--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They were there, but they were sitting as…" description: "\"“They were there, but they were sitting as silently as everyone else, their eyes fixed on you, trying to support you with their gaze, as if a gaze coul..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/paulo-coelho-10_quote_they-were-there-but-they-were-sitting-as_1374200.jpg" --- # They were there, but they were sitting as silently as… ![“They were there, but they were sitting as silently as everyone else, their eyes fixed on you, trying to support you with their gaze, as if a gaze could ever support anyone.” quote by Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/paulo-coelho-10_quote_they-were-there-but-they-were-sitting-as_1374200.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/paulo-coelho-10_quote_they-were-there-but-they-were-sitting-as_1374200.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/paulo-coelho-10_quote_they-were-there-but-they-were-sitting-as_1374200.jpg) > ““They were there, but they were sitting as silently as everyone else, their eyes fixed on you, trying to support you with their gaze, as if a gaze could ever support anyone.”” [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. People often offer silent, watchful support, hoping their presence alone can help you endure challenges. **In simple terms:** Silent support is offered through watchful eyes. Key Takeaway Recognize and appreciate quiet encouragement. Themes support empathy presence human connection Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - team meetings - therapy sessions - public speaking - personal crises Key Concepts psychology social dynamics nonverbal communication Questions to Reflect On - How does silent support affect you? - When do you need more than a gaze? A Different Perspective Silent gaze may not solve problems; active help is also needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) ## Related quotes > [“trying to support you with their gaze as if a gaze could ever support anyone!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/trying-to-support-you-with-their-gaze-as-if-a-gaze-could-ever-support/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [For a few seconds they looked silently into each other's eyes, and the distant and impossible suddenly became near, possible, and inevitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/for-a-few-seconds-they-looked-silently-into-each-other-s-eyes-and-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The true creativity comes out of sitting silently. When you are so totally quiet that there is no thought, no wave in the ocean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-true-creativity-comes-out-of-sitting-silently-when-you-are-so/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Time passes slowly. Nobody says a word, everyone lost in quiet reading. One person sits at a desk jotting down notes, but the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/time-passes-slowly-nobody-says-a-word-everyone-lost-in-quiet-reading/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [A hundred eyes were fixed on her, and half as many hearts lost to her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-beerbohm/a-hundred-eyes-were-fixed-on-her-and-half-as-many-hearts-lost-to-her/) [Max Beerbohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-beerbohm/) > [It is easy to forget how much you have, when your eyes are always fixed on what you have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/it-is-easy-to-forget-how-much-you-have-when-your-eyes-are-always-2/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [Every tree and plant in the medouw seemed to be dancing, those with average eyes would see as fixed and still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumiko-takahashi/every-tree-and-plant-in-the-medouw-seemed-to-be-dancing-those-with/) [Rumiko Takahashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumiko-takahashi/) > [“It is easy to forget how much you have, when your eyes are always fixed on what you have not. “Something”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/it-is-easy-to-forget-how-much-you-have-when-your-eyes-are-always/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“When your eyes are fixed on the horizon of eternity, it affects your vision for motherhood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-furman/when-your-eyes-are-fixed-on-the-horizon-of-eternity-it-affects-your/) [Gloria Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-furman/) > [“The Magi" Now as at all times I can see in the mind's eye, In their stiff, painted clothes, the pale unsatisfied ones Appear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/the-magi-now-as-at-all-times-i-can-see-in-the-mind-s-eye-in-their/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [“They that have their eyes fixed on Heaven do not just do things that shall be remembered here on earth, but they also do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/they-that-have-their-eyes-fixed-on-heaven-do-not-just-do-things-that/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) > [Every day my children's eyes are fixed upon me...I want them to see vibrant and beautiful things when they picture me in their childhood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-day-my-children-s-eyes-are-fixed-upon-me-i-want-them-to-see/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“My eyes is fixed on faith in God alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/my-eyes-is-fixed-on-faith-in-god-alone/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [There is a difference between him who claspeth his mistress in his arms, and him whose eyes are fixed on the door expecting her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-a-difference-between-him-who-claspeth-his-mistress-in-his/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“About as poor business as one can engage in is that of going through life with one's eyes so fixed upon what others have,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/about-as-poor-business-as-one-can-engage-in-is-that-of-going-through/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) ## 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 Silence quotes > [Let us have the luxury of silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/let-us-have-the-luxury-of-silence/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [I just can’t, Nick, okay? Now, please give me a second to lie here in silence and bleed.” – Caleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-just-can-t-nick-okay-now-please-give-me-a-second-to-lie-here-in/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“SILENT LIKE SLEEP You appear by my side, silent like sleep. Soft hair, a little wild. No fear, gentle like a calm river. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/silent-like-sleep-you-appear-by-my-side-silent-like-sleep-soft-hair-a/) [Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/) > [“A word is not filling in the gaps, but the fertilization of silence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/a-word-is-not-filling-in-the-gaps-but-the-fertilization-of-silence/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [“I’m not like her. I don’t steal people.” Mr. Tibbalt watched her, saying nothing. The silence made Victoria bristle. “Well, I don’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-legrand/i-m-not-like-her-i-don-t-steal-people-mr-tibbalt-watched-her-saying/) [Claire Legrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-legrand/) > [Silence can be the world's strongest weapon in torturing people's emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/silence-can-be-the-world-s-strongest-weapon-in-torturing-people-s/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“Proverbs from the East: The wind howls, but the mountain remains still. Even though I make no special attempt to observe the discipline of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/proverbs-from-the-east-the-wind-howls-but-the-mountain-remains-still/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“When all are one sentience, Language withers and fades away. Let's sit together and speak in silence, Let's be light to each other's way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/when-all-are-one-sentience-language-withers-and-fades-away-let-s-sit/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [True friendship is sitting together in silence and feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-friendship-is-sitting-together-in-silence-and-feeling-like-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“So what did God say to me in the silence that morning? I’m not sure, but I think God said something like, Don’t try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/so-what-did-god-say-to-me-in-the-silence-that-morning-i-m-not-sure/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [If nothing that can be seen can either be God or represent Him to us as He is, then to find God we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-nothing-that-can-be-seen-can-either-be-god-or-represent-him-to-us/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [I suppose he'll just have to do," she amended. "You'll have to suffer in silence with your male model...I feel for you." "Oh, stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-adornetto/i-suppose-he-ll-just-have-to-do-she-amended-you-ll-have-to-suffer-in/) [Alexandra Adornetto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-adornetto/) > [The silent majority is silent, and that is best for everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-kocher/the-silent-majority-is-silent-and-that-is-best-for-everybody/) [Gerhard Kocher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-kocher/) > [“I once asked you what anxiety felt like, and you told me that most days left you riddled with bullet holes. Every morning came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-s/i-once-asked-you-what-anxiety-felt-like-and-you-told-me-that-most/) d.a.s [Browse all 8,731 Silence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“They were there, but they were sitting as silently as everyone else, their eyes fixed on you, trying to support you with their gaze, as if a gaze could ever support anyone.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paulo Coelho" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-were-there-but-they-were-sitting-as-silently-as-everyone-else/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Silence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-were-there-but-they-were-sitting-as-silently-as-everyone-else/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/paulo-coelho-10_quote_they-were-there-but-they-were-sitting-as_1374200.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/paulo-coelho-10_quote_they-were-there-but-they-were-sitting-as_1374200.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79d/paulo-coelho-10_quote_they-were-there-but-they-were-sitting-as_1374200.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They were there, but they were sitting as silently as everyone else, their eyes fixed on you, trying to…” — Paulo Coelho", "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": "Paulo Coelho", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“They were there, but they were...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-were-there-but-they-were-sitting-as-silently-as-everyone-else/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-were-there-but-they-were-sitting-as-silently-as-everyone-else/#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 } } ] } ```