Life is short and tedious, and is wholly spent in wishing…
“Life is short and tedious, and is wholly spent in wishing; we trust to find rest and enjoyment at some future time, often at an age when our best blessings, youth and health, have already left us. When at last I that time has arrived, it surprises us in the midst of fresh desires; we have got no farther when we are attacked by a fever which kills us; if we had been cured, it would only have been to give us more time for other desires.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Life is fleeting and filled with postponed wishes, only to realize desires arrive when youth and health have faded, and death may come before fulfillment.
In simple terms: We waste time wishing for future joy, only to find it too late.
Key Takeaway
Live fully now, not in future hopes.
Themes
mortality
regret
time
desire
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
philosophical
cautionary
When to use this quote
- career planning
- health decisions
- relationship choices
- financial goals
Key Concepts
existentialism
human condition
impermanence
Questions to Reflect On
- What present actions could replace postponed wishes?
- How does acknowledging mortality change daily priorities?
A Different Perspective
Future-oriented wishes often ignore present constraints and can lead to chronic dissatisfaction.