--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You all know we are only passing by. We…" description: "\"“You all know we are only passing by. We only walk over these stones a few times, our boats float a little while and then they have to sink. The water ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57c/annie-proulx-6713_flower_you-all-know-we-are-only-passing-by-we-o_1396415.jpg" --- # You all know we are only passing by. We only walk over… ![“You all know we are only passing by. We only walk over these stones a few times, our boats float a little while and then they have to sink. The water is a dark flower and a fisherman is a bee in the heart of her.” quote by Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57c/annie-proulx-6713_flower_you-all-know-we-are-only-passing-by-we-o_1396415.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57c/annie-proulx-6713_flower_you-all-know-we-are-only-passing-by-we-o_1396415.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57c/annie-proulx-6713_flower_you-all-know-we-are-only-passing-by-we-o_1396415.jpg) > ““You all know we are only passing by. We only walk over these stones a few times, our boats float a little while and then they have to sink. The water is a dark flower and a fisherman is a bee in the heart of her.”” [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker contemplates the transitory nature of life, using metaphors of stones, boats, and a dark flower to illustrate impermanence and the fleeting presence of human experience. **In simple terms:** Life is brief, like stones and sinking boats. Key Takeaway Embrace the present, accept impermanence. Themes impermanence transience nature metaphor human experience Mood reflective melancholic contemplative Type literary philosophical poetic When to use this quote - poetic meditation - philosophical musing - literary expression Key Concepts transience nature metaphor ephemeral existence reflection on mortality Questions to Reflect On - How do you find meaning in fleeting moments? - What symbols best capture your view of impermanence? A Different Perspective Life’s brevity can inspire both awe and melancholy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boats Float](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boats-float-4881757/) [Fisherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fisherman/) [Fisherman Bee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fisherman-bee-4881756/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Flower Fisherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower-fisherman-4881755/) [River](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/river/) [The-shipping-news](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-shipping-news-188633/) [Water Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water-dark-802043/) ## Related quotes > [“All the complex wires of life were stripped out and he could see the structure of life. Nothing but rock and sea, the tiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/all-the-complex-wires-of-life-were-stripped-out-and-he-could-see-the/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) > [“The tide was still on the ebb in that complex swell and fall of water against land, as though a great heart in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/the-tide-was-still-on-the-ebb-in-that-complex-swell-and-fall-of-water/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) > [“The long horizon, the lunging, clotted sea like a swinging door opening, closing, opening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/the-long-horizon-the-lunging-clotted-sea-like-a-swinging-door-opening/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) > [“The past bubbled out of his black mouth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/the-past-bubbled-out-of-his-black-mouth/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) > [Then sail, my fine lady, on the billowing wave - The water below is as dark as the grave, And maybe you'll sink in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/then-sail-my-fine-lady-on-the-billowing-wave-the-water-below-is-as/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“I was in the deep water. It was dark and unclear and the taste of the salt was in my mouth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/i-was-in-the-deep-water-it-was-dark-and-unclear-and-the-taste-of-the/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [“Everything is infected with brightness, throbbing with it, and she prays for dark the way a wanderer lost in the desert prays for water.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/everything-is-infected-with-brightness-throbbing-with-it-and-she/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“...The devil had long ago taken a shine to Tert Card, filled him like a cream horn with itch and irritation. His middle name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-annie-proulx-author/the-devil-had-long-ago-taken-a-shine-to-tert-card-filled-him-like-a/) [E. Annie Proulx (Author](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-annie-proulx-author/) > [“What do you think,' she said. Her voice was rapid. 'You want to marry me, don't you? Don't you think you want to marry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-annie-proulx/what-do-you-think-she-said-her-voice-was-rapid-you-want-to-marry-me/) [E. Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-annie-proulx/) > [The pilot who is always dreading a rock or a tempest must not complain if he remain a poor fisherman. We must at times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-metastasio/the-pilot-who-is-always-dreading-a-rock-or-a-tempest-must-not/) [Pietro Metastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-metastasio/) > [ \[If\] we can celebrate that in a way that celebrates our love for New England as well as our love for the Italian culture… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/if-we-can-celebrate-that-in-a-way-that-celebrates-our-love-for-new/) [Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/) > [Some people are under the impression that all that is required to make a good fisherman is the ability to tell lies easily and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/some-people-are-under-the-impression-that-all-that-is-required-to/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [Most of the world is covered by water. A fisherman's job is simple: Pick out the best parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-w-waterman/most-of-the-world-is-covered-by-water-a-fisherman-s-job-is-simple/) [Charles W. Waterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-w-waterman/) > [Good things come to those who hustle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-noll/good-things-come-to-those-who-hustle/) [Chuck Noll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-noll/) > [You know, they always say that the photographer is a hunter of images. That is a flattering image, the idea of a hunter, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-doisneau/you-know-they-always-say-that-the-photographer-is-a-hunter-of-images/) [Robert Doisneau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-doisneau/) ## More by Annie Proulx > [Writing comes from reading, and reading is the finest teacher of how to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/writing-comes-from-reading-and-reading-is-the-finest-teacher-of-how/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) > [“A kind of joyous hysteria moved into the room, everything flying before the wind, vehicles outside getting dented to hell, the crowd sweaty and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/a-kind-of-joyous-hysteria-moved-into-the-room-everything-flying/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) > [“By January it had always been winter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/by-january-it-had-always-been-winter/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) > [“.. that old, cold time on the mountain when they owned the world and nothing seemed wrong ..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/that-old-cold-time-on-the-mountain-when-they-owned-the-world-and/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) > [“The mountain pine beetle is a tiny creature that chews through a lodgepole’s bark, gouges out a hollow in the wood and lays its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/the-mountain-pine-beetle-is-a-tiny-creature-that-chews-through-a/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) > [“It was as if his eye were an ear and a crackle went through it each time he shot a look at the accordion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/it-was-as-if-his-eye-were-an-ear-and-a-crackle-went-through-it-each/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) > [“On the stairs an image came to him. Was love then like a bag of assorted sweets passed around from which one might choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/on-the-stairs-an-image-came-to-him-was-love-then-like-a-bag-of/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) > [“The only cities were of ice, bergs with cores of beryl, blue gems within white gems, that some said gave off an odor of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/the-only-cities-were-of-ice-bergs-with-cores-of-beryl-blue-gems/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) > [“They say that doing ten sums a day prevents you from becoming senile. But by that argument bankers should be geniuses. That's not right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/they-say-that-doing-ten-sums-a-day-prevents-you-from-becoming-senile/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) > [It's easier to die if others around you are dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/it-s-easier-to-die-if-others-around-you-are-dying/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) > [“You stand there, braced. Cloud shadows race over the buff rock stacks as a projected film, casting a queasy, mottled ground rash. The air…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/you-stand-there-braced-cloud-shadows-race-over-the-buff-rock-stacks/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) > [“Thirty-six years old and this was the first time anybody ever said he'd done it right. Fog against the window like milk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/thirty-six-years-old-and-this-was-the-first-time-anybody-ever-said-he/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) > [“There was a month of fiery happiness. Then six kinked years of suffering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/there-was-a-month-of-fiery-happiness-then-six-kinked-years-of/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) > [It is my feeling that a story is not finished until it is read, and that the reader finishes it through his or her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/it-is-my-feeling-that-a-story-is-not-finished-until-it-is-read-and/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) > [“One of the tragedies of real life is that there is no background music.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-proulx/one-of-the-tragedies-of-real-life-is-that-there-is-no-background-music/) [Annie Proulx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) [Explore all 97 Annie Proulx quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-proulx/) ## More Fisherman quotes > [You know, they always say that the photographer is a hunter of images. That is a flattering image, the idea of a hunter, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-doisneau/you-know-they-always-say-that-the-photographer-is-a-hunter-of-images/) [Robert Doisneau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-doisneau/) > [Good things come to those who hustle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-noll/good-things-come-to-those-who-hustle/) [Chuck Noll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-noll/) > [Most of the world is covered by water. A fisherman's job is simple: Pick out the best parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-w-waterman/most-of-the-world-is-covered-by-water-a-fisherman-s-job-is-simple/) [Charles W. Waterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-w-waterman/) > [Some people are under the impression that all that is required to make a good fisherman is the ability to tell lies easily and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/some-people-are-under-the-impression-that-all-that-is-required-to/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [ \[If\] we can celebrate that in a way that celebrates our love for New England as well as our love for the Italian culture… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/if-we-can-celebrate-that-in-a-way-that-celebrates-our-love-for-new/) [Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/) > [The pilot who is always dreading a rock or a tempest must not complain if he remain a poor fisherman. We must at times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-metastasio/the-pilot-who-is-always-dreading-a-rock-or-a-tempest-must-not/) [Pietro Metastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-metastasio/) > [Cajun is country food by farmers and fisherman that arrived in Louisiana from Acadiana, Canada.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-prudhomme/cajun-is-country-food-by-farmers-and-fisherman-that-arrived-in/) [Paul Prudhomme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-prudhomme/) > [People ask me what I do, and I tell them, 'I'm a fisherman and a hunter.' They look at me like I'm lazy or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-hemingway/people-ask-me-what-i-do-and-i-tell-them-i-m-a-fisherman-and-a-hunter/) [Jack Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-hemingway/) > [What did Christ really do? He hung out with hard-drinking fishermen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/what-did-christ-really-do-he-hung-out-with-hard-drinking-fishermen/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [Every poker player, like every fisherman, needs to have a story in a box, and most poker stories are completely uninteresting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-alexander/every-poker-player-like-every-fisherman-needs-to-have-a-story-in-a/) [Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) > [This, more than anything else, is what I have never understood about your people. You can roll dice, and understand that the whole game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/this-more-than-anything-else-is-what-i-have-never-understood-about/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [Fishermen, no matter what supreme good fortune befalls them, cannot ever be absolutely satisfied. It is a fundamental weakness of intellect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zane-grey/fishermen-no-matter-what-supreme-good-fortune-befalls-them-cannot/) [Zane Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zane-grey/) > [A trout fisherman is something that defieth understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-ford/a-trout-fisherman-is-something-that-defieth-understanding/) [Corey Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-ford/) > [The fish, Even in the fisherman's net, Still carries, The smell of the sea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mourid-barghouti/the-fish-even-in-the-fisherman-s-net-still-carries-the-smell-of-the/) [Mourid Barghouti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mourid-barghouti/) > [Having faith in the plan of salvation includes steadfastly refusing to be diverted from our true identities and responsibilities. In the brief season of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/having-faith-in-the-plan-of-salvation-includes-steadfastly-refusing/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) [Browse all 284 Fisherman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fisherman/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You all know we are only passing by. We only walk over these stones a few times, our boats float a little while and then they have to sink. 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