In the quote from Cecelia Ahern's "The Year I Met You," the speaker expresses a profound sense of loss. They believed that a particular aspect of their life was central to their identity, and losing it left them feeling incomplete and hollow. This experience forced the individual to confront their dependency on this defining element for self-worth.

Rather than attempting to reclaim what was lost, the speaker realizes the importance of self-discovery and inner strength. This journey leads them to understand the necessity of finding fulfillment and wholeness within themselves, independent of external factors that once defined them.