---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I shut my ears, averted my eyes, turning…"
description: "\"“I shut my ears, averted my eyes, turning instead to what I thought at the time was pain's antidote: silence. I was wrong... Silence feeds pain, allows..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/tracy-k-smith-8847_creative-nonfiction_i-shut-my-ears-averted-my-eyes-turning-i_2846345.png"
---

#  I shut my ears, averted my eyes, turning instead to what I…

![“I shut my ears, averted my eyes, turning instead to what I thought at the time was pain's antidote: silence. I was wrong... Silence feeds pain, allows it to fester and thrive. What starves pain, what forces it to release its grip, is speech, the voice upon which rides the story, this is what…” quote by Tracy K. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/tracy-k-smith-8847_creative-nonfiction_i-shut-my-ears-averted-my-eyes-turning-i_2846345.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/tracy-k-smith-8847_creative-nonfiction_i-shut-my-ears-averted-my-eyes-turning-i_2846345.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/tracy-k-smith-8847_creative-nonfiction_i-shut-my-ears-averted-my-eyes-turning-i_2846345.png)

> ““I shut my ears, averted my eyes, turning instead to what I thought at the time was pain's antidote: silence. I was wrong... Silence feeds pain, allows it to fester and thrive. What starves pain, what forces it to release its grip, is speech, the voice upon which rides the story, this is what happened; this is what I have refused to let claim me.””

[Tracy K. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-k-smith/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Silence amplifies pain; speaking gives it shape and releases it.

**In simple terms:** Talking reduces pain; silence worsens it.

Key Takeaway

Speak to process and release suffering.

Themes

pain silence expression healing

Mood

introspective hopeful

Type

poetic therapeutic

When to use this quote

- therapy sessions
- journaling
- conflict resolution

Key Concepts

psychology communication trauma therapy

Questions to Reflect On

- When is silence a better choice?
- How does storytelling aid recovery?

A Different Perspective

Silence can be protective in some contexts, limiting expression.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Creative nonfiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-nonfiction/) [Memoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memoir/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

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