--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But it's hard to explain, Mitch. Now that…" description: "\"“But it's hard to explain, Mitch. Now that I'm suffering, I feel closer to people who suffer than I ever did before.. ..I feel their anguish as if it w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/962/mitch-albom-187_anguish_but-it-s-hard-to-explain-mitch-now-that_3109227.jpg" --- # But it's hard to explain, Mitch. Now that I'm suffering, I… ![“But it's hard to explain, Mitch. Now that I'm suffering, I feel closer to people who suffer than I ever did before.. ..I feel their anguish as if it were my own. I don't know any of these people. But - how can I put this? - I'm almost... drawn to them.” quote by Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/962/mitch-albom-187_anguish_but-it-s-hard-to-explain-mitch-now-that_3109227.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/962/mitch-albom-187_anguish_but-it-s-hard-to-explain-mitch-now-that_3109227.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/962/mitch-albom-187_anguish_but-it-s-hard-to-explain-mitch-now-that_3109227.jpg) > ““But it's hard to explain, Mitch. Now that I'm suffering, I feel closer to people who suffer than I ever did before.. ..I feel their anguish as if it were my own. I don't know any of these people. But - how can I put this? - I'm almost... drawn to them.”” [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suffering creates empathy, making one feel another’s pain as personal, even without prior connection. **In simple terms:** Pain creates deep empathy for strangers. Key Takeaway Cultivate compassion through shared hardship. Themes empathy shared suffering human connection compassion psychology Mood reflective empathetic Type narrative inspirational When to use this quote - hospital settings - grief counseling - support groups - disaster relief Key Concepts psychology philosophy literature Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance empathy and self‑care? - When does empathy become harmful? A Different Perspective Empathy can be overwhelming, leading to burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anguish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anguish/) [Hard To Explain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-to-explain/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) ## Related quotes > [Now that I'm suffering, I feel closer to people who suffer more than I ever did before. The other night, on TV, I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/now-that-i-m-suffering-i-feel-closer-to-people-who-suffer-more-than-i/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [A photograph can make you feel so many different things. When you look at war photographs of Vietnam, or something similar, it makes you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-testino/a-photograph-can-make-you-feel-so-many-different-things-when-you-look/) [Mario Testino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-testino/) > [To feel the anguish of waiting for the next moment and of taking part in the complex current (of affairs) not knowing that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frida-kahlo/to-feel-the-anguish-of-waiting-for-the-next-moment-and-of-taking-part/) [Frida Kahlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frida-kahlo/) > [There's really no question that there is an anguish associated with the inability to marry in this life. We feel for someone that has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-b-wickman/there-s-really-no-question-that-there-is-an-anguish-associated-with/) [Lance B. Wickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-b-wickman/) > [“We communed together a moment, one with the other—I was deeply fascinated. At our first encounter I am sure I had a nebulous presentiment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-loti/we-communed-together-a-moment-one-with-the-other-i-was-deeply/) [Pierre Loti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-loti/) > [I know parents across America remain sick with worry about the safety of their children. I feel that anguish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-mcbath/i-know-parents-across-america-remain-sick-with-worry-about-the-safety/) [Lucy McBath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-mcbath/) > [In dealing with those who are undergoing great suffering, if you feel "burnout" setting in, if you feel demoralized and exhausted, it is best,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/in-dealing-with-those-who-are-undergoing-great-suffering-if-you-feel/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [As far as I am concerned, the greatest suffering is to feel alone, unwanted, unloved. The greatest suffering is also having no one, forgetting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/as-far-as-i-am-concerned-the-greatest-suffering-is-to-feel-alone/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [I find it difficult to feel responsible for the suffering of others. That's why I find war so hard to bear. It's the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-find-it-difficult-to-feel-responsible-for-the-suffering-of-others/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [When your suffering is a little greater than my suffering I feel that I am a little cruel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/when-your-suffering-is-a-little-greater-than-my-suffering-i-feel-that/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [We are a feelingless people. If we could really feel, the pain would be so great that we would stop all the suffering. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-beck/we-are-a-feelingless-people-if-we-could-really-feel-the-pain-would-be-2/) [Julian Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-beck/) > [When I read stories of suffering, I still feel something. It seems inhuman not to. At the same time, I'm more aware than ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-brooks/when-i-read-stories-of-suffering-i-still-feel-something-it-seems/) [Kim Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-brooks/) > [“See confusion as confusion. Acknowledge suffering as suffering. Feel pain and sorrow and divisiveness. Experience anger or fear or shock for what they are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hagen/see-confusion-as-confusion-acknowledge-suffering-as-suffering-feel/) [Steve Hagen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hagen/) > [“She may not belong to my life, nor my name, nor my fate, yet if her presence awakens poise within my chaos and makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohmod-irfan-shah/she-may-not-belong-to-my-life-nor-my-name-nor-my-fate-yet-if-her/) Mohmod Irfan Shah > [You never really feel somebody's suffering. You only feel their death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-carney/you-never-really-feel-somebody-s-suffering-you-only-feel-their-death/) [Art Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-carney/) ## More by Mitch Albom > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [the words people do not speak are louder than the ones they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/the-words-people-do-not-speak-are-louder-than-the-ones-they-do/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“Once, lovers on faraway shores sat by candlelight and dipped ink to parchment, writing words that could not be erased. They took an evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/once-lovers-on-faraway-shores-sat-by-candlelight-and-dipped-ink-to/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [Giving to other people makes me feel alive. Not my car or my house. Not what I look like in the mirror. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/giving-to-other-people-makes-me-feel-alive-not-my-car-or-my-house-not/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [Life goes quickly, doesn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/life-goes-quickly-doesn-t-it/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [As children grow, they gravitate to their fates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/as-children-grow-they-gravitate-to-their-fates/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“If the only thing wrong with Moses is that he's not yours; if the only thing wrong with Jesus is that he's not yours;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/if-the-only-thing-wrong-with-moses-is-that-he-s-not-yours-if-the-only/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“Sometimes your kids will say the nastiest things, won't they, Rose? You want to ask,'Whose child is this?'" Rose chuckled. "But usually, they're just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/sometimes-your-kids-will-say-the-nastiest-things-won-t-they-rose-you/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“whisper their good-byes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/whisper-their-good-byes/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“I had also developed my own culture. Work. Over the years, I had taken labor as my companion and had moved everything else to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/i-had-also-developed-my-own-culture-work-over-the-years-i-had-taken/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [When we are most alone is when we embrace another's loneliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/when-we-are-most-alone-is-when-we-embrace-another-s-loneliness/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“You didn’t get it. Sacrifice is a part of life. It’s supposed to be. It’s not something to regret. It’s something to aspire to.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/you-didn-t-get-it-sacrifice-is-a-part-of-life-it-s-supposed-to-be-it/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [I give myself a good cry if I need it. But then I concentrate on the good things still in my life. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/i-give-myself-a-good-cry-if-i-need-it-but-then-i-concentrate-on-the/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [It was sad, the imbalance of it all. Why do kids assume so much from one parent and hold the other to a lower,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/it-was-sad-the-imbalance-of-it-all-why-do-kids-assume-so-much-from/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) [Explore all 962 Mitch Albom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) ## More Anguish quotes > [“He put his forehead against hers. “Alannah, my heart is yours.” He said softly. “And yet, I must hand it over to someone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-morin/he-put-his-forehead-against-hers-alannah-my-heart-is-yours-he-said/) [B.C. Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-morin/) > [Knowledge gives a wider choice and more anguish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-florman/knowledge-gives-a-wider-choice-and-more-anguish/) [Samuel Florman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-florman/) > [pg.9 "In my heart there's a peaceful anguish, and my calm is made of resignation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/pg-9-in-my-heart-there-s-a-peaceful-anguish-and-my-calm-is-made-of/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [Memory, with its fugitive adjustments, is the merciful veil to the grim enactments of the first law. It hides the anguish in the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-aumonier/memory-with-its-fugitive-adjustments-is-the-merciful-veil-to-the-grim/) [Stacy Aumonier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-aumonier/) > [Our religion is itself profoundly sad - a religion of universal anguish, and one which, because of its very catholicity, grants full liberty to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/our-religion-is-itself-profoundly-sad-a-religion-of-universal-anguish/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [Being human, we would expel from our lives physical pain and mental anguish and assure ourselves of continual ease and comfort, but if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/being-human-we-would-expel-from-our-lives-physical-pain-and-mental/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [The intellectuals' chief cause of anguish are one another's works. Jacques Barzun, 1959 all ignorance toboggans into know and trudges up to ignorance again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-cummings/the-intellectuals-chief-cause-of-anguish-are-one-another-s-works/) [e. e. cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-cummings/) > [I saw my parents as gods whose every wish must be obeyed or I would suffer the penalty of anguish and guilt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-wood/i-saw-my-parents-as-gods-whose-every-wish-must-be-obeyed-or-i-would/) [Natalie Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-wood/) > [Every last cast is actually a first cast. The first cast and first chance to catch the next fish. The next time you anguish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bishop/every-last-cast-is-actually-a-first-cast-the-first-cast-and-first/) [Tony Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bishop/) > [Journalism is an extraordinary and terrible privilege. Not by chance, if you are aware of it, does it consume you with a hundred feelings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oriana-fallaci/journalism-is-an-extraordinary-and-terrible-privilege-not-by-chance/) [Oriana Fallaci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oriana-fallaci/) > [I have discovered in my long life that there are many words and phrases which have more power than any spell of magick. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/i-have-discovered-in-my-long-life-that-there-are-many-words-and/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [One realizes that human relationships are the tragic necessity of human life; that they can never be wholly satisfactory, that every ego is half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/one-realizes-that-human-relationships-are-the-tragic-necessity-of/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [I have designed my style pantomimes as white ink drawings on black backgrounds, so that man's destiny appears as a thread lost in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-marceau/i-have-designed-my-style-pantomimes-as-white-ink-drawings-on-black/) [Marcel Marceau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-marceau/) > [So silently, peacefully, without hurry, without any tension, without any anguish, move into yourself instantly. It is urgent. Unless meditation becomes urgent to you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/so-silently-peacefully-without-hurry-without-any-tension-without-any/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [It breaks my heart to think about a family weeping over the loss of a loved one. I understand the anguish that some feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-bush/it-breaks-my-heart-to-think-about-a-family-weeping-over-the-loss-of-a/) [George P. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-bush/) [Browse all 570 Anguish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anguish/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But it's hard to explain, Mitch. Now that I'm suffering, I feel closer to people who suffer than I ever did before.. ..I feel their anguish as if it were my own. I don't know any of these people. 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