O suffering, sad humanity! O ye afflicted ones, who lie Steeped to the lips in misery, Longing, yet afraid to die, Patient, though sorely tried!
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
To be seventy years old is like climbing the Alps. You reach a snow-crowned summit, and see behind you the deep valley stretching miles and miles away, and before you other summits higher and whiter, which you may have strength to climb, or may not. Then you sit down and meditate and wonder which it will be.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Aging brings reflection on past achievements and contemplation of future challenges.
This quote uses the metaphor of climbing the Alps to describe the experience of turning seventy years old. It suggests that reaching this age allows one to look back on life's journey, appreciating both the struggles and accomplishments that have been faced, while also pondering the unknown challenges and peaks that lie ahead. This reflection can prompt deep contemplation about life’s purpose and future endeavors.
Themes
AgeReflectionLife StagesChallengesGrowth
In practice
Example use cases
In a retirement speech, one could use this quote to reflect on a lifetime of experiences.
More from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
All quotes →There are moments in life, when the heart is so full of emotion That if by chance it be shaken, or into its depths like a pebble Drops some careless word, it overflows, and its secret, Spilt on the ground like water, can never be gathered together.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
God is not dead; nor doth He sleep; ... _x000D_ The wrong shall fail,_x000D_ The right prevail,_x000D_ With peace on earth, good will to men.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
In the long run men hit only what they aim at.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
The love of learning, the sequestered nooks, And all the sweet serenity of books.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
Similar quotes
Work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls - family, health, friends, integrity - are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered.
Gary W. KellerRead
On his bold visage middle age Had slightly press'd its signet sage, Yet had not quench'd the open truth And fiery vehemence of youth: Forward and frolic glee was there, The will to do, the soul to dare.
Walter ScottRead
All my life, I never really felt comfortable anywhere in New York, except maybe in an apartment somewhere.
Martin ScorseseRead
But we've all ended up giving body and soul to Africa, one way or another. Even Adah, who's becoming an expert in tropical epidemiology and strange new viruses. Each of us got our heart buried in six feet of African dirt; we are all co-conspirators here. I mean, all of us, not just my family. So what do you do now? You get to find your own way to dig out a heart and shake it off and hold it up to the light again.
Barbara KingsolverRead
I had a period in my life where I decided that I would never be bored again and that, if I had any free time at all, I would make plans, and I would always be doing things. It actually was great for a year or so, but then I lost all of my friends.
Billie EilishRead
Growing old has been the greatest surprise of my life.
Billy GrahamRead