--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Funny how a thing like that can be so…" description: "\"“Funny how a thing like that can be so damned important, but you don't know it's important until an instant later in the big scheme of time. Then you g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/catherine-ryan-hyde-2597_important_funny-how-a-thing-like-that-can-be-so-da_316551.jpg" --- # Funny how a thing like that can be so damned important… ![“Funny how a thing like that can be so damned important, but you don't know it's important until an instant later in the big scheme of time. Then you go back and try to retrieve it. You tell yourself it's in there somewhere. But it's really in that no-man's-land of the moment before you woke up and…” quote by Catherine Ryan Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/catherine-ryan-hyde-2597_important_funny-how-a-thing-like-that-can-be-so-da_316551.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/catherine-ryan-hyde-2597_important_funny-how-a-thing-like-that-can-be-so-da_316551.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/catherine-ryan-hyde-2597_important_funny-how-a-thing-like-that-can-be-so-da_316551.jpg) > ““Funny how a thing like that can be so damned important, but you don't know it's important until an instant later in the big scheme of time. Then you go back and try to retrieve it. You tell yourself it's in there somewhere. But it's really in that no-man's-land of the moment before you woke up and started paying attention to your own life.”” [Catherine Ryan Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ryan-hyde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moments we overlook become crucial only in hindsight, urging present‑moment awareness. **In simple terms:** We often miss importance until later. Key Takeaway Stay present, notice small details. Themes mindfulness time perception Mood contemplative thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily routines - creative work - relationships Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What small moment today could matter tomorrow? - How can you train yourself to notice more? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on future can blind us to present significance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment/) [Paying Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paying-attention/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [From the moment I woke up, I could tell that it was going to be a good day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aly-johnson/from-the-moment-i-woke-up-i-could-tell-that-it-was-going-to-be-a-good/) [Aly Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aly-johnson/) > [My therapy has come from paying attention to my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/my-therapy-has-come-from-paying-attention-to-my-life/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [“Pay attention to your life and you will see bits of 'magic' that happens precisely when you need it to happen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-westphal/pay-attention-to-your-life-and-you-will-see-bits-of-magic-that/) Linda Westphal > [There are manifold tones of mental life, or, in other words, our psychic life may be lived at different heights, now nearer to action,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/there-are-manifold-tones-of-mental-life-or-in-other-words-our-psychic/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [The object of convalescence ought to be to turn our attention to life: at other times, simply to our tasks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-object-of-convalescence-ought-to-be-to-turn-our-attention-to-life/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I know I'm not perfect.No ones perfect and I dont try to be. 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Because it takes courage to talk to people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ryan-hyde/he-knew-then-why-his-voice-had-abandoned-him-because-it-takes-courage/) [Catherine Ryan Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ryan-hyde/) > [“Besides, they looked like brothers. They looked like two examples of the same theme.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ryan-hyde/besides-they-looked-like-brothers-they-looked-like-two-examples-of/) [Catherine Ryan Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ryan-hyde/) > [“he was upset. Though hopefully not at her. But upset is a funny thing. It looks for places to direct itself. It’s an emotion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ryan-hyde/he-was-upset-though-hopefully-not-at-her-but-upset-is-a-funny-thing/) [Catherine Ryan Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ryan-hyde/) > [“I see the sun, high overhead, and then I know. This darkness doesn’t belong to the night. It belongs to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ryan-hyde/i-see-the-sun-high-overhead-and-then-i-know-this-darkness-doesn-t/) [Catherine Ryan Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ryan-hyde/) > [“No. It’s not your job to convince him. It’s his job to believe it. This is his shortcoming, not yours. He needs to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ryan-hyde/no-it-s-not-your-job-to-convince-him-it-s-his-job-to-believe-it-this/) [Catherine Ryan Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ryan-hyde/) > [“When are you going to learn to act in your own best interests? In spite of what your emotions tell you to do?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ryan-hyde/when-are-you-going-to-learn-to-act-in-your-own-best-interests-in/) [Catherine Ryan Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ryan-hyde/) > [“Until you get it that’s he’s only what his experience has shaped him to be, you’re seeing him as subhuman. As ‘other’ somehow. 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