--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you come to a river and find a boat at…" description: "\"“If you come to a river and find a boat at the edge, you will use that boat and it will serve you well, but once across the river, do you put the boat ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/020/christopher-moore-353_boat_if-you-come-to-a-river-and-find-a-boat-a_1964917.png" --- # If you come to a river and find a boat at the edge, you… ![“If you come to a river and find a boat at the edge, you will use that boat and it will serve you well, but once across the river, do you put the boat on your shoulders and carry it with you on the rest of your journey?” quote by Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/020/christopher-moore-353_boat_if-you-come-to-a-river-and-find-a-boat-a_1964917.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/020/christopher-moore-353_boat_if-you-come-to-a-river-and-find-a-boat-a_1964917.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/020/christopher-moore-353_boat_if-you-come-to-a-river-and-find-a-boat-a_1964917.png) > ““If you come to a river and find a boat at the edge, you will use that boat and it will serve you well, but once across the river, do you put the boat on your shoulders and carry it with you on the rest of your journey?”” [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Tools are useful only when needed; once the goal is met, let go of unnecessary burdens. **In simple terms:** Use tools when needed, then release them. Key Takeaway Detach from past aids after success. Themes detachment resourcefulness transition Mood thoughtful encouraging Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - project completion - career change - personal growth Key Concepts Tool use psychology of attachment Questions to Reflect On - What “boat” are you still carrying? - How can you release unneeded support? A Different Perspective Clinging to old tools can hinder progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boat/) [Boat Edge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boat-edge-3263879/) [Boat Shoulders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boat-shoulders-3263878/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [River](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/river/) [River Boat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/river-boat-1470439/) [Use Boat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-boat-3263877/) ## Related quotes > [There is no river at all, and no boat, and no boatman. There is not even a rope to tow the boat, and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir/there-is-no-river-at-all-and-no-boat-and-no-boatman-there-is-not-even/) [Kabir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir/) > [“At their very feet had been the river. The boat came breasting out of the mist, and in they stepped. All new things in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eudora-welty/at-their-very-feet-had-been-the-river-the-boat-came-breasting-out-of/) [Eudora Welty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eudora-welty/) > [There are so many traps. There are so many opportunities. Life is a river and we take our boat and we go down it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-are-so-many-traps-there-are-so-many-opportunities-life-is-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [If you fall in a river, There is a Boat, If you fall in well, There is Rope, But if you fall in LOVE,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-fall-in-a-river-there-is-a-boat-if-you-fall-in-well-there-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't be afraid to rock the boat. If someone falls out , then they weren't meant to be in your boat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-be-afraid-to-rock-the-boat-if-someone-falls-out-then-they-weren/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being on a boat that's moving through the water, it's so clear. Everything falls into place in terms of what's important and what's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-taylor/being-on-a-boat-that-s-moving-through-the-water-it-s-so-clear/) [James Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-taylor/) > [Men in a ship are always looking up, and men ashore are usually looking down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-masefield/men-in-a-ship-are-always-looking-up-and-men-ashore-are-usually/) [John Masefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-masefield/) > [Life is a boat; the heart is a sail and love is a wind; the wind of eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/life-is-a-boat-the-heart-is-a-sail-and-love-is-a-wind-the-wind-of/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Nodding the head does not row the boat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nodding-the-head-does-not-row-the-boat/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The river , corrected the Rat, It's my world...What it hasn't got is not worth having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/the-river-corrected-the-rat-it-s-my-world-what-it-hasn-t-got-is-not/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [“On a boat, you must think of every amp and where it comes from.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-page/on-a-boat-you-must-think-of-every-amp-and-where-it-comes-from/) [Rick Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-page/) > [You can get swept away quickly - it's terrifying. When you're living a more luxurious life - being brought out to a fancy boat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lola-young/you-can-get-swept-away-quickly-it-s-terrifying-when-you-re-living-a/) [Lola Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lola-young/) > [Seek opportunity, not security. A boat in the harbor is safe, but in time its bottom will rot out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/seek-opportunity-not-security-a-boat-in-the-harbor-is-safe-but-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The goal is not to sail the boat, but rather to help the boat sail herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rousmaniere/the-goal-is-not-to-sail-the-boat-but-rather-to-help-the-boat-sail/) [John Rousmaniere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rousmaniere/) > [I was very moved to see that the name of the boat was Hamlet - an imaginary character becomes so important to people, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/i-was-very-moved-to-see-that-the-name-of-the-boat-was-hamlet-an/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) ## More by Christopher Moore > [“Love them all," said Renoir. "That is the secret, young man. Love them all." The painter let go of his arm and shrugged. "Then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/love-them-all-said-renoir-that-is-the-secret-young-man-love-them-all/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“I tried cutting myself to express my heartbreak over Tommy (Lord Flood) rejecting me, but OMFG it hurts like flaming fuck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/i-tried-cutting-myself-to-express-my-heartbreak-over-tommy-lord-flood/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [Canada is a myth people made up to entertain children, like the Tooth Fairy. There’s no such place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/canada-is-a-myth-people-made-up-to-entertain-children-like-the-tooth/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [Sarcasm will make your tits fall off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/sarcasm-will-make-your-tits-fall-off/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“I hope you are not here to ask me to do my bawdy business- the monkey has a nosebleed and the circus, sir, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/i-hope-you-are-not-here-to-ask-me-to-do-my-bawdy-business-the-monkey/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [The prospect of change is a many-fanged beast, my dear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/the-prospect-of-change-is-a-many-fanged-beast-my-dear/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“The night was crisp and the stars shone with a cold blue light like loneliness or infinity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/the-night-was-crisp-and-the-stars-shone-with-a-cold-blue-light-like/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [Children see magic because they look for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/children-see-magic-because-they-look-for-it/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“Abby Von Normal - And I'm like, "Don't change the subject, Kung Pao, what I want to know is if you're ready to spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/abby-von-normal-and-i-m-like-don-t-change-the-subject-kung-pao-what-i/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“You can't just go around blurting out the truth like a prophet with Tourette's syndrome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/you-can-t-just-go-around-blurting-out-the-truth-like-a-prophet-with/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [How could you deal with a creature as devious as woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/how-could-you-deal-with-a-creature-as-devious-as-woman/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“…turning your ankle hurts like hell, even if you're a superhero.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/turning-your-ankle-hurts-like-hell-even-if-you-re-a-superhero/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [Lonliness evaporated off of them like the steam off dry ice, and by morning it was just a cloud on the ceiling of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/lonliness-evaporated-off-of-them-like-the-steam-off-dry-ice-and-by/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“Give us a call or you know, flash a searchlight in the sky with your logo on it, because we monitor everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/give-us-a-call-or-you-know-flash-a-searchlight-in-the-sky-with-your/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [“it wasn't so much like the hands of time had stood still here, more like they'd been thrown in the air in exasperation, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/it-wasn-t-so-much-like-the-hands-of-time-had-stood-still-here-more/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) [Explore all 591 Christopher Moore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) ## More Boat quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. 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Mirrored ceilings, marble, Jacuzzis and leopard-skin everything, it made the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-anderson/it-was-just-the-sort-of-yatch-you-d-expect-a-rock-promoter-to-have/) [Pamela Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-anderson/) > [It's a hindrance in trying to get a serious acting role. The minute a producer has a script and my name comes up, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbi-benton/it-s-a-hindrance-in-trying-to-get-a-serious-acting-role-the-minute-a/) [Barbi Benton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbi-benton/) > [Something I like to do a lot is just sit by water when there’s a current and just stare into the water. I don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/something-i-like-to-do-a-lot-is-just-sit-by-water-when-there-s-a/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [The trouble is, you can't properly present something you don't believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mcguane/the-trouble-is-you-can-t-properly-present-something-you-don-t-believe/) [Thomas McGuane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mcguane/) > [You know how this is: if I look at the crystal moon, at the red branch of the slow autumn at my window, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/you-know-how-this-is-if-i-look-at-the-crystal-moon-at-the-red-branch/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [A film is a boat which is always on the point of sinking-it always tends to break up as you go along and drag…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-truffaut/a-film-is-a-boat-which-is-always-on-the-point-of-sinking-it-always/) [Francois Truffaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-truffaut/) > [I took one guitar lesson, and they wanted me to play 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' or 'Michael Row the Boat Ashore,' and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-took-one-guitar-lesson-and-they-wanted-me-to-play-mary-had-a-little/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [I was 35 years old and in a position to take a shot at whatever I wanted to try. 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Waterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-w-waterman/) [Browse all 1,788 Boat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boat/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If you come to a river and find a boat at the edge, you will use that boat and it will serve you well, but once across the river, do you put the boat on your shoulders and carry it with you on the rest of your journey?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher Moore" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/if-you-come-to-a-river-and-find-a-boat-at-the-edge-you-will-use-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Boat" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/if-you-come-to-a-river-and-find-a-boat-at-the-edge-you-will-use-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/020/christopher-moore-353_boat_if-you-come-to-a-river-and-find-a-boat-a_1964917.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/020/christopher-moore-353_boat_if-you-come-to-a-river-and-find-a-boat-a_1964917.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/020/christopher-moore-353_boat_if-you-come-to-a-river-and-find-a-boat-a_1964917.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you come to a river and find a boat at the edge, you will use that boat and it will serve you well, but…” — Christopher Moore", "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": "Christopher Moore", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If you come to a river...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/if-you-come-to-a-river-and-find-a-boat-at-the-edge-you-will-use-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/if-you-come-to-a-river-and-find-a-boat-at-the-edge-you-will-use-that/#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 } } ] } ```