--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are times when the actual…" description: "\"“There are times when the actual experience of leaving something makes you wish desperately that you could stay, and then there are times when the leav..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f03/shauna-niequist-3042_experiences_there-are-times-when-the-actual-experien_1667836.jpg" --- # There are times when the actual experience of leaving… ![“There are times when the actual experience of leaving something makes you wish desperately that you could stay, and then there are times when the leaving reminds you a hundred times over why exactly you had to leave in the first place.” quote by Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f03/shauna-niequist-3042_experiences_there-are-times-when-the-actual-experien_1667836.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f03/shauna-niequist-3042_experiences_there-are-times-when-the-actual-experien_1667836.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f03/shauna-niequist-3042_experiences_there-are-times-when-the-actual-experien_1667836.jpg) > ““There are times when the actual experience of leaving something makes you wish desperately that you could stay, and then there are times when the leaving reminds you a hundred times over why exactly you had to leave in the first place.”” [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leaving something can evoke both longing to stay and relief that the departure was necessary, highlighting mixed emotions of loss and purpose. **In simple terms:** Leaving brings both sadness and clarity. Key Takeaway Embrace the growth that comes from letting go. Themes loss growth reflection purpose change Mood nostalgic hopeful Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - moving house - ending relationships - career change - graduation - grieving Key Concepts attachment acceptance life transitions Questions to Reflect On - What do you truly need to let go of? - How can you honor what you’ve left behind? A Different Perspective Leaving can be painful and may cause regret if not processed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experience Leaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience-leaving-827348/) [Experiences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiences/) [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Hundred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hundred/) [Leave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leave/) [Leaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaving/) [Leaving Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaving-makes-827349/) [Leaving Reminds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaving-reminds-827347/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Times Leaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-leaving-827350/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [It's interesting to leave a place, interesting even to think about it. Leaving reminds us of what we can part with and what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/it-s-interesting-to-leave-a-place-interesting-even-to-think-about-it/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [“Leaving everything that makes them who and what they are, leaving because it is no longer possible to stay. They will never be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noviolet-bulawayo/leaving-everything-that-makes-them-who-and-what-they-are-leaving/) [NoViolet Bulawayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noviolet-bulawayo/) > [Moving on is easy what your leaving behind is what makes it hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyga/moving-on-is-easy-what-your-leaving-behind-is-what-makes-it-hard/) [Tyga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyga/) > [“Four leaving makes me nervous. Leaving us with Eric is like hiring a babysitter who spends his time sharpening knives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/four-leaving-makes-me-nervous-leaving-us-with-eric-is-like-hiring-a/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Leaving with a 'W' always makes it better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/domantas-sabonis/leaving-with-a-w-always-makes-it-better/) [Domantas Sabonis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/domantas-sabonis/) > [“I’m just happy to have experienced life; to have had a beautiful son and to have loved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-b-powell/i-m-just-happy-to-have-experienced-life-to-have-had-a-beautiful-son/) [Aaron B. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-b-powell/) > [New experiences give you new perspectives on life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hunt/new-experiences-give-you-new-perspectives-on-life/) [Sam Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-hunt/) > [London's where I grew up and had most of my experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzee-rascal/london-s-where-i-grew-up-and-had-most-of-my-experiences/) [Dizzee Rascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzee-rascal/) > [I've gotten to go to far-off places in the world, have very unique, isolated, intense experiences for four or five months at a time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-ve-gotten-to-go-to-far-off-places-in-the-world-have-very-unique/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [From my experience, I don't have the luxury to trust anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sirivi/from-my-experience-i-don-t-have-the-luxury-to-trust-anyone/) [Sirivi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sirivi/) > [Some jobs you do, they're just jobs. Others are life experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/some-jobs-you-do-they-re-just-jobs-others-are-life-experiences/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [I've had difficult experiences and obviously there's been the birth of my son.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/i-ve-had-difficult-experiences-and-obviously-there-s-been-the-birth/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [It isn't necessary to seek out adventure. Opening to what is around you will produce the most extraordinary experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-b-lewis/it-isn-t-necessary-to-seek-out-adventure-opening-to-what-is-around/) [Edward B. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-b-lewis/) > [“The experiences of camp life show that man does have a choice of action… There were enough examples, often of a heroic nature, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-frankl/the-experiences-of-camp-life-show-that-man-does-have-a-choice-of/) [Viktor Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-frankl/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) ## More by Shauna Niequist > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“We decide where the time goes. There's so much freedom in that, and so much responsibility.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/we-decide-where-the-time-goes-there-s-so-much-freedom-in-that-and-so/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“When things fall apart, the broken pieces allow all sorts of things to enter, and one of them is the presence of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/when-things-fall-apart-the-broken-pieces-allow-all-sorts-of-things-to/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“The world is alive, blinking and clicking, winking at us slyly, inviting us to get up and dance to the music that’s been playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/the-world-is-alive-blinking-and-clicking-winking-at-us-slyly-inviting/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“I have always, essentially, been waiting. Waiting to become something else, waiting to be that person I always thought I was on the verge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/i-have-always-essentially-been-waiting-waiting-to-become-something/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“I am still surprised on a regular basis at the love I feel for the spirit of God, the deep respect and emotion that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/i-am-still-surprised-on-a-regular-basis-at-the-love-i-feel-for-the/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“...now that I am a mother, I understand what Mother's Day is about: it's about looking through our lives and recognizing the act of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/now-that-i-am-a-mother-i-understand-what-mother-s-day-is-about-it-s/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“We have, each one of us, been entrusted with one life, made up of days and hours and minutes. We're spending them according to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/we-have-each-one-of-us-been-entrusted-with-one-life-made-up-of-days/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“Years ago, Aaron and I were talking with the pastor of a fast-growing church, and another friend, a more seasoned pastor. The first pastor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/years-ago-aaron-and-i-were-talking-with-the-pastor-of-a-fast-growing/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“I believe deeply that God does his best work in our lives during times of great heartbreak and loss, and I believe that much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/i-believe-deeply-that-god-does-his-best-work-in-our-lives-during/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“one of the chief aspects of mothering is prayer,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/one-of-the-chief-aspects-of-mothering-is-prayer/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“Our friend Ian, an Episcopal priest, taught us something I’d never heard, something that shaped all of us: on a rainy night, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/our-friend-ian-an-episcopal-priest-taught-us-something-i-d-never/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“When you haven’t yet had your heart really broken, the gospel isn’t about death and rebirth. It’s about life and more life. It’s about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/when-you-haven-t-yet-had-your-heart-really-broken-the-gospel-isn-t/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“Present over perfect living is real over image, connecting over comparing, meaning over mania, depth over artifice. Present over perfect living is the risky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/present-over-perfect-living-is-real-over-image-connecting-over/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) [Explore all 141 Shauna Niequist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) ## More Experiences quotes > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [“The experiences of camp life show that man does have a choice of action… There were enough examples, often of a heroic nature, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-frankl/the-experiences-of-camp-life-show-that-man-does-have-a-choice-of/) [Viktor Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-frankl/) > [It isn't necessary to seek out adventure. Opening to what is around you will produce the most extraordinary experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-b-lewis/it-isn-t-necessary-to-seek-out-adventure-opening-to-what-is-around/) [Edward B. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-b-lewis/) > [I've had difficult experiences and obviously there's been the birth of my son.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/i-ve-had-difficult-experiences-and-obviously-there-s-been-the-birth/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [Some jobs you do, they're just jobs. Others are life experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/some-jobs-you-do-they-re-just-jobs-others-are-life-experiences/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [From my experience, I don't have the luxury to trust anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sirivi/from-my-experience-i-don-t-have-the-luxury-to-trust-anyone/) [Sirivi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sirivi/) > [I've gotten to go to far-off places in the world, have very unique, isolated, intense experiences for four or five months at a time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-ve-gotten-to-go-to-far-off-places-in-the-world-have-very-unique/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [London's where I grew up and had most of my experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzee-rascal/london-s-where-i-grew-up-and-had-most-of-my-experiences/) [Dizzee Rascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzee-rascal/) > [New experiences give you new perspectives on life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hunt/new-experiences-give-you-new-perspectives-on-life/) [Sam Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-hunt/) > [“I’m just happy to have experienced life; to have had a beautiful son and to have loved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-b-powell/i-m-just-happy-to-have-experienced-life-to-have-had-a-beautiful-son/) [Aaron B. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-b-powell/) > [In my own case, I'm an artist, and I'm really interested in expanding the vocabulary of human action, and basically empowering people through interactivity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/golan-levin/in-my-own-case-i-m-an-artist-and-i-m-really-interested-in-expanding/) [Golan Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/golan-levin/) > [I feel really lucky that I somehow have blagged my way into loads of different experiences. I find making a film fascinating, I find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-flynn/i-feel-really-lucky-that-i-somehow-have-blagged-my-way-into-loads-of/) [Johnny Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-flynn/) > [“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/) > [We have the philosophy that you can learn from past experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodri/we-have-the-philosophy-that-you-can-learn-from-past-experiences/) [Rodri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodri/) > [“When we observe how some people know how to manage their experiences--their insignificant, everyday experiences--so that they become an arable soil that bears fruit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/when-we-observe-how-some-people-know-how-to-manage-their-experiences/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) [Browse all 1,156 Experiences quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiences/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There are times when the actual experience of leaving something makes you wish desperately that you could stay, and then there are times when the leaving reminds you a hundred times over why exactly you had to leave in the first place.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shauna Niequist" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/there-are-times-when-the-actual-experience-of-leaving-something-makes/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Experiences" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/there-are-times-when-the-actual-experience-of-leaving-something-makes/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f03/shauna-niequist-3042_experiences_there-are-times-when-the-actual-experien_1667836.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f03/shauna-niequist-3042_experiences_there-are-times-when-the-actual-experien_1667836.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f03/shauna-niequist-3042_experiences_there-are-times-when-the-actual-experien_1667836.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There are times when the actual experience of leaving something makes you wish desperately that you could…” — Shauna Niequist", "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": "Shauna Niequist", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“There are times when the actual...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/there-are-times-when-the-actual-experience-of-leaving-something-makes/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/there-are-times-when-the-actual-experience-of-leaving-something-makes/#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 } } ] } ```