--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All she wanted was a breathing space in…" description: "\"All she wanted was a breathing space in which to hurt.\" — Margaret Mitchell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/margaret-mitchell-692_breathing_all-she-wanted-was-a-breathing-space-in_2013941.jpg" --- # All she wanted was a breathing space in which to hurt. ![“All she wanted was a breathing space in which to hurt.” quote by Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/margaret-mitchell-692_breathing_all-she-wanted-was-a-breathing-space-in_2013941.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/margaret-mitchell-692_breathing_all-she-wanted-was-a-breathing-space-in_2013941.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/margaret-mitchell-692_breathing_all-she-wanted-was-a-breathing-space-in_2013941.jpg) > “All she wanted was a breathing space in which to hurt.” [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She craved a pause to experience pain, seeking space for emotional release. **In simple terms:** Wanted a moment to feel hurt. Key Takeaway Allow yourself space to process pain. Themes pain solace emotional needs Mood melancholic reflective Type literary emotional When to use this quote - therapy sessions - personal loss - creative writing Key Concepts psychology grief coping Questions to Reflect On - What gives you space to feel? - How do you balance relief and healing? A Different Perspective Avoiding pain can lead to suppression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breathing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) [Breathing space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing-space/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) ## Related quotes > [“Then he thoroughly, brazenly surveyed her body, his nostrils flaring delicately as he scented exactly what she wanted. Her breathing turned ragged as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/then-he-thoroughly-brazenly-surveyed-her-body-his-nostrils-flaring/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“That is all life is. Breathing in, breathing out. The space between two breaths.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-raeder/that-is-all-life-is-breathing-in-breathing-out-the-space-between-two/) [Leah Raeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-raeder/) > [Because of my job, my hair gets played with a lot on set, so I try to give it little bit of breathing space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/because-of-my-job-my-hair-gets-played-with-a-lot-on-set-so-i-try-to/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [The confined air of a metropolis is hurtful to the minds and bodies of those who have never lived out of it. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-confined-air-of-a-metropolis-is-hurtful-to-the-minds-and-bodies/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Work before eating, rest after eating. Eat not ravenously, filling the mouth gulp after gulp without breathing space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/work-before-eating-rest-after-eating-eat-not-ravenously-filling-the/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) > [“Meditation is to understand that one breath, which connects all beings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-ray/meditation-is-to-understand-that-one-breath-which-connects-all-beings/) [Amit Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-ray/) > [The eighteen years he has lived seem but a moment, a breathing space in the long march of humanity. Already he hears death calling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/the-eighteen-years-he-has-lived-seem-but-a-moment-a-breathing-space/) [Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/) > [The time in between my clapping is ma. If you just have non-stop action with no breathing space at all, it's just busyness, But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/the-time-in-between-my-clapping-is-ma-if-you-just-have-non-stop/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [The cry of the Have-Nots has never been "give us our hearts," but always "get off our backs"; they ask not for love but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-cry-of-the-have-nots-has-never-been-give-us-our-hearts-but-always/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [We are all, in a sense, experts on secrecy. From earliest childhood we feel its mystery and attraction. We know both the power it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sissela-bok/we-are-all-in-a-sense-experts-on-secrecy-from-earliest-childhood-we/) [Sissela Bok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sissela-bok/) > [“excitement is found along the road, not at the end, and likewise, peace is not a fixed point-except perhaps in the unwanted "rest in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/excitement-is-found-along-the-road-not-at-the-end-and-likewise-peace/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [You can be happy indeed if you have breathing space from pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/you-can-be-happy-indeed-if-you-have-breathing-space-from-pain/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [ \[The public lands represent\] in a sense, the breathing space of the nation. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-public-lands-represent-in-a-sense-the-breathing-space-of-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [“Silence can be breathing space and spawn release and wellness in a time of appalling inflation of words. But silence may be intolerably screaming,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/silence-can-be-breathing-space-and-spawn-release-and-wellness-in-a/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [You should love something while you have it, love it fully and without reservation, even if you know you'll lose it someday. We lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-should-love-something-while-you-have-it-love-it-fully-and-without/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Margaret Mitchell > [I won't think of it now. I can't stand it now. I'll think of it later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/i-won-t-think-of-it-now-i-can-t-stand-it-now-i-ll-think-of-it-later/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“I don't want any money for it," he said. "It's a gift." Scarlett's mouth dropped open. The line was so closely, so carefully drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/i-don-t-want-any-money-for-it-he-said-it-s-a-gift-scarlett-s-mouth/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [Until you lose your reputation, you never realize what a burden it was or what freedom really is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/until-you-lose-your-reputation-you-never-realize-what-a-burden-it-was/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [And apologies, once postponed, become harder and harder to make, and finally impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/and-apologies-once-postponed-become-harder-and-harder-to-make-and/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“There was a glow of grim pride in her usually gentle face, approbation and a fierce joy in her smile that equaled the fiery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/there-was-a-glow-of-grim-pride-in-her-usually-gentle-face-approbation/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [Her lips on his could tell him better than all her stumbling words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/her-lips-on-his-could-tell-him-better-than-all-her-stumbling-words/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [The way to get a man interested and to hold his interest was to talk about himself, and then gradually lead the conversation around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/the-way-to-get-a-man-interested-and-to-hold-his-interest-was-to-talk/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [She was as forthright and simple as the winds that blew over Tara and the yellow river that wound around it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/she-was-as-forthright-and-simple-as-the-winds-that-blew-over-tara-and/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“The very mystery of him excited her curiosity like a door that had neither lock nor key.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/the-very-mystery-of-him-excited-her-curiosity-like-a-door-that-had/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“He had never once crossed the borders of friendliness with her and, when she thought of this, fresh anger rose, the anger of hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/he-had-never-once-crossed-the-borders-of-friendliness-with-her-and/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“The husband is always the last to find out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/the-husband-is-always-the-last-to-find-out/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [People must do what they must do. We all don't think alike or act alike and it's wrong to-to judge others by ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/people-must-do-what-they-must-do-we-all-don-t-think-alike-or-act/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [All you have done is to be different from other women and you have made a little success of it. This is unforgivable sin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/all-you-have-done-is-to-be-different-from-other-women-and-you-have/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“She felt puzzled and ashamed, as always when people attributed to her emotions and motives they possessed and thought she shared.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/she-felt-puzzled-and-ashamed-as-always-when-people-attributed-to-her/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“I do not want to marry you or anyone else. I am not a marrying man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/i-do-not-want-to-marry-you-or-anyone-else-i-am-not-a-marrying-man/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) [Explore all 391 Margaret Mitchell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) ## More Breathing quotes > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [“As long as we’re breathing, we have a chance to start over and build a stable future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ha-campbell/as-long-as-we-re-breathing-we-have-a-chance-to-start-over-and-build-a/) [Kim Ha Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ha-campbell/) > [People don't think much about breathing. Of all the things we take for granted, breathing has to be number one - even though it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/people-don-t-think-much-about-breathing-of-all-the-things-we-take-for/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [I wish," Jared began, and stopped, breathing in. "Do you remember how you used to believe I wasn't real? Sometimes I wish that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-wish-jared-began-and-stopped-breathing-in-do-you-remember-how-you/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Breathing is give(carbon dioxide) and take(oxygen), such is life, find balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-williams/breathing-is-give-carbon-dioxide-and-take-oxygen-such-is-life-find/) Marcel Williams > [I'll probably be writing as long as I'm breathing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kristofferson/i-ll-probably-be-writing-as-long-as-i-m-breathing/) [Kris Kristofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kristofferson/) > [For me writing is like breathing. I could not live without breathing and I could not live without writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/for-me-writing-is-like-breathing-i-could-not-live-without-breathing/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [I’m in, Cat. I’d never leave you. Especially when you’ve got death breathing down your neck.” “Very funny,” I retorted, since Bones was inches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/i-m-in-cat-i-d-never-leave-you-especially-when-you-ve-got-death/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [He’d moved toward me again. His hands released mine and moved to my waist, and I noticed I wasn’t the only one breathing heavily.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/he-d-moved-toward-me-again-his-hands-released-mine-and-moved-to-my/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [My worry is that opera will become an historic art form as opposed to a living, breathing thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-fleming/my-worry-is-that-opera-will-become-an-historic-art-form-as-opposed-to/) [Renee Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-fleming/) > [I'm really fascinated and you know I've been wondering about that usage of language, various breathing techniques and why in these practices language is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-acker/i-m-really-fascinated-and-you-know-i-ve-been-wondering-about-that/) [Kathy Acker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-acker/) > [I’m exactly right for you, Bella. It would have been effortless for us — comfortable, easy as breathing. I was the natural path your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-m-exactly-right-for-you-bella-it-would-have-been-effortless-for-us/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) [Browse all 1,666 Breathing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All she wanted was a breathing space in which to hurt.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Margaret Mitchell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/all-she-wanted-was-a-breathing-space-in-which-to-hurt/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Breathing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/all-she-wanted-was-a-breathing-space-in-which-to-hurt/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/margaret-mitchell-692_breathing_all-she-wanted-was-a-breathing-space-in_2013941.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/margaret-mitchell-692_breathing_all-she-wanted-was-a-breathing-space-in_2013941.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cda/margaret-mitchell-692_breathing_all-she-wanted-was-a-breathing-space-in_2013941.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“All she wanted was a breathing space in which to hurt.” — Margaret Mitchell", "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": "Margaret Mitchell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "All she wanted was a breathing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/all-she-wanted-was-a-breathing-space-in-which-to-hurt/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/all-she-wanted-was-a-breathing-space-in-which-to-hurt/#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 } } ] } ```