--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He could not remember the last time he…" description: "\"“He could not remember the last time he had cried. He did not want to stand and show them his teary face and receive their pity; the idea of this well-..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c3/maggie-stiefvater-76_adam_he-could-not-remember-the-last-time-he-h_2712910.jpg" --- # He could not remember the last time he had cried. He did… ![“He could not remember the last time he had cried. He did not want to stand and show them his teary face and receive their pity; the idea of this well-meaning kindness was nearly as unbearable a thought as his approaching death. For the very first time, he understood Adam Parrish perfectly.” quote by Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c3/maggie-stiefvater-76_adam_he-could-not-remember-the-last-time-he-h_2712910.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c3/maggie-stiefvater-76_adam_he-could-not-remember-the-last-time-he-h_2712910.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c3/maggie-stiefvater-76_adam_he-could-not-remember-the-last-time-he-h_2712910.jpg) > ““He could not remember the last time he had cried. He did not want to stand and show them his teary face and receive their pity; the idea of this well-meaning kindness was nearly as unbearable a thought as his approaching death. For the very first time, he understood Adam Parrish perfectly.”” [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A man avoids showing vulnerability, fearing pity, until he finally understands another’s suffering. **In simple terms:** Avoiding vulnerability feels isolating. Key Takeaway Allow yourself to be seen. Themes vulnerability empathy humanity Mood introspective empathetic Type fiction emotional When to use this quote - friendship - grief - self‑acceptance Key Concepts psychology connection Questions to Reflect On - When did you last let down your guard? - How can you support others without pity? A Different Perspective Societal expectations discourage openness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adam parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adam-parrish/) [Approaching death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approaching-death/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Ronan's second secret was Adam Parrish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/ronan-s-second-secret-was-adam-parrish/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [It was nothing, but it was Adam Parrish's nothing. How he hated and loved it. How proud he was of it, how wretched it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/it-was-nothing-but-it-was-adam-parrish-s-nothing-how-he-hated-and/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Being Adam Parrish was a complicated thing, a wonder of muscles and organs, synapses and nerves. He was a miracle of moving parts, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/being-adam-parrish-was-a-complicated-thing-a-wonder-of-muscles-and/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Where do you live?" Adam's mouth was very set. "A place made for leaving" "That's not really an answer." "It's not really a place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/where-do-you-live-adam-s-mouth-was-very-set-a-place-made-for-leaving/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Is that why you look like hell?” “Thanks, Parrish. I like your face, too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/is-that-why-you-look-like-hell-thanks-parrish-i-like-your-face-too/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“He could not remember the last time he had cried.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/he-could-not-remember-the-last-time-he-had-cried/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“And what else would he get into? Kavinsky's dead so--Jesus Chrirst, listen to me. Jesus Christ." The cave walls crumbled yet more; the ritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/and-what-else-would-he-get-into-kavinsky-s-dead-so-jesus-chrirst/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Ronan spit on the ground beside the BMW. “I didn’t even realize that ‘midget’ was the Adam Parrish type,” he said. He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/ronan-spit-on-the-ground-beside-the-bmw-i-didn-t-even-realize-that/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Adam Parrish was always thinking about his resources: money, time, sleep. On a school night, even one with supernatural threats breathing on his collar,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/adam-parrish-was-always-thinking-about-his-resources-money-time-sleep/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Adam didn't look at him when he said, finally, "It doesn't matter how you say it. It's what you wanted, in the end. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/adam-didn-t-look-at-him-when-he-said-finally-it-doesn-t-matter-how/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“From the passenger seat, Ronan began to swear at Adam. It was a long, involved swear, using every forbidden word possible, often in compound-word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/from-the-passenger-seat-ronan-began-to-swear-at-adam-it-was-a-long/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Above him, the stars were brutal and clear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/above-him-the-stars-were-brutal-and-clear/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Gansey thought of one hundred things that he could say to Adam about how it would be all right, how it was for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/gansey-thought-of-one-hundred-things-that-he-could-say-to-adam-about/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“You be careful, Adam Parrish. 'Cause one day you might get what you ask for. There might be girls in Henrietta who'll let you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/you-be-careful-adam-parrish-cause-one-day-you-might-get-what-you-ask/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Adam was beginning to realize he hadn't known Ronan at all. Or rather, he had known part of him and assumed it was all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/adam-was-beginning-to-realize-he-hadn-t-known-ronan-at-all-or-rather/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) ## More by Maggie Stiefvater > [Sam reached his hand toward mine and I automatically put my fingers in his. With a guilty little smile he pulled my hand toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/sam-reached-his-hand-toward-mine-and-i-automatically-put-my-fingers/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Once upon a time, there lived a boy, and he had to risk everything to keep what he loved. But really the story was:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/once-upon-a-time-there-lived-a-boy-and-he-had-to-risk-everything-to/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [I think-I need to ask an embarrassing question. Do you think I could borrow a pair of scrubs? I-uh-my pants-" "Oh!" Cried the poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-think-i-need-to-ask-an-embarrassing-question-do-you-think-i-could/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [We dance, we dance. You hold the thread of my soul. You spin, you spin. And you unravel the part from the whole. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/we-dance-we-dance-you-hold-the-thread-of-my-soul-you-spin-you-spin/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [It was the way she felt when she looked at the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/it-was-the-way-she-felt-when-she-looked-at-the-stars/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Mum once told Dad that vices are only vices when looked at through the frame of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/mum-once-told-dad-that-vices-are-only-vices-when-looked-at-through/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Why'd she leave so early? It's practically yesterday.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/why-d-she-leave-so-early-it-s-practically-yesterday/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [How long it takes us, each day, to know each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/how-long-it-takes-us-each-day-to-know-each-other/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“At least when he was at Aglionby he could turn over his papers to see the grades, concrete proof of his success at something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/at-least-when-he-was-at-aglionby-he-could-turn-over-his-papers-to-see/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [I'll cook the water...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-ll-cook-the-water/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“That's the one." In Puck Connolly's custody. That might be the last I see of that jacket.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/that-s-the-one-in-puck-connolly-s-custody-that-might-be-the-last-i/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“I asked,”Are you going to pick up next time I call you?” ”I did this time didn’t I?” “Say yes.” “Yes. Conditionally yes.”…... …”What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-asked-are-you-going-to-pick-up-next-time-i-call-you-i-did-this-time/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Tell me what it's like. The race." "What it's like is a battle. A mess of horses and men and blood. The fastest and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/tell-me-what-it-s-like-the-race-what-it-s-like-is-a-battle-a-mess-of/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“I felt a tickle on my skin; it took me a moment to realize that Cole was driving his die-cast Mustang up my arm.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-felt-a-tickle-on-my-skin-it-took-me-a-moment-to-realize-that-cole/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Happiness isn't something this island yields easily; the ground is too rocky and the sun too sparse for it to flourish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/happiness-isn-t-something-this-island-yields-easily-the-ground-is-too/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) [Explore all 1,564 Maggie Stiefvater quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) ## More Adam quotes > [Women rule the world. It's not really worth fighting because they know what they're doing. Ask Napoleon. Ask Adam. Ask Richard Burton or Richie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/women-rule-the-world-it-s-not-really-worth-fighting-because-they-know/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) Daniel K Judd > [“Mary: Some call this "Eve's curse," but I think that is stupid because the real curse of Eve was having to put up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/mary-some-call-this-eve-s-curse-but-i-think-that-is-stupid-because/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Adam could imagine what he looked like: a debauched nerd.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-cullinan/adam-could-imagine-what-he-looked-like-a-debauched-nerd/) [Heidi Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-cullinan/) > [Adam Berenson knows how to compose, organize an ensemble, do musical research, play solo and trio piano, write for musical journals, and enlist others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/adam-berenson-knows-how-to-compose-organize-an-ensemble-do-musical/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [“Finally, someone had seen him. And what had he done? Let her get away. Undermined by his disgusting human anatomy. It had just been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/finally-someone-had-seen-him-and-what-had-he-done-let-her-get-away/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“I’d think there are degrees of greatness,” Adam said. “I don’t think so,” said Samuel. “That would be like saying there is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-d-think-there-are-degrees-of-greatness-adam-said-i-don-t-think-so/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [An ineffably holy God, who has the utmost abhorrence of sin, was never invented by any of Adam's descendents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/an-ineffably-holy-god-who-has-the-utmost-abhorrence-of-sin-was-never/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“think Adam is looking to break Kenji’s neck at this point.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/think-adam-is-looking-to-break-kenji-s-neck-at-this-point/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“Adam's lips are set in a grime line. I can't tell if he's about to cry or about to punch the guard. For his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/adam-s-lips-are-set-in-a-grime-line-i-can-t-tell-if-he-s-about-to-cry/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [And as regards Adam and Eve we must maintain that before the fall they were virgins in Paradise: but after they sinned, and were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/and-as-regards-adam-and-eve-we-must-maintain-that-before-the-fall/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [Adam became so proud that he wished to become God and died for his pride; the Son of God humbled Himself unto death, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-kronstadt/adam-became-so-proud-that-he-wished-to-become-god-and-died-for-his/) [John of Kronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-kronstadt/) > [Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees That half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees, So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/oh-adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-a-proper/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Barışı elde etmek için çabalayan her adam olağanüstü bir adamdır!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/bar-elde-etmek-i-in-abalayan-her-adam-ola-an-st-bir-adamd-r/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) Browse all 1,360 Adam quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He could not remember the last time he had cried. 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