---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even though I was growing up in a land…"
description: "\"“Even though I was growing up in a land that had been tormented since the dawn of time, I refused to consider the world as a battlefield.”\" — Yasmina K..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb9/yasmina-khadra-8341_refused_even-though-i-was-growing-up-in-a-land-t_1943303.png"
---

#  Even though I was growing up in a land that had been…

![“Even though I was growing up in a land that had been tormented since the dawn of time, I refused to consider the world as a battlefield.” quote by Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb9/yasmina-khadra-8341_refused_even-though-i-was-growing-up-in-a-land-t_1943303.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb9/yasmina-khadra-8341_refused_even-though-i-was-growing-up-in-a-land-t_1943303.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb9/yasmina-khadra-8341_refused_even-though-i-was-growing-up-in-a-land-t_1943303.png)

> ““Even though I was growing up in a land that had been tormented since the dawn of time, I refused to consider the world as a battlefield.””

[Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/)

## About This Quote

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

Choosing to see humanity beyond conflict fosters resilience and hope.

**In simple terms:** Refuse to view the world as a battlefield.

Key Takeaway

Adopt a hopeful perspective despite adversity.

Themes

conflict resilience hope humanity perspective

Mood

hopeful thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- daily news
- personal setbacks
- global crises
- community building

Key Concepts

war trauma psychological coping optimism

Questions to Reflect On

- In what ways can hope be balanced with realistic action?
- How does reframing conflict affect personal agency?

A Different Perspective

Optimism may overlook systemic issues needing action.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Land Tormented](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/land-tormented-3109876/) [Refused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refused/) [Refused Consider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refused-consider-3109877/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Refused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-refused-1601595/) [World Battlefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-battlefield-3109878/)

## Related quotes

> [“...desert time refused to structure itself. It preferred instead to flow in curlicues, vortices and tunnels,...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-davidson/desert-time-refused-to-structure-itself-it-preferred-instead-to-flow/)

[Robyn Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-davidson/)

> [“Most unwilling was she to awaken from such a dream of felicity, to comprehend all the unhappy truths which attended the affair; and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/most-unwilling-was-she-to-awaken-from-such-a-dream-of-felicity-to/)

[Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/)

> [It would be difficult to discover the truth about the universe if we refused to consider anything that might be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-morris/it-would-be-difficult-to-discover-the-truth-about-the-universe-if-we/)

[Richard Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-morris/)

> [“...he refused to consider the Moroccans' present culture, however decadent, an established fact, an existing thing. Instead, he seemed to believe that it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bowles/he-refused-to-consider-the-moroccans-present-culture-however-decadent/)

[Paul Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bowles/)

> [“world is a battlefield which one is sent to take his part, that the deed of man are yet to be in vein”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olawale/world-is-a-battlefield-which-one-is-sent-to-take-his-part-that-the/)

[Olawale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olawale/)

> [“...there was possibly something complimentary in the way Granny Weatherwax resolutely refused to consider other people's problems. It implied that, in her considerable opinion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-was-possibly-something-complimentary-in-the-way-granny/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [If the whole world is a battlefield, then the United States is also a battlefield.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/if-the-whole-world-is-a-battlefield-then-the-united-states-is-also-a/)

[Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

> [“It's the jihadists who decided to make the world a battlefield and to wage war in perpetuity. Until they abandon the field, what choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/it-s-the-jihadists-who-decided-to-make-the-world-a-battlefield-and-to/)

[Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/)

> [I was born to love - but none of you wanted to believe it, and that misunderstanding was crucial in forming my character. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sand/i-was-born-to-love-but-none-of-you-wanted-to-believe-it-and-that/)

[George Sand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sand/)

> [“The candidate who billed himself as a billionaire—ten times over—refused even to invest his own money in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/the-candidate-who-billed-himself-as-a-billionaire-ten-times-over/)

[Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/)

> [I draw the line at some things. Some things I won't do for any amount of money. Like for instance, there's a couple of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-draw-the-line-at-some-things-some-things-i-won-t-do-for-any-amount/)

[Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/)

> [“She refused to know love again. The thought of another heartbreak was far too much for her to bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-a-o-neal/she-refused-to-know-love-again-the-thought-of-another-heartbreak-was/)

[Terry a O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-a-o-neal/)

> [Every champion was once a contender that refused to give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/every-champion-was-once-a-contender-that-refused-to-give-up/)

[Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/)

> [A favor is half granted, when graciously refused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/a-favor-is-half-granted-when-graciously-refused/)

[Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/)

> [I had only two offers of marriage in my life, and I refused both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-helen-spence/i-had-only-two-offers-of-marriage-in-my-life-and-i-refused-both/)

[Catherine Helen Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-helen-spence/)

## More by Yasmina Khadra

> [It seems that the whole world is beginning to decay, and that its putrefaction has chosen to spread outward from here, from the land…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/it-seems-that-the-whole-world-is-beginning-to-decay-and-that-its/)

[Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/)

> [I was depressed. I knew I was lost, but I had no idea how to find myself again. It was as though I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/i-was-depressed-i-knew-i-was-lost-but-i-had-no-idea-how-to-find/)

[Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/)

> [“He took a fine fresh fig from his pocket and washed it meticulously in a glass of water; then he peeled it open before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/he-took-a-fine-fresh-fig-from-his-pocket-and-washed-it-meticulously/)

[Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/)

> [Get a grip on yourself. there's only one god here on earth, and that's you. If you don't like the world, make one you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/get-a-grip-on-yourself-there-s-only-one-god-here-on-earth-and-that-s/)

[Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/)

> [Culture is always about politics in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/culture-is-always-about-politics-in-the-end/)

[Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/)

> [Of course, I'm aware of the animosities destroying brain cells on both sides, and I know all about the obstinacy of the warring parties,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/of-course-i-m-aware-of-the-animosities-destroying-brain-cells-on-both/)

[Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/)

> [“In the eyes of Popes and Imams we are Us and Them, but in the eyes of the Lord we are one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/in-the-eyes-of-popes-and-imams-we-are-us-and-them-but-in-the-eyes-of/)

[Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/)

> [“This land does not belong to you. It belongs to that ancient shepherd whose ghost is standing next to you, though you refuse to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/this-land-does-not-belong-to-you-it-belongs-to-that-ancient-shepherd/)

[Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/)

> [You can know all there is to know about life and mankind, but what do you really know about yourself?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/you-can-know-all-there-is-to-know-about-life-and-mankind-but-what-do/)

[Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/)

> [“The can take everything you own- your property, your best years, all your joys, all your good works, everything down to your last shirt-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/the-can-take-everything-you-own-your-property-your-best-years-all/)

[Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/)

> [“An isolated person is doomed beyond remedy." Yasmina Khadra, Swallows of Kabul”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/an-isolated-person-is-doomed-beyond-remedy-yasmina-khadra-swallows-of/)

[Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/)

> [“Anyone who tells you that a greater symphony exists than the breath in your body is lying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/anyone-who-tells-you-that-a-greater-symphony-exists-than-the-breath/)

[Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/)

> [“Quand on ne trouve pas la solution à son malheur, on lui cherche un coupable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/quand-on-ne-trouve-pas-la-solution-son-malheur-on-lui-cherche-un/)

[Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/)

> [“El mundo es de quienes van a buscarlo.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/el-mundo-es-de-quienes-van-a-buscarlo/)

[Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/)

> [“I hate wars and revoloutions and these dramas of redemptive violence that turn upon themselves like endlessly long screws and haul entire generations through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/i-hate-wars-and-revoloutions-and-these-dramas-of-redemptive-violence/)

[Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/)

[Explore all 49 Yasmina Khadra quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/)

## More Refused quotes

> [I had only two offers of marriage in my life, and I refused both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-helen-spence/i-had-only-two-offers-of-marriage-in-my-life-and-i-refused-both/)

[Catherine Helen Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-helen-spence/)

> [A favor is half granted, when graciously refused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/a-favor-is-half-granted-when-graciously-refused/)

[Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/)

> [Every champion was once a contender that refused to give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/every-champion-was-once-a-contender-that-refused-to-give-up/)

[Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/)

> [“She refused to know love again. The thought of another heartbreak was far too much for her to bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-a-o-neal/she-refused-to-know-love-again-the-thought-of-another-heartbreak-was/)

[Terry a O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-a-o-neal/)

> [I draw the line at some things. Some things I won't do for any amount of money. Like for instance, there's a couple of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-draw-the-line-at-some-things-some-things-i-won-t-do-for-any-amount/)

[Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/)

> [“The candidate who billed himself as a billionaire—ten times over—refused even to invest his own money in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/the-candidate-who-billed-himself-as-a-billionaire-ten-times-over/)

[Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/)

> [I was born to love - but none of you wanted to believe it, and that misunderstanding was crucial in forming my character. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sand/i-was-born-to-love-but-none-of-you-wanted-to-believe-it-and-that/)

[George Sand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sand/)

> [“He had been willing to die because he refused to take a life. But me, I contemplated shooting everyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tintera/he-had-been-willing-to-die-because-he-refused-to-take-a-life-but-me-i/)

[Amy Tintera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tintera/)

> [While receiving radiation treatment for a thyroid illness, I had refused to take beta-blockers - a medication that would have eased its side effects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-devers/while-receiving-radiation-treatment-for-a-thyroid-illness-i-had/)

[Gail Devers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-devers/)

> [It is more tolerable to be refused than deceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/it-is-more-tolerable-to-be-refused-than-deceived/)

[Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/)

> [“But what would be our readers’ reaction if we simply refused to get to the bottom of that question?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mann/but-what-would-be-our-readers-reaction-if-we-simply-refused-to-get-to/)

[Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/)

> [“I did not want to have a descendent to recite an elegy one day for me in the desert.” “What’s that?” “I wouldn’t have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibrahim-al-koni/i-did-not-want-to-have-a-descendent-to-recite-an-elegy-one-day-for-me/)

[Ibrahim al-Koni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibrahim-al-koni/)

> [After my bad experience as a kite, I simply refused to go about as a glowing Sadie-headed chicken. That’s fine for Carter, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/after-my-bad-experience-as-a-kite-i-simply-refused-to-go-about-as-a/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [It will not bother me in the hour of death to reflect that I have been "had for a sucker" by any number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/it-will-not-bother-me-in-the-hour-of-death-to-reflect-that-i-have/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [Barbra Streisand developed overwhelming performance anxiety at the height of her career; for 27 years she refused to perform for the general public, appearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/barbra-streisand-developed-overwhelming-performance-anxiety-at-the/)

[Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/)

[Browse all 300 Refused quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refused/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Even though I was growing up in a land that had been tormented since the dawn of time, I refused to consider the world as a battlefield.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Yasmina Khadra"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/even-though-i-was-growing-up-in-a-land-that-had-been-tormented-since/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Refused"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/even-though-i-was-growing-up-in-a-land-that-had-been-tormented-since/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb9/yasmina-khadra-8341_refused_even-though-i-was-growing-up-in-a-land-t_1943303.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb9/yasmina-khadra-8341_refused_even-though-i-was-growing-up-in-a-land-t_1943303.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb9/yasmina-khadra-8341_refused_even-though-i-was-growing-up-in-a-land-t_1943303.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Even though I was growing up in a land that had been tormented since the dawn of time, I refused to consider…” — Yasmina Khadra",
                "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": "Yasmina Khadra",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Even though I was growing up...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/even-though-i-was-growing-up-in-a-land-that-had-been-tormented-since/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/even-though-i-was-growing-up-in-a-land-that-had-been-tormented-since/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
