--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have always had this failing - that I…" description: "\"I have always had this failing - that I cannot explain myself, as I have said, except at the cost of many words.\" — Teresa of Avila" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/teresa-of-vila-1246_cost_i-have-always-had-this-failing-that-i-ca_1818028.jpg" --- # I have always had this failing - that I cannot explain… ![“I have always had this failing - that I cannot explain myself, as I have said, except at the cost of many words.” quote by Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/teresa-of-vila-1246_cost_i-have-always-had-this-failing-that-i-ca_1818028.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/teresa-of-vila-1246_cost_i-have-always-had-this-failing-that-i-ca_1818028.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db6/teresa-of-vila-1246_cost_i-have-always-had-this-failing-that-i-ca_1818028.jpg) > “I have always had this failing - that I cannot explain myself, as I have said, except at the cost of many words.” [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She feels unable to explain herself without excessive words, highlighting inner struggle to articulate experience. **In simple terms:** She struggles to explain herself concisely. Key Takeaway Seek clarity in self‑expression. Themes spirituality communication self‑awareness Mood contemplative introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - journaling - therapy - spiritual counseling Key Concepts inner conflict language limits personal truth Questions to Reflect On - What holds you back from clear expression? - How can silence convey meaning? A Different Perspective Words may not capture depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [“No" works just fine as a complete sentence. You don't have to explain yourself. I said no, then stopped talking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stabile/no-works-just-fine-as-a-complete-sentence-you-don-t-have-to-explain/) [Scott Stabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stabile/) > [You just have to believe in what you're saying and be able to explain why you said it. There's nothing I say that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-norton/you-just-have-to-believe-in-what-you-re-saying-and-be-able-to-explain/) [Jim Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-norton/) > [“Why do you love me, Angela?' Arsehole. Turning my question back on myself. 'Why do I love you?' 'It's really easy to say I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-kelk/why-do-you-love-me-angela-arsehole-turning-my-question-back-on-myself/) [Lindsey Kelk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-kelk/) > [Let me explain something to you, he said. If you want to get something out of a man, dashing out his brains against a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-chase/let-me-explain-something-to-you-he-said-if-you-want-to-get-something/) [Loretta Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-chase/) > [I am afraid that I rather give myself away when I explain," said he. "Results without causes are much more impressive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/i-am-afraid-that-i-rather-give-myself-away-when-i-explain-said-he/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [You don't have to explain something you never said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/you-don-t-have-to-explain-something-you-never-said/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [It's hard to explain," said Brutha. "But I think it's got something to do with how people should behave... you should do things because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-hard-to-explain-said-brutha-but-i-think-it-s-got-something-to-do/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It wouldn't cost too much to change the rules of trade so that poor countries can work their way out of poverty. But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/it-wouldn-t-cost-too-much-to-change-the-rules-of-trade-so-that-poor/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [Heavy as they are, the costs of action must be weighed against the price of inaction. If Saddam defies the world and we fail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/heavy-as-they-are-the-costs-of-action-must-be-weighed-against-the/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [If I do, I say so. That's the only way out of that. 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I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More by Teresa of Avila > [“Of the good things they do many will pass unnoticed, or will even not be considered good at all; but they need not fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/of-the-good-things-they-do-many-will-pass-unnoticed-or-will-even-not/) [Teresa of Ávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [I made you, dear, and all I make is perfect. Please come close, for I desire you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/i-made-you-dear-and-all-i-make-is-perfect-please-come-close-for-i/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [How often I failed in my duty to God, because I was not leaning on the strong pillar of prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/how-often-i-failed-in-my-duty-to-god-because-i-was-not-leaning-on-the/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Half-instructed confessors have done my soul great harm; for I could not always have such learned ones as I would have desired. They certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/half-instructed-confessors-have-done-my-soul-great-harm-for-i-could/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Truth suffers, but never dies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/truth-suffers-but-never-dies/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [“you will never lack so much of the water of comfort that your thirst will be intolerable;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/you-will-never-lack-so-much-of-the-water-of-comfort-that-your-thirst/) [Teresa of Ávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suffices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/whoever-has-god-lacks-nothing-god-alone-suffices/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Do you know when people really become spiritual? It is when they become the slaves of God and are branded with His sign, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/do-you-know-when-people-really-become-spiritual-it-is-when-they/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [How friendly we should all be with one another if nobody were interested in money and honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/how-friendly-we-should-all-be-with-one-another-if-nobody-were/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [“an unrestrained infatuation with ecstasy and other extraordinary phenomena developed. These experiences were thought of as something to be obtained at all costs. Among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/an-unrestrained-infatuation-with-ecstasy-and-other-extraordinary/) [Teresa of Ávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [“The Lord has no body now on earth but yours, no hands now but yours, no feet now but yours. Yours are the eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/the-lord-has-no-body-now-on-earth-but-yours-no-hands-now-but-yours-no/) [Teresa of Ávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Our greatest gain is to lose the wealth that is of such brief duration and, by comparison with eternal things, of such little worth;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/our-greatest-gain-is-to-lose-the-wealth-that-is-of-such-brief/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [God has no hands or feet or voice except ours and through these He works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/god-has-no-hands-or-feet-or-voice-except-ours-and-through-these-he/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [His Majesty knows best what is suitable for us. 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It's cost me my career, my fortune and basically my sex life when I found out I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbin-crosby/what-has-drug-addiction-done-for-me-it-s-cost-me-my-career-my-fortune/) Robbin Crosby > [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I believe that government is too large, costs too much, spends too much, and has too much regulatory power in our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-walberg/i-believe-that-government-is-too-large-costs-too-much-spends-too-much/) [Tim Walberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-walberg/) > [One reason for the tremendous increase in health-care costs in the U.S. is managerial neglect of the "hotel services" by the people who dominate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/one-reason-for-the-tremendous-increase-in-health-care-costs-in-the-u/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [They brought on someone who cost more than our stadium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-rodgers/they-brought-on-someone-who-cost-more-than-our-stadium/) [Brendan Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-rodgers/) > [When the government pays, health care's lack of affordability becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. In health care, as in other things, government is the high-cost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-kling/when-the-government-pays-health-care-s-lack-of-affordability-becomes/) [Arnold Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-kling/) > [“In your goals to go the extra mile, prepare to pay an extra cost. 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