of-the-world-has-crossed-the-threshold-and-it-s/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

> [“Don't matter if you're rich and strong Don't matter if you're weak Don't matter if you write a song The nightingales repeat Don't matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/don-t-matter-if-you-re-rich-and-strong-don-t-matter-if-you-re-weak/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

> [“You don't know me from the wind you never will, you never did I'm the little jew who wrote the Bible. I've seen the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/you-don-t-know-me-from-the-wind-you-never-will-you-never-did-i-m-the/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

> [“This is it I’m not coming after you I’m going to lie down for half an hour This is it I’m not going down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-is-it-i-m-not-coming-after-you-i-m-going-to-lie-down-for-half-an/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

> [My sense of proprietorship has been so weak that actually I didn't pay attention and I lost the copyrights on a lot of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/my-sense-of-proprietorship-has-been-so-weak-that-actually-i-didn-t/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

> [This world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled. But there are moments when we can... reconcile and embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-world-is-full-of-conflicts-and-full-of-things-that-cannot-be/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

> [ I would say the hummingbird really deserves the royalties on \[some of my songs\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-would-say-the-hummingbird-really-deserves-the-royalties-on-some-of/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

> [One is given to self-dramatization from time to time. I intend to live forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/one-is-given-to-self-dramatization-from-time-to-time-i-intend-to-live/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

> [The basic function of popular music is to create an environment for courting, lovemaking, and doing the dishes. It's useful because it addresses the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-basic-function-of-popular-music-is-to-create-an-environment-for/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

> [“Blessed are you, embrace of the falling, foundation of the light, master of the human accident.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/blessed-are-you-embrace-of-the-falling-foundation-of-the-light-master/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

> [I continually blacken pages and scribble away, so I always have a number of songs that are half-finished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-continually-blacken-pages-and-scribble-away-so-i-always-have-a/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

> [I have nothing against the Queen of England. Even in my heart I never resented her for not being Jackie Kennedy. She is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-have-nothing-against-the-queen-of-england-even-in-my-heart-i-never/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

> [I loved you when you opened like a lily to the heat; you see I’m just another snowman standing in the rain and sleet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-loved-you-when-you-opened-like-a-lily-to-the-heat-you-see-i-m-just/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

> [It's time that we began to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/it-s-time-that-we-began-to-laugh-and-cry-and-cry-and-laugh-about-it/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

> [“I followed the course From chaos to art Desire the horse Depression the cart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-followed-the-course-from-chaos-to-art-desire-the-horse-depression/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

[Explore all 543 Leonard Cohen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

## More Light quotes

> [A Light exists in Spring Not present on the Year At any other period - When March is scarcely here A Color stands abroad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/a-light-exists-in-spring-not-present-on-the-year-at-any-other-period/)

[Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/)

> [“Light it up, bitch.' 'Light it up, asshole,' ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/light-it-up-bitch-light-it-up-asshole/)

[Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/)

> [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [once in awhile you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look it right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/once-in-awhile-you-get-shown-the-light-in-the-strangest-of-places-if/)

[Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/)

> [I don't want my kids to live like I do, sweating in a little metal box. I want them to have sunshine. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-higgins/i-don-t-want-my-kids-to-live-like-i-do-sweating-in-a-little-metal-box/)

[Alex Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-higgins/)

> [I am not my own light unto myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-malebranche/i-am-not-my-own-light-unto-myself/)

[Nicolas Malebranche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-malebranche/)

> [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/)

[Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/)

> [Caught in a racial uproar, people make all sorts of promises to make amends. Whatever they do tends to be heavy on symbolism and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-capehart/caught-in-a-racial-uproar-people-make-all-sorts-of-promises-to-make/)

[Jonathan Capehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-capehart/)

> [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/)

[Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/)

> [I found out about Sister Song through Poppy Liu, who's on the show 'Hacks.' Reproductive rights are human rights, and I wanted to shine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/i-found-out-about-sister-song-through-poppy-liu-who-s-on-the-show/)

[Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/)

> [Meanwhile someone is shining my head to get it dry to attach my top-hat to my head with toupee tape. I get into microphone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/meanwhile-someone-is-shining-my-head-to-get-it-dry-to-attach-my-top/)

[Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/)

> [The morning breez and dew are still cold until they get hot by the sun,don't be deceive is morning wake up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakre-basit-babatunde/the-morning-breez-and-dew-are-still-cold-until-they-get-hot-by-the/)

[Bakre Basit Babatunde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakre-basit-babatunde/)

> [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/)

[Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/)

> [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/)

[Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/)

> [Love is like light, you see it but you can't keep it all the times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-light-you-see-it-but-you-can-t-keep-it-all-the-times/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 20,782 Light quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The troubles came and I saved what I could save. A thread of light, a particle, a wave.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Leonard Cohen"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-troubles-came-and-i-saved-what-i-could-save-a-thread-of-light-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Light"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-troubles-came-and-i-saved-what-i-could-save-a-thread-of-light-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/937/leonard-cohen-448_light_the-troubles-came-and-i-saved-what-i-cou_1824334.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/937/leonard-cohen-448_light_the-troubles-came-and-i-saved-what-i-cou_1824334.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/937/leonard-cohen-448_light_the-troubles-came-and-i-saved-what-i-cou_1824334.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The troubles came and I saved what I could save. A thread of light, a particle, a wave.” — Leonard Cohen",
                "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": "Leonard Cohen",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The troubles came and I saved...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-troubles-came-and-i-saved-what-i-could-save-a-thread-of-light-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-troubles-came-and-i-saved-what-i-could-save-a-thread-of-light-a/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
