--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pain was something we were expected to…" description: "\"Pain was something we were expected to endure. But I doubt very much if you would be entirely happy today if a doctor threw a towel in your face and ju..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/roald-dahl-899_doubt_pain-was-something-we-were-expected-to-e_313222.jpg" --- # Pain was something we were expected to endure. But I doubt… ![“Pain was something we were expected to endure. But I doubt very much if you would be entirely happy today if a doctor threw a towel in your face and jumped on you with a knife.” quote by Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/roald-dahl-899_doubt_pain-was-something-we-were-expected-to-e_313222.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/roald-dahl-899_doubt_pain-was-something-we-were-expected-to-e_313222.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/roald-dahl-899_doubt_pain-was-something-we-were-expected-to-e_313222.jpg) > “Pain was something we were expected to endure. But I doubt very much if you would be entirely happy today if a doctor threw a towel in your face and jumped on you with a knife.” [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Enduring pain is expected, but extreme cruelty is unacceptable and harms happiness. **In simple terms:** Pain is normal, but cruelty is not. Key Takeaway Reject unnecessary suffering. Themes ethics humanity wellbeing Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - medical practice - parenting - workplace culture - law enforcement Key Concepts moral philosophy pain tolerance compassion Questions to Reflect On - When does pain become unjust? - How can we balance endurance with kindness? A Different Perspective Pain can be a teacher, but cruelty erodes trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Happy Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-today/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [ The Doctor: This is bad, I don't like this. \[kicks console and yells in pain\] Never use force, you just embarrass yourself. Unless you're… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/the-doctor-this-is-bad-i-don-t-like-this-kicks-console-and-yells-in/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [A doctor can be a doctor today and they will be a doctor tomorrow. But an actor, well you're not working at anything right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/a-doctor-can-be-a-doctor-today-and-they-will-be-a-doctor-tomorrow-but/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [“Love is what you make it. Unfortunately, I can’t make it today, as I have a doctor’s appointment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/love-is-what-you-make-it-unfortunately-i-can-t-make-it-today-as-i/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I will do those things which make me happy today and which I can also live with ten years from now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-iles/i-will-do-those-things-which-make-me-happy-today-and-which-i-can-also/) [Greg Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-iles/) > [“Days filled with joy and days filled with sorrow I don't know just what to do, Am I happy today, am I lonely tomorrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-tempest/days-filled-with-joy-and-days-filled-with-sorrow-i-don-t-know-just/) [joey tempest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-tempest/) > [Today, LIFE gave me three reasons to be sad. But I replied with five reasons why I should stay happy today. And then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/today-life-gave-me-three-reasons-to-be-sad-but-i-replied-with-five/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [“What ever you decide to do, make sure it makes you happy. Do something today, that your future self will thank you for. Always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c/what-ever-you-decide-to-do-make-sure-it-makes-you-happy-do-something/) c > [If I had taken everything offered to me I wouldn't be happy today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maura-higgins/if-i-had-taken-everything-offered-to-me-i-wouldn-t-be-happy-today/) [Maura Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maura-higgins/) > [“None of us live happily forever after. But we can choose to be happy today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-c-hines/none-of-us-live-happily-forever-after-but-we-can-choose-to-be-happy/) [Jim C. Hines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-c-hines/) > [Take chances. Open your door to new possibilities. Do something new that makes you happy because this is your life. You are not living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bubbly/take-chances-open-your-door-to-new-possibilities-do-something-new/) Bubbly > [You will never know what does the nature wants with you today, tomorrow , together: but when it's calls we answer, suppose you plan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/you-will-never-know-what-does-the-nature-wants-with-you-today/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [“Be happy today. Tomorrow will take care of itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-madison/be-happy-today-tomorrow-will-take-care-of-itself/) Tracy Madison > [“Are you, are you happy?" I am today," she said. Maybe that's what really mattered? Living in the now, and all that crap about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-klein/are-you-are-you-happy-i-am-today-she-said-maybe-that-s-what-really/) [Stephanie Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-klein/) > [“I actually attack the concept of happiness. The idea that—I don't mind people being happy—but the idea that everything we do is part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/i-actually-attack-the-concept-of-happiness-the-idea-that-i-don-t-mind/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [Don't cry upon you losses Don't mesure today with tommorows Don't trust to passed and coming day Believe in now - and be happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-khayy-m/don-t-cry-upon-you-losses-don-t-mesure-today-with-tommorows-don-t/) [Omar Khayyam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-khayy-m/) ## More by Roald Dahl > [Nowadays you can go anywhere in the world in a few hours, and nothing is fabulous any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/nowadays-you-can-go-anywhere-in-the-world-in-a-few-hours-and-nothing/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [When I walked to school in the mornings I would start out alone but would pick up four other boys along the way. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/when-i-walked-to-school-in-the-mornings-i-would-start-out-alone-but/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [“There's no earthly way of knowing Which direction we are going There's no knowing where we're rowing Or which way the river's flowing Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/there-s-no-earthly-way-of-knowing-which-direction-we-are-going-there/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [“One of the vital things for a writer who’s writing a book, which is a lengthy project and is going to take about a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/one-of-the-vital-things-for-a-writer-who-s-writing-a-book-which-is-a/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [“When Bruce Bogtrotter had eaten his way through half of the entire enormous cake, he paused for just a couple of seconds and took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/when-bruce-bogtrotter-had-eaten-his-way-through-half-of-the-entire/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [Eschew all those beastly adjectives...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/eschew-all-those-beastly-adjectives/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [Bunkum and tummyrot! You'll never get anywhere if you go about what-iffing like that. Would Columbus have discovered America if he'd said 'What if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/bunkum-and-tummyrot-you-ll-never-get-anywhere-if-you-go-about-what/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [If the Good Lord intended for us to walk, he wouldn't have invented rollar skates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/if-the-good-lord-intended-for-us-to-walk-he-wouldn-t-have-invented/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [The witching hour, somebody had once whispered to her, was a special moment in the middle of the night when every child and every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/the-witching-hour-somebody-had-once-whispered-to-her-was-a-special/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/those-who-don-t-believe-in-magic-will-never-find-it/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [But there was one other thing that the grown-ups also knew, and it was this: that however small the chance might be of striking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/but-there-was-one-other-thing-that-the-grown-ups-also-knew-and-it-was/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [When writing about oneself, one must strive to be truthful. Truth is more important than modesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/when-writing-about-oneself-one-must-strive-to-be-truthful-truth-is/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [“the world is a scary place for such a small child”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/the-world-is-a-scary-place-for-such-a-small-child/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [And above all, watch with glittering eyes the world around you, because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/and-above-all-watch-with-glittering-eyes-the-world-around-you-because/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [“We must hurry!’ said Mr. Wonka. ‘We have so much time and so little to do! No! Wait! Strike that! Reverse it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/we-must-hurry-said-mr-wonka-we-have-so-much-time-and-so-little-to-do/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) [Explore all 318 Roald Dahl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) ## More Doubt quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I don't doubt that straight white men have identity issues and identity complexes and struggle with defining themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/i-don-t-doubt-that-straight-white-men-have-identity-issues-and/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) > [“Where there is doubt (shanka), there is misery. The moment one begins to doubt the knowledge that, 'I am Chandubhai,' misery arises. Once one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-is-doubt-shanka-there-is-misery-the-moment-one-begins-to/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [How could you feel worthless when God has honoured you by creating you and choosing you to be with Him, in this life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/how-could-you-feel-worthless-when-god-has-honoured-you-by-creating/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [“Let no one hope to find in contemplation an escape from conflict, from anguish or from doubt. On the contrary, the deep, inexpressible certitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/let-no-one-hope-to-find-in-contemplation-an-escape-from-conflict-from/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“Two powerful, little words I've learned to use when facing challenges, fears, and doubts— so what? ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/two-powerful-little-words-i-ve-learned-to-use-when-facing-challenges/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible - and no one can now doubt the word of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/for-diplomacy-to-be-effective-words-must-be-credible-and-no-one-can/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Vision motivates, sustains and dispels doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-young/vision-motivates-sustains-and-dispels-doubt/) [Thomas Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-young/) > [One may not doubt that, somehow Good Shall come of Water and of Mud; And sure, the reverent eye must see A purpose in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-brooke/one-may-not-doubt-that-somehow-good-shall-come-of-water-and-of-mud/) [Rupert Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-brooke/) > [Let smiles overshadow sadness. Let faith make you believe. Let confidence wash away doubts. Let love complete your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/let-smiles-overshadow-sadness-let-faith-make-you-believe-let/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [When in doubt, suggest that a subcommittee be appointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-chapman/when-in-doubt-suggest-that-a-subcommittee-be-appointed/) Harry Chapman > [“Those who contemplate never escape the doubt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/those-who-contemplate-never-escape-the-doubt/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) [Browse all 9,582 Doubt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Pain was something we were expected to endure. 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