--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is the sudden. There is the…" description: "\"“There is the sudden. There is the eventual. And in between, there is the living. We do not start as dust. We do not end as dust. WE make more than dus..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d7/david-levithan-67_eventual_there-is-the-sudden-there-is-the-eventua_2364123.jpg" --- # There is the sudden. There is the eventual. And in… ![“There is the sudden. There is the eventual. And in between, there is the living. We do not start as dust. We do not end as dust. WE make more than dust. That's all we ask of you. Make more than dust.” quote by David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d7/david-levithan-67_eventual_there-is-the-sudden-there-is-the-eventua_2364123.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d7/david-levithan-67_eventual_there-is-the-sudden-there-is-the-eventua_2364123.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d7/david-levithan-67_eventual_there-is-the-sudden-there-is-the-eventua_2364123.jpg) > ““There is the sudden. There is the eventual. And in between, there is the living. We do not start as dust. We do not end as dust. WE make more than dust. That's all we ask of you. Make more than dust.”” [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is a continuum between sudden events and eventual outcomes; we are more than mere dust, called to create lasting impact. **In simple terms:** Life lies between moments and destiny; we must matter. Key Takeaway Live purposefully beyond fleeting moments. Themes existence purpose legacy Mood thoughtful hopeful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - personal goals - community service - creative projects Key Concepts philosophical existential motivational Questions to Reflect On - What lasting impact do you aim for? - How do you balance sudden changes with long‑term goals? A Different Perspective May overlook practical steps; lofty ideals can feel abstract. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dust Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dust-ask-2994205/) [End Dust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-dust-320385/) [Eventual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eventual/) [Eventual Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eventual-living-4586769/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Sudden Eventual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sudden-eventual-4586768/) ## Related quotes > [There is the sudden. There is the eventual. And in between, there is the living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/there-is-the-sudden-there-is-the-eventual-and-in-between-there-is-the-2/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [We do not start as dust. We do not end as dust. We make more than dust. That's all we ask of you. Make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-do-not-start-as-dust-we-do-not-end-as-dust-we-make-more-than-dust/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“We do not start as dust. We do not end as dust. We make more than dust.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-do-not-start-as-dust-we-do-not-end-as-dust-we-make-more-than-dust-2/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [War adversity of tears and turmoil where do we think we came from Mr.dust do ask me that question!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-brown/war-adversity-of-tears-and-turmoil-where-do-we-think-we-came-from-mr/) [D Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-brown/) > [“His dying mind conjured up one last, reassuring thought. In the end, don't we all come from dust anyway? We come from dust... and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-scarrow/his-dying-mind-conjured-up-one-last-reassuring-thought-in-the-end-don/) [Alex Scarrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-scarrow/) > [“In the beginning there was Dust, and in the end there will be Dust, and in the middle there is Dust, Dust, Dust!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/in-the-beginning-there-was-dust-and-in-the-end-there-will-be-dust-and/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > ["I dissolve in trust, I will sing with joy, I will end up dust". The line really spoke to me. That's what it is:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-dissolve-in-trust-i-will-sing-with-joy-i-will-end-up-dust-the-line/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [The eventual goal is to marry all of my work together to make a high-speed, high-resolution, low-impact tool that can look deep inside biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-betzig/the-eventual-goal-is-to-marry-all-of-my-work-together-to-make-a-high/) [Eric Betzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-betzig/) > [Educating girls just one year beyond the average fourth grade education increases their eventual earnings by 10 to 20 percent. Every additional year of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-tzemach-lemmon/educating-girls-just-one-year-beyond-the-average-fourth-grade/) [Gayle Tzemach Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-tzemach-lemmon/) > [There are a lot of people in Congress who would never have made a great career or fortune in any other profession. But after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/there-are-a-lot-of-people-in-congress-who-would-never-have-made-a/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [The small companies who feel that the majors are a threat, or are predators, will use that as an excuse for their eventual downfall.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ginn/the-small-companies-who-feel-that-the-majors-are-a-threat-or-are/) [Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) > [Most Evangelicals have the church to thank for the Sunday-school classes that taught us what the Bible says and paved the way for our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/most-evangelicals-have-the-church-to-thank-for-the-sunday-school/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [But once I went for it, left my inhibitions aside and saw its eventual success, it made me much more comfortable and eager THIS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-biggs/but-once-i-went-for-it-left-my-inhibitions-aside-and-saw-its-eventual/) [Jason Biggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-biggs/) > [No doubt many people have the feeling that to talk about death at all is, in effect, to conjure it up mentally, to bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-moody/no-doubt-many-people-have-the-feeling-that-to-talk-about-death-at-all/) [Raymond Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-moody/) > [I'm in the role of helping these apes negotiate the human role. I'm just a temporary intermediary in what I think will be eventual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-savage-rumbaugh/i-m-in-the-role-of-helping-these-apes-negotiate-the-human-role-i-m/) [Sue Savage-Rumbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-savage-rumbaugh/) ## More by David Levithan > [“When you jump, all you're going to do is fall. But leaping? Leaping is when you think there's something on the other side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-jump-all-you-re-going-to-do-is-fall-but-leaping-leaping-is/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“The past and the future are what's complicated. It's the present that's simple. And the simplicity is the sensation of it being just her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-past-and-the-future-are-what-s-complicated-it-s-the-present-that/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [You could be the leaf that never falls from the tree you could be the sun that never leaves the sky this might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-could-be-the-leaf-that-never-falls-from-the-tree-you-could-be-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Patrick: Is she worth the trouble? Cameron: I thought she was- Patrick: Either she is, or she isn't. So give it a shot, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/patrick-is-she-worth-the-trouble-cameron-i-thought-she-was-patrick/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“We saw our friends die. But we also see our friends live. So many of them live, and we often toast their long and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-saw-our-friends-die-but-we-also-see-our-friends-live-so-many-of/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [maybe tonight you're scared of falling, and maybe there's somebody here or somewhere else you're thinking about, worrying over, fretting over, trying to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/maybe-tonight-you-re-scared-of-falling-and-maybe-there-s-somebody/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“You never told me what you saw in him, not convincingly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-never-told-me-what-you-saw-in-him-not-convincingly/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“i nod to the other will grayson, up onstage. he nods to me. we have something between us, him and me. but the truth?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-nod-to-the-other-will-grayson-up-onstage-he-nods-to-me-we-have/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [The terrorists-those nineteen people, with hundreds or maybe thousands behind them-did the worst thing you can possibly imagine. But tens of millions people did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-terrorists-those-nineteen-people-with-hundreds-or-maybe-thousands/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [But I still has enough longing for that concept that I didn't want to dispel it completely. Meaning: I didn't want to tell Lily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/but-i-still-has-enough-longing-for-that-concept-that-i-didn-t-want-to/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“When you break someone's heart, you also break yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-break-someone-s-heart-you-also-break-yours/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Because toward the end all the words started leaving. Except for the ones that had to lock up at the end of the night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/because-toward-the-end-all-the-words-started-leaving-except-for-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“ misgivings , n . Last night, I got up the courage to ask you if you regretted us. "There are things I miss,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/misgivings-n-last-night-i-got-up-the-courage-to-ask-you-if-you/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Saving others is always more important than saving yourself. It has to be, or none of us would do any good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/saving-others-is-always-more-important-than-saving-yourself-it-has-to/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) [Explore all 1,648 David Levithan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) ## More Eventual quotes > [I'm in the role of helping these apes negotiate the human role. I'm just a temporary intermediary in what I think will be eventual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-savage-rumbaugh/i-m-in-the-role-of-helping-these-apes-negotiate-the-human-role-i-m/) [Sue Savage-Rumbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-savage-rumbaugh/) > [No doubt many people have the feeling that to talk about death at all is, in effect, to conjure it up mentally, to bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-moody/no-doubt-many-people-have-the-feeling-that-to-talk-about-death-at-all/) [Raymond Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-moody/) > [But once I went for it, left my inhibitions aside and saw its eventual success, it made me much more comfortable and eager THIS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-biggs/but-once-i-went-for-it-left-my-inhibitions-aside-and-saw-its-eventual/) [Jason Biggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-biggs/) > [Most Evangelicals have the church to thank for the Sunday-school classes that taught us what the Bible says and paved the way for our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/most-evangelicals-have-the-church-to-thank-for-the-sunday-school/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [The small companies who feel that the majors are a threat, or are predators, will use that as an excuse for their eventual downfall.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ginn/the-small-companies-who-feel-that-the-majors-are-a-threat-or-are/) [Greg Ginn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ginn/) > [There are a lot of people in Congress who would never have made a great career or fortune in any other profession. But after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/there-are-a-lot-of-people-in-congress-who-would-never-have-made-a/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [Educating girls just one year beyond the average fourth grade education increases their eventual earnings by 10 to 20 percent. Every additional year of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-tzemach-lemmon/educating-girls-just-one-year-beyond-the-average-fourth-grade/) [Gayle Tzemach Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-tzemach-lemmon/) > [The eventual goal is to marry all of my work together to make a high-speed, high-resolution, low-impact tool that can look deep inside biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-betzig/the-eventual-goal-is-to-marry-all-of-my-work-together-to-make-a-high/) [Eric Betzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-betzig/) > [Wherever the wind blows me, I'll go! My eventual goal is to have enough experience to produce something on my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fawad-khan/wherever-the-wind-blows-me-i-ll-go-my-eventual-goal-is-to-have-enough/) [Fawad Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fawad-khan/) > [“Our eventual fate will be the sum of the stories we told ourselves long enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-woods/our-eventual-fate-will-be-the-sum-of-the-stories-we-told-ourselves/) [Crystal Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-woods/) > [I thought I would be a teacher; I think my eventual goal was to be the principal of my old high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-labine/i-thought-i-would-be-a-teacher-i-think-my-eventual-goal-was-to-be-the/) [Tyler Labine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-labine/) > [Failure may be just a step toward your eventual goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgette-mosbacher/failure-may-be-just-a-step-toward-your-eventual-goal/) [Georgette Mosbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgette-mosbacher/) > [“Eventual, as Pug used to say. When he wanted to say something was really good, he's never say it was awesome, like most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/eventual-as-pug-used-to-say-when-he-wanted-to-say-something-was/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“I don't consider myself to be definite, but in waiting position and eventual appearance”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-gary/i-don-t-consider-myself-to-be-definite-but-in-waiting-position-and/) [Romain Gary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-gary/) > [A tremendous amount of the entrepreneurial initiative, if you want to call it that, comes from the dynamic state sector on which most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/a-tremendous-amount-of-the-entrepreneurial-initiative-if-you-want-to/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Browse all 18 Eventual quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eventual/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There is the sudden. 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