--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...because in a way it happened to…" description: "\"...because in a way it happened to someone else. I don't really speak that person's language anymore, and when I think about her, she embarrasses me so..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff6/peter-s-beagle-1665_forget_because-in-a-way-it-happened-to-someone_2476657.png" --- # ...because in a way it happened to someone else. I don't… ![“...because in a way it happened to someone else. I don't really speak that person's language anymore, and when I think about her, she embarrasses me sometimes, but I don't want to forget her, I don't want to pretend she never existed. So before I start forgetting, I have to get down exactly who…” quote by Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff6/peter-s-beagle-1665_forget_because-in-a-way-it-happened-to-someone_2476657.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff6/peter-s-beagle-1665_forget_because-in-a-way-it-happened-to-someone_2476657.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff6/peter-s-beagle-1665_forget_because-in-a-way-it-happened-to-someone_2476657.png) > “...because in a way it happened to someone else. I don't really speak that person's language anymore, and when I think about her, she embarrasses me sometimes, but I don't want to forget her, I don't want to pretend she never existed. So before I start forgetting, I have to get down exactly who she was, and exactly how she felt about everything. She was me a lot longer than I've been me so far.” [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator struggles with memory and identity, emphasizing the need to honor past relationships and understand oneself through remembering others. **In simple terms:** Remembering others helps preserve identity. Key Takeaway Preserve memories to understand yourself. Themes memory identity relationships self‑discovery Mood nostalgic thoughtful Type literary personal. When to use this quote - grief counseling - personal journaling - family histories Key Concepts psychology nostalgia self‑reflection Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance remembrance with growth? - What steps help you honor past connections? A Different Perspective Clinging to memory can impede moving forward. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Forgetting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgetting/) [Forgetting Exactly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgetting-exactly-818654/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Start Forgetting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-forgetting-818655/) [Think Embarrasses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-embarrasses-818656/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-forget/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Of course when I start forgetting about you; That's when you start realizing me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/of-course-when-i-start-forgetting-about-you-that-s-when-you-start/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Whether you're an entrepreneur, an employee, a student, a homemaker, a writer, it's time to start forgetting about all the ways the world has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/whether-you-re-an-entrepreneur-an-employee-a-student-a-homemaker-a/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Sometimes I try to forget, but in the process of forgetting, I remember why I don't want to forget.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genvieve-miller/sometimes-i-try-to-forget-but-in-the-process-of-forgetting-i-remember/) [Genvieve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genvieve-miller/) > [Am I aging? The pros and the cons? Well, you know a lot more, at least until the time you start forgetting it all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/am-i-aging-the-pros-and-the-cons-well-you-know-a-lot-more-at-least/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [You know, I hate it when people are startin crap with friends, I HAVE helped you with all the shit in your life, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/savannah-j/you-know-i-hate-it-when-people-are-startin-crap-with-friends-i-have/) [Savannah J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/savannah-j/) > [The moment the world falls apart, you start forgetting history and wrongdoings in the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alycia-debnam-carey/the-moment-the-world-falls-apart-you-start-forgetting-history-and/) [Alycia Debnam-Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alycia-debnam-carey/) > [Of course we go to Montreal to work as hard as we can and do the best we can, the same way we go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-stroll/of-course-we-go-to-montreal-to-work-as-hard-as-we-can-and-do-the-best/) [Lance Stroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-stroll/) > [Dont you dare remember me the moment I start forgetting you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-you-dare-remember-me-the-moment-i-start-forgetting-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you want to forget something or someone, never hate it, or never hate him/her. Everything and everyone that you hate is engraved upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-want-to-forget-something-or-someone-never-hate-it-or-never/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never want to forget that I'm not anything special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/i-never-want-to-forget-that-i-m-not-anything-special/) [Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/) > [I hate it when you want to forget something and move on but as hard as you try you just can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-it-when-you-want-to-forget-something-and-move-on-but-as-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [That person you want to forget , perhaps is the person you always remember.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-person-you-want-to-forget-perhaps-is-the-person-you-always/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The best memory I have ever had , and all I want is to forget it ever happened !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayat/the-best-memory-i-have-ever-had-and-all-i-want-is-to-forget-it-ever/) [Hayat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayat/) > [“Put that thing down, girl. Don't you know it steals part of your soul, that little mechanical masterpiece you hold so frivolously? Don't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-noelle-long/put-that-thing-down-girl-don-t-you-know-it-steals-part-of-your-soul/) [Shannon Noelle Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-noelle-long/) > [“I suppose I could understand it if men had simply forgotten unicorns, or if they had changed so that they hated all unicorns now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/i-suppose-i-could-understand-it-if-men-had-simply-forgotten-unicorns/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) ## More by Peter S. Beagle > [Your name is a golden bell hung in my heart. I would break my body to pieces to call you once by your name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/your-name-is-a-golden-bell-hung-in-my-heart-i-would-break-my-body-to/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Farewell,' she said. 'I hope you hear many more songs' - which was the best way she could think of to say good-bye to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/farewell-she-said-i-hope-you-hear-many-more-songs-which-was-the-best/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [He is a great enough magician to tap our most common nightmares, daydreams and twilight fancies, but he never invented them either: he found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/he-is-a-great-enough-magician-to-tap-our-most-common-nightmares/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [...no place is more enchanted than where a unicorn has been born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/no-place-is-more-enchanted-than-where-a-unicorn-has-been-born/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [“...and it's not my place to chase around after you, fixing stuff. What I know's what I know, and it don't include putting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/and-it-s-not-my-place-to-chase-around-after-you-fixing-stuff-what-i/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [The most professional curse ever snarled or croaked or thundered can have no effect on a pure heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/the-most-professional-curse-ever-snarled-or-croaked-or-thundered-can/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [“The baloney weighed the raven down, and the shopkeeper almost caught him as he whisked out the delicatessen door.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/the-baloney-weighed-the-raven-down-and-the-shopkeeper-almost-caught/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Men have to have heroes, but no man can ever be as big as the need, and so a legend grows around a grain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/men-have-to-have-heroes-but-no-man-can-ever-be-as-big-as-the-need-and/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [A Clock is not time; it's numbers and springs. Pay it no mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/a-clock-is-not-time-it-s-numbers-and-springs-pay-it-no-mind/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Heroes know that things must happen when it is time for them to happen. A quest may not simply be abandoned; unicorns may go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/heroes-know-that-things-must-happen-when-it-is-time-for-them-to/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [The Lady Amalthea beckoned, and the cat wriggled all over, like a dog, but he would not come near... She was offering her open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/the-lady-amalthea-beckoned-and-the-cat-wriggled-all-over-like-a-dog/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [“Where have you been?" she cried. "Damn you, where have you been?" She took a few steps toward Schmendrick, but she was looking beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/where-have-you-been-she-cried-damn-you-where-have-you-been-she-took-a/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Unicorns are not to be forgiven." The magician felt himself growing giddy with jealousy, not only of the touch but of something like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/unicorns-are-not-to-be-forgiven-the-magician-felt-himself-growing/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [The magician stood erect, menacing the attackers with demons, metamorphoses, paralyzing ailments, and secret judo holds. Molly picked up a rock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/the-magician-stood-erect-menacing-the-attackers-with-demons/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [You pile of stones, you waste, you desolation, I'll stuff you with misery till it comes out of your eyes. I'll change your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/you-pile-of-stones-you-waste-you-desolation-i-ll-stuff-you-with/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) [Explore all 218 Peter S. Beagle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) ## More Forget quotes > [I Never met her,i never talked to her,but in my whole day I am either thinking about her or trying to forget her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subhananda/i-never-met-her-i-never-talked-to-her-but-in-my-whole-day-i-am-either/) [Subhananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subhananda/) > [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/) > [Once upon a time. Ah forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/once-upon-a-time-ah-forget-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Which people take the time to care for their souls, these days? I reckon not many. But...hear this: I think that maybe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fletcher/which-people-take-the-time-to-care-for-their-souls-these-days-i/) [Susan Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fletcher/) > [The problem with people is they forget that most of the time it's the small things that count.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/the-problem-with-people-is-they-forget-that-most-of-the-time-it-s-the/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [Remind a man of what he remembers, and you will make him forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/remind-a-man-of-what-he-remembers-and-you-will-make-him-forget-it/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [“So you try, and try, to move past it and forget about them, but it's like they're stuck in your head -- you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-mcdonald/so-you-try-and-try-to-move-past-it-and-forget-about-them-but-it-s/) [Abby McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-mcdonald/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [People are disturbed not by things but by the view they take of them. They may forget what you said, but they will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [I don't think people will ever forget I was an 'Angel,' anymore than they'll forget Sally Field was 'The Flying Nun.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-ladd/i-don-t-think-people-will-ever-forget-i-was-an-angel-anymore-than/) [Cheryl Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-ladd/) > [If God knows me I will never forget him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trunxbeats/if-god-knows-me-i-will-never-forget-him/) [Trunxbeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trunxbeats/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Browse all 11,315 Forget quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "...because in a way it happened to someone else. 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