Quotes About Understanding

the day she told us to go to the page without judgment, reminded us that we never knew, and never would know, what it would be like to understand another person fully.

Elizabeth Strout

Olive finally said, leaning forward in her chair, "Here's what I think, young lady. I think you're doin' excellent." Then she sat back. What a thing love was. Olive felt it for Betty, even with that bumper sticker on her truck.

they would never get over that night because they had said things that altered how they saw each other.

Looking back, I imagine that I was very odd, that I spoke too loudly, or that I said nothing when things of popular culture were mentioned; I think I responded strangely to ordinary types of humor that were unknown to me. I think I didn't understand the concept of irony at all, and that confused people. When I first met my husband William, I felt—and it was a surprise—that he really did understand something in me.

and she seemed to really listen, I could see her listening, and she responded exactly right somehow. I cannot remember what she said, but I remember thinking, Oh, she is right here with me.

My job is to help you get into the world, but you do not belong to me.

People know exactly who loves them, and how much—

But when I think Oh William!, don't I mean Oh Lucy! too? Don't I mean Oh Everyone, Oh dear Everybody in this whole wide world, we do not know anybody, not even ourselves!

Margaret Estaver," she added again. "Susan's at work." Margaret Estaver nodded as though she

Elizabeth Strout

Like all Holmes's reasoning the thing seemed simplicity itself when it was once explained.

You have a grand gift for silence, Watson. It makes you quite invaluable as a companion.

My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other people do not know.

Excellent!" I cried. "Elementary," said he.

To a great mind, nothing is little,' remarked Holmes, sententiously.

We have found that where science has progressed the farthest, the mind has but regained from nature that which the mind put into nature.

You have to see a building to comprehend it. Photographs cannot convey the experience, nor film.

Of course, a sign doesn't mean anything unless you know how to interpret it.

We none of us find as much kindness in this world as we should.

It's the person who likes to pat dogs to whom dogs come for pats.

There was something about him that drove the shyness out of you, a kind of understanding that went deeper than words and set up an instantaneous closeness. It was odd; we couldn't have been more different. Arthur Gordon

Our knowledge of human nature is for the most part empirical; and it would often be better, if, instead of endeavouring to say some new things ourselves, we were to confirm without more words the sayings of another.

The first condition of success for the League of Nations is, therefore, a firm understanding between the British Empire and the United States of America and France and Italy that there will be no competitive building up of fleets or armies between them.