--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We come to know who we really are in life…" description: "\"We come to know who we really are in life during the dark and difficult and desolate days of our journey.\" — Tavis Smiley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/213/tavis-smiley-7372_dark_we-come-to-know-who-we-really-are-in-lif_2090144.jpg" --- # We come to know who we really are in life during the dark… ![“We come to know who we really are in life during the dark and difficult and desolate days of our journey.” quote by Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/213/tavis-smiley-7372_dark_we-come-to-know-who-we-really-are-in-lif_2090144.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/213/tavis-smiley-7372_dark_we-come-to-know-who-we-really-are-in-lif_2090144.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/213/tavis-smiley-7372_dark_we-come-to-know-who-we-really-are-in-lif_2090144.jpg) > “We come to know who we really are in life during the dark and difficult and desolate days of our journey.” [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adversity reveals true character, as difficult times force introspection and growth. **In simple terms:** Hard times reveal who we are. Key Takeaway Use challenges to discover personal strengths. Themes growth resilience identity Mood hopeful thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal crises - career setbacks - health challenges Key Concepts self‑discovery adversity coping Questions to Reflect On - What have you learned about yourself in tough times? - How can you support others facing darkness? A Different Perspective Not everyone finds clarity during hardship. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [It is said that as many days as there are in the whole journey, so many are the men and horses that stand along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/it-is-said-that-as-many-days-as-there-are-in-the-whole-journey-so/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [Along the road of life are many pleasure resorts, but think not that by tarrying in them you will take more days to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/along-the-road-of-life-are-many-pleasure-resorts-but-think-not-that/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“We were carried for many days in houses that went on wheels and flew along like birds. And now it seemed as if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-prentice/we-were-carried-for-many-days-in-houses-that-went-on-wheels-and-flew/) Claire Prentice > [Even when my every inclination is to be otherwise, I don't want to live my life on the dark side of things. Sometimes that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-sudol/even-when-my-every-inclination-is-to-be-otherwise-i-don-t-want-to/) [Alison Sudol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-sudol/) > [...life without coffee is not really life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-without-coffee-is-not-really-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Can you every single day tell a true testimony of who you are? That's really what life is about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/can-you-every-single-day-tell-a-true-testimony-of-who-you-are-that-s/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [You don't really do much in life unless you take risks, push yourself and find your passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karren-brady/you-don-t-really-do-much-in-life-unless-you-take-risks-push-yourself/) [Karren Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karren-brady/) > [“It is easy to write off childlike faith in the universe and childlike wonder at the world as simply a lack of knowledge about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-hornbacher/it-is-easy-to-write-off-childlike-faith-in-the-universe-and-childlike/) [Marya Hornbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-hornbacher/) > [Life is an interpretation of a series of facts, and that interpretation is really what life is about. So the division between non-fiction and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/life-is-an-interpretation-of-a-series-of-facts-and-that/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [The one thing that I have done really well in my life is be a father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jennings/the-one-thing-that-i-have-done-really-well-in-my-life-is-be-a-father/) [Peter Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jennings/) > [I've always only wanted to model. It really is the only life I want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paige-butcher/i-ve-always-only-wanted-to-model-it-really-is-the-only-life-i-want/) [Paige Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paige-butcher/) > [This really is my life’s work, to go where there is suffering,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayla-mueller/this-really-is-my-life-s-work-to-go-where-there-is-suffering/) [Kayla Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayla-mueller/) > [All I really have in my life is my family and football. That's about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gruden/all-i-really-have-in-my-life-is-my-family-and-football-that-s-about-it/) [Jon Gruden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gruden/) > [Is it really your life when everyone around you is telling you how to live it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/is-it-really-your-life-when-everyone-around-you-is-telling-you-how-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Acting is really only part of my life. I'm addicted to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blythe-danner/acting-is-really-only-part-of-my-life-i-m-addicted-to-it/) [Blythe Danner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blythe-danner/) ## More by Tavis Smiley > [I think the issue of women's choice is essential for a woman being able to have their lives - if they cannot control their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/i-think-the-issue-of-women-s-choice-is-essential-for-a-woman-being/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) > [Leonard Pitts, Jr. is the most insightful and inspiring columnist of his generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/leonard-pitts-jr-is-the-most-insightful-and-inspiring-columnist-of/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) > [I believe there is nothing we endure in life that you can't recover from. Failure is not fatal. Everyone has the capacity to fail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/i-believe-there-is-nothing-we-endure-in-life-that-you-can-t-recover/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) > [Why don't we scale up those things that do work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/why-don-t-we-scale-up-those-things-that-do-work/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) > [I think when I stop fighting, I die in a sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/i-think-when-i-stop-fighting-i-die-in-a-sense/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) > [The storm came. Lives were washed away. Ancient pains resurfaced. Now it is time for a sea of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/the-storm-came-lives-were-washed-away-ancient-pains-resurfaced-now-it/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) > [ \[John Carlos\] has spent much of his life since that time as a dedicated human rights advocate and public speaker, and he is out… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/john-carlos-has-spent-much-of-his-life-since-that-time-as-a-dedicated/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) > [I love the fight. I don't - it's not a negative, it's a positive, and I love the challenge. There's that little part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/i-love-the-fight-i-don-t-it-s-not-a-negative-it-s-a-positive-and-i/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) > [This administration and these folk who run Washington are no more interested in our welfare and our well being than the man on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/this-administration-and-these-folk-who-run-washington-are-no-more/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) > [I'm talking about France and Germany and Italy and Spain - new friend Germany - and I love that story, how they lead the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/i-m-talking-about-france-and-germany-and-italy-and-spain-new-friend/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) > [Sometimes even your friends don't understand your calling, your purpose, your vocation. But you have to stand in your truth anyway, and they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/sometimes-even-your-friends-don-t-understand-your-calling-your/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) > [Fear, fear, breeds hopelessness. When you're afraid, you don't know what to believe in, you don't know what to hold on to. You're struggling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/fear-fear-breeds-hopelessness-when-you-re-afraid-you-don-t-know-what/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) > [Capitalism is like a child: if you want the child to grow up free and productive, somebody's got to look over the shoulder of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/capitalism-is-like-a-child-if-you-want-the-child-to-grow-up-free-and/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) > [The data is going to indicate sadly that when the Obama administration is over, black people will have lost ground in every single leading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/the-data-is-going-to-indicate-sadly-that-when-the-obama/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) > [John Carlos provided the world with one of the most iconic images of the 1960s with his Black Power salute after a medal-winning performance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/john-carlos-provided-the-world-with-one-of-the-most-iconic-images-of/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) [Explore all 91 Tavis Smiley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) ## More Dark quotes > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [“I could see her will leaving and death seeping through her skin to skewer her soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-stroube/i-could-see-her-will-leaving-and-death-seeping-through-her-skin-to/) [J.D. Stroube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-stroube/) > [The soul wanders in the dark, until it finds love. And so, wherever our love goes, there we find our soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-zimmerman/the-soul-wanders-in-the-dark-until-it-finds-love-and-so-wherever-our/) [Mary Zimmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-zimmerman/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [All comedy comes from a dark place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katt-williams/all-comedy-comes-from-a-dark-place/) [Katt Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katt-williams/) > [It's a really dark, emotionally wrenching world that we've created on 'The Walking Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-holden/it-s-a-really-dark-emotionally-wrenching-world-that-we-ve-created-on/) [Laurie Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-holden/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“Once upon a time, there was a naïve and innocent girl who thought she could tame the beast and live happily ever after. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-na-ve-and-innocent-girl-who-thought-she/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [Memory revises me. Even now a letter comes from a place I don’t know, from someone with my name and postmarked years ago, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-young-lee/memory-revises-me-even-now-a-letter-comes-from-a-place-i-don-t-know/) [Li-Young Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-young-lee/) > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Let death bless me with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-death-bless-me-with-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“what do you call/that space between the dark geographies of sex?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-trethaway/what-do-you-call-that-space-between-the-dark-geographies-of-sex/) Natasha Trethaway > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) Nicole Gentile > [Even in the dark your shadow is like a guide to me! you are my rising sun that brings forth hope just as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nkemjika-linus/even-in-the-dark-your-shadow-is-like-a-guide-to-me-you-are-my-rising/) [Nkemjika Linus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nkemjika-linus/) [Browse all 10,198 Dark quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We come to know who we really are in life during the dark and difficult and desolate days of our journey.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tavis Smiley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/we-come-to-know-who-we-really-are-in-life-during-the-dark-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dark" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/we-come-to-know-who-we-really-are-in-life-during-the-dark-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/213/tavis-smiley-7372_dark_we-come-to-know-who-we-really-are-in-lif_2090144.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/213/tavis-smiley-7372_dark_we-come-to-know-who-we-really-are-in-lif_2090144.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/213/tavis-smiley-7372_dark_we-come-to-know-who-we-really-are-in-lif_2090144.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We come to know who we really are in life during the dark and difficult and desolate days of our journey.” — Tavis Smiley", "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": "Tavis Smiley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We come to know who we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/we-come-to-know-who-we-really-are-in-life-during-the-dark-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/we-come-to-know-who-we-really-are-in-life-during-the-dark-and/#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 } } ] } ```