Important things Quote by Booth Tarkington
““I mean the things that we have and that we think are so solid—they're like smoke, and time is like the sky that the smoke disappears into. You know how wreath of smoke goes up from a chimney, and seems all thick and black and busy against the sky, as if it were going to do such important things and last forever, and you see it getting thinner and thinner—and then, in such a little while, it isn't there at all; nothing is left but the sky, and the sky keeps on being just the same forever.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington, 1918
Material possessions and beliefs seem permanent but are fleeting, eventually dissolving into the endless continuity of time.
In simple terms: Things we think are solid are temporary.
Key Takeaway
Recognize impermanence and stay adaptable.
Themes
impermanence
time
materialism
Mood
reflective
melancholic
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
metaphorical
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- life planning
- grief coping
- career changes
- relationship dynamics
Key Concepts
existentialism
philosophy
transience
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you distinguish lasting values from temporary attachments?
- What does the sky symbolize for you?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may oversimplify complex societal structures that persist longer than individual perception.
![“It is so hard and long before a student comes to a realization that these [first] few large simple spots in right relations are the most important things in the study of painting. They are the fundamentals of all painting.” quote by Charles Webster Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e77/charles-webster-hawthorne-1729_artist_it-is-so-hard-and-long-before-a-student_12666.jpg)
