---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: but he misses it, the running. Trapped in…"
description: "\"“but he misses it, the running. Trapped in this house, he misses it more than ever. Misses the rhythm of it, the way his breathing eventually just slot..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/patrick-ness-449_running-quotes_but-he-misses-it-the-running-trapped-in_1090566.jpg"
---

#  but he misses it, the running. Trapped in this house, he…

![“but he misses it, the running. Trapped in this house, he misses it more than ever. Misses the rhythm of it, the way his breathing eventually just slotted into place, the way the world kind of fell toward him, like he was standing still and the whole planet was turning underneath him instead. It…” quote by Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/patrick-ness-449_running-quotes_but-he-misses-it-the-running-trapped-in_1090566.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/patrick-ness-449_running-quotes_but-he-misses-it-the-running-trapped-in_1090566.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/patrick-ness-449_running-quotes_but-he-misses-it-the-running-trapped-in_1090566.jpg)

> ““but he misses it, the running. Trapped in this house, he misses it more than ever. Misses the rhythm of it, the way his breathing eventually just slotted into place, the way the world kind of fell toward him, like he was standing still and the whole planet was turning underneath him instead. It was solitude, but it was solitude that wasn’t lonely. Solitude that could sort things out. And he hadn’t had that in ages.””

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Solitude can be a productive space for introspection, allowing one to hear inner rhythms and find clarity when external noise is absent.

**In simple terms:** Solitude can bring clarity.

Key Takeaway

Seek quiet moments for self‑reflection.

Themes

solitude introspection clarity growth

Mood

contemplative melancholic

Type

literary psychological

When to use this quote

- creative work
- personal grief
- meditation practice
- travel alone

Key Concepts

mindfulness inner voice psychological resilience

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you differentiate healthy solitude from loneliness?
- What practices help maintain mental health in solitude?

A Different Perspective

Solitude may become isolating if not balanced with connection.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Running-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running-quotes/) [Solitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitude/)

## Related quotes

> [It was solitude, but it was solitude that wasn't lonely. Solitude that could sort things out. And he hadn't had that in ages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/it-was-solitude-but-it-was-solitude-that-wasn-t-lonely-solitude-that/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“Karou wished she could be the kind of girl who was complete unto herself, comfortable in solitude, serene. But she wasn't. She was lonely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/karou-wished-she-could-be-the-kind-of-girl-who-was-complete-unto/)

[Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/)

> [But I pine in Solitude. Solitude is my undoing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/but-i-pine-in-solitude-solitude-is-my-undoing/)

[Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/)

> [In his lonely solitude, the solitary man feeds upon himself; in the thronging multitude, the many feed upon him. Now choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/in-his-lonely-solitude-the-solitary-man-feeds-upon-himself-in-the/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [It is in lonely solitude that God delivers His best thoughts, and the mind needs to be still and quiet to receive them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/it-is-in-lonely-solitude-that-god-delivers-his-best-thoughts-and-the/)

[Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/)

> [I didn't think I was in a morbid mood, but it appears I am. My mind goes round and round trying to figure things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/i-didn-t-think-i-was-in-a-morbid-mood-but-it-appears-i-am-my-mind/)

[Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/)

> [“He felt lonely. His solitude was thrown into relief by being observed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-frayn/he-felt-lonely-his-solitude-was-thrown-into-relief-by-being-observed/)

[Michael Frayn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-frayn/)

> [Adam wasn't lonely because he was imperfect but because he was perfect. The ache for friends is not the result of sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/adam-wasn-t-lonely-because-he-was-imperfect-but-because-he-was/)

[Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/)

> [“I wasn’t a lonely kid—I was good at being alone. I’d read books, play with the toy that I had, make up imaginary worlds.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/i-wasn-t-a-lonely-kid-i-was-good-at-being-alone-i-d-read-books-play/)

[Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/)

> [“I wasn't lonely. Loneliness, I think, has very little to do with location. It's a state of mind. In the centre of every city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/i-wasn-t-lonely-loneliness-i-think-has-very-little-to-do-with/)

[Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/)

> [“I couldn't convince her that if I had a book with me, I wasn't lonely.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyxandra-harvey/i-couldn-t-convince-her-that-if-i-had-a-book-with-me-i-wasn-t-lonely/)

[Alyxandra Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyxandra-harvey/)

> [“I had no idea how lonely I was until I wasn't lonely anymore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyn-alexander/i-had-no-idea-how-lonely-i-was-until-i-wasn-t-lonely-anymore/)

Fyn Alexander

> [ I had \[at school\] my own little posse of people that all felt weird together so it wasn't so lonely. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-reilly/i-had-at-school-my-own-little-posse-of-people-that-all-felt-weird/)

[John C. Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-reilly/)

> [I wasn't lonely as a child. I was the eldest of four and always had lots of people around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-dahl/i-wasn-t-lonely-as-a-child-i-was-the-eldest-of-four-and-always-had/)

[Sophie Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-dahl/)

> [I wasn’t lonely. I experienced no self-pity. I was just caught up in a life in which I could find no meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-wasn-t-lonely-i-experienced-no-self-pity-i-was-just-caught-up-in-a/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

## More by Patrick Ness

> [“I rub the ears of my dog, my stupid goddam ruddy great dog that I never wanted but who hung around anyway and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/i-rub-the-ears-of-my-dog-my-stupid-goddam-ruddy-great-dog-that-i/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“The Prince had fallen in love. She was only a farmer's daughter, but she was was beautiful, and also smart, as the daughters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/the-prince-had-fallen-in-love-she-was-only-a-farmer-s-daughter-but/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [Time goes on, even when yer not looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/time-goes-on-even-when-yer-not-looking/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [Here is the boy, drowning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/here-is-the-boy-drowning/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“This is it. This is goodbye. A goodbye I wasn't even looking for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/this-is-it-this-is-goodbye-a-goodbye-i-wasn-t-even-looking-for/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“ But what is a dream, Conor O'Malley? the monster said, bending down so it's face was close to Conor's. Who is to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/but-what-is-a-dream-conor-o-malley-the-monster-said-bending-down-so/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“And I feel her against me - And I think Viola - I think VIOLA! - I think VIOLA!!!! ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/and-i-feel-her-against-me-and-i-think-viola-i-think-viola-i-think/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“But I'm still thinking about being born on a spaceship, an honest to badness spaceship. Growing up while flying along the stars, able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/but-i-m-still-thinking-about-being-born-on-a-spaceship-an-honest-to/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“When luck ain't with you, it's against you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/when-luck-ain-t-with-you-it-s-against-you/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“You starting to feel hope yet?" Viola asks, her voice curious. "No," I say, fuddling my noise. "You?" Her eyebrows are up but she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/you-starting-to-feel-hope-yet-viola-asks-her-voice-curious-no-i-say/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“I have two maxims that I believe, dear girl. One, if you can control yourself, you can control others. Two, if you can control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/i-have-two-maxims-that-i-believe-dear-girl-one-if-you-can-control/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [To live is to fight, to preserve life is to fight everything that man stands for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/to-live-is-to-fight-to-preserve-life-is-to-fight-everything-that-man/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [Because he KNEW he was doing wrong. He felt the PAIN of his actions'-- 'But he did not amen them,' shows the Sky. 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/because-he-knew-he-was-doing-wrong-he-felt-the-pain-of-his-actions/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“This was a kingdom. (“What?” Conor said, looking around his backyard. “Here?”) (The monster cocked its head at him curiously. You have not heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/this-was-a-kingdom-what-conor-said-looking-around-his-backyard-here/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [If you ever see a war," she says, not looking up from her clipboard, "you'll learn that war only destroys. No one escapes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/if-you-ever-see-a-war-she-says-not-looking-up-from-her-clipboard-you/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

[Explore all 527 Patrick Ness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

## More Mind quotes

> [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/)

[David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/)

> [“William didn't look like he'd be difficult about anything - he was thin and sandy-haired and already wore eyeglasses like his father. Most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/william-didn-t-look-like-he-d-be-difficult-about-anything-he-was-thin/)

[Patricia C. Wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [“MIND &amp; GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/)

[Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/)

> [“He blinked. His eyes fell as he processed her response. Then he lifted his chin and attempted a grin that was almost painfully dejected.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/he-blinked-his-eyes-fell-as-he-processed-her-response-then-he-lifted/)

[Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/)

> [Once ye made up yer mind to do somethin', 'tis better t'stumble o'er the small hillock of jump-ahead than t'bash yer head on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/once-ye-made-up-yer-mind-to-do-somethin-tis-better-t-stumble-o-er-the/)

[Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/)

> [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/)

[Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/)

> [“Picking locks was not a skill he had ever cultivated, but he persisted day after day, turning the tip of his talon into different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/picking-locks-was-not-a-skill-he-had-ever-cultivated-but-he-persisted/)

[Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/)

> [Do you think that God would separate me from my husband if I killed myself? I feel as though I am going out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-think-that-god-would-separate-me-from-my-husband-if-i-killed/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I'm not here trying to convince anybody to vote for Donald Trump. I think every Christian needs to make up his own mind about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/i-m-not-here-trying-to-convince-anybody-to-vote-for-donald-trump-i/)

[Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

> [This is a proof of a well-trained mind, to rejoice in what is good and to grieve at the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/this-is-a-proof-of-a-well-trained-mind-to-rejoice-in-what-is-good-and/)

[Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/)

> [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/)

[A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/)

> [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/)

[Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/)

> [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/)

[Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/)

[Browse all 43,542 Mind quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“but he misses it, the running. Trapped in this house, he misses it more than ever. Misses the rhythm of it, the way his breathing eventually just slotted into place, the way the world kind of fell toward him, like he was standing still and the whole planet was turning underneath him instead. It was solitude, but it was solitude that wasn’t lonely. Solitude that could sort things out. And he hadn’t had that in ages.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Patrick Ness"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/but-he-misses-it-the-running-trapped-in-this-house-he-misses-it-more/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Mind"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/but-he-misses-it-the-running-trapped-in-this-house-he-misses-it-more/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/patrick-ness-449_running-quotes_but-he-misses-it-the-running-trapped-in_1090566.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/patrick-ness-449_running-quotes_but-he-misses-it-the-running-trapped-in_1090566.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/688/patrick-ness-449_running-quotes_but-he-misses-it-the-running-trapped-in_1090566.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“but he misses it, the running. Trapped in this house, he misses it more than ever. Misses the rhythm of it…” — Patrick Ness",
                "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": "Patrick Ness",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“but he misses it, the running....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/but-he-misses-it-the-running-trapped-in-this-house-he-misses-it-more/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/but-he-misses-it-the-running-trapped-in-this-house-he-misses-it-more/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
