---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we discovered that we had only five…"
description: "\"If we discovered that we had only five minutes left to say all that we wanted to say, every telephone booth would be occupied by people calling other p..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/christopher-morley-2772_calling_if-we-discovered-that-we-had-only-five-m_219670.png"
---

#  If we discovered that we had only five minutes left to say…

![“If we discovered that we had only five minutes left to say all that we wanted to say, every telephone booth would be occupied by people calling other people to stammer that they loved them” quote by Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/christopher-morley-2772_calling_if-we-discovered-that-we-had-only-five-m_219670.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/christopher-morley-2772_calling_if-we-discovered-that-we-had-only-five-m_219670.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/christopher-morley-2772_calling_if-we-discovered-that-we-had-only-five-m_219670.png)

> “If we discovered that we had only five minutes left to say all that we wanted to say, every telephone booth would be occupied by people calling other people to stammer that they loved them”

[Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Imagines a world where limited time forces people to express love urgently, filling telephone booths with calls.

**In simple terms:** If time were short, people would rush to say love.

Key Takeaway

Speak your love before time runs out.

Themes

love urgency communication

Mood

reflective poignant

Type

philosophical emotional

When to use this quote

- relationships
- final moments
- emergency calls
- personal reflections

Key Concepts

human connection time scarcity emotional honesty

Questions to Reflect On

- What would you say if you had only five minutes?
- How does urgency change the way we communicate love?

A Different Perspective

Not everyone may feel comfortable expressing love under pressure.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Calling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calling/) [Calling People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calling-people-1121914/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Minutes Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minutes-left-454870/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Calling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-calling-911654/) [People Stammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-stammer-2247056/) [Stammer Loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stammer-loved-2247057/)

## Related quotes

> [So does being cool mean you get to go around calling other people names?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/so-does-being-cool-mean-you-get-to-go-around-calling-other-people/)

[James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/)

> [I have been up to my head just with calling people, I call about 50 to 100 people a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-simmons/i-have-been-up-to-my-head-just-with-calling-people-i-call-about-50-to/)

[Richard Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-simmons/)

> [If I could throw my phone away, I would probably do it. It's always on silent, and I don't like when it rings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimi-raikkonen/if-i-could-throw-my-phone-away-i-would-probably-do-it-it-s-always-on/)

[Kimi Raikkonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimi-raikkonen/)

> [People have been calling us, guys on other teams, a few of the other Twins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lecroy/people-have-been-calling-us-guys-on-other-teams-a-few-of-the-other/)

[Matthew LeCroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lecroy/)

> [Many people find their calling very early in their lives. These are the kind of people we read about in school books and newspapers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dhanush/many-people-find-their-calling-very-early-in-their-lives-these-are/)

[Dhanush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dhanush/)

> [I can think of the number of people who were like, 'I will never get a cellphone because I don't want people calling me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-crowley/i-can-think-of-the-number-of-people-who-were-like-i-will-never-get-a/)

[Dennis Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-crowley/)

> [We put out a certain energy and we are a certain type of guy. I think the way we played out there for instance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleanthony-early/we-put-out-a-certain-energy-and-we-are-a-certain-type-of-guy-i-think/)

[Cleanthony Early](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleanthony-early/)

> [“The minutes I had left with him fall away like dead leaves pulled from branches.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/the-minutes-i-had-left-with-him-fall-away-like-dead-leaves-pulled/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [Often in Spain you're winning 2-0, there are 15 minutes left, and it's as good as over. You control it, and the tempo drops.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-azpilicueta/often-in-spain-you-re-winning-2-0-there-are-15-minutes-left-and-it-s/)

[Cesar Azpilicueta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-azpilicueta/)

> [“She'd known the guy a grand total of five minutes and he'd already left her a sour first impression. The last thing she ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jena-leigh/she-d-known-the-guy-a-grand-total-of-five-minutes-and-he-d-already/)

[Jena Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jena-leigh/)

> [With eight minutes left, the game could be won in the next five or ten minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-armfield/with-eight-minutes-left-the-game-could-be-won-in-the-next-five-or-ten/)

[Jimmy Armfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-armfield/)

> [Third and 10 down by four at Lambeau Field in the drizzling rain... two minutes left. There's nothing like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-young/third-and-10-down-by-four-at-lambeau-field-in-the-drizzling-rain-two/)

[Steve Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-young/)

> [“If I only had five minutes left to live, I’d only be half as alarmed as normal, because my watch is five minutes fast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/if-i-only-had-five-minutes-left-to-live-i-d-only-be-half-as-alarmed/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [If we discovered we only had five minutes left to say all we wanted to say, every telephone booth would be occupied by people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-we-discovered-we-only-had-five-minutes-left-to-say-all-we-wanted/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I remember. How many minutes do I have left President? About one, one minute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-chavez/i-remember-how-many-minutes-do-i-have-left-president-about-one-one/)

[Hugo Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-chavez/)

## More by Christopher Morley

> [Beware of the conversationalist who adds "in other words." He is merely starting afresh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/beware-of-the-conversationalist-who-adds-in-other-words-he-is-merely/)

[Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/)

> [That's what this country needs -- more books!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/that-s-what-this-country-needs-more-books/)

[Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/)

> [Between ourselves, there is no such thing, abstractly, as a 'good' book. A book is 'good' only when it meets some human hunger or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/between-ourselves-there-is-no-such-thing-abstractly-as-a-good-book-a/)

[Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/)

> [All cities are mad: but the madness is gallant. All cities are beautiful: but the beauty is grim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/all-cities-are-mad-but-the-madness-is-gallant-all-cities-are/)

[Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/)

> [People like to imagine that because all our mechanical equipment moves so much faster, that we are thinking faster, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/people-like-to-imagine-that-because-all-our-mechanical-equipment/)

[Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/)

> [“There are three ingredients in the good life: learning, earning, and yearning. A man should be learning as he goes; and he should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/there-are-three-ingredients-in-the-good-life-learning-earning-and/)

[Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/)

> [A critic is a gong at a railroad crossing clanging loudly and vainly as the train goes by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/a-critic-is-a-gong-at-a-railroad-crossing-clanging-loudly-and-vainly/)

[Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/)

> [Friendships do not grow up in any carefully tended and contemplated fashion… They begin haphazard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/friendships-do-not-grow-up-in-any-carefully-tended-and-contemplated/)

[Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/)

> [The real purpose of books is to trap the mind into doing its own thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/the-real-purpose-of-books-is-to-trap-the-mind-into-doing-its-own/)

[Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/)

> [The censure of a dog is something no man can stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/the-censure-of-a-dog-is-something-no-man-can-stand/)

[Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/)

> [High heels were invented by a woman who had been kissed on the forehead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/high-heels-were-invented-by-a-woman-who-had-been-kissed-on-the/)

[Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/)

> [The courage of the poet is to keep ajar the door that leads into madness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/the-courage-of-the-poet-is-to-keep-ajar-the-door-that-leads-into/)

[Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/)

> [“Calling us men doesn't make us men. No creature on earth has a right to think himself a human being if he doesn't know at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/calling-us-men-doesn-t-make-us-men-no-creature-on-earth-has-a-right/)

[Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/)

> [A human being: an ingenious assembly of portable plumbing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/a-human-being-an-ingenious-assembly-of-portable-plumbing/)

[Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/)

> [The enemies of the future are always the very nicest people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/the-enemies-of-the-future-are-always-the-very-nicest-people/)

[Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/)

[Explore all 150 Christopher Morley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/)

## More Calling quotes

> [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/)

[Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/)

> [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/)

[Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/)

> [God is not calling us to go to church; he is calling us to be his church, the hope of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/god-is-not-calling-us-to-go-to-church-he-is-calling-us-to-be-his/)

[Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/)

> [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/)

[Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/)

> [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/)

[Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/)

> [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-neiman/there-s-no-greatest-moment-in-the-arts-it-s-a-life-it-s-a-continuity/)

[LeRoy Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-neiman/)

> [“Duty is a done deal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/duty-is-a-done-deal/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [NBC is making a movie about Martha Stewart that will cover the recent stock scandal. They are thinking of calling it 'The Road To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/nbc-is-making-a-movie-about-martha-stewart-that-will-cover-the-recent/)

[Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/)

> [“There is no interaction without God with interaction with men”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/there-is-no-interaction-without-god-with-interaction-with-men/)

[Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/)

> [When I was a little boy, I was reading Dante and I was saying to myself 'Bravo, Dante, Bravo.' It's so beautiful, the music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-benigni/when-i-was-a-little-boy-i-was-reading-dante-and-i-was-saying-to/)

[Roberto Benigni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-benigni/)

> [ I don't see \[ Trainspotting \] as an albatross, I see it more as a calling card. It's got me out to Hollywood, I've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-don-t-see-trainspotting-as-an-albatross-i-see-it-more-as-a-calling/)

[Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/)

> [After I finished college, I got a job on Wall Street as a derivatives trader, but after a couple years of it, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/after-i-finished-college-i-got-a-job-on-wall-street-as-a-derivatives/)

[Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/)

> [\*Calling someone I don't want to answer\* \*Please go to voice mail. Please go to voice mail. Please go to voice mail..\* Hello? -\_\_\_-](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/calling-someone-i-don-t-want-to-answer-please-go-to-voice-mail-please/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

> [Sometimes you hear a voice through the door calling you... This turning toward what you deeply love saves you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/sometimes-you-hear-a-voice-through-the-door-calling-you-this-turning/)

[Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/)

> [Please be slow to judge ‘brothers’ who have a different calling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-foreman/please-be-slow-to-judge-brothers-who-have-a-different-calling/)

[Jon Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-foreman/)

[Browse all 3,811 Calling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calling/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If we discovered that we had only five minutes left to say all that we wanted to say, every telephone booth would be occupied by people calling other people to stammer that they loved them",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Christopher Morley"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/if-we-discovered-that-we-had-only-five-minutes-left-to-say-all-that/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Calling"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/if-we-discovered-that-we-had-only-five-minutes-left-to-say-all-that/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/christopher-morley-2772_calling_if-we-discovered-that-we-had-only-five-m_219670.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/christopher-morley-2772_calling_if-we-discovered-that-we-had-only-five-m_219670.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/christopher-morley-2772_calling_if-we-discovered-that-we-had-only-five-m_219670.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If we discovered that we had only five minutes left to say all that we wanted to say, every telephone booth…” — Christopher Morley",
                "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 Morley",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If we discovered that we had...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/if-we-discovered-that-we-had-only-five-minutes-left-to-say-all-that/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/if-we-discovered-that-we-had-only-five-minutes-left-to-say-all-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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
