--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are the time. We are the breathing. We…" description: "\"“We are the time. We are the breathing. We are the air.”\" — David Levithan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/837/david-levithan-67_time_we-are-the-time-we-are-the-breathing-we_2099124.jpg" --- # We are the time. We are the breathing. We are the air. ![“We are the time. We are the breathing. We are the air.” quote by David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/837/david-levithan-67_time_we-are-the-time-we-are-the-breathing-we_2099124.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/837/david-levithan-67_time_we-are-the-time-we-are-the-breathing-we_2099124.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/837/david-levithan-67_time_we-are-the-time-we-are-the-breathing-we_2099124.jpg) > ““We are the time. We are the breathing. We are the air.”” [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. Existence is intertwined with time, breath, and atmosphere, emphasizing our unity with the world. **In simple terms:** We are part of time, breath, and air. Key Takeaway Recognize your connection to the present and environment. Themes identity existence interconnectedness Mood reflective contemplative Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - meditation - environmental awareness - creative writing Key Concepts philosophy mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing this unity affect your daily choices? - In what ways can you honor the present moment? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breathing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) [Breathing Air](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing-air-799817/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Breathing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-breathing-4185554/) ## Related quotes > [Do some yoga. I never feel more beautiful than after I've really spent some time breathing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/do-some-yoga-i-never-feel-more-beautiful-than-after-i-ve-really-spent/) [Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/) > [Responsibility is something you take as a matter of fact, like breathing air; living without it is impossible, but do not think about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-gelt-dekker/responsibility-is-something-you-take-as-a-matter-of-fact-like/) [Jacob Gelt Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-gelt-dekker/) > [“That she’s not just my reason for breathing, she’s air itself. That she’s the meaning behind every one of my thoughts, every thrum of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurelin-paige/that-she-s-not-just-my-reason-for-breathing-she-s-air-itself-that-she/) [Laurelin Paige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurelin-paige/) > [“Not only does my world revolve around her, but she is my world. She's not just my reason for breathing, she's air itself. She's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurelin-paige/not-only-does-my-world-revolve-around-her-but-she-is-my-world-she-s/) [Laurelin Paige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurelin-paige/) > [I'm a big foodie! I eat, like, three times a day... but most of all, I'm a breathie. Breathing air? That's the best thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mande/i-m-a-big-foodie-i-eat-like-three-times-a-day-but-most-of-all-i-m-a/) [Joe Mande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mande/) > [“He was up to his neck in it. He was breathing the air of its world, adapting to its gravity. The story's essence had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/he-was-up-to-his-neck-in-it-he-was-breathing-the-air-of-its-world/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [It's not what you do. It's the way you do it-stripping, or writing, or talking . . . or just breathing. Do it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gypsy-rose-lee/it-s-not-what-you-do-it-s-the-way-you-do-it-stripping-or-writing-or/) [Gypsy Rose Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gypsy-rose-lee/) > [I love being in London because it means I am breathing the same air as the Queen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-george/i-love-being-in-london-because-it-means-i-am-breathing-the-same-air/) [Melissa George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-george/) > [“I am never alone wherever I am. The air itself supplies me with a century of love. When I breathe in, I am breathing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/i-am-never-alone-wherever-i-am-the-air-itself-supplies-me-with-a/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [Breathing air is a liberating experience. It freed our ancestors from the constraints of staying wet or having to remain within easy reach of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyall-watson/breathing-air-is-a-liberating-experience-it-freed-our-ancestors-from/) [Lyall Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyall-watson/) > [“I am your husband, I will keep you safe and I will do it by keeping my feet on this earth, breathing the air…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/i-am-your-husband-i-will-keep-you-safe-and-i-will-do-it-by-keeping-my/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“It feels like the ground is breathing and the air has hands, like everything is moving except me, like I am the only thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-reed/it-feels-like-the-ground-is-breathing-and-the-air-has-hands-like/) [Amy Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-reed/) > [“We are just wind on this earth, wind breathing in air.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/we-are-just-wind-on-this-earth-wind-breathing-in-air/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [“He was breathing the air of its world, adapting to its gravity. The story’s essence had permeated every part of him, to the walls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/he-was-breathing-the-air-of-its-world-adapting-to-its-gravity-the/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“As long as we’re breathing, we have a chance to start over and build a stable future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ha-campbell/as-long-as-we-re-breathing-we-have-a-chance-to-start-over-and-build-a/) [Kim Ha Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ha-campbell/) ## 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 Breathing quotes > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [“As long as we’re breathing, we have a chance to start over and build a stable future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ha-campbell/as-long-as-we-re-breathing-we-have-a-chance-to-start-over-and-build-a/) [Kim Ha Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ha-campbell/) > [People don't think much about breathing. Of all the things we take for granted, breathing has to be number one - even though it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/people-don-t-think-much-about-breathing-of-all-the-things-we-take-for/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [I wish," Jared began, and stopped, breathing in. "Do you remember how you used to believe I wasn't real? Sometimes I wish that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-wish-jared-began-and-stopped-breathing-in-do-you-remember-how-you/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Breathing is give(carbon dioxide) and take(oxygen), such is life, find balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-williams/breathing-is-give-carbon-dioxide-and-take-oxygen-such-is-life-find/) [Marcel Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-williams/) > [I'll probably be writing as long as I'm breathing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kristofferson/i-ll-probably-be-writing-as-long-as-i-m-breathing/) [Kris Kristofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kristofferson/) > [For me writing is like breathing. I could not live without breathing and I could not live without writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/for-me-writing-is-like-breathing-i-could-not-live-without-breathing/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [I’m in, Cat. I’d never leave you. Especially when you’ve got death breathing down your neck.” “Very funny,” I retorted, since Bones was inches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/i-m-in-cat-i-d-never-leave-you-especially-when-you-ve-got-death/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [He’d moved toward me again. His hands released mine and moved to my waist, and I noticed I wasn’t the only one breathing heavily.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/he-d-moved-toward-me-again-his-hands-released-mine-and-moved-to-my/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [My worry is that opera will become an historic art form as opposed to a living, breathing thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-fleming/my-worry-is-that-opera-will-become-an-historic-art-form-as-opposed-to/) [Renee Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-fleming/) > [I'm really fascinated and you know I've been wondering about that usage of language, various breathing techniques and why in these practices language is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-acker/i-m-really-fascinated-and-you-know-i-ve-been-wondering-about-that/) [Kathy Acker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-acker/) > [I’m exactly right for you, Bella. It would have been effortless for us — comfortable, easy as breathing. I was the natural path your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-m-exactly-right-for-you-bella-it-would-have-been-effortless-for-us/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) [Browse all 1,666 Breathing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We are the time. We are the breathing. We are the air.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Levithan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-are-the-time-we-are-the-breathing-we-are-the-air/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Breathing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-are-the-time-we-are-the-breathing-we-are-the-air/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/837/david-levithan-67_time_we-are-the-time-we-are-the-breathing-we_2099124.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/837/david-levithan-67_time_we-are-the-time-we-are-the-breathing-we_2099124.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/837/david-levithan-67_time_we-are-the-time-we-are-the-breathing-we_2099124.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We are the time. We are the breathing. We are the air.” — David Levithan", "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": "David Levithan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We are the time. We are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-are-the-time-we-are-the-breathing-we-are-the-air/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-are-the-time-we-are-the-breathing-we-are-the-air/#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 } } ] } ```