--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We thought of life by analogy with a…" description: "\"We thought of life by analogy with a journey, a pilgrimage, which had a serious purpose at the end, and the thing was to get to that end, success or wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f6/alan-watts-587_analogies_we-thought-of-life-by-analogy-with-a-jou_2734403.jpg" --- # We thought of life by analogy with a journey, a… ![“We thought of life by analogy with a journey, a pilgrimage, which had a serious purpose at the end, and the thing was to get to that end, success or whatever it is, maybe heaven after you’re dead. But we missed the point the whole way along. It was a musical thing and you were supposed to sing or…” quote by Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f6/alan-watts-587_analogies_we-thought-of-life-by-analogy-with-a-jou_2734403.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f6/alan-watts-587_analogies_we-thought-of-life-by-analogy-with-a-jou_2734403.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f6/alan-watts-587_analogies_we-thought-of-life-by-analogy-with-a-jou_2734403.jpg) > “We thought of life by analogy with a journey, a pilgrimage, which had a serious purpose at the end, and the thing was to get to that end, success or whatever it is, maybe heaven after you’re dead. But we missed the point the whole way along. It was a musical thing and you were supposed to sing or to dance while the music was being played.” [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) ## 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 a journey meant to be enjoyed like music, not just a destination to reach. **In simple terms:** Life should be lived like a song, not just a goal. Key Takeaway Embrace the present and enjoy the process. Themes purpose journey mindfulness spirituality music Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal growth - spiritual practice - creative work - daily routines Key Concepts existentialism Zen meaning of life Questions to Reflect On - What does “singing along” mean to you? - How can you integrate joy into daily tasks? A Different Perspective Focusing only on outcomes can cause missed joy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Analogies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/analogies/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Pilgrimage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pilgrimage/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Thoughts on life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts-on-life/) ## Related quotes > [When you build a building, you finish a building. 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Ridley > [The universal and lasting establishment of peace constitutes not merely a part, but the whole final purpose and end of the science of right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/the-universal-and-lasting-establishment-of-peace-constitutes-not/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [Our purpose is to end war and bring resources back to the life-sustaining needs of our community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-evans/our-purpose-is-to-end-war-and-bring-resources-back-to-the-life/) [Jodie Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-evans/) > [“And I think that if you are lucky enough to give and receive love, then you can be happy in the face of suffering.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priscilla-warner/and-i-think-that-if-you-are-lucky-enough-to-give-and-receive-love/) Priscilla Warner > [“Maybe Heaven will be a library and then I might get to finish my ‘to-read’ list.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellie-elmore/maybe-heaven-will-be-a-library-and-then-i-might-get-to-finish-my-to/) [Kellie Elmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellie-elmore/) ## More by Alan Watts > [“The self-conscious feedback mechanism of the cortex allows us the hallucination that we are two souls in one body -a rational soul and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-self-conscious-feedback-mechanism-of-the-cortex-allows-us-the/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [The more we try to catch hold of the present moment the more elusive it becomes. It is like trying to clutch water in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-more-we-try-to-catch-hold-of-the-present-moment-the-more-elusive/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [The Universe is the game of the self, which plays hide and seek forever and ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/the-universe-is-the-game-of-the-self-which-plays-hide-and-seek/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [If my happiness at this moment consists largely in reviewing happy memories and expectations, I am but dimly aware of this present. 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