--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is too mysterious to try to map it…" description: "\"Life is too mysterious to try to map it out. I've certainly lived long enough to know it will take you places you never thought it would take you - and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a70/alan-ball-7404_certainly_life-is-too-mysterious-to-try-to-map-it_2728062.jpg" --- # Life is too mysterious to try to map it out. I've… ![“Life is too mysterious to try to map it out. I've certainly lived long enough to know it will take you places you never thought it would take you - and some of those places are kind of wonderful.” quote by Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a70/alan-ball-7404_certainly_life-is-too-mysterious-to-try-to-map-it_2728062.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a70/alan-ball-7404_certainly_life-is-too-mysterious-to-try-to-map-it_2728062.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a70/alan-ball-7404_certainly_life-is-too-mysterious-to-try-to-map-it_2728062.jpg) > “Life is too mysterious to try to map it out. I've certainly lived long enough to know it will take you places you never thought it would take you - and some of those places are kind of wonderful.” [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s unpredictability leads to unexpected, often wonderful experiences beyond our plans. **In simple terms:** Life is unpredictable and can be wonderful. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty and explore new paths. Themes uncertainty adventure growth Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - career changes - travel - personal growth - creative projects Key Concepts existentialism serendipity Questions to Reflect On - What unexpected outcome have you missed? - How can you welcome uncertainty? A Different Perspective Uncertainty can cause anxiety and fear of loss of control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mysterious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mysterious/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) ## Related quotes > [When you don't know what to do, go back to the places, the people and the promises where you know you last heard God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-farrel/when-you-don-t-know-what-to-do-go-back-to-the-places-the-people-and/) [Pam Farrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-farrel/) > [Baby, I know places we won't be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/baby-i-know-places-we-won-t-be-found/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [I like geography. I like to know where places are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-felton/i-like-geography-i-like-to-know-where-places-are/) [Tom Felton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-felton/) > [Actually, I've gotten myself into some difficult places because I thought I could fix somebody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-mcbride/actually-i-ve-gotten-myself-into-some-difficult-places-because-i/) [Melissa McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-mcbride/) > [“We used to believe that the highway went somewhere, that over the horizon was escape, places we'd never been and thought we wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-zadok/we-used-to-believe-that-the-highway-went-somewhere-that-over-the/) Rachel Zadok > [“Storm fronts that linger upon the horizon; white plastic places where every thought dies in; swabbies and cocktails and parrots’ bright wings; these are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/storm-fronts-that-linger-upon-the-horizon-white-plastic-places-where/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [How can one person be in two places at once? By being thought of by two lovers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-dangoor/how-can-one-person-be-in-two-places-at-once-by-being-thought-of-by/) [Robert D Dangoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-dangoor/) > [Fishing the small streams of New Hampshire is a pastime that combines hiking, map reading, and bushwhacking - plenty of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-monninger/fishing-the-small-streams-of-new-hampshire-is-a-pastime-that-combines/) [Joseph Monninger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-monninger/) > [By visualizing information, we turn it into a landscape that you can explore with your eyes: a sort of information map. And when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccandless/by-visualizing-information-we-turn-it-into-a-landscape-that-you-can/) [David McCandless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccandless/) > [“Sometimes there’s no map when you go to new places, you have to make unexpected turns, but the beauty is these places are new.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hawke/sometimes-there-s-no-map-when-you-go-to-new-places-you-have-to-make/) [Christopher Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hawke/) > [A lot of my friends have tattoos; I realized that it's not only just a part of pop culture, but a bit of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-louboutin/a-lot-of-my-friends-have-tattoos-i-realized-that-it-s-not-only-just-a/) [Christian Louboutin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-louboutin/) > [After all, the past is our only real guide to the future, and historical analogies are instruments for distilling and organizing the past and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mandelbaum/after-all-the-past-is-our-only-real-guide-to-the-future-and/) [Michael Mandelbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mandelbaum/) > [I travel without barely any luggage. Just a second set of underwear and binoculars and a map and a toothbrush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/i-travel-without-barely-any-luggage-just-a-second-set-of-underwear/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [I've always been fascinated and stared at maps for hours as a kid. I've especially been most intrigued by the uninhabited or lonelier places…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-and-stared-at-maps-for-hours-as-a-kid-i/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [Beauty is in the strangest places. A piece of garbage floating in the wind. And that beauty exists in America. It exists everywhere. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/beauty-is-in-the-strangest-places-a-piece-of-garbage-floating-in-the/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) ## More by Alan Ball > [The important thing is that he shook hands with us over the phone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/the-important-thing-is-that-he-shook-hands-with-us-over-the-phone/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [“Well did you call the hypothetical hardware store and buy a theoretical chainsaw?-- Pam to Jessica, True Blood”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/well-did-you-call-the-hypothetical-hardware-store-and-buy-a/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [“Pam: I don't know what it is about me that makes people think I want to hear their problems. Maybe I smile too much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/pam-i-don-t-know-what-it-is-about-me-that-makes-people-think-i-want/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [Television viewing has become for me a completely different experience, because I don't watch shows on a weekly basis. I wait until the DVD…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/television-viewing-has-become-for-me-a-completely-different/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [I don't really know what it is about vampires that makes them such a powerful symbol, metaphor, whatever in people's consciousness. But I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/i-don-t-really-know-what-it-is-about-vampires-that-makes-them-such-a/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [I am a little suspicious of industry paradigms. I feel like so many movies and TV shows feel so familiar because of over-reliance on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/i-am-a-little-suspicious-of-industry-paradigms-i-feel-like-so-many/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [“I had always heard your entire life flashes in front of your eyes the second before you die. First of all, that one second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/i-had-always-heard-your-entire-life-flashes-in-front-of-your-eyes-the/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [I'm 53. I don't care about high school students. I find them irritating and uninformed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/i-m-53-i-don-t-care-about-high-school-students-i-find-them-irritating/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [Beauty is in the strangest places. A piece of garbage floating in the wind. And that beauty exists in America. It exists everywhere. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/beauty-is-in-the-strangest-places-a-piece-of-garbage-floating-in-the/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [The difference between film and TV is the pace. You don't have the leisure of time in television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/the-difference-between-film-and-tv-is-the-pace-you-don-t-have-the/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > ['Six Feet Under' was about repressing our deepest, most primal impulses, and 'True Blood' is about giving full sway to them all the time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/six-feet-under-was-about-repressing-our-deepest-most-primal-impulses/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [I'd seen 'Interview with A Vampire' and saw Dracula movies growing up, but I never thought, 'I love vampires; I have to do a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/i-d-seen-interview-with-a-vampire-and-saw-dracula-movies-growing-up/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [“The idea of celibate vampires is ridiculous. To me, vampires are sex. I don't get a vampire story about abstinence. I don't care about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/the-idea-of-celibate-vampires-is-ridiculous-to-me-vampires-are-sex-i/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [As a writer, it's fun to create. And once you get into a long-running show with very established characters and a very established tone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/as-a-writer-it-s-fun-to-create-and-once-you-get-into-a-long-running/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [I'm from the South, so while I personally find it impossible to live there, I still have a fondness for it as a geographical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/i-m-from-the-south-so-while-i-personally-find-it-impossible-to-live/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) [Explore all 91 Alan Ball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) ## More Certainly quotes > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [I'm certainly not a perfect mother, but I'm trying to be what my mother wasn't for me. My mother's battled depression, so I understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-hamill/i-m-certainly-not-a-perfect-mother-but-i-m-trying-to-be-what-my/) [Dorothy Hamill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-hamill/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [If we can send a guy to the moon we can certainly go a quarter of a mile and not get hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-prudhomme/if-we-can-send-a-guy-to-the-moon-we-can-certainly-go-a-quarter-of-a/) Don Prudhomme > [I've certainly seen a lot of my cartoonist friends embrace 'Little Lulu' in a much deeper way because their kids love it so much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/i-ve-certainly-seen-a-lot-of-my-cartoonist-friends-embrace-little/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [Righteousness and faith certainly are instrumental in moving mountains - if moving mountains accomplishes God's purposes and is in accordance with His will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/righteousness-and-faith-certainly-are-instrumental-in-moving/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [I have never really been fond of animals. I certainly wasn't an 'animal lover' when I became involved in the movement. I just came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/i-have-never-really-been-fond-of-animals-i-certainly-wasn-t-an-animal/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Certainly it is not a democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-ibrahim/certainly-it-is-not-a-democracy/) [Anwar Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-ibrahim/) > [Spain are certainly one of the best teams in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kieran-trippier/spain-are-certainly-one-of-the-best-teams-in-the-world/) [Kieran Trippier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kieran-trippier/) > [I'm certainly not a white supremacist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stewart/i-m-certainly-not-a-white-supremacist/) [Corey Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stewart/) > [I certainly know that on our first tour of America in 1968, David Crosby came to see us backstage at the Fillmore East in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-hayward/i-certainly-know-that-on-our-first-tour-of-america-in-1968-david/) [Justin Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-hayward/) > [Will capitalist economies operate at full employment in the absence of routine intervention? Certainly not. Are deviations from full employment a social problem? Obviously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/will-capitalist-economies-operate-at-full-employment-in-the-absence/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) Browse all 1,298 Certainly quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Life is too mysterious to try to map it out. 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