--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fact that we die, that makes life…" description: "\"The fact that we die, that makes life important. It's hard to take, but it's the truth.\" — Alan Ball" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b5/alan-ball-7404_death_the-fact-that-we-die-that-makes-life-imp_988906.jpg" --- # The fact that we die, that makes life important. It's hard… ![“The fact that we die, that makes life important. It's hard to take, but it's the truth.” quote by Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b5/alan-ball-7404_death_the-fact-that-we-die-that-makes-life-imp_988906.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b5/alan-ball-7404_death_the-fact-that-we-die-that-makes-life-imp_988906.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b5/alan-ball-7404_death_the-fact-that-we-die-that-makes-life-imp_988906.jpg) > “The fact that we die, that makes life important. It's hard to take, but it's the truth.” [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. The inevitability of death gives life meaning, urging acceptance of this truth despite its difficulty **In simple terms:** Mortality makes life valuable Key Takeaway Live fully, acknowledging life's fragility Themes mortality meaning truth Mood somber thoughtful motivational Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - health crises - career decisions - relationship choices - personal loss Key Concepts existentialism philosophy of life Questions to Reflect On - How does awareness of death affect your daily choices? - What practices help you embrace life's impermanence? A Different Perspective Fear of death can cause paralysis rather than motivation ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Dies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dies/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-truth/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-hard-1302973/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-important/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [It is very important not to become hard. The artist must always have one skin too few in comparison to other people, so you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shusha-guppy/it-is-very-important-not-to-become-hard-the-artist-must-always-have/) [Shusha Guppy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shusha-guppy/) > [“How you try is more important than how hard you try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-fargo/how-you-try-is-more-important-than-how-hard-you-try/) [Tim Fargo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-fargo/) > [There is nothing more important than hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-bash/there-is-nothing-more-important-than-hard-work/) [Dana Bash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-bash/) > [Controlling my temper is important, ... Sometimes it's hard, but I try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/controlling-my-temper-is-important-sometimes-it-s-hard-but-i-try/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [“can gauge how important something is to you by how hard you are willing to work to get it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-stanley/can-gauge-how-important-something-is-to-you-by-how-hard-you-are/) [Paul Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-stanley/) > [The blues are real important. It's where most of the hard rock n' roll came from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izzy-stradlin/the-blues-are-real-important-it-s-where-most-of-the-hard-rock-n-roll/) [Izzy Stradlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izzy-stradlin/) > [See, talent is important, and so is hard work. But if you don't have destiny and good karma on your side, talent cannot do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himesh-reshammiya/see-talent-is-important-and-so-is-hard-work-but-if-you-don-t-have/) [Himesh Reshammiya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/himesh-reshammiya/) > [The willingness to hear hard truth is vital not only for CEOs of big corporations but also for anyone who loves the truth. Sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-willingness-to-hear-hard-truth-is-vital-not-only-for-ceos-of-big/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [“Lying to ourselves is so much easier than facing the cold hard truth, and the quick way out is often the preferred method for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-allih/lying-to-ourselves-is-so-much-easier-than-facing-the-cold-hard-truth/) [Paul Allih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-allih/) > [“David looked at me, then, the regret plain on his face. No matter what I said, we both knew the hard truth. We do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/david-looked-at-me-then-the-regret-plain-on-his-face-no-matter-what-i/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [Better the hard truth, I say, than the comforting fantasy. And in the final tolling it often turns out that the facts are more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/better-the-hard-truth-i-say-than-the-comforting-fantasy-and-in-the/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The hard truth is that Trump was not exceptional. He was just another amoral Western businessman, one of many whom the ex-KGB elite have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/the-hard-truth-is-that-trump-was-not-exceptional-he-was-just-another/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [“The hard truth is that if we fail to take time to think deeply about the unsearchable, wonderful, endless depths of the Word of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-armstrong/the-hard-truth-is-that-if-we-fail-to-take-time-to-think-deeply-about/) [Aaron Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-armstrong/) > [“I don't wish for the red house back, not really, yet in a way, I wish for everything back that ever was, everything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kenison/i-don-t-wish-for-the-red-house-back-not-really-yet-in-a-way-i-wish/) [Katrina Kenison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kenison/) > [When people ask my advice on a situation I've been in I just give cold hard truth, no use in sugar coating...feelings are on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-people-ask-my-advice-on-a-situation-i-ve-been-in-i-just-give/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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 Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) [J. Anthony Torino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-anthony-torino/) > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) [Alan W. Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-powers/) > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The fact that we die, that makes life important. It's hard to take, but it's the truth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alan Ball" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/the-fact-that-we-die-that-makes-life-important-it-s-hard-to-take-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/the-fact-that-we-die-that-makes-life-important-it-s-hard-to-take-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b5/alan-ball-7404_death_the-fact-that-we-die-that-makes-life-imp_988906.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b5/alan-ball-7404_death_the-fact-that-we-die-that-makes-life-imp_988906.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b5/alan-ball-7404_death_the-fact-that-we-die-that-makes-life-imp_988906.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The fact that we die, that makes life important. It's hard to take, but it's the truth.” — Alan Ball", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alan Ball", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The fact that we die, that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/the-fact-that-we-die-that-makes-life-important-it-s-hard-to-take-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/the-fact-that-we-die-that-makes-life-important-it-s-hard-to-take-but/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```