--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nothing that is complete breathes" description: "\"“Nothing that is complete breathes”\" — Antonio Porchia" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/298/antonio-porchia-3066_breathes_nothing-that-is-complete-breathes-258352_2583528.png" --- # Nothing that is complete breathes ![“Nothing that is complete breathes” quote by Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/298/antonio-porchia-3066_breathes_nothing-that-is-complete-breathes-258352_2583528.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/298/antonio-porchia-3066_breathes_nothing-that-is-complete-breathes-258352_2583528.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/298/antonio-porchia-3066_breathes_nothing-that-is-complete-breathes-258352_2583528.png) > ““Nothing that is complete breathes”” [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Incomplete things cannot truly live; wholeness is essential for vitality **In simple terms:** Only complete things can truly breathe Key Takeaway Seek completeness in ideas and actions Themes philosophy existence growth Mood thoughtful philosophical Type poetic reflective When to use this quote - Project completion - personal development - creative cycles Key Concepts Ontology process vs. product impermanence Questions to Reflect On - What does “complete” mean to you? - How can you accept imperfection while striving for wholeness? A Different Perspective Perfectionism may prevent progress, leaving things unfinished ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breathes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathes/) [Complete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complete/) [Complete Breathes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complete-breathes-1798147/) ## Related quotes > [Anyone who breathes is in the rhythm business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stafford/anyone-who-breathes-is-in-the-rhythm-business/) [William Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stafford/) > [“You my baby.” She breathes heavy, and the grate cracks and sinks to rusted stillness. “Like I drew the veil back so you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/you-my-baby-she-breathes-heavy-and-the-grate-cracks-and-sinks-to/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [I come from a country that lives and breathes rugby, and I didn't think there would be anywhere else in the world that could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/i-come-from-a-country-that-lives-and-breathes-rugby-and-i-didn-t/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [“My hand reaches for his eye. He does not pull away but breathes into my touch. His normal lid drifts closed, and beneath my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/my-hand-reaches-for-his-eye-he-does-not-pull-away-but-breathes-into/) [Hilary Thayer Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-thayer-hamann/) > [Everything that breathes, breathes by air and cannot live without air; similarly all reasonable free creatures live by the Holy Spirit, as though by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-kronstadt/everything-that-breathes-breathes-by-air-and-cannot-live-without-air/) [John of Kronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-kronstadt/) > [The dying swan, when years her temples pierce, In music-strains breathes out her life and verse, And, chanting her own dirge, tides on her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phineas-fletcher/the-dying-swan-when-years-her-temples-pierce-in-music-strains/) [Phineas Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phineas-fletcher/) > [Softly the loud peal dies, In passing winds it drowns, But breathes, like perfect joys, Tender tones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-tennyson/softly-the-loud-peal-dies-in-passing-winds-it-drowns-but-breathes/) [Frederick Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-tennyson/) > [Bondy is a city that breathes football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylian-mbappe/bondy-is-a-city-that-breathes-football/) [Kylian Mbappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylian-mbappe/) > [Breathes there a man, whose judgment clear Can others teach their course to steer, Yet run himself life's mad career Wild as the wave?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/breathes-there-a-man-whose-judgment-clear-can-others-teach-their/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [“It feels as if there are two people inside me. One I know, but the other is unfamiliar, though not unwelcome. He lives and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-brooke/it-feels-as-if-there-are-two-people-inside-me-one-i-know-but-the/) [Anne Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-brooke/) > [“Love doesn't die. No matter how many bullets you put in it. It breathes on it's own without oxygen, without need for anything else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-robinson/love-doesn-t-die-no-matter-how-many-bullets-you-put-in-it-it-breathes/) [Rachel Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-robinson/) > [Seek to be closer to God each new day He breathes Life back into your body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/seek-to-be-closer-to-god-each-new-day-he-breathes-life-back-into-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Silence is of different kinds, and breathes different meanings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/silence-is-of-different-kinds-and-breathes-different-meanings/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [ \[on his former manager, Malcolm McLaren\] Let's just say that if Malcolm breathes, it's too much for me to stomach. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-rotten/on-his-former-manager-malcolm-mclaren-let-s-just-say-that-if-malcolm/) [Johnny Rotten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-rotten/) > [That's absurd," I said with a little laugh. "Nobody can read too much. That's like saying someone breathes too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-austin/that-s-absurd-i-said-with-a-little-laugh-nobody-can-read-too-much/) [Lynn Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-austin/) ## More by Antonio Porchia > [It's been a long time since I asked anything of heaven, and my arms still haven't come down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/it-s-been-a-long-time-since-i-asked-anything-of-heaven-and-my-arms/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [You do not see the river of mourning because it lacks one tear of your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/you-do-not-see-the-river-of-mourning-because-it-lacks-one-tear-of/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [If you are good to this one and that one, this one and that one will say that you are good. If you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/if-you-are-good-to-this-one-and-that-one-this-one-and-that-one-will/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [Man goes nowhere. Everything comes to man, like tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/man-goes-nowhere-everything-comes-to-man-like-tomorrow/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [Certainties are arrived at only on foot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/certainties-are-arrived-at-only-on-foot/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [I have been my own disciple and my own master. And I have been a good disciple but a bad master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/i-have-been-my-own-disciple-and-my-own-master-and-i-have-been-a-good/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [Situated in some nebulous distance I do what I do so that the universal balance of which I am a part may remain a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/situated-in-some-nebulous-distance-i-do-what-i-do-so-that-the/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [Man, when he does not grieve, hardly exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/man-when-he-does-not-grieve-hardly-exists/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [Yes I will try to be. Because I believe that not being is arrogant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/yes-i-will-try-to-be-because-i-believe-that-not-being-is-arrogant/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [He who holds me by a thread is not strong; the thread is strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/he-who-holds-me-by-a-thread-is-not-strong-the-thread-is-strong/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [Without this ridiculous vanity that takes the form of self-display, and is part of everything and everyone, we would see nothing, and nothing would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/without-this-ridiculous-vanity-that-takes-the-form-of-self-display/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [What we pay for with our lives never costs too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/what-we-pay-for-with-our-lives-never-costs-too-much/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [My bits of time play with eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/my-bits-of-time-play-with-eternity/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [We become aware of the void as we fill it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/we-become-aware-of-the-void-as-we-fill-it/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [A large heart can be filled with very little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/a-large-heart-can-be-filled-with-very-little/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) [Explore all 130 Antonio Porchia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) ## More Breathes quotes > [Anyone who breathes is in the rhythm business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stafford/anyone-who-breathes-is-in-the-rhythm-business/) [William Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stafford/) > [ \[on his former manager, Malcolm McLaren\] Let's just say that if Malcolm breathes, it's too much for me to stomach. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-rotten/on-his-former-manager-malcolm-mclaren-let-s-just-say-that-if-malcolm/) [Johnny Rotten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-rotten/) > [Silence is of different kinds, and breathes different meanings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/silence-is-of-different-kinds-and-breathes-different-meanings/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [Seek to be closer to God each new day He breathes Life back into your body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/seek-to-be-closer-to-god-each-new-day-he-breathes-life-back-into-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Love doesn't die. No matter how many bullets you put in it. It breathes on it's own without oxygen, without need for anything else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-robinson/love-doesn-t-die-no-matter-how-many-bullets-you-put-in-it-it-breathes/) [Rachel Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-robinson/) > [“It feels as if there are two people inside me. One I know, but the other is unfamiliar, though not unwelcome. He lives and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-brooke/it-feels-as-if-there-are-two-people-inside-me-one-i-know-but-the/) [Anne Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-brooke/) > [Breathes there a man, whose judgment clear Can others teach their course to steer, Yet run himself life's mad career Wild as the wave?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/breathes-there-a-man-whose-judgment-clear-can-others-teach-their/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [Bondy is a city that breathes football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylian-mbappe/bondy-is-a-city-that-breathes-football/) [Kylian Mbappe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylian-mbappe/) > [Softly the loud peal dies, In passing winds it drowns, But breathes, like perfect joys, Tender tones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-tennyson/softly-the-loud-peal-dies-in-passing-winds-it-drowns-but-breathes/) [Frederick Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-tennyson/) > [The dying swan, when years her temples pierce, In music-strains breathes out her life and verse, And, chanting her own dirge, tides on her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phineas-fletcher/the-dying-swan-when-years-her-temples-pierce-in-music-strains/) [Phineas Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phineas-fletcher/) > [Everything that breathes, breathes by air and cannot live without air; similarly all reasonable free creatures live by the Holy Spirit, as though by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-kronstadt/everything-that-breathes-breathes-by-air-and-cannot-live-without-air/) [John of Kronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-kronstadt/) > [“My hand reaches for his eye. He does not pull away but breathes into my touch. His normal lid drifts closed, and beneath my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/my-hand-reaches-for-his-eye-he-does-not-pull-away-but-breathes-into/) [Hilary Thayer Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-thayer-hamann/) > [I come from a country that lives and breathes rugby, and I didn't think there would be anywhere else in the world that could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/i-come-from-a-country-that-lives-and-breathes-rugby-and-i-didn-t/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [“You my baby.” She breathes heavy, and the grate cracks and sinks to rusted stillness. “Like I drew the veil back so you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/you-my-baby-she-breathes-heavy-and-the-grate-cracks-and-sinks-to/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [That's absurd," I said with a little laugh. "Nobody can read too much. That's like saying someone breathes too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-austin/that-s-absurd-i-said-with-a-little-laugh-nobody-can-read-too-much/) [Lynn Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-austin/) [Browse all 94 Breathes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Nothing that is complete breathes”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Antonio Porchia" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/nothing-that-is-complete-breathes/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Breathes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/nothing-that-is-complete-breathes/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/298/antonio-porchia-3066_breathes_nothing-that-is-complete-breathes-258352_2583528.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/298/antonio-porchia-3066_breathes_nothing-that-is-complete-breathes-258352_2583528.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/298/antonio-porchia-3066_breathes_nothing-that-is-complete-breathes-258352_2583528.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Nothing that is complete breathes” — Antonio Porchia", "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": "Antonio Porchia", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Nothing that is complete breathes”", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/nothing-that-is-complete-breathes/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/nothing-that-is-complete-breathes/#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 } } ] } ```