--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The hardest thing usually to leave…" description: "\"The hardest thing usually to leave behind, as was the case now, can loosely be called the conscience.\" — Norman Maclean" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/norman-maclean-10625_behinds_the-hardest-thing-usually-to-leave-behin_2924616.jpg" --- # The hardest thing usually to leave behind, as was the case… ![“The hardest thing usually to leave behind, as was the case now, can loosely be called the conscience.” quote by Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/norman-maclean-10625_behinds_the-hardest-thing-usually-to-leave-behin_2924616.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/norman-maclean-10625_behinds_the-hardest-thing-usually-to-leave-behin_2924616.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/norman-maclean-10625_behinds_the-hardest-thing-usually-to-leave-behin_2924616.jpg) > “The hardest thing usually to leave behind, as was the case now, can loosely be called the conscience.” [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reflects that leaving behind one's conscience is a profound, often painful, personal loss. **In simple terms:** Losing conscience is deeply painful. Key Takeaway Guard your moral compass. Themes morality loss self‑reflection inner conflict Mood reflective somber Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - career change - ethical dilemmas - personal crises - relationship breakdowns Key Concepts ethical integrity personal identity psychological burden Questions to Reflect On - What does your conscience tell you now? - How can you restore lost integrity? A Different Perspective Conscience can be regained through reflection and action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) ## Related quotes > [Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire, called conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/labor-to-keep-alive-in-your-breast-that-little-spark-of-celestial/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [“I picked up a rare disease called conscience" … "That can often turn fatal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-bester/i-picked-up-a-rare-disease-called-conscience-that-can-often-turn-fatal/) [Alfred Bester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-bester/) > [There is nothing in the whole frame of man which seems to me so unaccountable as that thing called conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/there-is-nothing-in-the-whole-frame-of-man-which-seems-to-me-so/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [Control cannot be called conscience until we are able to take it inside us and make it our own, until--in spite of the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-viorst/control-cannot-be-called-conscience-until-we-are-able-to-take-it/) [Judith Viorst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-viorst/) > [I usually leave my memories behind... because it has nothing to do with my future...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-shahyn/i-usually-leave-my-memories-behind-because-it-has-nothing-to-do-with/) [Ahmed Shahyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-shahyn/) > [Usually I have to leave parties early - just when the action is beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evonne-goolagong-cawley/usually-i-have-to-leave-parties-early-just-when-the-action-is/) [Evonne Goolagong Cawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evonne-goolagong-cawley/) > [I mean, I tend to do my own thing, and that usually crosses purposes with everyone around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-manson/i-mean-i-tend-to-do-my-own-thing-and-that-usually-crosses-purposes/) [Shirley Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-manson/) > [If you don't know why you like a thing, it is usually worth your while to attempt to find out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bowles/if-you-don-t-know-why-you-like-a-thing-it-is-usually-worth-your-while/) [Paul Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bowles/) > [The right thing to do and the hard thing to do are usually the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/the-right-thing-to-do-and-the-hard-thing-to-do-are-usually-the-same-2/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [I'm more European than anything. 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Usually I leave the room for the auction and try to chill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-israel/by-the-time-i-m-done-with-my-show-i-m-in-never-never-land-usually-i/) [Michael Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-israel/) > [I was in good shape from Divergent. Damien Chazelle, the director of Whiplash told me, ‘Stop Working Out! Don’t go outside!’ He wanted me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-teller/i-was-in-good-shape-from-divergent-damien-chazelle-the-director-of/) [Miles Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-teller/) ## More by Norman Maclean > [At the time I did not know that stories of life are often more like rivers than books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/at-the-time-i-did-not-know-that-stories-of-life-are-often-more-like/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“In this story of the outside world and the inside world with a fire between, the outside world of little screwups recedes now for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/in-this-story-of-the-outside-world-and-the-inside-world-with-a-fire/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“I hope there are others also who don't mind trees.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/i-hope-there-are-others-also-who-don-t-mind-trees/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [Probably most catastrophes end this way without an ending, the dead not even knowing how they died...,those who loved them forever questioning "this unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/probably-most-catastrophes-end-this-way-without-an-ending-the-dead/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [If our father had had his way, nobody who did not know how to fish would be allowed to disgrace a fish by catching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/if-our-father-had-had-his-way-nobody-who-did-not-know-how-to-fish/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [I knew that, when needed, mountains would move for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/i-knew-that-when-needed-mountains-would-move-for-me/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“I sat there and forgot and forgot, until what remained was the river that went by and I who watched... Eventually the watcher joined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/i-sat-there-and-forgot-and-forgot-until-what-remained-was-the-river/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [It is those we live with and love and should know who elude us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/it-is-those-we-live-with-and-love-and-should-know-who-elude-us/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [Unless we are willing to escape into sentimentality or fantasy, often the best we can do with catastrophes, even our own, is to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/unless-we-are-willing-to-escape-into-sentimentality-or-fantasy-often/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [As for my father, I never knew whether he believed God was a mathematician but he certainly believed God could count and that only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/as-for-my-father-i-never-knew-whether-he-believed-god-was-a/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [At sunrise everything is luminous but not clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/at-sunrise-everything-is-luminous-but-not-clear/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“On the Big Blackfoot River above the mouth of Belmont Creek the banks are fringed by large Ponderosa pines. In the slanting sun of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/on-the-big-blackfoot-river-above-the-mouth-of-belmont-creek-the-banks/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [Of course, now I am too old to be much of a fisherman, and now of course I usually fish the big waters alone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/of-course-now-i-am-too-old-to-be-much-of-a-fisherman-and-now-of/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“...it is not fly fishing if you are not looking for answers to questions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/it-is-not-fly-fishing-if-you-are-not-looking-for-answers-to-questions/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/eventually-all-things-merge-into-one-and-a-river-runs-through-it-the/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) [Explore all 64 Norman Maclean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) ## More Behinds quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. 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If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm really thankful to God, man. Like now, I'm really making a real comeback with my group. 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Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The hardest thing usually to leave behind, as was the case now, can loosely be called the conscience.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Norman Maclean" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/the-hardest-thing-usually-to-leave-behind-as-was-the-case-now-can/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behinds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/the-hardest-thing-usually-to-leave-behind-as-was-the-case-now-can/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/norman-maclean-10625_behinds_the-hardest-thing-usually-to-leave-behin_2924616.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/norman-maclean-10625_behinds_the-hardest-thing-usually-to-leave-behin_2924616.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/norman-maclean-10625_behinds_the-hardest-thing-usually-to-leave-behin_2924616.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The hardest thing usually to leave behind, as was the case now, can loosely be called the conscience.” — Norman Maclean", "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": "Norman Maclean", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The hardest thing usually to leave...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/the-hardest-thing-usually-to-leave-behind-as-was-the-case-now-can/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/the-hardest-thing-usually-to-leave-behind-as-was-the-case-now-can/#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 } } ] } ```