--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The proper way is lost to me; my compass…" description: "\"“The proper way is lost to me; my compass spins. I therefore give my entire attention to those works that seem to me most incorruptible: the applicatio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/225/eli-brown-27141_comfort_the-proper-way-is-lost-to-me-my-compass_434840.jpg" --- # The proper way is lost to me; my compass spins. I… ![“The proper way is lost to me; my compass spins. I therefore give my entire attention to those works that seem to me most incorruptible: the application of heat, the proportion of seasoning, the arrangement of a plate. When robbed of all pretensions and aspirations, with no proper home nor any…” quote by Eli Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/225/eli-brown-27141_comfort_the-proper-way-is-lost-to-me-my-compass_434840.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/225/eli-brown-27141_comfort_the-proper-way-is-lost-to-me-my-compass_434840.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/225/eli-brown-27141_comfort_the-proper-way-is-lost-to-me-my-compass_434840.jpg) > ““The proper way is lost to me; my compass spins. I therefore give my entire attention to those works that seem to me most incorruptible: the application of heat, the proportion of seasoning, the arrangement of a plate. When robbed of all pretensions and aspirations, with no proper home nor any knowledge of what discord tomorrow brings, I still may have a pocketful of dignity. The Roman pomp and raiment have fallen away, and I see at last the glory of washed feet and shared bread.”” [Eli Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When lost, focus on simple, honest work; dignity comes from humility and shared basics. **In simple terms:** Find dignity in humble tasks. Key Takeaway Embrace simple, honest work. Themes humility dignity simplicity Mood reflective humble Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - cooking - community service - daily chores Key Concepts ethical labor human connection mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What simple task brings you a sense of worth? - How can humility guide your larger goals? A Different Perspective May overlook larger systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfort/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) ## Related quotes > [“Somehow she lost her compass. Her engine failed. Her gyroscope broke. She's ... lost. She says the road she was on isn't there any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-doyle/somehow-she-lost-her-compass-her-engine-failed-her-gyroscope-broke/) [Brian Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-doyle/) > [You can draw power from everything in your life. In order to do that, everything has to be set up in a proper way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-can-draw-power-from-everything-in-your-life-in-order-to-do-that/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Being there for each other in the proper way is a fine art.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-seeberg/being-there-for-each-other-in-the-proper-way-is-a-fine-art/) Peter Seeberg > [I arranged to have a kid, with someone I could trust. I no longer wanted to be married, to do it the long way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-hardy/i-arranged-to-have-a-kid-with-someone-i-could-trust-i-no-longer/) [Greg Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-hardy/) > [“We, the people, should take more responsibility for doing things the hard, proper way instead of the easy, inaccurate way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-manske/we-the-people-should-take-more-responsibility-for-doing-things-the/) Christopher Manske > [“The proper way to eat a fig, in society, Is to split it in four, holding it by the stump, And open it, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dh-lawrence/the-proper-way-to-eat-a-fig-in-society-is-to-split-it-in-four-holding/) [dh lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dh-lawrence/) > [There's only one proper way a song should go, but you've got to be patient enough to let them come together time wise. Sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/there-s-only-one-proper-way-a-song-should-go-but-you-ve-got-to-be/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [As for the "proper way:" it is the beginning of disorder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/as-for-the-proper-way-it-is-the-beginning-of-disorder/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [I love key lime pie, although it's never made the proper way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/i-love-key-lime-pie-although-it-s-never-made-the-proper-way/) [Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/) > [While we all have a great capacity to love, very few of us will love the proper way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/while-we-all-have-a-great-capacity-to-love-very-few-of-us-will-love/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Before you drop a project you want to make sure you have videos. You want to make sure everything is lined up the proper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-homie-quan/before-you-drop-a-project-you-want-to-make-sure-you-have-videos-you/) [Rich Homie Quan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-homie-quan/) > [It is helpful to know the proper way to behave, so one can decide whether or not to be proper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-carson-levine/it-is-helpful-to-know-the-proper-way-to-behave-so-one-can-decide/) [Gail Carson Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-carson-levine/) > [The proper way to understand any social system was to view it from above.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/the-proper-way-to-understand-any-social-system-was-to-view-it-from/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) > [In Formula One nothing is easy, but I can feel I'm taking the right steps, that I'm working in the proper way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-leclerc/in-formula-one-nothing-is-easy-but-i-can-feel-i-m-taking-the-right/) [Charles Leclerc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-leclerc/) > [Yesterday brought the beginning, tomorrow brings the end, and somewhere in the middle we became the best of friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yesterday-brought-the-beginning-tomorrow-brings-the-end-and-somewhere/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Eli Brown > [“I now have some intimacy with death, and like the hops in a beer, it has both embittered and fortified me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-brown/i-now-have-some-intimacy-with-death-and-like-the-hops-in-a-beer-it/) [Eli Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-brown/) > [“As it ferments, kraut whispers alchemical secrets. In two days, it will smell as agreeable as an old pillow still warm from night’s use.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-brown/as-it-ferments-kraut-whispers-alchemical-secrets-in-two-days-it-will/) [Eli Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-brown/) > [“Some foods are so comforting, so nourishing of body and soul, that to eat them is to be home again after a long journey.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-brown/some-foods-are-so-comforting-so-nourishing-of-body-and-soul-that-to/) [Eli Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-brown/) > [“Such is the indomitable spirit of saffron that even after years stale on my chest, it brought the rice to life with flavor and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-brown/such-is-the-indomitable-spirit-of-saffron-that-even-after-years-stale/) [Eli Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-brown/) > [“We are surrounded by monsters," she said. "We can cower before them or we can pick one and sink our teeth in with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-brown/we-are-surrounded-by-monsters-she-said-we-can-cower-before-them-or-we/) [Eli Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-brown/) > [“Never have I seen such a motley assemblage of characters. Except that we are at sea, I would believe that I had been abducted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-brown/never-have-i-seen-such-a-motley-assemblage-of-characters-except-that/) [Eli Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-brown/) > [“Without another word, we began to eat. I was hungry, but no appetite would excuse the way we set upon those dishes. We shoveled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-brown/without-another-word-we-began-to-eat-i-was-hungry-but-no-appetite/) [Eli Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-brown/) > [“He who writes our every story needs no annotation from me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-brown/he-who-writes-our-every-story-needs-no-annotation-from-me/) [Eli Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-brown/) > [“Men who long for the past are already dead. Look to the future, Owen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-brown/men-who-long-for-the-past-are-already-dead-look-to-the-future-owen/) [Eli Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-brown/) > [“It is no great secret that cooking is, in essence, seduction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-brown/it-is-no-great-secret-that-cooking-is-in-essence-seduction/) [Eli Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-brown/) > [“I write here all I can, yet cannot express the fatigue I collapse under each night, worn to the bone with worry. I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-brown/i-write-here-all-i-can-yet-cannot-express-the-fatigue-i-collapse/) [Eli Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-brown/) > [“I made an attempt to reach him in his grief. I said, "I've had this pain. To tell you it will go away would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-brown/i-made-an-attempt-to-reach-him-in-his-grief-i-said-i-ve-had-this-pain/) [Eli Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-brown/) > [“The Roman pomp and raiment have fallen away, and I swear last the glory of washed feet and shared bread.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-brown/the-roman-pomp-and-raiment-have-fallen-away-and-i-swear-last-the/) [Eli Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-brown/) > [“A knight can fight. As you well know, I fight about as well as a pillow." "That's an insult to pillows. At least they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-brown/a-knight-can-fight-as-you-well-know-i-fight-about-as-well-as-a-pillow/) [Eli Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-brown/) > [“He smoked a pipe, and Laroche, who indulged in neither tobacco nor spirits, simply sat upright in his chair and looked toward the quince…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-brown/he-smoked-a-pipe-and-laroche-who-indulged-in-neither-tobacco-nor/) [Eli Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-brown/) [Explore all 21 Eli Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-brown/) ## More Comfort quotes > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [For many, the call to be a Christian can seem demanding, even overwhelming. But we need not be afraid or feel inadequate. The Savior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-hales/for-many-the-call-to-be-a-christian-can-seem-demanding-even/) [Robert D. Hales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-hales/) > [This is no time for ease and comfort. It is time to dare and endure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/this-is-no-time-for-ease-and-comfort-it-is-time-to-dare-and-endure/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [“When you get lost in a really strange place, nothing is more comforting than found your friend whom you trust and can show the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-get-lost-in-a-really-strange-place-nothing-is-more/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Comfort food is really anything you want at that time. That said, I really love Naple-style pizza.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/comfort-food-is-really-anything-you-want-at-that-time-that-said-i/) [Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/) > [I actually like getting out of my comfort zone. It shakes me up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/i-actually-like-getting-out-of-my-comfort-zone-it-shakes-me-up/) [Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [Worship is not about personality, temperament, personal limitations, church background, or comfort. It is about God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wimber/worship-is-not-about-personality-temperament-personal-limitations/) [John Wimber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wimber/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [Maybe that was why she couldn't cry, she realized, staring dry-eyed at the ceiling. Because what was the point in crying when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/maybe-that-was-why-she-couldn-t-cry-she-realized-staring-dry-eyed-at/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I think that comfort is underrated in a lot of ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/i-think-that-comfort-is-underrated-in-a-lot-of-ways/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) [Browse all 4,542 Comfort quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfort/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The proper way is lost to me; my compass spins. I therefore give my entire attention to those works that seem to me most incorruptible: the application of heat, the proportion of seasoning, the arrangement of a plate. 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