--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once upon a time there was what there…" description: "\"Once upon a time there was what there was, and if nothing had happened there would be nothing to tell.\" — Charles de Lint" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/812/charles-de-lint-1481_fairy_once-upon-a-time-there-was-what-there-wa_2703242.png" --- # Once upon a time there was what there was, and if nothing… ![“Once upon a time there was what there was, and if nothing had happened there would be nothing to tell.” quote by Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/812/charles-de-lint-1481_fairy_once-upon-a-time-there-was-what-there-wa_2703242.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/812/charles-de-lint-1481_fairy_once-upon-a-time-there-was-what-there-wa_2703242.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/812/charles-de-lint-1481_fairy_once-upon-a-time-there-was-what-there-wa_2703242.png) > “Once upon a time there was what there was, and if nothing had happened there would be nothing to tell.” [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If nothing occurs, there is no story to tell; events give meaning to narratives. **In simple terms:** Stories need events. Key Takeaway Create experiences to share. Themes storytelling existence meaning Mood thoughtful inspired Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - writing - personal growth - history Key Concepts causality narrative null Questions to Reflect On - What story are you living? - How do you find meaning in routine? A Different Perspective Life may be uneventful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairy/) [Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened/) [Happened Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened-tell-274980/) [Once upon a time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/once-upon-a-time/) [Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-happened-234346/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [Once upon a time, something happened, and it was better than something not happening. The end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harmon/once-upon-a-time-something-happened-and-it-was-better-than-something/) [Dan Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harmon/) > [In the history of the world there have been lots of onces and lots of times, and every time has had a once upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/in-the-history-of-the-world-there-have-been-lots-of-onces-and-lots-of/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) > [“It was about damn time something happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/it-was-about-damn-time-something-happened/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [Once upon a time, something happened to me, it was the sweetest thing, that could ever be, a fantasy, a dream come true, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-siddiq-prince/once-upon-a-time-something-happened-to-me-it-was-the-sweetest-thing/) [Young Siddiq Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-siddiq-prince/) > [“Everyday in the heat, rain and cold, I ran, alone in the woods...in the hills near our home. There I felt the gentle touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-rosen/everyday-in-the-heat-rain-and-cold-i-ran-alone-in-the-woods-in-the/) [Nikki Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-rosen/) > [“Everyday in heat, rain or cold, I ran - alone in the woods - in the hills near our home. There I felt the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-rosen/everyday-in-heat-rain-or-cold-i-ran-alone-in-the-woods-in-the-hills/) [Nikki Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-rosen/) > [Something may have happened before, and yet this thing that happened just after may be so important that you don't even know about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-damasio/something-may-have-happened-before-and-yet-this-thing-that-happened/) [Antonio Damasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-damasio/) > [The news isn't there to tell you what happened. It's there to tell you what it wants you to hear or what it thinks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/the-news-isn-t-there-to-tell-you-what-happened-it-s-there-to-tell-you/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [What happened to you always being there. 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Tell them...you saw me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kane/at-home-i-m-clean-like-it-never-happened-tell-them-you-saw-me-tell/) [Sarah Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kane/) > [“If you don't know where to start, remember that every single thing that happened to you is yours and you get to tell it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/if-you-don-t-know-where-to-start-remember-that-every-single-thing/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [Had I been brighter, the ladies been gentler, the Scotch been weaker, had the gods been kinder, had the dice been hotter, this could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/had-i-been-brighter-the-ladies-been-gentler-the-scotch-been-weaker/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [Once upon a time. Ah forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/once-upon-a-time-ah-forget-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Charles de Lint > [The family we choose for ourselves is more important than the one we were born into; that people have to earn our respect and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-family-we-choose-for-ourselves-is-more-important-than-the-one-we/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Every time you do a good deed you shine the light a little farther into the dark. And the thing is, when you're gone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/every-time-you-do-a-good-deed-you-shine-the-light-a-little-farther/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [The road leading to a goal does not separate you from the destination; it is essentially a part of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-road-leading-to-a-goal-does-not-separate-you-from-the-destination/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [“Maybe she couldn’t go. Maybe she wanted him to stay. 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Most people you run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/you-hear-this-kind-of-thing-rednecks-and-their-guys-and-don-t-call/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Fortune-telling doesn't reveal the future; it mirrors the present. It resonates against what your subconscious already knows and hauls it up out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/fortune-telling-doesn-t-reveal-the-future-it-mirrors-the-present-it/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [When you're touched by magic, nothing's ever quite the same again. What really makes me sad is all those people who never have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/when-you-re-touched-by-magic-nothing-s-ever-quite-the-same-again-what/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [There are few joys to compare with the telling of a well-told tale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/there-are-few-joys-to-compare-with-the-telling-of-a-well-told-tale/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [How hard would it be to ask children what they see in their heads? How big should the house be in comparison to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/how-hard-would-it-be-to-ask-children-what-they-see-in-their-heads-how/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [... we chase after ghosts and spirits and are left holding only memories and dreams. It's not that we want what we can't have;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/we-chase-after-ghosts-and-spirits-and-are-left-holding-only-memories/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Writing music uses a whole different process that involves a lot of noodling and just seeing what comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/writing-music-uses-a-whole-different-process-that-involves-a-lot-of/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [The real problem is, people think life is a ladder, and it's really a wheel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-real-problem-is-people-think-life-is-a-ladder-and-it-s-really-a/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Tattoos...are the stories in your heart, written on your skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/tattoos-are-the-stories-in-your-heart-written-on-your-skin/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) [Explore all 237 Charles de Lint quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) ## More Fairy quotes > [Once upon a time. Ah forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/once-upon-a-time-ah-forget-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I know my hair is out of the '60's, my clothes are '50's and the shoes I wear are from the '40's. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-know-my-hair-is-out-of-the-60-s-my-clothes-are-50-s-and-the-shoes-i/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [I have always been fascinated by the supernatural elements in stories, whether fairy tales, myths, film or literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/i-have-always-been-fascinated-by-the-supernatural-elements-in-stories/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) > [“You can't get mad at a real ending. Some of them are ugly. It's the fake happily ever afters that should piss you off.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/you-can-t-get-mad-at-a-real-ending-some-of-them-are-ugly-it-s-the/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“ Happily-ever-afters don't come in happily-every-days . They are found at the end of challenges-ever-met, promises-ever-kept, and tears-ever-wept.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/happily-ever-afters-don-t-come-in-happily-every-days-they-are-found/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [A real flame of love is a subtle thing. It burns as a will-o'-the-wisp, dancing onward to fairy lands of delight. It roars as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/a-real-flame-of-love-is-a-subtle-thing-it-burns-as-a-will-o-the-wisp/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“But even if they could go home it would be difficult for me to tell you what the moral of the story is. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/but-even-if-they-could-go-home-it-would-be-difficult-for-me-to-tell/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [One of the first houses we lived in was like out of a fairy story. We had a stream that ran through our garden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilia-clarke/one-of-the-first-houses-we-lived-in-was-like-out-of-a-fairy-story-we/) [Emilia Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilia-clarke/) > [“If two people see a fairy appear, eat a starfish, and dive into the tile floor without so much as a splash, neither can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaydeon-k-moore/if-two-people-see-a-fairy-appear-eat-a-starfish-and-dive-into-the/) [Kaydeon K. Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaydeon-k-moore/) > [Poems come from ordinary experiences and objects, I think. Out of memory - a dress I lent my daughter on her way back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/poems-come-from-ordinary-experiences-and-objects-i-think-out-of/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [Here is the world of imagination, hopes, and dreams. 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