---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can’t really comprehend events like…"
description: "\"“You can’t really comprehend events like that, I thought. You can only endure them.”\" — Robert Charles Wilson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b2/robert-charles-wilson-4900_comprehend_you-can-t-really-comprehend-events-like_3005114.png"
---

#  You can’t really comprehend events like that, I thought…

![“You can’t really comprehend events like that, I thought. You can only endure them.” quote by Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b2/robert-charles-wilson-4900_comprehend_you-can-t-really-comprehend-events-like_3005114.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b2/robert-charles-wilson-4900_comprehend_you-can-t-really-comprehend-events-like_3005114.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b2/robert-charles-wilson-4900_comprehend_you-can-t-really-comprehend-events-like_3005114.png)

> ““You can’t really comprehend events like that, I thought. You can only endure them.””

[Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Endurance, not comprehension, is the human response to overwhelming events.

**In simple terms:** We survive by enduring, not fully understanding.

Key Takeaway

Focus on coping, not grasping.

Themes

resilience human experience psychology

Mood

reflective somber

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- personal trauma
- war
- natural disaster
- personal loss

Key Concepts

existentialism cognitive limits

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you cope when understanding fails?
- What limits does endurance have?

A Different Perspective

Endurance may not lead to insight or growth.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [It hurts a lot when you cannot really comprehend what a person is saying in a meeting, or you don't even understand what you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/it-hurts-a-lot-when-you-cannot-really-comprehend-what-a-person-is/)

[Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/)

> [“So what does forgiveness really do for you? Is it even a real thing? Or is it something humans just made up to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliette-fay/so-what-does-forgiveness-really-do-for-you-is-it-even-a-real-thing-or/)

[Juliette Fay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliette-fay/)

> [I really comprehend the fact that some of what I have to say sounds a little weird. But the more and more I purge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-baldwin/i-really-comprehend-the-fact-that-some-of-what-i-have-to-say-sounds-a/)

[Stephen Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-baldwin/)

> [I can't comprehend that I'm in the film of 'Les Miserables.' It's one of those dreams I thought would be unattainable for someone like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-barks/i-can-t-comprehend-that-i-m-in-the-film-of-les-miserables-it-s-one-of/)

[Samantha Barks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-barks/)

> [“You’ll only know the answers once you love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/you-ll-only-know-the-answers-once-you-love/)

[Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/)

> [I have this esoteric sense that the roles are choosing me in a way that I don't fully comprehend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-russell/i-have-this-esoteric-sense-that-the-roles-are-choosing-me-in-a-way/)

[Taylor Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-russell/)

> [“I am older than you can comprehend. I am eight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-w-develin/i-am-older-than-you-can-comprehend-i-am-eight/)

S.W. Develin

> [They can't comprehend, or even come close to understandin him. I guess if I was borin they would love me more, guess if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-cudi/they-can-t-comprehend-or-even-come-close-to-understandin-him-i-guess/)

[Kid Cudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-cudi/)

> [Logic can provide you with various facts and figures but can't comprehend them in their totality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avtarjeet-singh-dhanjal/logic-can-provide-you-with-various-facts-and-figures-but-can-t/)

[Avtarjeet Singh Dhanjal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avtarjeet-singh-dhanjal/)

> [It used to take me forever to read and comprehend stuff, so I decided not to make the 'Captain Underpants' books too challenging. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dav-pilkey/it-used-to-take-me-forever-to-read-and-comprehend-stuff-so-i-decided/)

[Dav Pilkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dav-pilkey/)

> [I cannot comprehend how any man can want anything but the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/i-cannot-comprehend-how-any-man-can-want-anything-but-the-truth/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [ “\[48\] - 4 Dispelling fear but knowledge be, Replacing our doubts completely, Nothing need be feared undoubtedly, But must be comprehended absolutely. \[49\] - 4” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munindra-munnan-misra/48-4-dispelling-fear-but-knowledge-be-replacing-our-doubts-completely/)

[Munindra (Munnan) Misra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munindra-munnan-misra/)

> [Our Heavenly Father is far more merciful, infinitely more charitable, than even the best of his servants, and the Everlasting Gospel is mightier in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-f-whitney/our-heavenly-father-is-far-more-merciful-infinitely-more-charitable/)

[Orson F. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-f-whitney/)

> [“You know," she had said, "I believe we are all given at least one moment in our lives when the world reveals itself to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-francis-slattery/you-know-she-had-said-i-believe-we-are-all-given-at-least-one-moment/)

[Brian Francis Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-francis-slattery/)

> [It turns out that the God whose word will stand forever does not exist to insure our fantasies that we will not have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/it-turns-out-that-the-god-whose-word-will-stand-forever-does-not/)

[Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/)

## More by Robert Charles Wilson

> [Consciousness," according to current scientific thought, was something the higher mammals had evolved in order to help them reproduce, much the way a garden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/consciousness-according-to-current-scientific-thought-was-something/)

[Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/)

> [“Here she was back in the brightly lit world she had been avoiding for twenty years, and it was exactly as awful as she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/here-she-was-back-in-the-brightly-lit-world-she-had-been-avoiding-for/)

[Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/)

> [These movies belonged to the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries that period of great, unsustainable, and hedonistic prosperity, driven by the burning of Earth's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/these-movies-belonged-to-the-twentieth-and-early-twenty-first/)

[Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/)

> [When does loyalty become martyrdom?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/when-does-loyalty-become-martyrdom/)

[Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/)

> [“I thought of Einstein, and his insistence that no particular point of view was more privileged than any other: in other words his ‘general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/i-thought-of-einstein-and-his-insistence-that-no-particular-point-of/)

[Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/)

> [What we cannot remember, we must rediscover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/what-we-cannot-remember-we-must-rediscover/)

[Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/)

> [“The universe, it seemed, was full to brimming with lonesome places.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/the-universe-it-seemed-was-full-to-brimming-with-lonesome-places/)

[Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/)

> [“Fifteen minutes shy of two o’clock. The thick of the night. The zone of lost objectivity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/fifteen-minutes-shy-of-two-o-clock-the-thick-of-the-night-the-zone-of/)

[Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/)

> [It was the kind of experience, Molly said, that would grow calluses on an angel's ass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/it-was-the-kind-of-experience-molly-said-that-would-grow-calluses-on/)

[Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/)

> [“I appreciated her bluntness. Maybe it came with her sudden sobriety. Here she was back in the brightly lit world she had been avoiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/i-appreciated-her-bluntness-maybe-it-came-with-her-sudden-sobriety/)

[Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/)

> [“I had an idea that sobriety was a weapon. I thought it would give me an advantage over my enemies. I wasn't sober for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/i-had-an-idea-that-sobriety-was-a-weapon-i-thought-it-would-give-me/)

[Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/)

> [John Scalzi is a fresh and appealing new voice, and Old Man's War is classic SF seen from a modern perspective—a fast-paced tour of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/john-scalzi-is-a-fresh-and-appealing-new-voice-and-old-man-s-war-is/)

[Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/)

> [“Certainly it's a rare glimpse into the lives of the Secular Ancients. They don't seem as bad as the Dominion histories make them out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/certainly-it-s-a-rare-glimpse-into-the-lives-of-the-secular-ancients/)

[Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/)

> [We spent a lot of time discussing cosmology first. I think that was your father's unique way of evaluating people. You can tell a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/we-spent-a-lot-of-time-discussing-cosmology-first-i-think-that-was/)

[Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/)

> [It was possible at last to hear the silence to appreciate that there was a silence, deep and potent, out there beyond the pretension…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/it-was-possible-at-last-to-hear-the-silence-to-appreciate-that-there/)

[Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/)

[Explore all 105 Robert Charles Wilson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/)

## More Comprehend quotes

> [It turns out that the God whose word will stand forever does not exist to insure our fantasies that we will not have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/it-turns-out-that-the-god-whose-word-will-stand-forever-does-not/)

[Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/)

> [“You know," she had said, "I believe we are all given at least one moment in our lives when the world reveals itself to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-francis-slattery/you-know-she-had-said-i-believe-we-are-all-given-at-least-one-moment/)

[Brian Francis Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-francis-slattery/)

> [Our Heavenly Father is far more merciful, infinitely more charitable, than even the best of his servants, and the Everlasting Gospel is mightier in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-f-whitney/our-heavenly-father-is-far-more-merciful-infinitely-more-charitable/)

[Orson F. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-f-whitney/)

> [ “\[48\] - 4 Dispelling fear but knowledge be, Replacing our doubts completely, Nothing need be feared undoubtedly, But must be comprehended absolutely. \[49\] - 4” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munindra-munnan-misra/48-4-dispelling-fear-but-knowledge-be-replacing-our-doubts-completely/)

[Munindra (Munnan) Misra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munindra-munnan-misra/)

> [I cannot comprehend how any man can want anything but the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/i-cannot-comprehend-how-any-man-can-want-anything-but-the-truth/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [It used to take me forever to read and comprehend stuff, so I decided not to make the 'Captain Underpants' books too challenging. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dav-pilkey/it-used-to-take-me-forever-to-read-and-comprehend-stuff-so-i-decided/)

[Dav Pilkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dav-pilkey/)

> [Logic can provide you with various facts and figures but can't comprehend them in their totality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avtarjeet-singh-dhanjal/logic-can-provide-you-with-various-facts-and-figures-but-can-t/)

[Avtarjeet Singh Dhanjal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avtarjeet-singh-dhanjal/)

> [They can't comprehend, or even come close to understandin him. I guess if I was borin they would love me more, guess if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-cudi/they-can-t-comprehend-or-even-come-close-to-understandin-him-i-guess/)

[Kid Cudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-cudi/)

> [“I am older than you can comprehend. I am eight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-w-develin/i-am-older-than-you-can-comprehend-i-am-eight/)

S.W. Develin

> [I have this esoteric sense that the roles are choosing me in a way that I don't fully comprehend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-russell/i-have-this-esoteric-sense-that-the-roles-are-choosing-me-in-a-way/)

[Taylor Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-russell/)

> [“You’ll only know the answers once you love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/you-ll-only-know-the-answers-once-you-love/)

[Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/)

> [I can't comprehend that I'm in the film of 'Les Miserables.' It's one of those dreams I thought would be unattainable for someone like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-barks/i-can-t-comprehend-that-i-m-in-the-film-of-les-miserables-it-s-one-of/)

[Samantha Barks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-barks/)

> [“They say it takes a long time to comprehend a tragedy. You're numb. You can't adequately accept the grim reality. Again, that's not true.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-coben/they-say-it-takes-a-long-time-to-comprehend-a-tragedy-you-re-numb-you/)

[Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-coben/)

> [A God alone can comprehend a God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-god-alone-can-comprehend-a-god/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Unfortunately, science cannot be reduced to short, catchy phrases. And if this is all that the general public can comprehend, it's no wonder that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-graffin/unfortunately-science-cannot-be-reduced-to-short-catchy-phrases-and/)

[Greg Graffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-graffin/)

Browse all 100 Comprehend quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“You can’t really comprehend events like that, I thought. You can only endure them.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Robert Charles Wilson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/you-can-t-really-comprehend-events-like-that-i-thought-you-can-only/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Comprehend"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/you-can-t-really-comprehend-events-like-that-i-thought-you-can-only/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b2/robert-charles-wilson-4900_comprehend_you-can-t-really-comprehend-events-like_3005114.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b2/robert-charles-wilson-4900_comprehend_you-can-t-really-comprehend-events-like_3005114.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b2/robert-charles-wilson-4900_comprehend_you-can-t-really-comprehend-events-like_3005114.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You can’t really comprehend events like that, I thought. You can only endure them.” — Robert Charles Wilson",
                "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": "Robert Charles Wilson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“You can’t really comprehend events like...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/you-can-t-really-comprehend-events-like-that-i-thought-you-can-only/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/you-can-t-really-comprehend-events-like-that-i-thought-you-can-only/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
