--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Although the constant shadow of certain…" description: "\"Although the constant shadow of certain death looms over everyday, the pleasures and joys of life can be so fine and affecting that the heart is nearly..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/dean-koontz-118_astonishment_although-the-constant-shadow-of-certain_2960342.jpg" --- # Although the constant shadow of certain death looms over… ![“Although the constant shadow of certain death looms over everyday, the pleasures and joys of life can be so fine and affecting that the heart is nearly stilled in astonishment.” quote by Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/dean-koontz-118_astonishment_although-the-constant-shadow-of-certain_2960342.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/dean-koontz-118_astonishment_although-the-constant-shadow-of-certain_2960342.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/dean-koontz-118_astonishment_although-the-constant-shadow-of-certain_2960342.jpg) > “Although the constant shadow of certain death looms over everyday, the pleasures and joys of life can be so fine and affecting that the heart is nearly stilled in astonishment.” [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even with looming death, life's joys can be astonishingly beautiful, almost stopping the heart. **In simple terms:** Joy can overwhelm fear of death. Key Takeaway Savor life's moments. Themes mortality joy beauty astonishment Mood hopeful reflective inspired Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily gratitude - art appreciation - nature walks Key Concepts existentialism mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How do you find joy amid fear? - What moments make your heart pause? A Different Perspective May downplay grief. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astonishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astonishment/) [Certain death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain-death/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Everyday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everyday/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Joy of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy-of-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shadow/) ## Related quotes > [Death looms large I guess because it should. It's the one thing that we as human beings from birth have a right to. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/death-looms-large-i-guess-because-it-should-it-s-the-one-thing-that/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [“Julia’s heart nearly cracked under the weight of her realization that her love had not healed him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/julia-s-heart-nearly-cracked-under-the-weight-of-her-realization-that/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“My heart nearly stopped. I could feel my pores open to release what sweat I had left.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-raiser/my-heart-nearly-stopped-i-could-feel-my-pores-open-to-release-what/) [Kimberly Raiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-raiser/) > [Removing you from my mind was easy but removing you from my heart is nearly impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/removing-you-from-my-mind-was-easy-but-removing-you-from-my-heart-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I create from the heart, nearly everything works; if from the head, almost nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-chagall/if-i-create-from-the-heart-nearly-everything-works-if-from-the-head/) [Marc Chagall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-chagall/) > [“I looked around me as if it were possible to collect together the heart I'd nearly spilled all over the grass.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-lauren/i-looked-around-me-as-if-it-were-possible-to-collect-together-the/) [Christina Lauren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-lauren/) > [“He has explained why it is that ambiguity touches his heart more nearly than the death and marriage style of finish that i prefer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-setterfield/he-has-explained-why-it-is-that-ambiguity-touches-his-heart-more/) [Diane Setterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-setterfield/) > [“They say that nothing is certain but death and taxes, and I already screwed one of those up, so I better pay my taxes…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-alexander-sims/they-say-that-nothing-is-certain-but-death-and-taxes-and-i-already/) Edmund Alexander Sims > [“Shiro says, “So certain death if we do, and almost certain death if we don’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-chase/shiro-says-so-certain-death-if-we-do-and-almost-certain-death-if-we/) [B.C. Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-chase/) > [Winning means fame and fortune. Losing means certain death. The Hunger Games have begun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/winning-means-fame-and-fortune-losing-means-certain-death-the-hunger/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [It boils down to this: we should have done with humbug, and let war be war, and not a game ... If there were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/it-boils-down-to-this-we-should-have-done-with-humbug-and-let-war-be/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Whatever happens, they say afterwards, it must have been fate. People are always a little confused about this, as they are in the case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/whatever-happens-they-say-afterwards-it-must-have-been-fate-people/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A certain death of an artist is overconfidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-trower/a-certain-death-of-an-artist-is-overconfidence/) [Robin Trower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-trower/) > [It's certain that the death of an actor can be on a television screen playing the same thing every week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giancarlo-esposito/it-s-certain-that-the-death-of-an-actor-can-be-on-a-television-screen/) [Giancarlo Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giancarlo-esposito/) > [“I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. ... These two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-m-completely-in-favor-of-the-separation-of-church-and-state-these/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) ## More by Dean Koontz > [“This kind of derangement is emblematic of humankind. Grave faults are said to be only eccentricities, and imperfections are routinely celebrated as mere differences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/this-kind-of-derangement-is-emblematic-of-humankind-grave-faults-are/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“He often remembered his dad's admonition that envy was mental theft. If you coveted another man's possessions, Dad said, then you should be willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/he-often-remembered-his-dad-s-admonition-that-envy-was-mental-theft/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [What really holds their marriage together are mutual respect of an awesome depth, a shared sense of humor, faith that they were brought together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/what-really-holds-their-marriage-together-are-mutual-respect-of-an/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Her mother said that three great powers kept the universe going. The first and the strongest was God. Each of the two additional powers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/her-mother-said-that-three-great-powers-kept-the-universe-going-the/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“I stopped keeping an eye out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve because, when I was five, my mother told me that Santa was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/i-stopped-keeping-an-eye-out-for-santa-claus-on-christmas-eve-because/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“To one degree or another, I have been happy most of my life, in part because the world has infinite charms if you wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/to-one-degree-or-another-i-have-been-happy-most-of-my-life-in-part/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“This life is just a bootcamp, to test and toughen us, to prepare us for the next life of service in some great adventure.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/this-life-is-just-a-bootcamp-to-test-and-toughen-us-to-prepare-us-for/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“A madman should have a madman’s laugh, not the warm chuckle of a favorite uncle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/a-madman-should-have-a-madman-s-laugh-not-the-warm-chuckle-of-a/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Anger was a reliable defense, but one that allowed no chance of final victory. Anger was a medicine but never a cure, briefly numbing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/anger-was-a-reliable-defense-but-one-that-allowed-no-chance-of-final/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Nothing is predetermined for us, and yet all our possible choices are threads in the vast weave of things, so that we have free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/nothing-is-predetermined-for-us-and-yet-all-our-possible-choices-are/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“In fact, time teaches us that the musical score of life oscillates between that of Psycho and that of The Sound of Music, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/in-fact-time-teaches-us-that-the-musical-score-of-life-oscillates/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Some will accuse me of being judgmental. Thank you. And proud of it. You wreck a kid's life, I have no pity for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/some-will-accuse-me-of-being-judgmental-thank-you-and-proud-of-it-you/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Waiting is one of the things that humans beings cannot do well, though it is one of the essential things we must do successfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/waiting-is-one-of-the-things-that-humans-beings-cannot-do-well-though/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Dogs know we need to give affection as much as they need to receive it. They were the first therapists; they've been in practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/dogs-know-we-need-to-give-affection-as-much-as-they-need-to-receive/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) [Explore all 1,233 Dean Koontz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) ## More Astonishment quotes > [“A writer lives, at least, in a state of astonishment. Beneath any feeling he has of the good or evil of the world lies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sansom/a-writer-lives-at-least-in-a-state-of-astonishment-beneath-any/) [William Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sansom/) > [Rich men are resolved to be astonished at nothing. When they see a masterpiece, they must needs at one glance recognize some flaw to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/rich-men-are-resolved-to-be-astonished-at-nothing-when-they-see-a/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [A lot of what I am looking for is a moment of astonishment, he says. Those moments of pure consciousness when you involuntarily inhale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-meyerowitz/a-lot-of-what-i-am-looking-for-is-a-moment-of-astonishment-he-says/) [Joel Meyerowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-meyerowitz/) > [If there be a skeptical star I was born under it. Yet I have lived all my days in complete astonishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-macneile-dixon/if-there-be-a-skeptical-star-i-was-born-under-it-yet-i-have-lived-all/) [William Macneile Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-macneile-dixon/) > [If you aren't constantly astonished at God's grace in your solitude, there's no way it can happen in public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-aren-t-constantly-astonished-at-god-s-grace-in-your-solitude/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Witness each moment in astounded jubilation. Take every holy breath in gratitude. Rejoice in life!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/witness-each-moment-in-astounded-jubilation-take-every-holy-breath-in/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [Those who have past much of their lives in this great city, look upon its opulence and its multitudes, its extent and variety, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/those-who-have-past-much-of-their-lives-in-this-great-city-look-upon/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“See? Nothing to it." "I see all right," Carly said, her tone full of awe. She gaped at him. "What?" "Um..." "Jesus, Carly, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lissa-bryan/see-nothing-to-it-i-see-all-right-carly-said-her-tone-full-of-awe-she/) [Lissa Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lissa-bryan/) > [For a moment Clary thought she might fall; she felt as if something essential had been torn away from her, an arm or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/for-a-moment-clary-thought-she-might-fall-she-felt-as-if-something/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Both of you’ll just have to believe me. Emma’s one of those women who was born with… The thing is, the minute a heterosexual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/both-of-you-ll-just-have-to-believe-me-emma-s-one-of-those-women-who/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [“For the analyst it is a source of never-ending astonishment how comparatively well a person can function with the core of himself not participating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-horney/for-the-analyst-it-is-a-source-of-never-ending-astonishment-how/) [Karen Horney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-horney/) > [It was only when I lay there on the rotting prison straw that I sensed within myself the first stirrings of good. Gradually it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/it-was-only-when-i-lay-there-on-the-rotting-prison-straw-that-i/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [Sometimes, people trying to commit suicide manage it in a manner that leaves them breathless with astonishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/sometimes-people-trying-to-commit-suicide-manage-it-in-a-manner-that/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [When I wake up, I wake to something worse. It’s the astonishment of being myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/when-i-wake-up-i-wake-to-something-worse-it-s-the-astonishment-of/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [What shall I say! And how shall I describe this Birth to you? For this wonder fills me with astonishment. The Ancient of Days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/what-shall-i-say-and-how-shall-i-describe-this-birth-to-you-for-this/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) [Browse all 227 Astonishment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astonishment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Although the constant shadow of certain death looms over everyday, the pleasures and joys of life can be so fine and affecting that the heart is nearly stilled in astonishment.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dean Koontz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/although-the-constant-shadow-of-certain-death-looms-over-everyday-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Astonishment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/although-the-constant-shadow-of-certain-death-looms-over-everyday-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/dean-koontz-118_astonishment_although-the-constant-shadow-of-certain_2960342.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/dean-koontz-118_astonishment_although-the-constant-shadow-of-certain_2960342.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/dean-koontz-118_astonishment_although-the-constant-shadow-of-certain_2960342.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Although the constant shadow of certain death looms over everyday, the pleasures and joys of life can be so…” — Dean Koontz", "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": "Dean Koontz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Although the constant shadow of certain...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/although-the-constant-shadow-of-certain-death-looms-over-everyday-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/although-the-constant-shadow-of-certain-death-looms-over-everyday-the/#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 } } ] } ```