--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's only horrible if you see it that…" description: "\"“It's only horrible if you see it that way,\" Morrie said. \"It's horrible to watch my body slowly wilt away to nothing. But it's also wonderful because ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f92/mitch-albom-187_body_it-s-only-horrible-if-you-see-it-that-wa_3009146.png" --- # It's only horrible if you see it that way," Morrie said… ![“It's only horrible if you see it that way," Morrie said. "It's horrible to watch my body slowly wilt away to nothing. But it's also wonderful because of all the time I get to say good-bye." He smiled. "Not everyone is so lucky.” quote by Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f92/mitch-albom-187_body_it-s-only-horrible-if-you-see-it-that-wa_3009146.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f92/mitch-albom-187_body_it-s-only-horrible-if-you-see-it-that-wa_3009146.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f92/mitch-albom-187_body_it-s-only-horrible-if-you-see-it-that-wa_3009146.png) > ““It's only horrible if you see it that way," Morrie said. "It's horrible to watch my body slowly wilt away to nothing. But it's also wonderful because of all the time I get to say good-bye." He smiled. "Not everyone is so lucky.”” [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. Facing mortality can be both painful and rewarding, as it forces us to confront loss while appreciating the time we have left. **In simple terms:** Death is painful but can bring appreciation for remaining time. Key Takeaway Embrace each moment, even in hardship. Themes mortality appreciation acceptance Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - terminal illness - caregiving - end‑of‑life conversations Key Concepts existentialism gratitude Questions to Reflect On - How do you find meaning when facing loss? - What moments become more precious? A Different Perspective Grieving may overwhelm and hinder appreciation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Bye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bye/) [Bye Smiled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bye-smiled-4816944/) [Dying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dying/) [Horrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horrible/) [Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [Morrie Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morrie-said-3040919/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Slow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slow/) [Slowly Wilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slowly-wilt-4816946/) [Smiled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smiled/) [Smiled Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smiled-lucky-4816945/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wilt/) ## Related quotes > [Right before I was escorted to the jail, Fawn waved bye bye to me. I smiled. My empty, pointless life for hers. Not bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-v-snyder/right-before-i-was-escorted-to-the-jail-fawn-waved-bye-bye-to-me-i/) [Maria V. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-v-snyder/) > [“Love each other or perish," Morrie said. "It's good, no? And it's so true. Without love, we are birds with broken wings”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/love-each-other-or-perish-morrie-said-it-s-good-no-and-it-s-so-true/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“He mentioned a dear friend Morrie had, Maurie Stein, who had first sent Morrie's aphorisms to the Boston Globe. They had been together at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-mentioned-a-dear-friend-morrie-had-maurie-stein-who-had-first-sent/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“And on a cold Sunday afternoon, he was joined in his home by a small group of friends and family for a 'living funeral'.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/and-on-a-cold-sunday-afternoon-he-was-joined-in-his-home-by-a-small/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“I remembered what Morrie said during our visit: “The culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. And you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/i-remembered-what-morrie-said-during-our-visit-the-culture-we-have/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [There's a big confusion in this country over what we want versus what we need," Morrie said. "You need food, you want a chocolate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/there-s-a-big-confusion-in-this-country-over-what-we-want-versus-what/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [All I was afraid of is saying good-bye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/all-i-was-afraid-of-is-saying-good-bye/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“There is a time for hello and a time for good-bye. It's why the act of burying things seems natural, but the act of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/there-is-a-time-for-hello-and-a-time-for-good-bye-it-s-why-the-act-of/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [Grant what Thou commandest, and command what Thou wilt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/grant-what-thou-commandest-and-command-what-thou-wilt/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Prejudice is a house-plant which is very apt to wilt if you take it out-of-doors among folks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/prejudice-is-a-house-plant-which-is-very-apt-to-wilt-if-you-take-it/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [You will probably be hearing more about this schoolboy. His name is Wilt Chamberlain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cassidy/you-will-probably-be-hearing-more-about-this-schoolboy-his-name-is/) [Ted Cassidy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cassidy/) > [“Jaska straightened, though his whole person seemed to wilt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-n-holmberg/jaska-straightened-though-his-whole-person-seemed-to-wilt/) [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) > [There is no excuse for a well-dressed gent to wilt in the warm months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-stone/there-is-no-excuse-for-a-well-dressed-gent-to-wilt-in-the-warm-months/) [Roger Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-stone/) > [If your destiny stems from our name then I weep for the flower named wilt...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-your-destiny-stems-from-our-name-then-i-weep-for-the-flower-named/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We all bloom to wilt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlet-clearwater/we-all-bloom-to-wilt/) [Scarlet Clearwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlet-clearwater/) ## 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 Body quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [The very purpose for being in this body, for every one of us, is to live and rejoice in that virgin area, that untouched,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/the-very-purpose-for-being-in-this-body-for-every-one-of-us-is-to/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) [Jennifer Siebel Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-siebel-newsom/) > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [If japa is maintained, no useless talk during work will be possible. The mind will always remain peaceful. Modern day diseases are mostly psychosomatic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/if-japa-is-maintained-no-useless-talk-during-work-will-be-possible/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [It is the incongruous thing in my entire life, this isolation.. ... My work requires it - but I myself have no need or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/it-is-the-incongruous-thing-in-my-entire-life-this-isolation-my-work/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) [Browse all 20,814 Body quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It's only horrible if you see it that way,\" Morrie said. \"It's horrible to watch my body slowly wilt away to nothing. But it's also wonderful because of all the time I get to say good-bye.\" He smiled. \"Not everyone is so lucky.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mitch Albom" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/it-s-only-horrible-if-you-see-it-that-way-morrie-said-it-s-horrible/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Body" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/it-s-only-horrible-if-you-see-it-that-way-morrie-said-it-s-horrible/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f92/mitch-albom-187_body_it-s-only-horrible-if-you-see-it-that-wa_3009146.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f92/mitch-albom-187_body_it-s-only-horrible-if-you-see-it-that-wa_3009146.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f92/mitch-albom-187_body_it-s-only-horrible-if-you-see-it-that-wa_3009146.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's only horrible if you see it that way,\" Morrie said. \"It's horrible to watch my body slowly wilt away to…” — Mitch Albom", "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": "Mitch Albom", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It's only horrible if you see...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/it-s-only-horrible-if-you-see-it-that-way-morrie-said-it-s-horrible/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/it-s-only-horrible-if-you-see-it-that-way-morrie-said-it-s-horrible/#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 } } ] } ```