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I don't understand the meaning of the following quote from The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger:

"It's funny. Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody."

Can anyone explain it to me? I don't get it. Never have.

PS-The quote was mentioned recently in a FunTrivia.com quiz.

I agree. I rank that with my favorite Yogi Berra quote: "If people don't want to come to the ballgames, there's nothing we can do to stop them."

I think you need more of the passage to put it into context.

About all I know is, I sort of miss everybody I told about. Even old Stradlater and Ackley, for instance. I think I even miss that goddam Maurice. It's funny. Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.

He's saying that by speaking of the past, he's brought these people to mind & now misses them. Just before that, he's talking about the future & how he doesn't know what he's going to do, so I think the overall meaning is comfort in & of the past - nostalgia. The past looks good, no matter how crappy it was, in relation to the unknown future.

Thanks for your replies, Darrell and Jim.

Yes, it makes more sense when it's put in context. Good explanation, Jim! Thanks again.

I can understand the sad feeling of missing people we loved or knew in our past. Nostalgia can be pleasurable but it can also be painful.

PS-Sometimes when my sister and I talk together about our memories of our mother, we derive pleasure from sharing our common background but we still regret that we can't be with our mother again. Still, I enjoy bringing back old memories with someone who has the same memories and affection I have for another person. I guess you could call it mixed emotions.

PS-There's an old song with the title "Mixed Emotions", sung by Rosemary Clooney. Here it is at:

Lyrics:
"I have mixed emotions when it comes to loving you ... when you're near me I am happy just alone with you but when you're far away from me I'm awfully blue ... You're the bitter and the sweet combined, so what am I to do. I have mixed emotions over you." (song written by Stuart F. Louchheim, published in 1951)

PS - About the lyrics, there's a line that says:

"...To a tiger a tiger's not a tiger if he's tame..."

Clever lyrics! Good rhythm and satisfying alliteration.

I love the clever use of words!

Joy, you just explained the gift of siblings sharing their family knowledge which I will never have. Be grateful for you are fortunate to be able to share memories.

Nina, yes, I do appreciate having two siblings (2 sisters) to reminisce with about our common experiences growing up. There's a certain closeness that can't be duplicated with anyone else. But, Nina, you have daughters! I have no daughters! Guess that makes us even, in a way. :)

"A son's a son till he takes a wife,
But a daughter's a daughter all of your life."

That rhyme is true in a way, but I still feel close to my sons... but we just can't talk about things that daughters might talk about.

I agree Joy. I love my sons as you do yours but there is something about daughters and mothers and our voices together. Or sisters as I see that with my daughters and their sisters. And as you mentioned with you and your two sisters. There is that early bond that can't be broken. Me too, by the way, am glad I came back and hope I don't have a repeat but as I said if it's any consolation, it was peaceful while it lasted.

Nina wrote: ... am glad I came back and hope I don't have a repeat but as I said if it's any consolation, it was peaceful while it lasted. ."

Nina, "peaceful" is good.