--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We lead our lives like water flowing down…" description: "\"“We lead our lives like water flowing down a hill, going more or less in one direction until we splash into something that forces us to find a new cour..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/arthur-golden-1813_flowing_we-lead-our-lives-like-water-flowing-dow_1706530.png" --- # We lead our lives like water flowing down a hill, going… ![“We lead our lives like water flowing down a hill, going more or less in one direction until we splash into something that forces us to find a new course. If I'd never met Mr. Tanaka, my life would have been a simple stream flowing from our tipsy house to the ocean. Mr. Tanaka changed all that when…” quote by Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/arthur-golden-1813_flowing_we-lead-our-lives-like-water-flowing-dow_1706530.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/arthur-golden-1813_flowing_we-lead-our-lives-like-water-flowing-dow_1706530.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ac/arthur-golden-1813_flowing_we-lead-our-lives-like-water-flowing-dow_1706530.png) > ““We lead our lives like water flowing down a hill, going more or less in one direction until we splash into something that forces us to find a new course. If I'd never met Mr. Tanaka, my life would have been a simple stream flowing from our tipsy house to the ocean. Mr. Tanaka changed all that when he sent me out into the world.”” [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) ## 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 likened to water, changing direction when obstacles force a new path, highlighting mentorship’s impact. **In simple terms:** Mentors can redirect our life’s flow toward new possibilities. Key Takeaway Seek guidance that challenges your current direction. Themes growth mentorship change direction self‑discovery Mood inspirational contemplative Type memoir metaphor reflection When to use this quote - career decisions - personal crises - creative projects - travel planning Key Concepts personal development narrative metaphor life philosophy Questions to Reflect On - Who has been your unexpected guide? - What obstacles have reshaped your path? A Different Perspective May overstate mentor influence, neglecting personal agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Flowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flowing/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Like Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-water/) [River](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/river/) [Tanaka Changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tanaka-changed-1201968/) [Tanaka Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tanaka-life-1201966/) [Water Flowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water-flowing/) ## Related quotes > [“Life moved, as inconstant and fickle as Wind Baby, frolicking, sleeping, weeping, but never truly still. Never solid or finished. Always like water flowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-o-neal-gear-and-w-michael-gear/life-moved-as-inconstant-and-fickle-as-wind-baby-frolicking-sleeping/) [Kathleen O'Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-o-neal-gear-and-w-michael-gear/) > [Influence is like water. Always flowing somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/influence-is-like-water-always-flowing-somewhere/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [We lead our lives like water flowing down a hill, going more or less in one direction until we splash into something that forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/we-lead-our-lives-like-water-flowing-down-a-hill-going-more-or-less-2/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [All my life I have gone out on a limb, but I have turned the limb into a bridge, and there is cool, clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/all-my-life-i-have-gone-out-on-a-limb-but-i-have-turned-the-limb-into/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [Producing writing is not so much like filling a basin or pool once, but rather getting water to keep flowing through till finally it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-elbow/producing-writing-is-not-so-much-like-filling-a-basin-or-pool-once/) [Peter Elbow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-elbow/) > [He sometimes behaves like water, flowing around the obstacles he encounters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/he-sometimes-behaves-like-water-flowing-around-the-obstacles-he/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Like standing in a creek with the water flowing against your legs, you know?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-wilson/like-standing-in-a-creek-with-the-water-flowing-against-your-legs-you/) [Daniel H. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-wilson/) > [“None of these lads here were out getting fighting drunk last night. And thus we wear down mountains. Water dripping on a stone, dissolving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/none-of-these-lads-here-were-out-getting-fighting-drunk-last-night/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [My beloved is only water, which is always flowing, and doesn't deceive, which is always flowing, and doesn't change, which is always flowing, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-ramon-jimines/my-beloved-is-only-water-which-is-always-flowing-and-doesn-t-deceive/) [Juan Ramon Jimines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-ramon-jimines/) > [“How I wish I was like the water, Flowing so freely with every drop Let my every emotion wonder, No need to start, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-kalyana-mittata-iordache/how-i-wish-i-was-like-the-water-flowing-so-freely-with-every-drop-let/) [Virgil Kalyana Mittata Iordache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-kalyana-mittata-iordache/) > [Love is like water, it keeps flowing. Even when the rock of life tries to stop it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-water-it-keeps-flowing-even-when-the-rock-of-life-tries/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Every moment in life is like the water drops in flowing river. Though you can touch the water many times, you will never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayatri-gadre/every-moment-in-life-is-like-the-water-drops-in-flowing-river-though/) [Gayatri Gadre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayatri-gadre/) > [“Flowing like water through the fires of life, Touching the earth through waves of light Reaching for air when you're tired to fight Extinguish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-kalyana-mittata-iordache/flowing-like-water-through-the-fires-of-life-touching-the-earth/) [Virgil Kalyana Mittata Iordache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-kalyana-mittata-iordache/) > [Best not to expect; not to look forward to; not to hope for. Like water that keeps flowing in the river; finding its final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ces-peta/best-not-to-expect-not-to-look-forward-to-not-to-hope-for-like-water/) [Ces Peta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ces-peta/) > [“But she told me I was like water..Water can carve its way through stone. And when trapped, water makes a new path.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/but-she-told-me-i-was-like-water-water-can-carve-its-way-through/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) ## More by Arthur Golden > [He was like a song I'd heard once in fragments but had been singing in my mind ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/he-was-like-a-song-i-d-heard-once-in-fragments-but-had-been-singing/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [Sometimes we get through adversity only by imagining what the world might be like if our dreams should ever come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/sometimes-we-get-through-adversity-only-by-imagining-what-the-world/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [When we fight upstream against a rocky undercurrent, every foothold takes on a kind of urgency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/when-we-fight-upstream-against-a-rocky-undercurrent-every-foothold/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [Never give up; for even rivers someday wash dams away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/never-give-up-for-even-rivers-someday-wash-dams-away/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [“Oh I'm sure you're right," Auntie said. "Probably she's just as you say. But she looks to me like a very clever girl, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/oh-i-m-sure-you-re-right-auntie-said-probably-she-s-just-as-you-say/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [“I'm not sure this will make sense to you, but I felt as though I'd turned around to look in a different direction, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/i-m-not-sure-this-will-make-sense-to-you-but-i-felt-as-though-i-d/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [“We human beings are only a part of something very much larger. When we walk along, we may crush a beetle or simply cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/we-human-beings-are-only-a-part-of-something-very-much-larger-when-we/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [If you aren't the woman I think you are, then this isn't the world I thought it was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/if-you-aren-t-the-woman-i-think-you-are-then-this-isn-t-the-world-i/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [You know, the men go to tea houses with the expectation that they will have a nice quiet evening and not read about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/you-know-the-men-go-to-tea-houses-with-the-expectation-that-they-will/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [Adversity is like a strong wind. I don't mean just that it holds us back from places we might otherwise go. It also tears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/adversity-is-like-a-strong-wind-i-don-t-mean-just-that-it-holds-us/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [“Most nights I lay on my futon I was sick with anxiety, and felt a pit inside myself as big and empty as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/most-nights-i-lay-on-my-futon-i-was-sick-with-anxiety-and-felt-a-pit/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [Of course, a sign doesn't mean anything unless you know how to interpret it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/of-course-a-sign-doesn-t-mean-anything-unless-you-know-how-to/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [“I knew even then that she was right. An en is a karmic bond lasting a lifetime. Nowadays many people seem to believe their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/i-knew-even-then-that-she-was-right-an-en-is-a-karmic-bond-lasting-a/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [I didn't say to act dead. I said act helpless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/i-didn-t-say-to-act-dead-i-said-act-helpless/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [“I'm not sure this will make sense to you but I felt as though I'd turned around to look in a different direction so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/i-m-not-sure-this-will-make-sense-to-you-but-i-felt-as-though-i-d-2/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) [Explore all 190 Arthur Golden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) ## More Flowing quotes > [All my life I have gone out on a limb, but I have turned the limb into a bridge, and there is cool, clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/all-my-life-i-have-gone-out-on-a-limb-but-i-have-turned-the-limb-into/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [“movements must be like a long, flowing river, continuous without jerks or stopping.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-alve-olson/movements-must-be-like-a-long-flowing-river-continuous-without-jerks/) [Stuart Alve Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-alve-olson/) > [“When one is at the edge and falls then it’s a splendour to many an eyes until the flow begins all over again -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-abraham/when-one-is-at-the-edge-and-falls-then-it-s-a-splendour-to-many-an/) [Amit Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-abraham/) > [This force is unlimited. It is always moving and always flowing. The ancient Hawaiians, the Kahunas, used the metaphor of the flow of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/this-force-is-unlimited-it-is-always-moving-and-always-flowing-the/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Life is an ever-flowing process and somewhere on the path some unpleasant things will pop up - it might leave a scar, but then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/life-is-an-ever-flowing-process-and-somewhere-on-the-path-some/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [“Flowing like water through the fires of life, Touching the earth through waves of light Reaching for air when you're tired to fight Extinguish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-kalyana-mittata-iordache/flowing-like-water-through-the-fires-of-life-touching-the-earth/) [Virgil Kalyana Mittata Iordache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-kalyana-mittata-iordache/) > [“Into this Universe, and why not knowing, Nor whence, like Water willy-nilly flowing; And out of it, as Wind along the Waste, I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-khayy-m/into-this-universe-and-why-not-knowing-nor-whence-like-water-willy/) [Omar Khayyam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-khayy-m/) > [“Every moment in life is like the water drops in flowing river. Though you can touch the water many times, you will never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayatri-gadre/every-moment-in-life-is-like-the-water-drops-in-flowing-river-though/) [Gayatri Gadre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayatri-gadre/) > [“She's shed her skins and plasma jeans, gets around in 2K retro gear like the frock she wears today; a loose, white elegy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-jacobson/she-s-shed-her-skins-and-plasma-jeans-gets-around-in-2k-retro-gear/) [Lisa Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-jacobson/) > [Death is one dream out of another flowing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-aiken/death-is-one-dream-out-of-another-flowing/) [Conrad Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-aiken/) > [“Got to keep the creative juices flowing!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/got-to-keep-the-creative-juices-flowing/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Dancers work and they work and they work, and they master their skills so far that improvisation just comes flowing out of them. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-carroll/dancers-work-and-they-work-and-they-work-and-they-master-their-skills/) [Pete Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-carroll/) > [Too often, governments are quick to use excessive force and even pervert the course of justice to keep oil and gas flowing, forests logged,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/too-often-governments-are-quick-to-use-excessive-force-and-even/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Oh, well. At least my blood is flowing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/oh-well-at-least-my-blood-is-flowing/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“When flowing water...meets with obstacles on its path, a blockage in its journey, it pauses. It increases in volume and strength, filling up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-f-cleary/when-flowing-water-meets-with-obstacles-on-its-path-a-blockage-in-its/) [Thomas F. Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-f-cleary/) [Browse all 175 Flowing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flowing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We lead our lives like water flowing down a hill, going more or less in one direction until we splash into something that forces us to find a new course. If I'd never met Mr. Tanaka, my life would have been a simple stream flowing from our tipsy house to the ocean. 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