--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He had lived a very long time, and only…" description: "\"He had lived a very long time, and only since he gained Anna had he learned to fear. He’d discovered that he had never been brave before—just indiffere..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c9/patricia-briggs-571_anna_he-had-lived-a-very-long-time-and-only-s_2932485.png" --- # He had lived a very long time, and only since he gained… ![“He had lived a very long time, and only since he gained Anna had he learned to fear. He’d discovered that he had never been brave before—just indifferent. She had taught him that to be brave, you have to fear losing something.” quote by Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c9/patricia-briggs-571_anna_he-had-lived-a-very-long-time-and-only-s_2932485.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c9/patricia-briggs-571_anna_he-had-lived-a-very-long-time-and-only-s_2932485.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c9/patricia-briggs-571_anna_he-had-lived-a-very-long-time-and-only-s_2932485.png) > “He had lived a very long time, and only since he gained Anna had he learned to fear. He’d discovered that he had never been brave before—just indifferent. She had taught him that to be brave, you have to fear losing something.” [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He learns that true bravery arises from caring about loss, not from indifference. **In simple terms:** Bravery comes from fearing loss. Key Takeaway Value what you love. Themes courage love fear growth Mood reflective hopeful Type narrative inspirational When to use this quote - relationships - personal growth - conflict resolution Key Concepts emotional attachment personal transformation Questions to Reflect On - What does fear teach you about what matters? - How can love motivate courage? A Different Perspective Fear can also paralyze action if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“She could tell people what to do and sound authoritative, even if underneath it all was a fear of being discovered, found out, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-davis/she-could-tell-people-what-to-do-and-sound-authoritative-even-if/) [Fiona Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-davis/) > [“You taught me to be brave again, Nate.' I swiped at the tears, my heart catching painfully as his eyes seared into mine. 'How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-young/you-taught-me-to-be-brave-again-nate-i-swiped-at-the-tears-my-heart/) [Samantha Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-young/) > [My parents taught me to be brave and to do what was right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-redman/my-parents-taught-me-to-be-brave-and-to-do-what-was-right/) [Amanda Redman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-redman/) > [“CHR. True or right fear is discovered by three things:-- 1. By its rise; it is caused by saving convictions for sin. 2. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/chr-true-or-right-fear-is-discovered-by-three-things-1-by-its-rise-it/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [We can't be brave without fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/we-can-t-be-brave-without-fear/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I am brave, still with a fear, a fear of what will happen if life would take a long time still…fearful of life, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/i-am-brave-still-with-a-fear-a-fear-of-what-will-happen-if-life-would/) Senoraroy > [“One cannot be brave who has no fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/one-cannot-be-brave-who-has-no-fear/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) > [Courage comes by being brave; fear comes by holding back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/courage-comes-by-being-brave-fear-comes-by-holding-back/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [“Fear is nothing to be ashamed of. It keeps us alive more often than not. Gives us caution, spares us pain. It can also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-j-himes/fear-is-nothing-to-be-ashamed-of-it-keeps-us-alive-more-often-than/) [S.J. Himes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-j-himes/) > [It is fear and terror that make all men brave, except the philosophers. Yet it is illogical to be brave through fear and cowardice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/it-is-fear-and-terror-that-make-all-men-brave-except-the-philosophers/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [You cannot be brave without fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mellody-hobson/you-cannot-be-brave-without-fear/) [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) > [I've learned that fear limits you and your vision. It serves as blinders to what may be just a few steps down the road…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/i-ve-learned-that-fear-limits-you-and-your-vision-it-serves-as/) [Soledad O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soledad-o-brien/) > [I have learned that if you fear God, you have no one else to fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-cromwell/i-have-learned-that-if-you-fear-god-you-have-no-one-else-to-fear/) [Oliver Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-cromwell/) > [I learned not to fear infinity, The far field, the windy cliffs of forever, The dying of time in the white light of tomorrow,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-learned-not-to-fear-infinity-the-far-field-the-windy-cliffs-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But I've grown thoughtful now. And you have lost Your early-morning freshness of surprise At being so utterly mine: you've learned to fear The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siegfried-sassoon/but-i-ve-grown-thoughtful-now-and-you-have-lost-your-early-morning/) [Siegfried Sassoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siegfried-sassoon/) ## More by Patricia Briggs > [“His favorite saying was, 'Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum europe vincendarum." "'Sometimes I have the urge to conquer large parts of Europe'?" Boyd said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/his-favorite-saying-was-interdum-feror-cupidine-partium-magnarum/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“I break things, a lot of things, but I don’t want one of them to be you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-break-things-a-lot-of-things-but-i-don-t-want-one-of-them-to-be-you/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [He was obviously dead. But since he was a vampire that wasn't as hopless a thing as it might have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/he-was-obviously-dead-but-since-he-was-a-vampire-that-wasn-t-as/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Stefan: "Indian with a dot, not a feather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/stefan-indian-with-a-dot-not-a-feather/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“want to. Adam wasn’t angry. He wouldn’t hurt me. I let him pull the power of his pack over me like a warm”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/want-to-adam-wasn-t-angry-he-wouldn-t-hurt-me-i-let-him-pull-the/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“I promise I won't spank you," he told me, his voice rough and low as he added, "not unless you ask me to." 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I grabbed the hand and rotated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-paused-to-pat-the-truck-s-hood-gently-in-apology-when-someone-put/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [In this dream, I wasn’t a coyote shapeshifter trying to hold a werewolf, I was Coyote’s almost daughter, and I had all the strength…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/in-this-dream-i-wasn-t-a-coyote-shapeshifter-trying-to-hold-a/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“She hit us,” the woman shrieked. That was the gist of it anyway. There were a lot of unladylike words that began with “F,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/she-hit-us-the-woman-shrieked-that-was-the-gist-of-it-anyway-there/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Charles was most comfortable by himself or, if that wasn't possible, with his pack in the wild. Talking for hours in a crowded auditorium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/charles-was-most-comfortable-by-himself-or-if-that-wasn-t-possible/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Evil must always be fought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/evil-must-always-be-fought/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“Beauclaire, for his part, sank back in the soft material of the couch as if the thought that it would impede him should he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/beauclaire-for-his-part-sank-back-in-the-soft-material-of-the-couch/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [What do you mean?” Leslie’s voice was cool, as if she questioned witches who were flat on their backs being threatened by werewolves every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/what-do-you-mean-leslie-s-voice-was-cool-as-if-she-questioned-witches/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [I am not attempting to preserve culture, or record actual events or stories. Instead I bow my head in gratitude to those storytellers who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-am-not-attempting-to-preserve-culture-or-record-actual-events-or/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) [Explore all 467 Patricia Briggs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) ## More Anna quotes > [I've been connected to the most culturally important albums of the past four years, the most influential artists of the past ten years. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/i-ve-been-connected-to-the-most-culturally-important-albums-of-the/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [Anna Petrovna: Never talk to women about your own good qualities. Let them find out for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/anna-petrovna-never-talk-to-women-about-your-own-good-qualities-let/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [“I stole glances at Kaidan's bare skin while the others were busy talking. That's my boyfriend right there, I silently announced.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-higgins/i-stole-glances-at-kaidan-s-bare-skin-while-the-others-were-busy/) [Wendy Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-higgins/) > [On Sergei Fedorov's breaking three sticks on Dallas players: I don't know if Anna (Kournikova) told him to get tougher or what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-modano/on-sergei-fedorov-s-breaking-three-sticks-on-dallas-players-i-don-t/) Mike Modano > [“Where are we going?” she asked. “Mr. Durbin’s sheep have begun to lamb, and I wanted to see how the ewes are doing.” He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hoyt/where-are-we-going-she-asked-mr-durbin-s-sheep-have-begun-to-lamb-and/) [Elizabeth Hoyt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hoyt/) > [In fiction, imaginary people become realer to us than any named celebrity glimpsed in a series of rumored events, whose causes and subtler ramifications…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/in-fiction-imaginary-people-become-realer-to-us-than-any-named/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“Girls, on the other hand, have always come easy. I don't know why that is, exactly. Maybe it's the outsider vibe and a well-placed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/girls-on-the-other-hand-have-always-come-easy-i-don-t-know-why-that/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [Anna would be just as happy with me if I were a plumber. As a matter of fact, when she married me, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/anna-would-be-just-as-happy-with-me-if-i-were-a-plumber-as-a-matter/) [Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/) > [“I suppose that means you don’t want any band-aids, either,” I said, a touch more bitterly than I’d meant to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-richards/i-suppose-that-means-you-don-t-want-any-band-aids-either-i-said-a/) [J.M. Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-richards/) > [“My physical eyes are like sunglasses, filtering out the colors, but when I'm out here, the aura that emanates from every living thing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-rosati/my-physical-eyes-are-like-sunglasses-filtering-out-the-colors-but/) Gina Rosati > [“I'm a little distracted by this English French American Boy Masterpiece.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/i-m-a-little-distracted-by-this-english-french-american-boy/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“Anna is the sort of woman who writers write about, Tom. Somewhere in the third act, women like her save characters like you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-norman/anna-is-the-sort-of-woman-who-writers-write-about-tom-somewhere-in/) [Matthew Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-norman/) > [I'm really glad that I'm not Anna because I don't want to be there again. I've been there. But when something does happen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-nicks/i-m-really-glad-that-i-m-not-anna-because-i-don-t-want-to-be-there/) [Stevie Nicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-nicks/) > [“The whole of that day Anna spent at home, that's to say at the Oblonskys', and received no one, though some of her acquaintances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-whole-of-that-day-anna-spent-at-home-that-s-to-say-at-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The most common thing that I get is, ‘Am I the only one who doesn’t think that Anna Kendrick is pretty? And youre like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-kendrick/the-most-common-thing-that-i-get-is-am-i-the-only-one-who-doesn-t/) [Anna Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-kendrick/) Browse all 351 Anna quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He had lived a very long time, and only since he gained Anna had he learned to fear. He’d discovered that he had never been brave before—just indifferent. 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