--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For a moment, I debated whether I should…" description: "\"“For a moment, I debated whether I should tell someone about the words I'd started writing down, but I couldn't. In a way, I felt ashamed, even though ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8e/markus-zusak-165_ashamed_for-a-moment-i-debated-whether-i-should_2804118.png" --- # For a moment, I debated whether I should tell someone… ![“For a moment, I debated whether I should tell someone about the words I'd started writing down, but I couldn't. In a way, I felt ashamed, even though my writing was the one thing that whispered okayness in my ear. I didn't speak it, to anyone.” quote by Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8e/markus-zusak-165_ashamed_for-a-moment-i-debated-whether-i-should_2804118.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8e/markus-zusak-165_ashamed_for-a-moment-i-debated-whether-i-should_2804118.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8e/markus-zusak-165_ashamed_for-a-moment-i-debated-whether-i-should_2804118.png) > ““For a moment, I debated whether I should tell someone about the words I'd started writing down, but I couldn't. In a way, I felt ashamed, even though my writing was the one thing that whispered okayness in my ear. I didn't speak it, to anyone.”” [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The writer felt shame about sharing personal words, yet the writing offered inner reassurance. **In simple terms:** Shame stops sharing, but writing comforts. Key Takeaway Acknowledge shame and trust your creative voice. Themes creativity shame self-expression Mood introspective encouraging Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - journaling - artistic practice Key Concepts psychology literature Practical Applications - Sharing can also invite criticism. Questions to Reflect On - How can you build confidence in your voice? A Different Perspective What holds you back from sharing your work? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ashamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“As I make my way through, I feel okayness reaching through me. The funny thing is that okayness is not a real word. 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I tried to erase every memory of her, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/i-buried-the-girl-i-had-been-because-she-ran-into-all-kinds-of-2/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [Military people never seem to apologize for killing each other yet novelists feel ashamed for writing some nice inert paper book that is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonora-carrington/military-people-never-seem-to-apologize-for-killing-each-other-yet/) [Leonora Carrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonora-carrington/) > [Sometimes you have to be less ashamed about writing a bad poem than you would be about being silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/sometimes-you-have-to-be-less-ashamed-about-writing-a-bad-poem-than/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [I guess its better then a suicide note? Once my father was joking and laughing about people who killed their selves. Dad that isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade/i-guess-its-better-then-a-suicide-note-once-my-father-was-joking-and/) [Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade/) > [“i felt ashamed. i stared down at the ground and stood very still and very quietly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-kennedy/i-felt-ashamed-i-stared-down-at-the-ground-and-stood-very-still-and/) [Ellen Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-kennedy/) > [“Oddly enough, it was Prudence he studied beneath his lashes, not MacKay. The words he spoke came straight from his heart. “No. Because she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-medeiros/oddly-enough-it-was-prudence-he-studied-beneath-his-lashes-not-mackay/) [Teresa Medeiros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-medeiros/) > [“I had a deeper understanding that no matter what situation would come my way, I would be in the hands of the Lord, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brother-yun/i-had-a-deeper-understanding-that-no-matter-what-situation-would-come/) [Brother Yun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brother-yun/) > [When I first went to places where people were suffering from war and persecution, I felt ashamed of my feelings of sadness. I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/when-i-first-went-to-places-where-people-were-suffering-from-war-and/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [When I read that nobody should ever feel ashamed to be alone or to be in a crowd, I realized that I often felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-batuman/when-i-read-that-nobody-should-ever-feel-ashamed-to-be-alone-or-to-be/) [Elif Batuman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-batuman/) > [I felt ashamed while saying Bulla's dialogues! There was a mixed feeling of shame and guilt, and I constantly questioned myself why I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mukesh-rishi/i-felt-ashamed-while-saying-bulla-s-dialogues-there-was-a-mixed/) [Mukesh Rishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mukesh-rishi/) > [“I felt ashamed for having been jealous of his life, considering the price he'd paid for it, and I tried to feel lucky for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ransom-riggs/i-felt-ashamed-for-having-been-jealous-of-his-life-considering-the/) [Ransom Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ransom-riggs/) > [I felt so ashamed of my modeling history when I first got into acting, so I tried to hide that part of my life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camila-morrone/i-felt-so-ashamed-of-my-modeling-history-when-i-first-got-into-acting/) [Camila Morrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camila-morrone/) ## More by Markus Zusak > [Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I think that as a writer your responsibility is to search for and stir up the things that are in this world. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-think-that-as-a-writer-your-responsibility-is-to-search-for-and/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“For two days I went about my business. I travelled the globe as always, handing souls to the conveyor belt of eternity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/for-two-days-i-went-about-my-business-i-travelled-the-globe-as-always/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [It is early, early morning. It's that time when it's still dark but you know the day is coming. Blue is bleeding through black.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/it-is-early-early-morning-it-s-that-time-when-it-s-still-dark-but-you/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“I'm twenty years old and look at me-- there isn't a thing I want to do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-m-twenty-years-old-and-look-at-me-there-isn-t-a-thing-i-want-to-do/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [You should give it to Max, Liesel. See if you can leave it on the bedside table, like all the other things." Liesel watched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/you-should-give-it-to-max-liesel-see-if-you-can-leave-it-on-the/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“When a woman with an iron fist tells you to get out there and clean spit off the door, you do it. Especially when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/when-a-woman-with-an-iron-fist-tells-you-to-get-out-there-and-clean/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Is there cowardice with the acknowledgement of fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/is-there-cowardice-with-the-acknowledgement-of-fear/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [In years to come, he would be a giver of bread, not a stealer - proof again of the contradictory human being. So much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/in-years-to-come-he-would-be-a-giver-of-bread-not-a-stealer-proof/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“«¿Por qué no puede oírlo el resto del mundo? —me pregunto. En pocos segundos me lo pregunto muchas veces—. Porque no le importa —me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/por-qu-no-puede-o-rlo-el-resto-del-mundo-me-pregunto-en-pocos/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Could she smell my breath? Could she hear my cursed circular heart beat revolving like the crime it is in my deathly chest?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/could-she-smell-my-breath-could-she-hear-my-cursed-circular-heart/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I see how complicated it is to make a film and how many people are involved and I love the fact that I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-see-how-complicated-it-is-to-make-a-film-and-how-many-people-are/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [One wild card was yet to be played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/one-wild-card-was-yet-to-be-played/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“Može li netko ukrasti sreću? Ili je i to još jedan unutarnji, paklenski ljudski trik?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/mo-e-li-netko-ukrasti-sre-u-ili-je-i-to-jo-jedan-unutarnji-paklenski/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I look at my first books and am glad they weren't published… You start writing by imitating your heroes, then you keep the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-look-at-my-first-books-and-am-glad-they-weren-t-published-you-start/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) [Explore all 953 Markus Zusak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) ## More Ashamed quotes > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I know what you're thinking... and you oughtta be ashamed of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-preston/i-know-what-you-re-thinking-and-you-oughtta-be-ashamed-of-yourself/) Robert Preston > [You never meet the writer when you're making a TV movie in America - they're too ashamed to show up and see how their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-don-baker/you-never-meet-the-writer-when-you-re-making-a-tv-movie-in-america/) [Joe Don Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-don-baker/) > [I'm not ashamed of the things I believe and why I believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/i-m-not-ashamed-of-the-things-i-believe-and-why-i-believe-them/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“with her own life. And I was ashamed.” Humiliated. Broken. Miserable. If Wilcher had stood by Jaymee, if her father hadn’t berated her, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-green/with-her-own-life-and-i-was-ashamed-humiliated-broken-miserable-if/) Stacy Green > [You should avoid hedging, at least that's what I think. You should be ashamed to die until you've made some contribution to mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-johns/you-should-avoid-hedging-at-least-that-s-what-i-think-you-should-be/) Vernon Johns > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [“When all are undressed, one is somehow not ashamed, but when one's the only one undressed and everybody is looking, it's degrading,' he kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/when-all-are-undressed-one-is-somehow-not-ashamed-but-when-one-s-the/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [There are a great many colored people who are ashamed of the cake-walk, but I think they ought to be proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/there-are-a-great-many-colored-people-who-are-ashamed-of-the-cake/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [I love him who is ashamed when the dice fall in his favour, and who then asketh: "Am I a dishonest player?" - for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-love-him-who-is-ashamed-when-the-dice-fall-in-his-favour-and-who/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/whoever-is-ashamed-of-me-and-my-words-the-son-of-man-will-be-ashamed/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [You were never created to live depressed, defeated, guilty, condemned, ashamed or unworthy. You were created to be victorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-were-never-created-to-live-depressed-defeated-guilty-condemned/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-never-wonder-to-see-men-wicked-but-i-often-wonder-to-see-them-not/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [“To survive during the Khmer Rouge, you had to steal, cheat, lie, point fingers at others, even kill. And now you are ashamed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-brinkley/to-survive-during-the-khmer-rouge-you-had-to-steal-cheat-lie-point/) [Joel Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-brinkley/) [Browse all 1,607 Ashamed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“For a moment, I debated whether I should tell someone about the words I'd started writing down, but I couldn't. In a way, I felt ashamed, even though my writing was the one thing that whispered okayness in my ear. 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