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Deeper than our instinct to live is our longing to be alive.
Erwin Mcmanus
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote emphasizes the importance of truly experiencing life beyond mere survival.

Erwin McManus suggests that while humans have a fundamental instinct to survive, there exists a deeper desire to fully embrace and engage with the experience of being alive. This longing reflects our pursuit of meaning, purpose, and joy, driving us beyond mere existence into a life rich with connection and vitality.

Themes

LifeExistenceVitalityPurposeExperience

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech about living fully and pursuing one's dreams.

More from Erwin Mcmanus

I think a lot of us are not on a path; we're in a rut. We have confused comfort with peace, belief with faith, safety with wisdom, wealth with blessing, and existence with life.
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Home is ultimately not about a place to live but about the people with whom you are most fully alive. Home is about love, relationship, community, and belonging, and we are all searching for home.
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There are few things more powerful than a life lived with passionate clarity.
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The future awaits those with the courage to create it.
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Far too often, when we think we are frightened by mystery, the fact is that we are haunted by history.
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You are both a work of art and an artist at work.
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