--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had to learn compassion. Had to learn…" description: "\"I had to learn compassion. Had to learn what it felt like to hate, and to forgive and to love and be loved. And to lose people close to me. Had to feel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad1/louise-penny-1059_compassion_i-had-to-learn-compassion-had-to-learn-w_768895.png" --- # I had to learn compassion. Had to learn what it felt like… ![“I had to learn compassion. Had to learn what it felt like to hate, and to forgive and to love and be loved. And to lose people close to me. Had to feel deep loneliness and sorrow. And then I could write.” quote by Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad1/louise-penny-1059_compassion_i-had-to-learn-compassion-had-to-learn-w_768895.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad1/louise-penny-1059_compassion_i-had-to-learn-compassion-had-to-learn-w_768895.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad1/louise-penny-1059_compassion_i-had-to-learn-compassion-had-to-learn-w_768895.png) > “I had to learn compassion. Had to learn what it felt like to hate, and to forgive and to love and be loved. And to lose people close to me. Had to feel deep loneliness and sorrow. And then I could write.” [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Through experiencing hate, forgiveness, love, loss, and loneliness, the author gains deep emotional insight that fuels their writing. **In simple terms:** Pain and love teach us to write. Key Takeaway Embrace all emotions to enrich creative work. Themes emotions writing growth Mood introspective empathetic Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - personal loss - artistic development Key Concepts compassion grief creative process Questions to Reflect On - Which emotion most fuels your creativity? - How do you transform grief into art? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Compassion Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion-learn-2071693/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Forgiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiving/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Learn Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-compassion-240740/) [Loneliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loneliness/) [Loneliness Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loneliness-sorrow-1233626/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow/) [Sorrow Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow-write-4144785/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“A feeling struck me one fine day that people call ‘love’, Before that my life was empty, all I had was loneliness and sorrow……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehek-bassi/a-feeling-struck-me-one-fine-day-that-people-call-love-before-that-my/) [Mehek Bassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehek-bassi/) > [“So rather than bring you sorrow, I write to refresh you and pass along a few things I have learned over the years. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-champan/so-rather-than-bring-you-sorrow-i-write-to-refresh-you-and-pass-along/) [Brett Champan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-champan/) > [“When I met a truly beautiful girl, I would tell her that if she spent the night with me, I would write a novel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/when-i-met-a-truly-beautiful-girl-i-would-tell-her-that-if-she-spent/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [Sorrow has a name, and its name is loneliness. Sorrow has a shape, and its shape is absence. Sorrow is a sickness like any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/sorrow-has-a-name-and-its-name-is-loneliness-sorrow-has-a-shape-and/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“if you listen with compassion, you will learn where their fears and rigid patterns come from.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-l-hay/if-you-listen-with-compassion-you-will-learn-where-their-fears-and/) [Louise L. Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-l-hay/) > [ \[T\]he family is a school of compassion because it is here that we learn to live with other people. (68) ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/t-he-family-is-a-school-of-compassion-because-it-is-here-that-we/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [“Sometimes we think that to develop an open heart, to be truly loving and compassionate, means that we need to be passive, to allow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/sometimes-we-think-that-to-develop-an-open-heart-to-be-truly-loving/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) > [“There is beauty in compassion, but one must learn wisdom too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/there-is-beauty-in-compassion-but-one-must-learn-wisdom-too/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [If we begin to get in touch with whatever we feel with some kind of kindness, our protective shells will melt, and we'll find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-we-begin-to-get-in-touch-with-whatever-we-feel-with-some-kind-of/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [As we learn to have compassion for ourselves, the circle of compassion for others - what and whom we can work with, and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/as-we-learn-to-have-compassion-for-ourselves-the-circle-of-compassion/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [The only way to learn compassion is through your heart; you have to back up and pass through your own pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/the-only-way-to-learn-compassion-is-through-your-heart-you-have-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [Were it not for the relationship I have with Christ, the world surely would have run me down by now…Certainly I'll never find the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-lott/were-it-not-for-the-relationship-i-have-with-christ-the-world-surely/) [Bret Lott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-lott/) > [Sometimes we find ourselves in desperate need and we look to those of privilege and power. It's then we learn compassion sits inert upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bad-religion/sometimes-we-find-ourselves-in-desperate-need-and-we-look-to-those-of/) [Bad Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bad-religion/) > [“Love can come from enduring ones life journey, where from such a venture, you will learn compassion and humility, leading you to God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-agutter/love-can-come-from-enduring-ones-life-journey-where-from-such-a/) [Alastair Agutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-agutter/) > [Dealing with difficult people, you learn compassion and patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dealing-with-difficult-people-you-learn-compassion-and-patience/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Louise Penny > [“Whale oil beef hooked,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/whale-oil-beef-hooked/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“I am tired,” Gamache murmured as he walked into the gentle little village. “But I am at peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/i-am-tired-gamache-murmured-as-he-walked-into-the-gentle-little/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“The reason “belonging” was so potent, so attractive, so much a part of the human yearning, was that it also meant safety, and loyalty.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/the-reason-belonging-was-so-potent-so-attractive-so-much-a-part-of/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“She picked up her book and tried to read but it was heavy in her hands. She struggled to hold it, wanting to finish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/she-picked-up-her-book-and-tried-to-read-but-it-was-heavy-in-her/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“We’re used to the film versions of psychopaths. The clearly crazies. But most psychopaths are clever. They have to be. They know how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/we-re-used-to-the-film-versions-of-psychopaths-the-clearly-crazies/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“Instead he stood erect, the snow insinuating itself down his collar and up his sleeves, plastering against his face and into his unblinking eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/instead-he-stood-erect-the-snow-insinuating-itself-down-his-collar/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“He was an emotional communist. Everyone counted equally, but none too much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/he-was-an-emotional-communist-everyone-counted-equally-but-none-too/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [I turned down all the requests for the rights to the books, for years, mostly because they wanted the rights to the characters, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/i-turned-down-all-the-requests-for-the-rights-to-the-books-for-years/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“Chief Superintendent Arnot might hold power, but Armand Gamache was the more powerful man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/chief-superintendent-arnot-might-hold-power-but-armand-gamache-was/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“Henri kept everything important in his heart. He mostly kept cookies in his head.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/henri-kept-everything-important-in-his-heart-he-mostly-kept-cookies/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [A good journalist, as you know, is a great listener. And so's a good writer. And I got to listen to people for almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/a-good-journalist-as-you-know-is-a-great-listener-and-so-s-a-good/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [The question that haunted every investigation was 'why'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/the-question-that-haunted-every-investigation-was-why/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [But, like peace, comfort didn't come from hiding away or running away. Comfort first demanded courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/but-like-peace-comfort-didn-t-come-from-hiding-away-or-running-away/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“He did not suggest that she sit quietly and get to know herself so she could be all the company she needed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/he-did-not-suggest-that-she-sit-quietly-and-get-to-know-herself-so/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“Come hither, all ye empty things,/Ye bubbles raised by breath of kings;/Who float upon the tide of state,/Come hither, and behold your fate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/come-hither-all-ye-empty-things-ye-bubbles-raised-by-breath-of-kings/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) [Explore all 295 Louise Penny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) [Segun Magbagbeola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segun-magbagbeola/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“la ilaha ilallah muhammadun rasulullah, alaihi salatullah wa alihi wal ahibba "shine your mercy like the sun, and be gracious as the earth let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-al-habib/la-ilaha-ilallah-muhammadun-rasulullah-alaihi-salatullah-wa-alihi-wal/) [Talib al Habib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-al-habib/) > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) [Browse all 9,892 Compassion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had to learn compassion. 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