--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only the curious have, if they live, a…" description: "\"“Only the curious have, if they live, a tale worth telling at all.”\" — Alastair Reid" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/alastair-reid-75501_curious_only-the-curious-have-if-they-live-a-tal_2278062.jpg" --- # Only the curious have, if they live, a tale worth telling… ![“Only the curious have, if they live, a tale worth telling at all.” quote by Alastair Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/alastair-reid-75501_curious_only-the-curious-have-if-they-live-a-tal_2278062.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/alastair-reid-75501_curious_only-the-curious-have-if-they-live-a-tal_2278062.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/alastair-reid-75501_curious_only-the-curious-have-if-they-live-a-tal_2278062.jpg) > ““Only the curious have, if they live, a tale worth telling at all.”” Alastair Reid ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Curiosity drives people to live meaningful lives worth sharing. **In simple terms:** Being curious makes life interesting. Key Takeaway Cultivate curiosity daily. Themes creativity life storytelling Mood inquisitive reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - travel - writing - learning - relationships Key Concepts existential meaning personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What stories could you tell if you were more curious? - How does curiosity shape your identity? A Different Perspective Not everyone values curiosity equally; some may avoid risk. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) ## Related quotes > [“And how many cases where no one came back, making nothing to remark? No tale worth repeating? One hundred to one? Five hundred to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/and-how-many-cases-where-no-one-came-back-making-nothing-to-remark-no/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“To know if a tale is worth its weight in gold, check if it reveals threefold. In your bloodstream. In the town square. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amruta-patil/to-know-if-a-tale-is-worth-its-weight-in-gold-check-if-it-reveals/) [Amruta Patil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amruta-patil/) > [“Suddenly someone stops long enough to listen. And in that simple action, some marginalized person finally realizes that they actually have a story to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/suddenly-someone-stops-long-enough-to-listen-and-in-that-simple/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [There are definitely some stories worth telling and I think there's something to be said for telling your story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-hoffs/there-are-definitely-some-stories-worth-telling-and-i-think-there-s/) [Susanna Hoffs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-hoffs/) > [If you go in with a plan to make a point, and you know what your narrative is going to be already, in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-novick/if-you-go-in-with-a-plan-to-make-a-point-and-you-know-what-your/) Lynn Novick > [Every story needs to be worth telling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/every-story-needs-to-be-worth-telling/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [In this world we have to take chances, sometimes there worth it and sometimes there not, but I'm telling u now, u will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/in-this-world-we-have-to-take-chances-sometimes-there-worth-it-and/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“Having something worth telling and a passion to tell it are what make you a good writer. I can't tell you how many times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-colfer/having-something-worth-telling-and-a-passion-to-tell-it-are-what-make/) [Chris Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-colfer/) > [Not only is your story worth telling, but it can be told in words so painstakingly eloquent that it becomes a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-naylor/not-only-is-your-story-worth-telling-but-it-can-be-told-in-words-so/) [Gloria Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-naylor/) > [The heart cherishes secrets not worth the telling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-donaldson/the-heart-cherishes-secrets-not-worth-the-telling/) [Stephen R. Donaldson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-donaldson/) > [If the truth is worth telling, it is worth making a fool of yourself to tell it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/if-the-truth-is-worth-telling-it-is-worth-making-a-fool-of-yourself/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [Anyone can have a once-upon-a-time or a happily-ever-after, but it's the journey between that makes the story worth telling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-colfer/anyone-can-have-a-once-upon-a-time-or-a-happily-ever-after-but-it-s/) [Chris Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-colfer/) > [“-we wish you-" "-a tale-" "-worth telling." "Not luck?" asked Vikram. The gate heaved with wet laughter. "-what good is-" "-such a thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roshani-chokshi/we-wish-you-a-tale-worth-telling-not-luck-asked-vikram-the-gate/) [Roshani Chokshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roshani-chokshi/) > [“Most of us have only one story to tell. I don’t mean that only one thing happens to us in our lives: there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/most-of-us-have-only-one-story-to-tell-i-don-t-mean-that-only-one/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [We're all basically decent human beings so if 3,000 people are laughing at a joke then it's worth telling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-mack/we-re-all-basically-decent-human-beings-so-if-3-000-people-are/) [Lee Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-mack/) ## More by Alastair Reid > [May have killed the cat; more likely the cat was just unlucky, or else curious to see what death was like, having no cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reid/may-have-killed-the-cat-more-likely-the-cat-was-just-unlucky-or-else/) Alastair Reid > [“The principal difference between childhood and the stages of life into which it invariably dissolves is that as children we occupy a limitless present.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reid/the-principal-difference-between-childhood-and-the-stages-of-life/) Alastair Reid Explore all 3 Alastair Reid quotes ## More Curious quotes > [“What about you? What do you do?” I needed to ask questions, draw him out. I needed to find out all the information I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-avery-ellison/what-about-you-what-do-you-do-i-needed-to-ask-questions-draw-him-out/) [Kate Avery Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-avery-ellison/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [A garden has a curious innocent way of consuming cash while all the time you are under the illusion that you are spending nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-meynell/a-garden-has-a-curious-innocent-way-of-consuming-cash-while-all-the/) [Esther Meynell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-meynell/) > [“The process of becoming curious is the movement away from simply living by what and how, and moving into the beautifully ambiguous and possibility-laden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-tygrett/the-process-of-becoming-curious-is-the-movement-away-from-simply/) Casey Tygrett > [Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are curious and want to find out how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because-you-want-to-develop-some-new/) [Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) > [I don't know what successful journaling really looks like... I think it really does look so different for everyone who does it, I'm always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracie-abrams/i-don-t-know-what-successful-journaling-really-looks-like-i-think-it/) [Gracie Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracie-abrams/) > [“So curious you must be. Like little calves poking their heads through the fence with big eyes and a headful of curiosity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carew-papritz/so-curious-you-must-be-like-little-calves-poking-their-heads-through/) [Carew Papritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carew-papritz/) > [Our world is drowning in a sea of self-centeredness. You can make yourself quite unique right away by leaving this ocean of selfishness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/our-world-is-drowning-in-a-sea-of-self-centeredness-you-can-make/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [Be curious not judge mental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/be-curious-not-judge-mental/) Unknow > [“It is curious how little interested we are in the sexual desires of those who do not attract us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-little-interested-we-are-in-the-sexual-desires-of/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [International friendly games are not worth the lives of the silk worms who perish to make the pennants. They do not even have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-baker/international-friendly-games-are-not-worth-the-lives-of-the-silk/) [Danny Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-baker/) > [Natural history is not taught in seminary. This is curious, as most people in pastoral ministry are about 567 times more likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-maitland/natural-history-is-not-taught-in-seminary-this-is-curious-as-most/) [Sara Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-maitland/) > [Easy, Curious George! Get your grubby hands off of that wheel!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/easy-curious-george-get-your-grubby-hands-off-of-that-wheel/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [We want to explore. We're curious people. Look back over history, people have put their lives at stake to go out and explore ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-collins/we-want-to-explore-we-re-curious-people-look-back-over-history-people/) [Eileen Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-collins/) > [When I think about unique insight, what I think about is here's your opportunity to tell me something that I don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-seibel/when-i-think-about-unique-insight-what-i-think-about-is-here-s-your/) [Michael Seibel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-seibel/) Browse all 2,160 Curious quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Only the curious have, if they live, a tale worth telling at all.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alastair Reid" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reid/only-the-curious-have-if-they-live-a-tale-worth-telling-at-all/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Curious" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reid/only-the-curious-have-if-they-live-a-tale-worth-telling-at-all/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/alastair-reid-75501_curious_only-the-curious-have-if-they-live-a-tal_2278062.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/alastair-reid-75501_curious_only-the-curious-have-if-they-live-a-tal_2278062.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/alastair-reid-75501_curious_only-the-curious-have-if-they-live-a-tal_2278062.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Only the curious have, if they live, a tale worth telling at all.” — Alastair Reid", "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": "Alastair Reid", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reid/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Only the curious have, if they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reid/only-the-curious-have-if-they-live-a-tale-worth-telling-at-all/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reid/only-the-curious-have-if-they-live-a-tale-worth-telling-at-all/#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 } } ] } ```