--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And though you want to last forever, You…" description: "\"And though you want to last forever, You know you never will, You know you never will, And the good-bye makes the journey harder still.\" — Cat Stevens" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e9/cat-stevens-2683_bye_and-though-you-want-to-last-forever-you_533588.png" --- # And though you want to last forever, You know you never… ![“And though you want to last forever, You know you never will, You know you never will, And the good-bye makes the journey harder still.” quote by Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e9/cat-stevens-2683_bye_and-though-you-want-to-last-forever-you_533588.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e9/cat-stevens-2683_bye_and-though-you-want-to-last-forever-you_533588.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e9/cat-stevens-2683_bye_and-though-you-want-to-last-forever-you_533588.png) > “And though you want to last forever, You know you never will, You know you never will, And the good-bye makes the journey harder still.” [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The lyric acknowledges that desire for permanence is futile and parting intensifies the journey. **In simple terms:** You can’t last forever; goodbyes hurt. Key Takeaway Embrace impermanence, move forward. Themes impermanence goodbyes journey Mood melancholic thoughtful Type philosophical emotional When to use this quote - relationships - life transitions - personal growth Key Concepts transience acceptance pain Questions to Reflect On - What does lasting love mean to you? - How do you cope with inevitable endings? A Different Perspective Hope may fade, but life continues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bye/) [Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forever/) [Forever Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forever-know-1317604/) [Good bye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-bye/) [Goodbye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodbye/) [Harder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harder/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Journey Harder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey-harder-4476963/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Last forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-forever/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Popular song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popular-song/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-forever/) ## Related quotes > [And if she asks you why you can tell her that I told you That I'm tired of Castles in the Air I've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/and-if-she-asks-you-why-you-can-tell-her-that-i-told-you-that-i-m/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [If you said good-bye to me tonight, There would still be music left to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/if-you-said-good-bye-to-me-tonight-there-would-still-be-music-left-to/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [If I should stay I would only be in your way So I'll go, but I know I'll think of you each step of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/if-i-should-stay-i-would-only-be-in-your-way-so-i-ll-go-but-i-know-i/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [Then something unexpected happens. At least, I don't expect it because I don't think of District 12 as a place that cares about me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/then-something-unexpected-happens-at-least-i-don-t-expect-it-because/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Before I went to the Mess I made the excuse I wanted to get something out of my aeroplane, and climbed into the cockpit;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rumney-samson/before-i-went-to-the-mess-i-made-the-excuse-i-wanted-to-get-something/) [Charles Rumney Samson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rumney-samson/) > [I said hello unnoticed, you said good-bye too soon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stewart/i-said-hello-unnoticed-you-said-good-bye-too-soon/) [Rod Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stewart/) > [In Hawaii they say, "aloha." That's a nice one, It means both "hello" and "good-bye" Which just goes to show, if you spend enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/in-hawaii-they-say-aloha-that-s-a-nice-one-it-means-both-hello-and/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Lies hold civilization together. If people ever seriously begin telling each other what they really think, there'd be no peace. Good-bye to tact. Good-bye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/lies-hold-civilization-together-if-people-ever-seriously-begin/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [And he left. I watched him walk out – he didn’t say good-bye, he didn’t even look back. It scared me, how easy it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/and-he-left-i-watched-him-walk-out-he-didn-t-say-good-bye-he-didn-t/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [The importance of our connection, what it meant to find each other again, the way it made what happened to us and between us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/the-importance-of-our-connection-what-it-meant-to-find-each-other/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [That's right. You'll like Owl. He flew past a day or two ago and noticed me. He didn't actually say anything, mind you, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-s-right-you-ll-like-owl-he-flew-past-a-day-or-two-ago-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's no greater power than the power of good-bye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/there-s-no-greater-power-than-the-power-of-good-bye/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [Gather the stars if you wish it so Gather the songs and keep them. Gather the faces of women. Gather for keeping years and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/gather-the-stars-if-you-wish-it-so-gather-the-songs-and-keep-them/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Farewell,' she said. 'I hope you hear many more songs' - which was the best way she could think of to say good-bye to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/farewell-she-said-i-hope-you-hear-many-more-songs-which-was-the-best/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Keep hoping to see the light in her eyes. Even knowing it'll mean she's saying good-bye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/keep-hoping-to-see-the-light-in-her-eyes-even-knowing-it-ll-mean-she/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) ## More by Cat Stevens > [The spiritual quest was always the predominant aspect of my life. It's always been there. But there's also an incredible passion connected to it;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/the-spiritual-quest-was-always-the-predominant-aspect-of-my-life-it-s/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) > [Music is part of God's universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/music-is-part-of-god-s-universe/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) > [Some extremists take elements of the sacred scriptures out of context.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/some-extremists-take-elements-of-the-sacred-scriptures-out-of-context/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) > [Knowledge is a thing you can carry around with you, but you may not apply it. Some knowledge is indiscriminate, and it can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/knowledge-is-a-thing-you-can-carry-around-with-you-but-you-may-not/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) > [A person who steals bread during a famine is not treated as a thief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/a-person-who-steals-bread-during-a-famine-is-not-treated-as-a-thief/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) > [Don't you feel a change a coming From another side of time, Breaking down the walls of silence, Lifting shadows from your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/don-t-you-feel-a-change-a-coming-from-another-side-of-time-breaking/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) > [I suppose that the media and their portrayal of Islam and the almost tribal separations and divisions of the Muslims are the greatest issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/i-suppose-that-the-media-and-their-portrayal-of-islam-and-the-almost/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) > [“You will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/you-will-still-be-here-tomorrow-but-your-dreams-may-not/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) > [There is a powerful need for people to feel that gust of hope rise up again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/there-is-a-powerful-need-for-people-to-feel-that-gust-of-hope-rise-up/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) > [And if my mind breaks up In all so many ways I know the meaning of The words, "I love you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/and-if-my-mind-breaks-up-in-all-so-many-ways-i-know-the-meaning-of/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) > [Find a girl, settle down, If you want you can marry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/find-a-girl-settle-down-if-you-want-you-can-marry/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) > [Oh I can't keep it in; I can't keep it in, I've gotta let it out I've got to show the world; world's got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/oh-i-can-t-keep-it-in-i-can-t-keep-it-in-i-ve-gotta-let-it-out-i-ve/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) > [I never thought I'd be on the same stage as Kiss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/i-never-thought-i-d-be-on-the-same-stage-as-kiss/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) > [Miles from nowhere. Guess I'll take my time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/miles-from-nowhere-guess-i-ll-take-my-time/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) > [Sun is the reason And the world it will bloom 'Cause sun lights the sky And the sun lights the moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/sun-is-the-reason-and-the-world-it-will-bloom-cause-sun-lights-the/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) [Explore all 155 Cat Stevens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) ## More Bye quotes > [Keep hoping to see the light in her eyes. Even knowing it'll mean she's saying good-bye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/keep-hoping-to-see-the-light-in-her-eyes-even-knowing-it-ll-mean-she/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Farewell,' she said. 'I hope you hear many more songs' - which was the best way she could think of to say good-bye to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/farewell-she-said-i-hope-you-hear-many-more-songs-which-was-the-best/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Gather the stars if you wish it so Gather the songs and keep them. Gather the faces of women. Gather for keeping years and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/gather-the-stars-if-you-wish-it-so-gather-the-songs-and-keep-them/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [There's no greater power than the power of good-bye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/there-s-no-greater-power-than-the-power-of-good-bye/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [I do not say goodbye. I believe that's one of the bullshitiest words ever invented. It's not like you're given the choice to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-do-not-say-goodbye-i-believe-that-s-one-of-the-bullshitiest-words/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [That's right. You'll like Owl. He flew past a day or two ago and noticed me. He didn't actually say anything, mind you, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-s-right-you-ll-like-owl-he-flew-past-a-day-or-two-ago-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If you want to live your life in a creative way, as an artist, you have to not look back too much. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/if-you-want-to-live-your-life-in-a-creative-way-as-an-artist-you-have/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [If you said good-bye to me tonight, There would still be music left to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/if-you-said-good-bye-to-me-tonight-there-would-still-be-music-left-to/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [The importance of our connection, what it meant to find each other again, the way it made what happened to us and between us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/the-importance-of-our-connection-what-it-meant-to-find-each-other/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [And he left. I watched him walk out – he didn’t say good-bye, he didn’t even look back. It scared me, how easy it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/and-he-left-i-watched-him-walk-out-he-didn-t-say-good-bye-he-didn-t/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [Lies hold civilization together. If people ever seriously begin telling each other what they really think, there'd be no peace. Good-bye to tact. Good-bye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/lies-hold-civilization-together-if-people-ever-seriously-begin/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [I am there for the best interests of the fighters, I want them to win. If they don’t accept that, bye bye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bas-rutten/i-am-there-for-the-best-interests-of-the-fighters-i-want-them-to-win/) [Bas Rutten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bas-rutten/) > [There's nothing in the street Looks any different to me And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye And the parting on the left Is now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-temple/there-s-nothing-in-the-street-looks-any-different-to-me-and-the/) [Julien Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-temple/) > [In Hawaii they say, "aloha." That's a nice one, It means both "hello" and "good-bye" Which just goes to show, if you spend enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/in-hawaii-they-say-aloha-that-s-a-nice-one-it-means-both-hello-and/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [I said hello unnoticed, you said good-bye too soon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stewart/i-said-hello-unnoticed-you-said-good-bye-too-soon/) [Rod Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stewart/) [Browse all 282 Bye quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bye/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "And though you want to last forever, You know you never will, You know you never will, And the good-bye makes the journey harder still.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cat Stevens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/and-though-you-want-to-last-forever-you-know-you-never-will-you-know/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bye" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/and-though-you-want-to-last-forever-you-know-you-never-will-you-know/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e9/cat-stevens-2683_bye_and-though-you-want-to-last-forever-you_533588.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e9/cat-stevens-2683_bye_and-though-you-want-to-last-forever-you_533588.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e9/cat-stevens-2683_bye_and-though-you-want-to-last-forever-you_533588.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And though you want to last forever, You know you never will, You know you never will, And the good-bye…” — Cat Stevens", "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": "Cat Stevens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "And though you want to last...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/and-though-you-want-to-last-forever-you-know-you-never-will-you-know/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/and-though-you-want-to-last-forever-you-know-you-never-will-you-know/#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 } } ] } ```