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They trick the sense of time, so that once inhabiting…

“They trick the sense of time, so that once inhabiting there you always mean to go away without quite realizing that you have not done it. Men who have lived there, miners and cattlemen, will tell you this, not so fluently, but emphatically, cursing the land and going back to it. For” quote by Mary Austin
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““They trick the sense of time, so that once inhabiting there you always mean to go away without quite realizing that you have not done it. Men who have lived there, miners and cattlemen, will tell you this, not so fluently, but emphatically, cursing the land and going back to it. For””

Mary Austin

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People become trapped by time, unable to leave places they inhabit, despite yearning to escape.

In simple terms: Time traps people, making leaving hard.

Key Takeaway

Acknowledge and confront time‑bound attachments.

Themes

time place longing identity

Mood

reflective melancholic

Type

poetic philosophical

When to use this quote

  • migration decisions
  • career changes
  • personal growth
  • grief processing

Key Concepts

existentialism psychology environmentalism

Questions to Reflect On

  • What places hold you captive?
  • How can you break cycles of staying?
A Different Perspective

Escaping may be impossible without confronting underlying causes.

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