--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Understand that the only possession of…" description: "\"Understand that the only possession of any value is life.\" — Andre Gide" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/andre-gide-790_learning_understand-that-the-only-possession-of-a_771349.png" --- # Understand that the only possession of any value is life. ![“Understand that the only possession of any value is life.” quote by Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/andre-gide-790_learning_understand-that-the-only-possession-of-a_771349.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/andre-gide-790_learning_understand-that-the-only-possession-of-a_771349.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/andre-gide-790_learning_understand-that-the-only-possession-of-a_771349.png) > “Understand that the only possession of any value is life.” [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) ## 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 the sole valuable possession; everything else is secondary. **In simple terms:** Life itself is the most precious thing. Key Takeaway Prioritize living fully over material concerns. Themes philosophy value existence priorities Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - daily decisions - career choices - relationships - spiritual practice Key Concepts humanism existentialism ethics Questions to Reflect On - What does “value” mean to you? - How do you honor life’s worth? A Different Perspective Focusing only on life may neglect meaningful goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Possession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possession/) [Possession Value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possession-value-5961138/) [Understand Possession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-possession-5486154/) [Value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value/) [Value Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value-life/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [Common people, whether lords or shop-keepers, are slow to understand that possession, whether in the shape of birth or lands or money or intellect,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/common-people-whether-lords-or-shop-keepers-are-slow-to-understand/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [The value of life does not depend upon the place we occupy. It depends upon the way we occupy that place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therese-of-lisieux/the-value-of-life-does-not-depend-upon-the-place-we-occupy-it-depends/) [Therese of Lisieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therese-of-lisieux/) > [The gospel assures you that your value is not dependent on your looks or material possessions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-l-jack/the-gospel-assures-you-that-your-value-is-not-dependent-on-your-looks/) [Elaine L. Jack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-l-jack/) > [Hanging on to someone who isn't adding value to your life isn't loyalty, that's stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-moores/hanging-on-to-someone-who-isn-t-adding-value-to-your-life-isn-t/) [Sarah Moores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-moores/) > [“Adding value to your life is the only way to fulfill your calling”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/adding-value-to-your-life-is-the-only-way-to-fulfill-your-calling/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [I hold the value of life is to improve one's condition. Whatever is calculated to advance the condition of the honest, struggling laboring man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-hold-the-value-of-life-is-to-improve-one-s-condition-whatever-is/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If the purpose of living is to worry, then what is the value of Life? Stay above your problems and walk closest to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/if-the-purpose-of-living-is-to-worry-then-what-is-the-value-of-life/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [You cannot judge the value of a life by its length.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/you-cannot-judge-the-value-of-a-life-by-its-length/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [Life and time are world's two teachers. Life teaches us to make good use of time, while time teaches us the value of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-and-time-are-world-s-two-teachers-life-teaches-us-to-make-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Someone has to die in order that the rest of us should value life more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/someone-has-to-die-in-order-that-the-rest-of-us-should-value-life-more/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Always remember if somebody's presence doesn't add value to your life. Then their absence should make no difference either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/always-remember-if-somebody-s-presence-doesn-t-add-value-to-your-life/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“Create/add value to your life on a daily basis”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/create-add-value-to-your-life-on-a-daily-basis/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Let's face it: much of what we truly value in life is rooted in our experience of repression and conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/let-s-face-it-much-of-what-we-truly-value-in-life-is-rooted-in-our/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [The value of life doesnt depend on the length of time on this earth. But rather on the amount of love given and shared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldyna-threesya/the-value-of-life-doesnt-depend-on-the-length-of-time-on-this-earth/) [Aldyna Threesya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldyna-threesya/) > [“The great value of life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-truslow-adams/the-great-value-of-life-is-to-spend-it-on-something-that-will-outlast/) [James Truslow Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-truslow-adams/) ## More by Andre Gide > [Without mysticism man can achieve nothing great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/without-mysticism-man-can-achieve-nothing-great/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“The things one feels are different about oneself are the things that are rare, that give each person their value - and these are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/the-things-one-feels-are-different-about-oneself-are-the-things-that/) [André Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [I believe that in every circumstance I have been able to see rather clearly the most advantageous course I could follow, which is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/i-believe-that-in-every-circumstance-i-have-been-able-to-see-rather/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [Know thyself. A maxim as pernicious as it is ugly. Whoever studies himself arrest his own development. A caterpillar who seeks to know himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/know-thyself-a-maxim-as-pernicious-as-it-is-ugly-whoever-studies/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“There is a germ of revolt lying in the spirit of inquiry and critical curiosity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/there-is-a-germ-of-revolt-lying-in-the-spirit-of-inquiry-and-critical/) [André Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [Oh, would that my mind could let fall its dead ideas, as the tree does its withered leaves!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/oh-would-that-my-mind-could-let-fall-its-dead-ideas-as-the-tree-does/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [God lies ahead. I convince myself and constantly repeat to myself that: He depends on us. It is through us that God is achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/god-lies-ahead-i-convince-myself-and-constantly-repeat-to-myself-that/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“Welcome everything that comes to you, but do not long for anything else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/welcome-everything-that-comes-to-you-but-do-not-long-for-anything-else/) [André Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [There are many things that seem impossible only so long as one does not attempt them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/there-are-many-things-that-seem-impossible-only-so-long-as-one-does/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [Envying another man's happiness is madness; you wouldn't know what to do with it if you had it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/envying-another-man-s-happiness-is-madness-you-wouldn-t-know-what-to/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [So long as we live among men, let us cherish humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/so-long-as-we-live-among-men-let-us-cherish-humanity/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [It is one of life's laws that as soon as one door closes another opens. But the tragedy is we look at the closed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/it-is-one-of-life-s-laws-that-as-soon-as-one-door-closes-another/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“What would a narrative of happiness be like? All that can be described is what prepares it, and then what destroys it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/what-would-a-narrative-of-happiness-be-like-all-that-can-be-described/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [It is with noble sentiments that bad literature gets written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/it-is-with-noble-sentiments-that-bad-literature-gets-written/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“C'est dans l'extraordinaire que je me sens le plus naturel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/c-est-dans-l-extraordinaire-que-je-me-sens-le-plus-naturel/) [André Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) [Explore all 304 Andre Gide quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) ## More Learning quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“Men mistook measurement for understanding. And they always had to put themselves at the center of everything. That was their greatest conceit. The earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/men-mistook-measurement-for-understanding-and-they-always-had-to-put/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [Learning from the best, you will eventually become the best if you have the talent already, if you have that potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-orton/learning-from-the-best-you-will-eventually-become-the-best-if-you/) [Randy Orton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-orton/) > [Everything I do is more memorable and I understand music more than ever now. It's not a burden to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seungri/everything-i-do-is-more-memorable-and-i-understand-music-more-than/) [Seungri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seungri/) > [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/) [H.D. (Hilda Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-d-hilda-doolittle/) > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [once in awhile you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look it right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/once-in-awhile-you-get-shown-the-light-in-the-strangest-of-places-if/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) > [It's like saying French shouldn't be taught because you don't understand it because it's new. Shakespeare is just like learning a new, exciting language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/it-s-like-saying-french-shouldn-t-be-taught-because-you-don-t/) [Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [Would she understand that time had stopped while she was gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-july/would-she-understand-that-time-had-stopped-while-she-was-gone/) [Miranda July](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-july/) > [It's difficult for people to come to the understanding that only a small minority of the people ever really get the word about life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/it-s-difficult-for-people-to-come-to-the-understanding-that-only-a/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [“Damen's understanding of Laurent rearranged itself, in order that he might despise him more accurately.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-u-pacat/damen-s-understanding-of-laurent-rearranged-itself-in-order-that-he/) [S.U. Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-u-pacat/) [Browse all 22,300 Learning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Understand that the only possession of any value is life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Andre Gide" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/understand-that-the-only-possession-of-any-value-is-life/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Learning" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/understand-that-the-only-possession-of-any-value-is-life/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/andre-gide-790_learning_understand-that-the-only-possession-of-a_771349.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/andre-gide-790_learning_understand-that-the-only-possession-of-a_771349.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/andre-gide-790_learning_understand-that-the-only-possession-of-a_771349.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Understand that the only possession of any value is life.” — Andre Gide", "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": "Andre Gide", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Understand that the only possession of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/understand-that-the-only-possession-of-any-value-is-life/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/understand-that-the-only-possession-of-any-value-is-life/#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 } } ] } ```