--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...because once you've got one scar on…" description: "\"“...because once you've got one scar on your face or your heart, its only a matter of time before someone gives you another - and another - until a day..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7d/nick-cave-1153_matter-of-time_because-once-you-ve-got-one-scar-on-your_1464732.jpg" --- # ...because once you've got one scar on your face or your… ![“...because once you've got one scar on your face or your heart, its only a matter of time before someone gives you another - and another - until a day doesn't go by when you aren't being bashed senseless, nor a town that you haven't been run out of, and you get to be such a goddamn mess that…” quote by Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7d/nick-cave-1153_matter-of-time_because-once-you-ve-got-one-scar-on-your_1464732.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7d/nick-cave-1153_matter-of-time_because-once-you-ve-got-one-scar-on-your_1464732.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7d/nick-cave-1153_matter-of-time_because-once-you-ve-got-one-scar-on-your_1464732.jpg) > ““...because once you've got one scar on your face or your heart, its only a matter of time before someone gives you another - and another - until a day doesn't go by when you aren't being bashed senseless, nor a town that you haven't been run out of, and you get to be such a goddamn mess that finally it doesn't feel right unless you're getting the Christ beaten out of you - amd within a year of that first damming fall, those first down borne fists, your first run out, you wind up with flies buzzing around your eyes, back at the same place, the same town, deader than when you left, bobbiong around in the swill - a dirty deadbeat whore in a roadside ditch. But a little part of you deosn't die. A little part of you lives on. And you make an orphan of that corrupt and contemtible part, dumping it right smack in the laps of the ones who first robbed you of your sweetness, for it is the wicked fruit of their crimes, it is their blood, their sin, it belongs there, this child of blood, this spawn of sin...”” [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Enduring trauma can fragment identity, yet a resilient core persists, shaping how we confront ongoing suffering. **In simple terms:** Pain can split you, but a core survives. Key Takeaway Recognize and nurture the surviving self. Themes trauma identity resilience Mood dark intense Type literary emotional When to use this quote - recovering from abuse - seeking therapy - support groups - personal healing Key Concepts psychology survivor narrative Questions to Reflect On - How do you protect your core self in hardship? - What helps you heal after repeated pain? A Different Perspective The quote may glorify suffering, potentially romanticizing trauma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Matter of time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-of-time/) [Scar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scar/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [(...the non-conformist, how do you keep from getting scarred?)/i don’t! i got a scar here…and uh i got a scar on my knee…and uh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-brando/the-non-conformist-how-do-you-keep-from-getting-scarred-i-don-t-i-got/) [Marlon Brando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-brando/) > [This is how sad my life is: I got a scar from scratching my chicken pox too much. That's my big scar story. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/this-is-how-sad-my-life-is-i-got-a-scar-from-scratching-my-chicken/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [hat made me feel uncomfortable. People would be like, "Woah, that's crazy!," or they'd look at me really funny, but it also helped because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinsel-korey/hat-made-me-feel-uncomfortable-people-would-be-like-woah-that-s-crazy/) [Tinsel Korey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinsel-korey/) > [Blood sin and desecration of the race are the original sin in this world and the end of a humanity which surrenders to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/blood-sin-and-desecration-of-the-race-are-the-original-sin-in-this/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [“And now we also have liberty to enter through the Blood. Sin took away our liberty of approach to God, the Blood perfectly restores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-murray/and-now-we-also-have-liberty-to-enter-through-the-blood-sin-took-away/) [Andrew Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-murray/) > [“What about the scar … in my face.” He managed to force out, couldn’t find the words, no better nor easier way to ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-voinov/what-about-the-scar-in-my-face-he-managed-to-force-out-couldn-t-find/) [Aleksandr Voinov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-voinov/) > [I got scars on my face that tell some kind of story. I'm looking in the mirror, and I got one scar that's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kristofferson/i-got-scars-on-my-face-that-tell-some-kind-of-story-i-m-looking-in/) [Kris Kristofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kristofferson/) > [I've got a scar on my shin from when I got shot in New York when I was 17. I was outside a McDonald's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laila-rouass/i-ve-got-a-scar-on-my-shin-from-when-i-got-shot-in-new-york-when-i/) [Laila Rouass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laila-rouass/) > [Every scar in my face is worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/every-scar-in-my-face-is-worth-it/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [You all know how I got this scar. Maybe Joe Profaci, here...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucky-luciano/you-all-know-how-i-got-this-scar-maybe-joe-profaci-here/) [Lucky Luciano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucky-luciano/) > [“I got wiring loose inside my head I got books that I never ever read I got secrets in my garden shed I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/i-got-wiring-loose-inside-my-head-i-got-books-that-i-never-ever-read/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [I didn't have time to worry about the great big scar on my face, I just had to be relieved I hadn't been stabbed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gray/i-didn-t-have-time-to-worry-about-the-great-big-scar-on-my-face-i/) [Andre Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gray/) > [It's hard to find a unique look for a Batman villain. Everything like a scar on the face, or a skin condition, there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-king/it-s-hard-to-find-a-unique-look-for-a-batman-villain-everything-like/) [Tom King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-king/) > [Something you didn't know,I have a light scar on my face(Right side) That goes close to my ear to close to my mouth. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-laura/something-you-didn-t-know-i-have-a-light-scar-on-my-face-right-side/) [Jasmine Laura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-laura/) > [He's got everything. He' not a great player yet because he hasn't won any major championships, but it's a matter of time. He's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-price/he-s-got-everything-he-not-a-great-player-yet-because-he-hasn-t-won/) Nick Price ## More by Nick Cave > [Texting is apocalyptic on some level. It's a reduction of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/texting-is-apocalyptic-on-some-level-it-s-a-reduction-of-things/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [“And I know why our friendship must be kept a secret. Or they will kill You like they killed You in the Bible. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/and-i-know-why-our-friendship-must-be-kept-a-secret-or-they-will-kill/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [I want to write songs that are so sad, the kind of sad where you take someone's little finger and break it in three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-want-to-write-songs-that-are-so-sad-the-kind-of-sad-where-you-take/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [“Through these days Bunny made increasingly frequent and protracted visits to the bathroom, beating off with a single-minded savagery intense even by Bunny's standards.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/through-these-days-bunny-made-increasingly-frequent-and-protracted/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [Personally I find the story of Christ incredibly moving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/personally-i-find-the-story-of-christ-incredibly-moving/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [ That's what we \[outsiders\] feel America is really about - the kind of crazed ravings of the Christian right - when it's probably something… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/that-s-what-we-outsiders-feel-america-is-really-about-the-kind-of/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [“My relationship with my muse is a delicate one at the best of times and I feel that it is my duty to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/my-relationship-with-my-muse-is-a-delicate-one-at-the-best-of-times/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [I'm kind of old-school and love nothing more than sitting, opening a book, and reading it. But I also love listening to audio books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-m-kind-of-old-school-and-love-nothing-more-than-sitting-opening-a/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [Early on I realized when you write a song about someone, it flatters them on some level, and gives you a lot of room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/early-on-i-realized-when-you-write-a-song-about-someone-it-flatters/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [My father was a teacher and my mother also worked in the school, so the family has a background in education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/my-father-was-a-teacher-and-my-mother-also-worked-in-the-school-so/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [I think it's an essential fact for any performer or artist to fail as poignantly as they can succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-think-it-s-an-essential-fact-for-any-performer-or-artist-to-fail-as/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [To my undying shame, I do read reviews. I don't read them all, but I like to get some kind of idea how things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/to-my-undying-shame-i-do-read-reviews-i-don-t-read-them-all-but-i/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [Brother, be a brother, fill this tiny cup of mine. And please, sir, make it whiskey: I have no head for wine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/brother-be-a-brother-fill-this-tiny-cup-of-mine-and-please-sir-make/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [When you've been initiated, you can stand in the world differently. And I think it is up to all of us, we can have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/when-you-ve-been-initiated-you-can-stand-in-the-world-differently-and/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [Polly Jean, I love you. I love the texture of your skin, the taste of your saliva, the softness of your ears. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/polly-jean-i-love-you-i-love-the-texture-of-your-skin-the-taste-of/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) [Explore all 280 Nick Cave quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) ## More Matter of time quotes > [He's got everything. He' not a great player yet because he hasn't won any major championships, but it's a matter of time. He's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-price/he-s-got-everything-he-not-a-great-player-yet-because-he-hasn-t-won/) Nick Price > [Being a display pilot is probably the thing I've been most proud of in my life. Don't really fly anymore now though. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-numan/being-a-display-pilot-is-probably-the-thing-i-ve-been-most-proud-of/) [Gary Numan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-numan/) > [“If you’re subjected to enough great salesmen and salespitches and marketing concepts for long enough—like from your earliest Saturday-morning cartoons, let’s say—it is only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/if-you-re-subjected-to-enough-great-salesmen-and-salespitches-and/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [There's a weak link in every chain. And it's just a matter of time before this one snaps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gossip-girl/there-s-a-weak-link-in-every-chain-and-it-s-just-a-matter-of-time/) [Gossip Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gossip-girl/) > [I mis you so much much ,i know you so far how I wish you were here with me ...how you wish I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iam-winston/i-mis-you-so-much-much-i-know-you-so-far-how-i-wish-you-were-here/) Iam Winston > [Shortly after he became the first Muslim to attend cabinet, I urged Sadiq Khan to be prepared. The Islamophobes, the new McCarthyites, would at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehdi-hasan/shortly-after-he-became-the-first-muslim-to-attend-cabinet-i-urged/) [Mehdi Hasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehdi-hasan/) > [I live a much better life without having to worry about people chasing me. I spent five years in prison from 21 to 26,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-abagnale/i-live-a-much-better-life-without-having-to-worry-about-people/) [Frank Abagnale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-abagnale/) > [She explained that many people, but especially women, feel fraudulent when they are praised for their accomplishments. Instead of feeling worthy of recognition, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/she-explained-that-many-people-but-especially-women-feel-fraudulent/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Though I would have liked my chances in a rematch in 1998 if I were better prepared, it was clear then that computer superiority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/though-i-would-have-liked-my-chances-in-a-rematch-in-1998-if-i-were/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [Theoretically, there are planets with an environment that can support life. As yet there is no evidence that there indeed is life on other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-sharma/theoretically-there-are-planets-with-an-environment-that-can-support/) [Rakesh Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-sharma/) > [Perhaps the single most important element in mastering the techniques and tactics of racing is experience. But once you have the fundamentals, acquiring the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/perhaps-the-single-most-important-element-in-mastering-the-techniques/) [Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) > [“When you know what you know, live life in a transformed living, it's only a matter of time before people ask……what is your secret?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-frost/when-you-know-what-you-know-live-life-in-a-transformed-living-it-s/) [Anita Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-frost/) > [“For years, he’s been listening to her complain about being ignored by Justin and assuring it her it was simply a matter of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-strohmeyer/for-years-he-s-been-listening-to-her-complain-about-being-ignored-by/) [Sarah Strohmeyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-strohmeyer/) > [It's only a matter of time until Facebook adds 'Friend-zoned' as a relationship status.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-only-a-matter-of-time-until-facebook-adds-friend-zoned-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As long as is not the end of the world, situation are meant to change, no matter what you going through wont last forever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaze-olamiday/as-long-as-is-not-the-end-of-the-world-situation-are-meant-to-change/) [Blaze Olamiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaze-olamiday/) [Browse all 321 Matter of time quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-of-time/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“...because once you've got one scar on your face or your heart, its only a matter of time before someone gives you another - and another - until a day doesn't go by when you aren't being bashed senseless, nor a town that you haven't been run out of, and you get to be such a goddamn mess that finally it doesn't feel right unless you're getting the Christ beaten out of you - amd within a year of that first damming fall, those first down borne fists, your first run out, you wind up with flies buzzing around your eyes, back at the same place, the same town, deader than when you left, bobbiong around in the swill - a dirty deadbeat whore in a roadside ditch. 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