--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An imperfect human heart, perfectly…" description: "\"“An imperfect human heart, perfectly shattered, was her conclusion. A condition so common as to be virtually universal, rendering issues of right and w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/richard-russo-1691_human-heart_an-imperfect-human-heart-perfectly-shatt_2019419.png" --- # An imperfect human heart, perfectly shattered, was her… ![“An imperfect human heart, perfectly shattered, was her conclusion. A condition so common as to be virtually universal, rendering issues of right and wrong almost incidental.” quote by Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/richard-russo-1691_human-heart_an-imperfect-human-heart-perfectly-shatt_2019419.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/richard-russo-1691_human-heart_an-imperfect-human-heart-perfectly-shatt_2019419.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/richard-russo-1691_human-heart_an-imperfect-human-heart-perfectly-shatt_2019419.png) > ““An imperfect human heart, perfectly shattered, was her conclusion. A condition so common as to be virtually universal, rendering issues of right and wrong almost incidental.”” [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human imperfection is universal; moral judgments become secondary to shared vulnerability. **In simple terms:** Imperfection unites us. Key Takeaway Accept flaws and focus on empathy. Themes imperfection humanity morality universality Mood thoughtful somber Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - relationships - conflict resolution - personal growth - social commentary Key Concepts existentialism ethical relativism Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing shared flaws change judgment? - When can moral ambiguity be constructive? A Different Perspective Moral clarity may be lost. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heart Perfectly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-perfectly-3650275/) [Human heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-heart/) [Imperfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperfect/) [Imperfect Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperfect-human-353473/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Perfectly Shattered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfectly-shattered-3650276/) [Right and wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-and-wrong/) [Shattered Conclusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shattered-conclusion-3650277/) ## Related quotes > [God has written in the law of nature that when two people are joined in love or friendship, one must always give his heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sand/god-has-written-in-the-law-of-nature-that-when-two-people-are-joined/) [George Sand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sand/) > [For a heart to be perfectly ready it has to be perfectly empty. 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However the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/every-time-i-create-something-whether-an-idea-or-a-work-of-art/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) ## More by Richard Russo > [“The problem with the contemplative life was that there was no end to contemplation, no fixed time limit after which thought had to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/the-problem-with-the-contemplative-life-was-that-there-was-no-end-to/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“That, very simply, was what adulthood must be all about—acquiring the skill to bury things more deeply. Out of sight and, whenever possible, out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/that-very-simply-was-what-adulthood-must-be-all-about-acquiring-the/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“Miles couldn't help admiring women for their ability to dismiss the evidence of their senses. If that's what explained it. 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Here's another who's never going to write well again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/when-authors-who-write-literary-fiction-begin-to-write-screenplays/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“There was something about spending money they didn't really have that made him optimistic about more coming in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/there-was-something-about-spending-money-they-didn-t-really-have-that/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [Some authors have a very hard time understanding that in order to be faithful to the spirit of the book, it's almost always impossible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/some-authors-have-a-very-hard-time-understanding-that-in-order-to-be/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [HBO is really famous for hiring good people and staying out of their way until they ask for help, or need it. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/hbo-is-really-famous-for-hiring-good-people-and-staying-out-of-their/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [I don't think there's a shortage of material in the world. Or in my head. I just pray for continued good health, because I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-shortage-of-material-in-the-world-or-in-my/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [Where was the middle ground between a sense of adventure and just plain sense?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/where-was-the-middle-ground-between-a-sense-of-adventure-and-just/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“Non basta una vita "One life isn't enough”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/non-basta-una-vita-one-life-isn-t-enough/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“... Mr. Purty has cheered me up. The task he has chosen for himself, of wooing my mother with a bright red pickup truck,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/mr-purty-has-cheered-me-up-the-task-he-has-chosen-for-himself-of/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“So what? Few men, Miles reflected, lived so comfortably within the confines of a two.word personal philosophy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/so-what-few-men-miles-reflected-lived-so-comfortably-within-the/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) [Explore all 214 Richard Russo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) ## More Human heart quotes > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. 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Bromberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-bromberg/) > [I am persuaded that there is no affection of the human heart more exquisitely pure, than that which is felt by a grateful son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/i-am-persuaded-that-there-is-no-affection-of-the-human-heart-more/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [“Despite the fact that, the idea of religion has been filled by the human society with all sorts of garbage, and thus been made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/despite-the-fact-that-the-idea-of-religion-has-been-filled-by-the/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [The human heart is not yet so corroded that it can read off the extinction of these two men without a shock to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-anne-porter/the-human-heart-is-not-yet-so-corroded-that-it-can-read-off-the/) [Katherine Anne Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-anne-porter/) > [“I could say the world is ending tomorrow, and no one would care. I could say the world will go forever, and no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/i-could-say-the-world-is-ending-tomorrow-and-no-one-would-care-i/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [A heart to resolve, a head to contrive, and a hand to execute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/a-heart-to-resolve-a-head-to-contrive-and-a-hand-to-execute/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [“Civil wars...are the best wars for the writer...because they have a way of continuing long afterwl wars between nations are resolved; because, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/civil-wars-are-the-best-wars-for-the-writer-because-they-have-a-way/) [Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/) > [Peter Cooper looks at the world with an artist's eye and a human heart and soul. 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