--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why is life speeded up so? Why are things…" description: "\"Why is life speeded up so? Why are things so terribly, unbearably precious that you can't enjoy them but can only wait breathless in dread of their goi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd6/anne-morrow-lindbergh-983_breathless_why-is-life-speeded-up-so-why-are-things_680955.png" --- # Why is life speeded up so? Why are things so terribly… ![“Why is life speeded up so? Why are things so terribly, unbearably precious that you can't enjoy them but can only wait breathless in dread of their going?” quote by Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd6/anne-morrow-lindbergh-983_breathless_why-is-life-speeded-up-so-why-are-things_680955.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd6/anne-morrow-lindbergh-983_breathless_why-is-life-speeded-up-so-why-are-things_680955.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd6/anne-morrow-lindbergh-983_breathless_why-is-life-speeded-up-so-why-are-things_680955.png) > “Why is life speeded up so? Why are things so terribly, unbearably precious that you can't enjoy them but can only wait breathless in dread of their going?” [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She laments life's rapid pace and the painful intensity of moments that prevent true enjoyment. **In simple terms:** Life feels too fast and painfully precious. Key Takeaway Seek balance between urgency and appreciation. Themes time preciousness anxiety existence Mood melancholic reflective Type philosophical poetic When to use this quote - daily routine - relationships - creative pursuits Key Concepts philosophy psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How can we savor moments without dread? - What practices help slow perceived time? A Different Perspective May lead to fatalism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breathless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathless/) [Breathless Dread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathless-dread-5387270/) [Dread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dread/) [Enjoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoy/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Speeded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-speeded-698105/) [Things Terribly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-terribly-2117612/) [Wait Breathless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wait-breathless-1217652/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) ## Related quotes > [“This world we now live in may indeed be a beautiful gift from God, but do not forget that it's our union with him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/this-world-we-now-live-in-may-indeed-be-a-beautiful-gift-from-god-but/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > [I guess that as life is speeded up and our capacity for concentration is being nibbled away at by all the obvious things, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-dyer/i-guess-that-as-life-is-speeded-up-and-our-capacity-for-concentration/) [Geoff Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-dyer/) > [in my opinion if you have a secret compartment in your lute case and don't use it to hide things, there is something terribly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/in-my-opinion-if-you-have-a-secret-compartment-in-your-lute-case-and/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“A dog’s life is a speeded-up version of your own. After a while, you can hardly bear to be a witness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/a-dog-s-life-is-a-speeded-up-version-of-your-own-after-a-while-you/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I think it's dangerous to be optimistic. Things could go terribly wrong virtually overnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/i-think-it-s-dangerous-to-be-optimistic-things-could-go-terribly/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [We Americans, with our terrific emphasis on youth, action, and material success, certainly tend to belittle the afternoon of life and even to pretend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/we-americans-with-our-terrific-emphasis-on-youth-action-and-material/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [“You're all the places that leave me breathless, and no wonder, you're all the world to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-provenzano/you-re-all-the-places-that-leave-me-breathless-and-no-wonder-you-re/) [Jim Provenzano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-provenzano/) > [I pu my finger to her lips. "You have to hush a minute so that I can tell you something." "What?" she says, bites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-barkley/i-pu-my-finger-to-her-lips-you-have-to-hush-a-minute-so-that-i-can/) [Brad Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-barkley/) > [There is something about her eyes. Eyes don't breathe. I know that much. But hers look breathless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/there-is-something-about-her-eyes-eyes-don-t-breathe-i-know-that-much/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [Miss Cecily," she gasped, and then her eyes went to Will. She clapped a hand over her mouth, turned, and bolted back into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/miss-cecily-she-gasped-and-then-her-eyes-went-to-will-she-clapped-a/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“Seeing my breathless reaction causes him to break out with a smug grin. “That was our first official kiss as a couple.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/seeing-my-breathless-reaction-causes-him-to-break-out-with-a-smug/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“You’re so perfect,” I murmured to him as we came up for air. “I can’t believe you’re all mine.” His laugh was rough and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-k-lilley/you-re-so-perfect-i-murmured-to-him-as-we-came-up-for-air-i-can-t/) [R.K. Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-k-lilley/) > [“Breathless and Wretched, the new fragrance by Calvin Klein.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-reid/breathless-and-wretched-the-new-fragrance-by-calvin-klein/) [Penny Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-reid/) > [This is a modern fairytale. No happy endings. No wind in our sails. But I can't imagine a life without. Breathless moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena-gomez/this-is-a-modern-fairytale-no-happy-endings-no-wind-in-our-sails-but/) [Selena Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena-gomez/) > [I live my life, breathless... A life of constant motion and excitement. A life that many will envy and most would avoid!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-burdon/i-live-my-life-breathless-a-life-of-constant-motion-and-excitement-a/) [Eric Burdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-burdon/) ## More by Anne Morrow Lindbergh > [“I promise to respect and protect your aloneness, knowing that everything created must have its period of darkness: child and bulb, poem and personality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/i-promise-to-respect-and-protect-your-aloneness-knowing-that/) [anne morrow lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [Not knowing how to feed the spirit, we try to muffle its demands in distraction...What matters is that one be for a time inwardly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/not-knowing-how-to-feed-the-spirit-we-try-to-muffle-its-demands-in/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [How one hates to think of oneself as alone. How one avoids it. It seems to imply rejection or unpopularity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/how-one-hates-to-think-of-oneself-as-alone-how-one-avoids-it-it-seems/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [When one is a stranger to oneself then one is estranged from others too. If one is out of touch with oneself, then one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/when-one-is-a-stranger-to-oneself-then-one-is-estranged-from-others/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [“Is it not rather ugly, one may ask? One collects material possessions not only for security, comfort or vanity, but for beauty as well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/is-it-not-rather-ugly-one-may-ask-one-collects-material-possessions/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [No one, it has been said, will ever look at the Moon in the same way again. More significantly can one say that no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/no-one-it-has-been-said-will-ever-look-at-the-moon-in-the-same-way/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [“It isn't for the moment you are stuck that you need courage, but for the long uphill climb back to sanity, faith and security.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/it-isn-t-for-the-moment-you-are-stuck-that-you-need-courage-but-for/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [By and large, mothers and housewives are the only workers who do not have regular time off. They are the great vacationless class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/by-and-large-mothers-and-housewives-are-the-only-workers-who-do-not/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [I do not like talking casually to people - it does not interest me - and most of them are unwilling to talk at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/i-do-not-like-talking-casually-to-people-it-does-not-interest-me-and/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [“One comes in the end to realize that there is no permanent pure-relationship and there should not be. It is not even something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/one-comes-in-the-end-to-realize-that-there-is-no-permanent-pure/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [It is a difficult lesson to learn today-to leave one's friends and family and deliberately practice the art of solitude for an hour or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/it-is-a-difficult-lesson-to-learn-today-to-leave-one-s-friends-and/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [For relationships, too, must be like islands. One must accept them for what they are here and now, within their limits - islands surrounded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/for-relationships-too-must-be-like-islands-one-must-accept-them-for/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [“One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. One can only collect a few. One moon shell is more impressive than three.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/one-cannot-collect-all-the-beautiful-shells-on-the-beach-one-can-only/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [Why do progress and beauty have to be so opposed?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/why-do-progress-and-beauty-have-to-be-so-opposed/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) [Explore all 314 Anne Morrow Lindbergh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) ## More Breathless quotes > [I live my life, breathless... A life of constant motion and excitement. A life that many will envy and most would avoid!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-burdon/i-live-my-life-breathless-a-life-of-constant-motion-and-excitement-a/) [Eric Burdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-burdon/) > [This is a modern fairytale. No happy endings. No wind in our sails. But I can't imagine a life without. Breathless moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena-gomez/this-is-a-modern-fairytale-no-happy-endings-no-wind-in-our-sails-but/) [Selena Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena-gomez/) > [“Breathless and Wretched, the new fragrance by Calvin Klein.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-reid/breathless-and-wretched-the-new-fragrance-by-calvin-klein/) [Penny Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-reid/) > [“You’re so perfect,” I murmured to him as we came up for air. “I can’t believe you’re all mine.” His laugh was rough and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-k-lilley/you-re-so-perfect-i-murmured-to-him-as-we-came-up-for-air-i-can-t/) [R.K. Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-k-lilley/) > [“Seeing my breathless reaction causes him to break out with a smug grin. “That was our first official kiss as a couple.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/seeing-my-breathless-reaction-causes-him-to-break-out-with-a-smug/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [Miss Cecily," she gasped, and then her eyes went to Will. She clapped a hand over her mouth, turned, and bolted back into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/miss-cecily-she-gasped-and-then-her-eyes-went-to-will-she-clapped-a/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [There is something about her eyes. Eyes don't breathe. I know that much. But hers look breathless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/there-is-something-about-her-eyes-eyes-don-t-breathe-i-know-that-much/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [I pu my finger to her lips. "You have to hush a minute so that I can tell you something." "What?" she says, bites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-barkley/i-pu-my-finger-to-her-lips-you-have-to-hush-a-minute-so-that-i-can/) [Brad Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-barkley/) > [“You're all the places that leave me breathless, and no wonder, you're all the world to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-provenzano/you-re-all-the-places-that-leave-me-breathless-and-no-wonder-you-re/) [Jim Provenzano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-provenzano/) > [You are the promised kiss of springtime that makes the lonely winter seem long. You are the breathless hush of evening that trembles on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra/you-are-the-promised-kiss-of-springtime-that-makes-the-lonely-winter/) [Frank Sinatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra/) > [For Beatrice- When we were together I felt breathless. Now you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-beatrice-when-we-were-together-i-felt-breathless-now-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [By our uncritical pursuit of relevance we have actually courted irrelevance; by our breathless chase after relevance without a matching committment to faithfulness, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/by-our-uncritical-pursuit-of-relevance-we-have-actually-courted/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [Save your heart to someone who leaves you breathless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-bianco/save-your-heart-to-someone-who-leaves-you-breathless/) [Tanya Bianco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-bianco/) > [Sometimes, people trying to commit suicide manage it in a manner that leaves them breathless with astonishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/sometimes-people-trying-to-commit-suicide-manage-it-in-a-manner-that/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“I can't concentrate. I thought I could do this." He put his hands up in defeat. "Can't." Then he came closer. Aria didn't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-rossi/i-can-t-concentrate-i-thought-i-could-do-this-he-put-his-hands-up-in/) [Veronica Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-rossi/) [Browse all 199 Breathless quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathless/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Why is life speeded up so? 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