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Little by little Quote by Edwin Way Teale

“Time is the river. We are the islands. Time washes around us and flows away and with it flow fragments of our lives. So, little by little, each island shrinks….But where, who can say, down the long stream of time, are our eroded days deposited?” quote by Edwin Way Teale
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““Time is the river. We are the islands. Time washes around us and flows away and with it flow fragments of our lives. So, little by little, each island shrinks….But where, who can say, down the long stream of time, are our eroded days deposited?””

Edwin Way Teale

About This Quote

Source Essay: “Time and the River”, 1955

Time is likened to a river that erodes islands, symbolizing how moments and memories fade and accumulate over a lifetime.

In simple terms: Time erodes life like a river.

Key Takeaway

Accept change and cherish moments.

Themes

impermanence memory life flow

Mood

melancholic contemplative

Type

poetic reflective

When to use this quote

  • personal reflection
  • historical analysis
  • creative writing

Key Concepts

philosophical reflection temporal awareness

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you preserve important memories?
  • What does “island” represent for you?
A Different Perspective

Focusing on loss can cause anxiety about the future.

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