--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My God, he couldn't help thinking, how…" description: "\"My God, he couldn't help thinking, how terrible it is to be that age, to have emotions so near the surface that the slightest turbulence causes them to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/richard-russo-1691_adulthood_my-god-he-couldn-t-help-thinking-how-ter_1633883.png" --- # My God, he couldn't help thinking, how terrible it is to… ![“My God, he couldn't help thinking, how terrible it is to be that age, to have emotions so near the surface that the slightest turbulence causes them to boil over. That, very simply, was what adulthood must be all about -- acquiring the skill to bury things more deeply. Out of sight and, whenever…” quote by Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/richard-russo-1691_adulthood_my-god-he-couldn-t-help-thinking-how-ter_1633883.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/richard-russo-1691_adulthood_my-god-he-couldn-t-help-thinking-how-ter_1633883.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/richard-russo-1691_adulthood_my-god-he-couldn-t-help-thinking-how-ter_1633883.png) > “My God, he couldn't help thinking, how terrible it is to be that age, to have emotions so near the surface that the slightest turbulence causes them to boil over. 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 of mind.” [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. Adulthood involves learning to suppress intense emotions, keeping them hidden to avoid being overwhelmed. **In simple terms:** Adults hide strong feelings to stay calm. Key Takeaway Practice emotional regulation and healthy expression. Themes adulthood emotional control self‑management Mood reflective somber Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - stressful work - relationship conflicts - parenting challenges - personal loss Key Concepts psychology coping mechanisms maturity Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance emotional honesty with self‑protection? - What healthy outlets help you process intense feelings? A Different Perspective Suppressing emotions can lead to unresolved issues and mental health strain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adulthood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adulthood/) [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Turbulence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turbulence/) ## Related quotes > [A veil of insanity everywhere: Oh why I was born in this age? It is a terrible age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/a-veil-of-insanity-everywhere-oh-why-i-was-born-in-this-age-it-is-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Good books don't make you think, because the author has already done all of the thinking for you, but a terrible book can really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-queenan/good-books-don-t-make-you-think-because-the-author-has-already-done/) [Joe Queenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-queenan/) > [Outwardly I am 83, but inwardly I am every age, with the emotions and experience of each period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-jane-coatsworth/outwardly-i-am-83-but-inwardly-i-am-every-age-with-the-emotions-and/) [Elizabeth Jane Coatsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-jane-coatsworth/) > [“Beth to Jennifer>> Why are you lying awake, thinking that you’re a terrible person? To keep my mind occupied when I can’t sleep. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/beth-to-jennifer-why-are-you-lying-awake-thinking-that-you-re-a/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [Eighteen is a terrible age, and while I walked around with the conviction that I was somehow more grown-up than my classmates, the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/eighteen-is-a-terrible-age-and-while-i-walked-around-with-the/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [I think that childhood is innocent, but not in the way we usually believe. I think it's a very sensual age, where emotions and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-sciamma/i-think-that-childhood-is-innocent-but-not-in-the-way-we-usually/) [Celine Sciamma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-sciamma/) > [“Interesting, Miles thought. Like himself, Father Mark, as a child, had been reassured by the imagined proximity of God, whereas adults, perhaps because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/interesting-miles-thought-like-himself-father-mark-as-a-child-had/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [There's bound to be turbulence in any situation if you're with someone for long enough. Especially if you're with someone like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/there-s-bound-to-be-turbulence-in-any-situation-if-you-re-with/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/) > [I headed towards the mountain, which was an almost irresistible beacon to my storm self. It glowed with heat, pressure, and turbulence—everything a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-headed-towards-the-mountain-which-was-an-almost-irresistible-beacon/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Submission does not mean being weak or passive. It leads to neither fatalism nor capitulation. Just the opposite. True power resides in submission. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-safak/submission-does-not-mean-being-weak-or-passive-it-leads-to-neither/) [Elif Safak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-safak/) > [Turbulence, like many forms of trouble, cannot always be seen. We bounce so hard my arms sail helplessly above my head. In evolution, wing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretel-ehrlich/turbulence-like-many-forms-of-trouble-cannot-always-be-seen-we-bounce/) [Gretel Ehrlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretel-ehrlich/) > [Turbulence is life force. It is opportunity. Let's love turbulence and use it for change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/turbulence-is-life-force-it-is-opportunity-let-s-love-turbulence-and/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [“There is bound to be turbulence in the clouds of confusion before one can view the friendly skies, and an illuminated landing strip.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-f-hodge/there-is-bound-to-be-turbulence-in-the-clouds-of-confusion-before-one/) [T.F. Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-f-hodge/) > [“Turbulence that blows you to greatness is better than calmness that stalls you in mediocrity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/turbulence-that-blows-you-to-greatness-is-better-than-calmness-that/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [Business is all about risk taking and managing uncertainties and turbulence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautam-adani/business-is-all-about-risk-taking-and-managing-uncertainties-and/) [Gautam Adani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautam-adani/) ## 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. 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If it wasn't simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/miles-couldn-t-help-admiring-women-for-their-ability-to-dismiss-the/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [That afternoon I came to understand that one of the deepest purposes of intellectual sophistication is to provide distance between us and our most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/that-afternoon-i-came-to-understand-that-one-of-the-deepest-purposes/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“Lucy, who apparently had no idea his girlfriend's father held him in such low regard, agreed with Noonan that he was pushing the envelope,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/lucy-who-apparently-had-no-idea-his-girlfriend-s-father-held-him-in/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [Movies have to handle time very efficiently. They're about stringing scenes together in the present. Novels aren't necessarily about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/movies-have-to-handle-time-very-efficiently-they-re-about-stringing/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [When authors who write literary fiction begin to write screenplays, everybody assumes that's the end. 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 Adulthood quotes > [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [People often say that you should never work with child actors. I think that's all wrong. Children have not had the imagination kicked out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cage/people-often-say-that-you-should-never-work-with-child-actors-i-think/) [Nicolas Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-cage/) > [Two things suck about becoming an adult male - paying taxes and getting a finger in your butt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-code/two-things-suck-about-becoming-an-adult-male-paying-taxes-and-getting/) Guy Code > [You can only pretend for so long before reality hits and you realize he/she is not who you thought or what you truly want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/you-can-only-pretend-for-so-long-before-reality-hits-and-you-realize/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [If I were entering adulthood now instead of in the environment of fifty years ago, I would choose a career that kept me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/if-i-were-entering-adulthood-now-instead-of-in-the-environment-of/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [“English: "Being an adult doesn't mean killing the child we once were; it means being able to protect him." Česky: „Být dospělým neznamená zabít…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebasti-n-wortys/english-being-an-adult-doesn-t-mean-killing-the-child-we-once-were-it/) [Sebastián Wortys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebasti-n-wortys/) > [“I wondered what a man I had encountered the day before on the plane en route to Chicago's O'Hare airport would have made of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-moss/i-wondered-what-a-man-i-had-encountered-the-day-before-on-the-plane/) [Robert Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-moss/) > [“Sometimes your kids will say the nastiest things, won't they, Rose? You want to ask,'Whose child is this?'" Rose chuckled. "But usually, they're just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/sometimes-your-kids-will-say-the-nastiest-things-won-t-they-rose-you/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [No one, it has been said, will ever look at the Moon in the same way again. More significantly can one say that no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/no-one-it-has-been-said-will-ever-look-at-the-moon-in-the-same-way/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [Being an adult is the ability to postpone a want for the sake of a family need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hogan/being-an-adult-is-the-ability-to-postpone-a-want-for-the-sake-of-a/) [Chris Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hogan/) > [“one Secret of Adulthood is “Never start a sentence with the words ‘No offense’”? “And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-secret-of-adulthood-is-never-start-a-sentence-with-the-words-no/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [In their youth, mortals behave more like nymphs. Adulthood seems impossibly distant, let alone the enfeeblement of old age. 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Their tailored clothes and unbending hairdos, their clipboards and laser…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-baume/the-entrepreneurs-are-only-about-my-age-probably-younger-but-they-don/) [Sara Baume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-baume/) [Browse all 651 Adulthood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adulthood/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My God, he couldn't help thinking, how terrible it is to be that age, to have emotions so near the surface that the slightest turbulence causes them to boil over. That, very simply, was what adulthood must be all about -- acquiring the skill to bury things more deeply. 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