--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Just as we take a train to get to Beijing…" description: "\"“Just as we take a train to get to Beijing or Manhattan, we take death to reach a star.”\" — David Paul Kirkpatrick" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/david-paul-kirkpatrick-12013_astronomy_just-as-we-take-a-train-to-get-to-beijin_1870757.jpg" --- # Just as we take a train to get to Beijing or Manhattan, we… ![“Just as we take a train to get to Beijing or Manhattan, we take death to reach a star.” quote by David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/david-paul-kirkpatrick-12013_astronomy_just-as-we-take-a-train-to-get-to-beijin_1870757.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/david-paul-kirkpatrick-12013_astronomy_just-as-we-take-a-train-to-get-to-beijin_1870757.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/david-paul-kirkpatrick-12013_astronomy_just-as-we-take-a-train-to-get-to-beijin_1870757.jpg) > ““Just as we take a train to get to Beijing or Manhattan, we take death to reach a star.”” [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s journey is likened to travel; death is the ultimate destination that leads to transcendence. **In simple terms:** Death is a passage to something greater. Key Takeaway Embrace life knowing death leads onward. Themes mortality purpose transcendence Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical poetic When to use this quote - grief counseling - spiritual practice - life planning - creative inspiration Key Concepts existentialism philosophy of death Questions to Reflect On - What does “reach a star” mean to you? - How does this view affect your daily choices? A Different Perspective The metaphor may oversimplify complex beliefs about afterlife. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/star/) [Train](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/train/) ## Related quotes > [We take death to reach a star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/we-take-death-to-reach-a-star/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [If I could reach up and take a star for every time you made me smile, I would have the entire night sky in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-could-reach-up-and-take-a-star-for-every-time-you-made-me-smile/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our journey to success is not always trying to reach the star that shines the brightest, it is learning along the way and making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-raymond-abad/our-journey-to-success-is-not-always-trying-to-reach-the-star-that/) [Mark Raymond Abad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-raymond-abad/) > [“When you follow a star you know you will never reach that star; rather it will guide you to where you want to go.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/when-you-follow-a-star-you-know-you-will-never-reach-that-star-rather/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“Looking at the stars always makes me dream, as simply as I dream over the black dots representing towns and villages on a map.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/looking-at-the-stars-always-makes-me-dream-as-simply-as-i-dream-over/) [Vincent van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [When you reach for a star, only angels are there. And it's not very far, just a step on a stair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bush/when-you-reach-for-a-star-only-angels-are-there-and-it-s-not-very-far/) [Kate Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bush/) > [“If you're gonna reach for a star, reach for the lowest one you can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerri-blank/if-you-re-gonna-reach-for-a-star-reach-for-the-lowest-one-you-can/) Jerri Blank > [“When waters engulf us we reach for a star.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/when-waters-engulf-us-we-reach-for-a-star/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [“A Scientist can discover a new star but he cannot make one. He would have to ask an engineer to do it for him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-l-glegg/a-scientist-can-discover-a-new-star-but-he-cannot-make-one-he-would/) Gordon L. Glegg > [I don't know if I'm a star or not. I try to don't think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-moreno/i-don-t-know-if-i-m-a-star-or-not-i-try-to-don-t-think-about-it/) [Brandon Moreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-moreno/) > [You're not a star until they can spell your name in Karachi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/humphrey-bogart/you-re-not-a-star-until-they-can-spell-your-name-in-karachi/) [Humphrey Bogart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/humphrey-bogart/) > [I always knew I was a star And now, the rest of the world seems to agree with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-always-knew-i-was-a-star-and-now-the-rest-of-the-world-seems-to/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [“Being a rock star is the intersection of who you are and who you want to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-dellaira/being-a-rock-star-is-the-intersection-of-who-you-are-and-who-you-want/) [Ava Dellaira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-dellaira/) > [I never wanted to be a movie star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-mitchell/i-never-wanted-to-be-a-movie-star/) [Radha Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-mitchell/) > [Studying Sol's interior by looking for analogous patterns on its incandescent face is known as helioseismology, an active - if largely unpronounceable - research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/studying-sol-s-interior-by-looking-for-analogous-patterns-on-its/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) ## More by David Paul Kirkpatrick > [“You are the apple of Love’s eye.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/you-are-the-apple-of-love-s-eye/) [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) > [“The woman of her dreams went into her arms without shame or awkwardness as the boldness of Love overcame them both.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/the-woman-of-her-dreams-went-into-her-arms-without-shame-or/) [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) > [“Neither train nor plane, neither GPS nor human caress can take you to the address of happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/neither-train-nor-plane-neither-gps-nor-human-caress-can-take-you-to/) [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) > [“There is peace in play.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/there-is-peace-in-play/) [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) > [“When in doubt, look to Jesus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/when-in-doubt-look-to-jesus/) [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) > [“He is Jesus, only. God has revealed Himself to us through Jesus. Jesus is what God wanted us to know and to love. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/he-is-jesus-only-god-has-revealed-himself-to-us-through-jesus-jesus/) [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) > [“Through science, she could reach anyone at anytime around the world, but no one seemed to know what to say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/through-science-she-could-reach-anyone-at-anytime-around-the-world/) [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) > [“Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is a determination that there is something more important than fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/courage-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-courage-is-a-determination-that/) [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) > [“Every time, Love pushed down the door where her loneliness lived. The Music came and sealed the chamber of her heart. She was filled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/every-time-love-pushed-down-the-door-where-her-loneliness-lived-the/) [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) > [“Somehow, the days of summer with their glimmering enchantment of dancing ladybugs and sailing clouds had faded into grey. Maddie’s heart had somehow faded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/somehow-the-days-of-summer-with-their-glimmering-enchantment-of/) [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) > [“And Love is the weaver of the sacred thread and the tapestry. For Love’s loom is the universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/and-love-is-the-weaver-of-the-sacred-thread-and-the-tapestry-for-love/) [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) > [“Small as a pea. Wider than the sea. This is where you and I came to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/small-as-a-pea-wider-than-the-sea-this-is-where-you-and-i-came-to-be/) [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) > [“The Music blows wherever Music pleases, you hear it’s sound, but you cannot tell where the Music comes from or where the Music is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/the-music-blows-wherever-music-pleases-you-hear-it-s-sound-but-you/) [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) > [“We are the archers with the bows that spring our children forward. Life does not go backward, nor does it tarry in yesterday. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/we-are-the-archers-with-the-bows-that-spring-our-children-forward/) [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) > [“We are strangers to our own lives, setting out in the dark to look for the adobe of Love which we were meant to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/we-are-strangers-to-our-own-lives-setting-out-in-the-dark-to-look-for/) [David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) [Explore all 57 David Paul Kirkpatrick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/) ## More Astronomy quotes > [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [Wen daylight turns to a darkened hue, D lovely stars hinting at u, ur heart beat tells u something true, That some 1 badly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butterfly-kisses/wen-daylight-turns-to-a-darkened-hue-d-lovely-stars-hinting-at-u-ur/) Butterfly\_Kisses > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [From the grasses in the field to the stars in the sky, each one is doing just that; and there is such profound peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/from-the-grasses-in-the-field-to-the-stars-in-the-sky-each-one-is/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [“Sentinels of trees breathe life into bodies of earthly flesh As their mighty arms reach to the stars we join in their quest for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramon-ravenswood/sentinels-of-trees-breathe-life-into-bodies-of-earthly-flesh-as-their/) [Ramon Ravenswood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramon-ravenswood/) > [“If there are no stars on the sky, you must try to be happy with the shining streetlights!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-there-are-no-stars-on-the-sky-you-must-try-to-be-happy-with-the/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) Nicole Gentile > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars." ... quote has been credited to Les Brown.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylviek/shoot-for-the-moon-even-if-you-miss-it-you-will-land-among-the-stars/) Sylviek > [When certain stars take you under their wing, it does help as they gauge your potential and are willing to work with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-bhatt/when-certain-stars-take-you-under-their-wing-it-does-help-as-they/) [Vikram Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-bhatt/) > [We were put here as witnesses to the miracle of life. We see the stars, and we want them. We are beholden to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-were-put-here-as-witnesses-to-the-miracle-of-life-we-see-the-stars/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The reason so many of us are obsessed with becoming stars is because we are not yet starring in our own lives. The cosmic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-reason-so-many-of-us-are-obsessed-with-becoming-stars-is-because/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) [Browse all 6,190 Astronomy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Just as we take a train to get to Beijing or Manhattan, we take death to reach a star.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Paul Kirkpatrick" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/just-as-we-take-a-train-to-get-to-beijing-or-manhattan-we-take-death/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Astronomy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/just-as-we-take-a-train-to-get-to-beijing-or-manhattan-we-take-death/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/david-paul-kirkpatrick-12013_astronomy_just-as-we-take-a-train-to-get-to-beijin_1870757.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/david-paul-kirkpatrick-12013_astronomy_just-as-we-take-a-train-to-get-to-beijin_1870757.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/david-paul-kirkpatrick-12013_astronomy_just-as-we-take-a-train-to-get-to-beijin_1870757.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Just as we take a train to get to Beijing or Manhattan, we take death to reach a star.” — David Paul Kirkpatrick", "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 Paul Kirkpatrick", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Just as we take a train...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/just-as-we-take-a-train-to-get-to-beijing-or-manhattan-we-take-death/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/just-as-we-take-a-train-to-get-to-beijing-or-manhattan-we-take-death/#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 } } ] } ```