--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You been gone too long, Sula. Not too…" description: "\"You been gone too long, Sula. Not too long, but maybe too far.\" — Toni Morrison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/toni-morrison-271_gone_you-been-gone-too-long-sula-not-too-long_674330.jpg" --- # You been gone too long, Sula. Not too long, but maybe too… ![“You been gone too long, Sula. Not too long, but maybe too far.” quote by Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/toni-morrison-271_gone_you-been-gone-too-long-sula-not-too-long_674330.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/toni-morrison-271_gone_you-been-gone-too-long-sula-not-too-long_674330.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/toni-morrison-271_gone_you-been-gone-too-long-sula-not-too-long_674330.jpg) > “You been gone too long, Sula. Not too long, but maybe too far.” [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A dialogue hints at a strained relationship, suggesting distance and uncertainty about how long separation will last. **In simple terms:** Separation causes uncertainty and emotional distance. Key Takeaway Communicate openly to bridge gaps. Themes relationships distance uncertainty communication Mood melancholic hopeful Type dialogue emotional When to use this quote - friendships - family reunions - long‑distance work Key Concepts emotional intelligence conflict resolution trust Questions to Reflect On - What prevents honest conversation? - How can you reconnect after distance? A Different Perspective Silence can deepen misunderstanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [Maybe I'm so far away yet. 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Maybe someday, years from now.If the pain would decrease to the point where I could bear it.I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-wondered-how-long-it-could-last-maybe-someday-years-from-now-if-the/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [I could pretend, at least, and if I pretended long enough, maybe I could make it into a reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/i-could-pretend-at-least-and-if-i-pretended-long-enough-maybe-i-could/) [Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/) > [It's hard letting go, Of something that was so good, For so long But maybe it's the only way Of keeping the happiness Of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemantsmarty/it-s-hard-letting-go-of-something-that-was-so-good-for-so-long-but/) Hemantsmarty > [“As long as there's a maybe there will be a hopr”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadil-diaf/as-long-as-there-s-a-maybe-there-will-be-a-hopr/) Hadil Diaf > [“He glanced through the kitchen door at Tori sitting in front of his laptop. Would they be together in two months? Two years? Two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/he-glanced-through-the-kitchen-door-at-tori-sitting-in-front-of-his/) [James L. Rubart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/) > [“Where are you from? New York?" "Weird you picked up on that," she said, "I've been gone from there for so long." 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All at long last gone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/on-stare-on-say-on-be-on-somehow-on-anyhow-on-till-dim-gone-at-long/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [He'll never be gone - not as long as those who remain are loyal to him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-kathleen-rowling/he-ll-never-be-gone-not-as-long-as-those-who-remain-are-loyal-to-him/) [Joanne Kathleen Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-kathleen-rowling/) > [I've gone through long periods without being with someone and got a bit lonely, but not for a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-sewell/i-ve-gone-through-long-periods-without-being-with-someone-and-got-a/) [Rufus Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-sewell/) > [“Peace has gone on too long. Something inside me says that trouble such as these shores have never known is headed our way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jacques/peace-has-gone-on-too-long-something-inside-me-says-that-trouble-such/) [Brian Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jacques/) > [It took her a while to figure out she could run but when she did she was long gone long gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-urban/it-took-her-a-while-to-figure-out-she-could-run-but-when-she-did-she/) [Keith Urban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-urban/) ## More by Toni Morrison > [Perhaps that's what all human relationships boiled down to: Would you save my life? or would you take it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/perhaps-that-s-what-all-human-relationships-boiled-down-to-would-you/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [In times of dread, artists must never choose to remain silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-times-of-dread-artists-must-never-choose-to-remain-silent/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Not know it was hard;knowing it was harder”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/not-know-it-was-hard-knowing-it-was-harder/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Didn’t everything on God’s earth have or acquire defense?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/didn-t-everything-on-god-s-earth-have-or-acquire-defense/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [If you can't count, they can cheat you. 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It may discuss all sort of terrible things, but there must be satisfaction at the end.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/for-me-art-is-the-restoration-of-order-it-may-discuss-all-sort-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“To Sethe, the future was a matter of keeping the past at bay”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/to-sethe-the-future-was-a-matter-of-keeping-the-past-at-bay/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Hate does that. Burns off everything but itself, so whatever your grievance is, your face looks just like your enemy's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/hate-does-that-burns-off-everything-but-itself-so-whatever-your/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You know how a star is supposed to twinkle? We say twinkle because that is how it looks, but when a star feels itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-know-how-a-star-is-supposed-to-twinkle-we-say-twinkle-because/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“There is no bad luck in the world but whitefolks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-is-no-bad-luck-in-the-world-but-whitefolks/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [My father saw two black men lynched on his street in Cartersville, as a child. And I think seeing two black businessmen - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/my-father-saw-two-black-men-lynched-on-his-street-in-cartersville-as/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“She was fierce in the presence of death, heroic even, as she was at no other time. Its threat gave her direction, clarity, audacity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/she-was-fierce-in-the-presence-of-death-heroic-even-as-she-was-at-no/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Explore all 774 Toni Morrison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ## More Gone quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [“I notice when you’re gone. Or do I? How can I observe something that isn’t there?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-notice-when-you-re-gone-or-do-i-how-can-i-observe-something-that/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [You're getting into some kind of shape, cop." Aw, come on, now." 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And all along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-nakadate/the-amazing-thing-is-that-we-live-our-lives-with-the-hope-that-things/) [Laurel Nakadate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-nakadate/) > [I think I need the demons in order to write, but the demons have gone. It bothers me a lot. I've tried and tried,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wilson/i-think-i-need-the-demons-in-order-to-write-but-the-demons-have-gone/) [Brian Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wilson/) > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [“I am disappearing, maybe I'm already gone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/i-am-disappearing-maybe-i-m-already-gone/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) > [You don't think. It's all instinct. If you stop to think, you're gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-robinson/you-don-t-think-it-s-all-instinct-if-you-stop-to-think-you-re-gone/) [Sugar Ray Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-robinson/) > [...Gratitude transforms the torment of memory of good things now gone into silent joy. One bears what was lovely in the past not as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/gratitude-transforms-the-torment-of-memory-of-good-things-now-gone/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [The weird thing was that Soft Cell was supposed to have come and gone before I started the album.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-almond/the-weird-thing-was-that-soft-cell-was-supposed-to-have-come-and-gone/) [Marc Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-almond/) Browse all 7,934 Gone quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You been gone too long, Sula. 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