--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are whole years for which I hope…" description: "\"There are whole years for which I hope I'll never be cross-examined, for I could not give an alibi.\" — Mignon McLaughlin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/657/mignon-mclaughlin-742_alibi_there-are-whole-years-for-which-i-hope-i_498844.png" --- # There are whole years for which I hope I'll never be… ![“There are whole years for which I hope I'll never be cross-examined, for I could not give an alibi.” quote by Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/657/mignon-mclaughlin-742_alibi_there-are-whole-years-for-which-i-hope-i_498844.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/657/mignon-mclaughlin-742_alibi_there-are-whole-years-for-which-i-hope-i_498844.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/657/mignon-mclaughlin-742_alibi_there-are-whole-years-for-which-i-hope-i_498844.png) > “There are whole years for which I hope I'll never be cross-examined, for I could not give an alibi.” [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author humorously wishes to avoid cross‑examination, implying a desire to escape scrutiny. **In simple terms:** Wishing to avoid being questioned about past actions. Key Takeaway Consider the value of honesty versus self‑protection. Themes legal truth personal accountability humor social anxiety Mood wry thought‑provoking Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - courtroom - media interviews - personal relationships - public speaking Key Concepts Ethics self‑preservation public perception Questions to Reflect On - When have you avoided a tough question? - What are the costs of hiding the truth? A Different Perspective Avoiding scrutiny can erode trust and credibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alibi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alibi/) [Cross Examined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cross-examined-2204833/) [Crosses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crosses/) [Examined Alibi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/examined-alibi-4252690/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) [Whole year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-year/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-hope-1321407/) ## Related quotes > [The cross is going to judge everything in your life: your eating, your drinking, your sleeping, your spending, your talking. Everything is cross-examined!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/the-cross-is-going-to-judge-everything-in-your-life-your-eating-your/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [I can't begin to describe how humiliating it is for a law-abiding citizen to be cross-examined in a court of law for a crime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjay-leela-bhansali/i-can-t-begin-to-describe-how-humiliating-it-is-for-a-law-abiding/) [Sanjay Leela Bhansali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjay-leela-bhansali/) > [ I guess what this is reflecting is my own search for answers that I can't find. Frank \[Moore Cross\] and I have examined a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/i-guess-what-this-is-reflecting-is-my-own-search-for-answers-that-i/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [Twenty years from now, I hope I'm consistently in my life, in the zone. I have seen the next year before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-brooks/twenty-years-from-now-i-hope-i-m-consistently-in-my-life-in-the-zone/) [Meredith Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-brooks/) > [I often joke that 100 years from now I hope people are saying, 'Dang, she looks good for her age!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-often-joke-that-100-years-from-now-i-hope-people-are-saying-dang/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [Years from now, I hope we are still in each others lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/years-from-now-i-hope-we-are-still-in-each-others-lives/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We have within ourselves Enough to fill the present day with joy, And overspread the future years with hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/we-have-within-ourselves-enough-to-fill-the-present-day-with-joy-and/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [If you live for another 80 years , I hope to live for another 80 years minus one day. So I will never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasjaradat/if-you-live-for-another-80-years-i-hope-to-live-for-another-80-years/) [Yasjaradat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasjaradat/) > [None would live past years again, Yet all hope pleasure in what yet remain; And, from the dregs of life, think to receive, What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/none-would-live-past-years-again-yet-all-hope-pleasure-in-what-yet/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Years from now, I hope youre still going to be a big part of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/years-from-now-i-hope-youre-still-going-to-be-a-big-part-of-my-life/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) > [Over the years I hope I've become more of a musican and less of a guitarist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-coryell/over-the-years-i-hope-i-ve-become-more-of-a-musican-and-less-of-a/) [Larry Coryell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-coryell/) > [An artist of understanding and experience can show more of his great power and art in small things roughly and rudely done, than many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/an-artist-of-understanding-and-experience-can-show-more-of-his-great/) [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) > [We obtain better knowledge of a person during one hour's play and games than by conversing with him for a whole year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/we-obtain-better-knowledge-of-a-person-during-one-hour-s-play-and/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I used to play cello. My mother kept me out of school a whole year to study music and counterpoint. She thought I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-used-to-play-cello-my-mother-kept-me-out-of-school-a-whole-year-to/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“The crickets felt it was their duty to warn everybody that summertime cannot last for ever. Even on the most beautiful days in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-crickets-felt-it-was-their-duty-to-warn-everybody-that-summertime/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Mignon McLaughlin > [As we are human, we can't do what we can't do; as we're neurotic, we can't do what we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/as-we-are-human-we-can-t-do-what-we-can-t-do-as-we-re-neurotic-we-can/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [Naturally, the neurotic wants you to love him twice as much, for he's going to cut it in half anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/naturally-the-neurotic-wants-you-to-love-him-twice-as-much-for-he-s/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [We have a terror of seeming to exert ourselves, lest it be noticed that we exerted ourselves and did not succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/we-have-a-terror-of-seeming-to-exert-ourselves-lest-it-be-noticed/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [The three horrors of modern life - talk without meaning, desire without love, work without satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-three-horrors-of-modern-life-talk-without-meaning-desire-without/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [We are never more self-righteous than when giving up what we should have shunned all along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/we-are-never-more-self-righteous-than-when-giving-up-what-we-should/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [The time to begin most things is ten years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-time-to-begin-most-things-is-ten-years-ago/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [One of life's few really reliable pleasures: to have a family you love, and to leave them for a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/one-of-life-s-few-really-reliable-pleasures-to-have-a-family-you-love/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [So long as God reveals Himself, or doesn't, He is behaving like God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/so-long-as-god-reveals-himself-or-doesn-t-he-is-behaving-like-god/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [The total history of almost anyone would shock almost everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-total-history-of-almost-anyone-would-shock-almost-everyone/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [There are children born to be children, and others who must mark time till they can take their natural places as adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/there-are-children-born-to-be-children-and-others-who-must-mark-time/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [In life, as in restaurants, we swallow a lot of indigestible stuff just because it comes with the dinner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/in-life-as-in-restaurants-we-swallow-a-lot-of-indigestible-stuff-just/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [Neurotics always feel as though they were going way up or way down, which is odd in people going sideways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/neurotics-always-feel-as-though-they-were-going-way-up-or-way-down/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [Even in the same family, one child will always instinctively know when to ask for things, and another won't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/even-in-the-same-family-one-child-will-always-instinctively-know-when/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [People find it hard to be both comic and serious, though life manages it easily enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/people-find-it-hard-to-be-both-comic-and-serious-though-life-manages/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [No good neurotic finds it difficult to be both opinionated and indecisive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/no-good-neurotic-finds-it-difficult-to-be-both-opinionated-and/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) [Explore all 383 Mignon McLaughlin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) ## More Alibi quotes > [There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently. We still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/there-are-many-who-find-a-good-alibi-far-more-attractive-than-an/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“on Arthur Russell and check out his so-called alibi.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-gibney/on-arthur-russell-and-check-out-his-so-called-alibi/) [Patricia Gibney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-gibney/) > [“Don't ever accuse anyone of being full of pride, undignified and unprofessional when simply they are wise to move away from dishonest schemers. Dishonesty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/don-t-ever-accuse-anyone-of-being-full-of-pride-undignified-and/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [An alibi is a reason with a bad reputation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/an-alibi-is-a-reason-with-a-bad-reputation/) [Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/) > [“Honesty whispers, "Don't get pricked by the thorns of lie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/honesty-whispers-don-t-get-pricked-by-the-thorns-of-lie/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [People always ask me, 'Where were you when Kennedy was shot?' Well, I don't have an alibi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/people-always-ask-me-where-were-you-when-kennedy-was-shot-well-i-don/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [“You met a guy in an alley, and he kissed you? Is he still alive, or do I need to provide you with an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-d-locke/you-met-a-guy-in-an-alley-and-he-kissed-you-is-he-still-alive-or-do-i/) [I.D. Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-d-locke/) > [“We must have one love, one great love in our life, since it gives us an alibi for all the moments when we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/we-must-have-one-love-one-great-love-in-our-life-since-it-gives-us-an/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Think and then act. Never act and then alibi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-iba/think-and-then-act-never-act-and-then-alibi/) [Henry Iba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-iba/) > [“The world turned and flung me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-iserson/the-world-turned-and-flung-me/) [David Iserson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-iserson/) > [“any particular idiot in mind?” “I do, indeed. If Tom was actually here on Monday, and he needed an alibi, well, man, he didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-grimes/any-particular-idiot-in-mind-i-do-indeed-if-tom-was-actually-here-on/) [Martha Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-grimes/) > [The public wouldn't like the perfect umpire in every game. It would kill off baseball's greatest alibi - 'We was robbed.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-evans/the-public-wouldn-t-like-the-perfect-umpire-in-every-game-it-would/) [Billy Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-evans/) > [A community is an alibi for the failure of individual love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/a-community-is-an-alibi-for-the-failure-of-individual-love/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [A is for Alibi, my first book, was published in 1982. 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I have a shadow self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/some-people-have-an-identity-i-have-an-alibi-i-have-a-shadow-self/) [Andre Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/) [Browse all 60 Alibi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alibi/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are whole years for which I hope I'll never be cross-examined, for I could not give an alibi.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mignon McLaughlin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/there-are-whole-years-for-which-i-hope-i-ll-never-be-cross-examined/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alibi" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/there-are-whole-years-for-which-i-hope-i-ll-never-be-cross-examined/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/657/mignon-mclaughlin-742_alibi_there-are-whole-years-for-which-i-hope-i_498844.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/657/mignon-mclaughlin-742_alibi_there-are-whole-years-for-which-i-hope-i_498844.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/657/mignon-mclaughlin-742_alibi_there-are-whole-years-for-which-i-hope-i_498844.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There are whole years for which I hope I'll never be cross-examined, for I could not give an alibi.” — Mignon McLaughlin", "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": "Mignon McLaughlin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There are whole years for which...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/there-are-whole-years-for-which-i-hope-i-ll-never-be-cross-examined/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/there-are-whole-years-for-which-i-hope-i-ll-never-be-cross-examined/#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 } } ] } ```