--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is a strange thing that the human…" description: "\"“It is a strange thing that the human species can only go three days without water and three weeks without food, before the body dies. Yet, so many peo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/shannon-l-alder-363_adversity_it-is-a-strange-thing-that-the-human-spe_2208815.jpg" --- # It is a strange thing that the human species can only go… ![“It is a strange thing that the human species can only go three days without water and three weeks without food, before the body dies. Yet, so many people can go years hanging onto pain and feeling emotionally dead inside. I suppose if it was the other way around more people would go to school to…” quote by Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/shannon-l-alder-363_adversity_it-is-a-strange-thing-that-the-human-spe_2208815.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/shannon-l-alder-363_adversity_it-is-a-strange-thing-that-the-human-spe_2208815.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/shannon-l-alder-363_adversity_it-is-a-strange-thing-that-the-human-spe_2208815.jpg) > ““It is a strange thing that the human species can only go three days without water and three weeks without food, before the body dies. Yet, so many people can go years hanging onto pain and feeling emotionally dead inside. I suppose if it was the other way around more people would go to school to be morticians because of the booming business, or pastors would have to hand out Valium with the sacrament, just to keep the census high.”” [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People can endure emotional pain far longer than physical deprivation, revealing a paradox of human resilience. **In simple terms:** Emotional suffering can outlast physical needs. Key Takeaway Address emotional health. Themes resilience psychology paradox Mood somber thoughtful Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - therapy sessions - support groups - personal reflection Key Concepts human endurance mental health societal expectations Questions to Reflect On - Why do we ignore emotional pain? - How can society better support emotional well‑being? A Different Perspective May overlook biological limits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Dead inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-inside/) [Denial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denial/) [Distrust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distrust/) [Frustrations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frustrations/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Letting go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letting-go/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Rescues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rescues/) [Resentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resentment/) [Stages of grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stages-of-grief/) [Staying positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staying-positive/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) [Trials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trials/) [Valium](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/valium/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [If I write a paragraph and I don't get a certain lift from it, if I don't feel connected to it emotionally, then it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-hijuelos/if-i-write-a-paragraph-and-i-don-t-get-a-certain-lift-from-it-if-i/) [Oscar Hijuelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hijuelos/) > [Twentieth-century culture's disease is the inability to feel their reality. People cluster to TV, soap operas, movies, theater, pop idols and they have wild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/twentieth-century-culture-s-disease-is-the-inability-to-feel-their/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/) > [“Grace will meet you in the valley, and her song will carry you home on the wind to another sky filled with ethereal beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/grace-will-meet-you-in-the-valley-and-her-song-will-carry-you-home-on/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Some people can’t be in your life because they don’t have the power to help you improve it. That doesn’t mean you don’t wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/some-people-can-t-be-in-your-life-because-they-don-t-have-the-power/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Once in Africa I lost the corkscrew and we were forced to live off food and water for weeks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/once-in-africa-i-lost-the-corkscrew-and-we-were-forced-to-live-off/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Men can live without air a few minutes, without water for about two weeks, without food for about two months - and without a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-ruth/men-can-live-without-air-a-few-minutes-without-water-for-about-two/) Kent Ruth > [“Human beings can withstand a week without water, two weeks without food, many years of homelessness, but not loneliness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/human-beings-can-withstand-a-week-without-water-two-weeks-without-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The colour is terrible on her. She could have been dead for ten days. In the water.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leanne-hall/the-colour-is-terrible-on-her-she-could-have-been-dead-for-ten-days/) [Leanne Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leanne-hall/) > [Man can live about 40 days without food, about 3 days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only for one second without hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/man-can-live-about-40-days-without-food-about-3-days-without-water/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can go a month without food, you can live three days without water, but you can't go more then sixty seconds without HOPE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-swarner/you-can-go-a-month-without-food-you-can-live-three-days-without-water/) Sean Swarner > [Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only for one second without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/man-can-live-about-forty-days-without-food-about-three-days-without/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It‘s complicated. I think when bad things happen—whether someone dies or people argue or split up—you get to a point where it‘s just too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ockler/it-s-complicated-i-think-when-bad-things-happen-whether-someone-dies/) [Sarah Ockler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ockler/) > [“if someone dies, people say that they loved him even if he was not good person so they start cunning to his family as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ntambara-sylvestre-owen-berbason/if-someone-dies-people-say-that-they-loved-him-even-if-he-was-not/) [Ntambara Sylvestre Owen Berbason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ntambara-sylvestre-owen-berbason/) > [True love never dies, people just give up on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-love-never-dies-people-just-give-up-on-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I hate when someone dies and people are like Yall didn't even know him and yall saying RIP, stfu. It's called paying respect.-\_-](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dyllan/i-hate-when-someone-dies-and-people-are-like-yall-didn-t-even-know/) [Dyllan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dyllan/) ## More by Shannon L. Alder > [“Don’t waste your time trying to explain yourself to people that are committed to misunderstanding you. Instead, commit your time to explaining who they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/don-t-waste-your-time-trying-to-explain-yourself-to-people-that-are/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“It takes a female to have a baby, It takes a woman to raise a child, It takes a mother to raise them correctly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-takes-a-female-to-have-a-baby-it-takes-a-woman-to-raise-a-child-it/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“God is going to send you someone that will rescue you. Then one day you will rescue them in return and together your story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-is-going-to-send-you-someone-that-will-rescue-you-then-one-day/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“You can be bit in the leg by a rattlesnake and seek help to heal your wound, or you can run after it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/you-can-be-bit-in-the-leg-by-a-rattlesnake-and-seek-help-to-heal-your/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“It is not the self respect and pride that you take with you, but the heritage you leave behind to your children that matters.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-is-not-the-self-respect-and-pride-that-you-take-with-you-but-the/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“The art of being wise is the art of knowing that solutions don’t come from individuals, but rather experiences.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-art-of-being-wise-is-the-art-of-knowing-that-solutions-don-t-come/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“If you have feelings for someone, let them know. It doesn’t matter if they can be in your life or not. Maybe, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/if-you-have-feelings-for-someone-let-them-know-it-doesn-t-matter-if/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“After every storm, there is a rainbow. If you have eyes, you will find it. If you have wisdom, you will create it. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/after-every-storm-there-is-a-rainbow-if-you-have-eyes-you-will-find/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Don’t ever feel bad that someone couldn’t give you all of their heart. Be grateful that you can take the least complicated part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/don-t-ever-feel-bad-that-someone-couldn-t-give-you-all-of-their-heart/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“I don't know why anyone would be scared of a homeless person. The truly scary people are all the murder mystery writers. They spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/i-don-t-know-why-anyone-would-be-scared-of-a-homeless-person-the/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Until you have stood in another woman’s stilettos, you will never begin to know the year of pain she felt breaking them in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/until-you-have-stood-in-another-woman-s-stilettos-you-will-never/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“I don't understand women that call themselves a "bitch". It doesn't empower a woman. Rather, it reveals to everyone that you were deeply hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/i-don-t-understand-women-that-call-themselves-a-bitch-it-doesn-t/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“ The Prodigal Son They gave the deep end of their heart--a hue of crimson red, They whispered their desire and offered up their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-prodigal-son-they-gave-the-deep-end-of-their-heart-a-hue-of/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) [Explore all 639 Shannon L. Alder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) ## More Adversity quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [When we have public success we also have private struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deion-sanders/when-we-have-public-success-we-also-have-private-struggles/) [Deion Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deion-sanders/) > [“The threats that resurfaced in the past 10 years were not an aberration. Al Qaeda and terrorism or one such threat, but it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/the-threats-that-resurfaced-in-the-past-10-years-were-not-an/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [“Every adversity is just another opportunity to excel a little more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/every-adversity-is-just-another-opportunity-to-excel-a-little-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Just because she doesn't talk about it, doesn't mean she isn't feeling it. She hurts, but she won't wear it on her sleeve. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfa-h/just-because-she-doesn-t-talk-about-it-doesn-t-mean-she-isn-t-feeling/) [Alfa H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfa-h/) > [Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buckham-kennedy/every-trial-endured-and-weathered-in-the-right-spirit-makes-a-soul/) James Buckham Kennedy > [Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/honesty-by-evil-fortune-tried-finds-in-adversity-the-seed-of-praise/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [“Struggles are not associated to a particular people or creed, everyone struggles, not for the same reasons, but each has a personal struggle at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/struggles-are-not-associated-to-a-particular-people-or-creed-everyone/) [Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/) > [“Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/watch-a-man-in-times-of-adversity-to-discover-what-kind-of-man-he-is/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“Life is not about less mistakes but about more trials”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-sever/life-is-not-about-less-mistakes-but-about-more-trials/) S.E. SEVER > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [When everything feels like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-everything-feels-like-an-uphill-struggle-just-think-of-the-view/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 5,001 Adversity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is a strange thing that the human species can only go three days without water and three weeks without food, before the body dies. Yet, so many people can go years hanging onto pain and feeling emotionally dead inside. 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