--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many of us are returning from a long…" description: "\"Many of us are returning from a long journey during which we were forced to search for things that were of no interest to us. Now we realize that they ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfb/paulo-coelho-10_journey_many-of-us-are-returning-from-a-long-jou_1062227.jpg" --- # Many of us are returning from a long journey during which… ![“Many of us are returning from a long journey during which we were forced to search for things that were of no interest to us. Now we realize that they were false. But this return cannot be made without pain, because we have been away for a long time and feel that we are strangers in out own land.” quote by Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfb/paulo-coelho-10_journey_many-of-us-are-returning-from-a-long-jou_1062227.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfb/paulo-coelho-10_journey_many-of-us-are-returning-from-a-long-jou_1062227.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfb/paulo-coelho-10_journey_many-of-us-are-returning-from-a-long-jou_1062227.jpg) > “Many of us are returning from a long journey during which we were forced to search for things that were of no interest to us. Now we realize that they were false. But this return cannot be made without pain, because we have been away for a long time and feel that we are strangers in out own land.” [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. After a long search for meaning, we return home changed, feeling alienated yet wiser, a painful reintegration. **In simple terms:** Returning home after change feels foreign. Key Takeaway Accept growth and reconnect with roots. Themes transformation alienation homecoming Mood reflective hopeful Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - career transitions - spiritual journeys - immigration - family reunions Key Concepts Self‑realization cultural displacement Questions to Reflect On - What parts of yourself feel foreign now? - How can you bridge the gap between old and new? A Different Perspective Reintegration can be socially challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-journey/) [Lifelong learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifelong-learning/) [Long journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-journey/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/) [Without pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/without-pain/) ## Related quotes > [Many of us are returning from a long journey during which we were forced to search for things that were of no interest to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/many-of-us-are-returning-from-a-long-journey-during-which-we-were-2/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The capacity for loving strangers, whether one thinks of them as fictional beings or stars one will never meet, is a profound reflection on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-jay-epstein/the-capacity-for-loving-strangers-whether-one-thinks-of-them-as/) [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) > [“Being in his arms made her feel like the sea finding its shore, like a traveler returning after a long, hard, distant trip -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laren-kate/being-in-his-arms-made-her-feel-like-the-sea-finding-its-shore-like-a/) Laren Kate > [Respect your soul: don't keep repeating "I'm going to make it". Your soul already knows that, what it needs is to use the long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/respect-your-soul-don-t-keep-repeating-i-m-going-to-make-it-your-soul/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I remember Tom Baker once said to me many years ago: never go back, particularly with TV shows. This is because the track record…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-nettles/i-remember-tom-baker-once-said-to-me-many-years-ago-never-go-back/) [John Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nettles/) > [I'm a storyteller; that's what exploration really is all about. Going to places where others haven't been and returning to tell a story they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cameron/i-m-a-storyteller-that-s-what-exploration-really-is-all-about-going/) [James Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cameron/) > [Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love. By returning, you may ensure that fewer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albus-dumbledore/do-not-pity-the-dead-harry-pity-the-living-and-above-all-those-who/) [Albus Dumbledore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albus-dumbledore/) > [“The strangest thing about returning to an enclave that encapsulated your youth is that you feel like nothing should have changed. Like you still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-winn-scotch/the-strangest-thing-about-returning-to-an-enclave-that-encapsulated/) [Allison Winn Scotch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-winn-scotch/) > [DWYCK' was only intended to be a B-side of 'Take It Personal,' because we had done a record with Nice & Smooth for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-premier/dwyck-was-only-intended-to-be-a-b-side-of-take-it-personal-because-we/) [DJ Premier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-premier/) > [“Whenever a river reaches the ocean, it waits to go back..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/whenever-a-river-reaches-the-ocean-it-waits-to-go-back/) Will Advise > [I don't want to say PSG is a step backwards, but It would be returning to something I already know. I'm always in for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eden-hazard/i-don-t-want-to-say-psg-is-a-step-backwards-but-it-would-be-returning/) [Eden Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eden-hazard/) > [I would never say never to returning to comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/i-would-never-say-never-to-returning-to-comedy/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) > [“Every second and every minute of the clock, we are getting closer and closer to our various destinations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/every-second-and-every-minute-of-the-clock-we-are-getting-closer-and/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“Returning back to self is a daily, intentional act. The world will attempt to pull you in many different directions. You've got to choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-alves/returning-back-to-self-is-a-daily-intentional-act-the-world-will/) Ash Alves > [Absolute is a game with only one player where Absolute forgets itself so it would have a reason to fulfill the motion while returning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/absolute-is-a-game-with-only-one-player-where-absolute-forgets-itself/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) ## More by Paulo Coelho > [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Love will never separate a man from his personal legend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/love-will-never-separate-a-man-from-his-personal-legend/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The world has a soul and whoever understands that soul can also understand the language of many things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-has-a-soul-and-whoever-understands-that-soul-can-also/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [To love is to be in communion with the other and to discover in that other the spark of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/to-love-is-to-be-in-communion-with-the-other-and-to-discover-in-that/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [It is not enough to dream of the Impossible Love - it is necessary to conquer it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-is-not-enough-to-dream-of-the-impossible-love-it-is-necessary-to/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Eat when it is time to eat. And walk when it is time to walk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/eat-when-it-is-time-to-eat-and-walk-when-it-is-time-to-walk/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [People are reading more and writing more because of the internet. So the virtual world is a way for me to listen to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/people-are-reading-more-and-writing-more-because-of-the-internet-so/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Joy is like sex – it begins and ends. I want pleasure. I want to be contended, but happiness? I no longer fall into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/joy-is-like-sex-it-begins-and-ends-i-want-pleasure-i-want-to-be/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Trudi se da zivis, sjecanja su za starije ljude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/trudi-se-da-zivis-sjecanja-su-za-starije-ljude/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I've always been a very restless person. I work hard, spend too much time looking after my son, I dance like a mad thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-ve-always-been-a-very-restless-person-i-work-hard-spend-too-much/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [When someone leaves, it's because someone else is about to arrive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-someone-leaves-it-s-because-someone-else-is-about-to-arrive/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The past and the future become unimportant. There is only that moment, and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-past-and-the-future-become-unimportant-there-is-only-that-moment/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [She didn't need to understand the meaning of life; it was enough to find someone who did, and then fall asleep in his arms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/she-didn-t-need-to-understand-the-meaning-of-life-it-was-enough-to/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“The simpler the pose, the better; the more sober, the more beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-simpler-the-pose-the-better-the-more-sober-the-more-beautiful/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) [Explore all 3,665 Paulo Coelho quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## More Journey quotes > [The end is nothing; the road is all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/the-end-is-nothing-the-road-is-all/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [Strange - is it not? That of the myriads who Before us passed the door of Darkness through, Not one returns to tell us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/strange-is-it-not-that-of-the-myriads-who-before-us-passed-the-door/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/what-people-tend-to-forget-is-the-journey-that-i-had-getting-to/) [Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/) > [It is a sweet thing that we serve a dissatisfied God who has destinations in mind for us that we would never choose for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/it-is-a-sweet-thing-that-we-serve-a-dissatisfied-god-who-has/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [The path I choose through the maze makes me what I am. I am not only a thing, but also a way of being--one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-keyes/the-path-i-choose-through-the-maze-makes-me-what-i-am-i-am-not-only-a/) [Daniel Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-keyes/) > [Have a Blast; Life wont last! Make the best of the journey before it is over!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/have-a-blast-life-wont-last-make-the-best-of-the-journey-before-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Cocoon's cry to first fly, Travels thousands of miles— So much in so little life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-negi/cocoon-s-cry-to-first-fly-travels-thousands-of-miles-so-much-in-so/) [Ritu Negi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-negi/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [Loving yourself is a journey, not a destination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-holliday/loving-yourself-is-a-journey-not-a-destination/) [Tess Holliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-holliday/) > [“Everywhere is home, let is go home”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzuco-hu-nh/everywhere-is-home-let-is-go-home/) Dzuco Huỳnh > [Life is a journey, not a destination. Fall into the deep - rise to new heights. .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashish-basumatary/life-is-a-journey-not-a-destination-fall-into-the-deep-rise-to-new/) [Ashish Basumatary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashish-basumatary/) > [Be the inner journeys, be the outer travels, all trips elevate man, all voyages lift him up!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/be-the-inner-journeys-be-the-outer-travels-all-trips-elevate-man-all/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The hardest roads are often empty; the darkest paths are mostly silent; toughest destinations are almost peopleless! No easy road brings you great victory!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/the-hardest-roads-are-often-empty-the-darkest-paths-are-mostly-silent/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“May the seas bend to your journey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoraida-c-rdova/may-the-seas-bend-to-your-journey/) [Zoraida Córdova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoraida-c-rdova/) [Browse all 11,861 Journey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Many of us are returning from a long journey during which we were forced to search for things that were of no interest to us. 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