--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Getting shot hurts. Still my fear was…" description: "\"“Getting shot hurts. Still my fear was growing because no matter how hard I tried to breath it seemed I was getting less & less air. I focused on that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/ronald-reagan-119_children_getting-shot-hurts-still-my-fear-was-gro_323996.jpg" --- # Getting shot hurts. Still my fear was growing because no… ![“Getting shot hurts. Still my fear was growing because no matter how hard I tried to breath it seemed I was getting less & less air. I focused on that tiled ceiling and prayed. But I realized I couldn't ask for Gods help while at the same time I felt hatred for the mixed up young man who had shot…” quote by Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/ronald-reagan-119_children_getting-shot-hurts-still-my-fear-was-gro_323996.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/ronald-reagan-119_children_getting-shot-hurts-still-my-fear-was-gro_323996.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/ronald-reagan-119_children_getting-shot-hurts-still-my-fear-was-gro_323996.jpg) > ““Getting shot hurts. Still my fear was growing because no matter how hard I tried to breath it seemed I was getting less & less air. I focused on that tiled ceiling and prayed. But I realized I couldn't ask for Gods help while at the same time I felt hatred for the mixed up young man who had shot me. Isn't that the meaning of the lost sheep? We are all Gods children & therefore equally beloved by him. I began to pray for his soul and that he would find his way back to the fold.”” [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A wounded man struggles with fear, hatred, and forgiveness, realizing that praying for an attacker reflects deeper compassion and shared humanity. **In simple terms:** Pain and fear can coexist with compassion and forgiveness. Key Takeaway Choose compassion over hatred. Themes faith forgiveness conflict humanity Mood reflective hopeful Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - combat trauma - personal crisis - interpersonal conflict - moral decision making Key Concepts spirituality empathy redemption Questions to Reflect On - Can you forgive someone who hurt you deeply? - What does it mean to love your enemy? A Different Perspective Forgiveness may be difficult when personal harm is severe. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Began Pray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/began-pray-2026632/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Getting shot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-shot/) [Gods Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods-help-441622/) [Hurts Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurts-fear-3047425/) [Inspirational quote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-quote/) [Prayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayed/) [Prayed Realized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayed-realized-3047426/) [Young man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-man/) ## Related quotes > [“Getting shot hurts. Still my fear was growing because no matter how hard I tried to breathe it seemed I was getting less &…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/getting-shot-hurts-still-my-fear-was-growing-because-no-matter-how-2/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“I walked into the emergency room and was hoisted onto a cart where I was stripped of my clothes. It was then we learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-walked-into-the-emergency-room-and-was-hoisted-onto-a-cart-where-i/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I prayed to dispel my fear, until suddenly, and I do not know how the idea came to me, I began to pray for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corrie-ten-boom/i-prayed-to-dispel-my-fear-until-suddenly-and-i-do-not-know-how-the/) [Corrie Ten Boom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corrie-ten-boom/) > [“It’s not loving that hurts, but the fear we associate with it that does.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/it-s-not-loving-that-hurts-but-the-fear-we-associate-with-it-that-does/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [“At this Bagatur hurled himself to the floor, prostrated himself, and began to pray, a high-pitched babble of pleading. It wasn’t English. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mar-preston/at-this-bagatur-hurled-himself-to-the-floor-prostrated-himself-and/) [Mar Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mar-preston/) > [“began to pray in earnest. She realized as she did so that she hadn’t addressed God in any way since her father’s fatal illness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-wax/began-to-pray-in-earnest-she-realized-as-she-did-so-that-she-hadn-t/) [Wendy Wax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-wax/) > [I began to pray those same fervent prayers, lying in bed at night, hoping to see a scroll unrolled from the ceiling with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-green-somerville/i-began-to-pray-those-same-fervent-prayers-lying-in-bed-at-night/) [James Green Somerville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-green-somerville/) > [“Divine justice pursued its course; disasters came thick on me: I was forced to pass through the valley of the shadow of death. His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/divine-justice-pursued-its-course-disasters-came-thick-on-me-i-was/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“As the wind ripped through the flimsy protection offered by my hoodie, I began to realize the fairly hopeless situation I had gotten myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-blackwell/as-the-wind-ripped-through-the-flimsy-protection-offered-by-my-hoodie/) [Tammy Blackwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-blackwell/) > [When a man takes the road to destruction, the gods help him along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/when-a-man-takes-the-road-to-destruction-the-gods-help-him-along/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [“We are so blind that we run to God with physical ailments and needs, but for illnesses of the soul we run away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/we-are-so-blind-that-we-run-to-god-with-physical-ailments-and-needs/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Keep praying and fighting. With Gods help and your inner strength you'll make it through this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/keep-praying-and-fighting-with-gods-help-and-your-inner-strength-you/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [You must ask for Gods help. After each failure ask forgiveness, pick yourself up & try again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-must-ask-for-gods-help-after-each-failure-ask-forgiveness-pick/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If there be gods we cannot help them, but we can assist our fellow men. We cannot love the inconceivable, but we can love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-there-be-gods-we-cannot-help-them-but-we-can-assist-our-fellow-men/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [The Gods cannot help those who do not seize opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-gods-cannot-help-those-who-do-not-seize-opportunities/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Ronald Reagan > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly. So you learn. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-by-the-time-you-reach-my-age-you-ve-made-plenty-of-mistakes/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/yes-across-europe-this-wall-will-fall-for-it-cannot-withstand-faith/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Simple fairness dictates that government must not raise taxes on families struggling to pay their bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/simple-fairness-dictates-that-government-must-not-raise-taxes-on/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The time has come to turn to God and reassert our trust in Him for the healing of America - our country is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-time-has-come-to-turn-to-god-and-reassert-our-trust-in-him-for/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Professional politicians like to talk about the value of experience in government. Nuts! The only experience you gain in politics is how to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/professional-politicians-like-to-talk-about-the-value-of-experience/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The WPA was one of the most productive elements of FDR's alphabet soup of agencies because it put people to work building roads, bridges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-wpa-was-one-of-the-most-productive-elements-of-fdr-s-alphabet/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Where there's liberty, art succeeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/where-there-s-liberty-art-succeeds/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Since I came to the White House, I got two hearing aids, a colon operation, skin cancer, a prostate operation, and I was shot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/since-i-came-to-the-white-house-i-got-two-hearing-aids-a-colon/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [A moment I've been dreading. George brought his ne're-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/a-moment-i-ve-been-dreading-george-brought-his-ne-re-do-well-son/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [On Father's Day, we pay tribute to all in our society who have taken on the responsibilitie s and joys of fatherhood. Whether our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/on-father-s-day-we-pay-tribute-to-all-in-our-society-who-have-taken/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/there-is-no-limit-to-the-amount-of-good-you-can-do-if-you-don-t-care/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [It's not that liberals aren't smart, it's just that so much of what they know isn't so](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/it-s-not-that-liberals-aren-t-smart-it-s-just-that-so-much-of-what/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Love your country, not for her power or wealth, but for her selflessness and her idealism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/love-your-country-not-for-her-power-or-wealth-but-for-her/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Explore all 1,244 Ronald Reagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. 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