--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A great many people (not you) do now seem…" description: "\"A great many people (not you) do now seem to think that the mere state of being worried is in itself meritorious. I don’t think it is. We must, if it s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/c-s-lewis-2-132_bird_a-great-many-people-not-you-do-now-seem_1378654.jpg" --- # A great many people (not you) do now seem to think that… ![“A great many people (not you) do now seem to think that the mere state of being worried is in itself meritorious. I don’t think it is. We must, if it so happens, give our lives for others: but even while we’re doing it, I think we’re meant to enjoy Our Lord and, in Him, our friends, our food, our…” quote by C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/c-s-lewis-2-132_bird_a-great-many-people-not-you-do-now-seem_1378654.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/c-s-lewis-2-132_bird_a-great-many-people-not-you-do-now-seem_1378654.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/c-s-lewis-2-132_bird_a-great-many-people-not-you-do-now-seem_1378654.jpg) > “A great many people (not you) do now seem to think that the mere state of being worried is in itself meritorious. I don’t think it is. We must, if it so happens, give our lives for others: but even while we’re doing it, I think we’re meant to enjoy Our Lord and, in Him, our friends, our food, our sleep, our jokes, and the birds’ song and the frosty sunrise.” [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Worry alone is not virtuous; true purpose lies in serving others while enjoying life's simple gifts. **In simple terms:** Worry isn’t a virtue; serve others and enjoy life. Key Takeaway Balance service with gratitude for daily joys. Themes service gratitude worry purpose Mood hopeful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - volunteering - daily routines - spiritual practice Key Concepts theology ethics Questions to Reflect On - What simple pleasures sustain you in service? - How can you transform anxiety into action? A Different Perspective Worry can still be a useful motivator if channeled. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird/) [Bird song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird-song/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Live for others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-for-others/) [Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord/) [Our lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-lord/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Sunrise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunrise/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Try to keep your soul always in peace and quiet, always ready for whatever our Lord may wish to work in you. 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Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [There is no doctrine which I would more willingly remove from Christianity than the doctrine of hell, if it lay in my power. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/there-is-no-doctrine-which-i-would-more-willingly-remove-from/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/it-would-seem-that-our-lord-finds-our-desires-not-too-strong-but-too/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I have been feeling very much lately that cheerful insecurity is what our Lord asks of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-have-been-feeling-very-much-lately-that-cheerful-insecurity-is-what/) [C. S. 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Lewis > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Either Jesus is the Son of God ; or a madman or worse. But His being just a great teacher? He's not left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/either-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-or-a-madman-or-worse-but-his-being/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [To every soul, God will look like its first love because He IS its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/to-every-soul-god-will-look-like-its-first-love-because-he-is-its/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Don't you understand anything? 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Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [If a man is going to write on chemistry, he learns chemistry. The same is true of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-a-man-is-going-to-write-on-chemistry-he-learns-chemistry-the-same/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The first fact in the history of Christendom is a number of people who say they have seen the Resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-first-fact-in-the-history-of-christendom-is-a-number-of-people/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I#pray because the need flows out of me all the time-walking and sleeping. It does not change # God - it changes me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-pray-because-the-need-flows-out-of-me-all-the-time-walking-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Are the gods not just?' 'Oh no, child. What would become us us if they were?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/are-the-gods-not-just-oh-no-child-what-would-become-us-us-if-they-were/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Love is more than an emotion, it is a decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/love-is-more-than-an-emotion-it-is-a-decision/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Ink is the great cure for all human ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/ink-is-the-great-cure-for-all-human-ills/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [A man may have to die for our country: but no man must, in any exclusive sense, live for his country. He who surrenders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-may-have-to-die-for-our-country-but-no-man-must-in-any/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [War creates no absolutely new situation: it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/war-creates-no-absolutely-new-situation-it-simply-aggravates-the/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) [Explore all 1,190 C. S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## More Bird quotes > [And I have been very blessed, having coached some of the greatest that have ever played the game. 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I don’t think it is. We must, if it so happens, give our lives for others: but even while we’re doing it, I think we’re meant to enjoy Our Lord and, in Him, our friends, our food, our sleep, our jokes, and the birds’ song and the frosty sunrise.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "C. S. 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