The most important lesson in the writing trade is that any manuscript is improved if you cut away the fat.
Robert A. HeinleinRead
The saddest thing about ephemerals was that their little lives rarely held time enough for love.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Ephemeral beings have fleeting lives that prevent them from experiencing lasting love.
This quote reflects on the transient nature of existence, suggesting that for beings whose lives are brief, such as mayflies or certain moments in life, there is scarcely enough time to encounter and cultivate deep connections or love. It evokes a sense of melancholy regarding the brevity of life and the opportunities for emotional fulfillment that often slip away.
Themes
EphemeralLoveLifeTransienceMelancholy
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of appreciating relationships, one might say, 'As Robert A. Heinlein wisely noted, the saddest thing about ephemerals was that their little lives rarely held time enough for love.'
More from Robert A. Heinlein
All quotes →An armed society is a polite society.
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Democracy is a poor system of government at best; the only thing that can honestly be said in its favor is that it is eight times as good as any other method the human race has ever tried.
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Long human words (the longer the better) were easy, unmistakable, and rarely changed their meanings . . . but short words were slippery, unpredictable, changing their meanings without any pattern.
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Progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things.
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When a place gets crowded enough to require ID's, social collapse is not far away. It is time to go elsewhere. The best thing about space travel is that it made it possible to go elsewhere.
Robert A. HeinleinRead
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