--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was this tendency to drift. And yet…" description: "\"“There was this tendency to drift. And yet when she thought about it, what did she really want to do? Or be? She had given up dancing-the dance-becaus..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ea/edward-abbey-254_ambition_there-was-this-tendency-to-drift-and-yet_2600205.png" --- # There was this tendency to drift. And yet when she thought… ![“There was this tendency to drift. And yet when she thought about it, what did she really want to do? Or be? She had given up dancing-the dance-because it was too demanding, because it required an almost total devotion which she was unwilling to give. The cruelest art.” quote by Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ea/edward-abbey-254_ambition_there-was-this-tendency-to-drift-and-yet_2600205.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ea/edward-abbey-254_ambition_there-was-this-tendency-to-drift-and-yet_2600205.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ea/edward-abbey-254_ambition_there-was-this-tendency-to-drift-and-yet_2600205.png) > ““There was this tendency to drift. And yet  when she thought about it, what did she really want to do? Or be? She had given up dancing-the dance-because it was too demanding, because it required an almost total devotion which she was unwilling to give. The cruelest art. ”” [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage describes a person who abandoned a demanding passion, feeling that its required total devotion was too much, labeling it a cruel art. **In simple terms:** She gave up a demanding art because it required total devotion. Key Takeaway Consider the cost of total devotion before abandoning a passion. Themes passion devotion abandonment art self‑knowledge Mood contemplative melancholic Type literary reflective When to use this quote - career decisions - artistic pursuits - personal growth Key Concepts commitment personal sacrifice creative expression Questions to Reflect On - What does “cruelest art” mean to you? - Can you find balance without total devotion? A Different Perspective The quote may romanticize sacrifice without acknowledging healthy boundaries. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Aspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspiration/) [Conviction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction/) [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Dancing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dancing/) [Drift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drift/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [Ever since I've given up dancing, every physiotherapist or Pilates teacher has said you have to keep moving. 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