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Meaning
The quote says that being young and ill is difficult in many obvious ways, but the most surprising part is how much empty, dull time it can create. It emphasizes that boredom can be one of the hardest parts of being sick. It also suggests that the experience is not just painful, but isolating and monotonous.
When It Was Said
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Who It Was Said To
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Historical Context
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Source
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Original Language & Translation
Originally said in English.
Did They Really Say It?
No source found on Wikiquote; the quote is listed as attributed to Suleika Jaouad.
Did You Know?
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About Suleika Jaouad
American writer, advocate, and motivational speaker
Suleika Jaouad is an American writer, advocate, and motivational speaker. She is known for her essays and commentary, including her “Life, Interrupted” column in The New York Times, and for work published in Vogue, Glamour, NPR’s All Things Considered, and Women’s Health. Her 2021 memoir, Between Two Kingdoms, describes her experience with leukemia and became a New York Times best seller. She later published The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life in 2025. Her work often reflects on illness, resilience, and the effort to build meaning through difficult circumstances.
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- “Youth and health are supposed to go hand in hand. And it was only when I got to a point where I was so weak,…”Suleika Jaouad
Reflections: more sayings
- “You have to be smart to play a dumb blonde over and over again and keep the audience's attention without extr…”Judy Holliday
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READ THE SOURCE
Books by Suleika Jaouad
Between Two Kingdoms
2021