--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That idea of escapism... these words…" description: "\"That idea of escapism... these words could sum up my life.\" — Ella Maillart" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/ella-maillart-15348_escapism_that-idea-of-escapism-these-words-could_938145.png" --- # That idea of escapism... these words could sum up my life. ![“That idea of escapism... these words could sum up my life.” quote by Ella Maillart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/ella-maillart-15348_escapism_that-idea-of-escapism-these-words-could_938145.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/ella-maillart-15348_escapism_that-idea-of-escapism-these-words-could_938145.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/ella-maillart-15348_escapism_that-idea-of-escapism-these-words-could_938145.png) > “That idea of escapism... these words could sum up my life.” [Ella Maillart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects how escapism can dominate one's worldview, turning life into a series of imagined retreats rather than lived experiences. **In simple terms:** Escapism can become a life‑defining lens, masking reality. Key Takeaway Recognize and engage with reality instead of fleeing. Themes escapism self‑reflection identity Mood reflective melancholic Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - travel writing - personal journaling - creative projects - mindfulness practice Key Concepts psychology existentialism narrative identity Questions to Reflect On - What does escapism hide for you? - How can you balance imagination with lived experience? A Different Perspective Escapism may also provide necessary mental breaks, so total rejection can be harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Escapism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escapism/) [Escapism Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escapism-words-1581938/) [Idea Escapism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-escapism-733826/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Sum Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sum-life-611208/) [Words Sum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-sum-646606/) ## Related quotes > [The whole idea of escapism really resonates with a lot of kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-kay/the-whole-idea-of-escapism-really-resonates-with-a-lot-of-kids/) [Robbie Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-kay/) > [Two words I can sum up life, its unfair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-mphahlele/two-words-i-can-sum-up-life-its-unfair/) [Isaac Mphahlele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-mphahlele/) > [Love has no great influences upon the sum of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/love-has-no-great-influences-upon-the-sum-of-life/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You are the sum of your life experiences. The more you experience, the more interesting your life story gets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/you-are-the-sum-of-your-life-experiences-the-more-you-experience-the/) [Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/) > [“If you could sum up your life in one sentence, then you didn’t live much of a life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-bryant/if-you-could-sum-up-your-life-in-one-sentence-then-you-didn-t-live/) [Carroll Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-bryant/) > [How shall I sum up my life? I think I’ve been particularly lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/how-shall-i-sum-up-my-life-i-think-i-ve-been-particularly-lucky/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [it seems that tears and laughter, love and hate, make up the sum of life!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/it-seems-that-tears-and-laughter-love-and-hate-make-up-the-sum-of-life/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [“The sum of his life was a unique melody, hauntingly beautiful and powerful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-marston/the-sum-of-his-life-was-a-unique-melody-hauntingly-beautiful-and/) [Ann Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-marston/) > [You can sum up life in just three words.. ''IT GOES ON...''](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kshitij-roshan/you-can-sum-up-life-in-just-three-words-it-goes-on/) [Kshitij Roshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kshitij-roshan/) > [Trifles make the sum of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/trifles-make-the-sum-of-life/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Wander a whole summer if you can. Thousands of God's blessings will search you and soak you as if you were a sponge, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/wander-a-whole-summer-if-you-can-thousands-of-god-s-blessings-will/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [How shall I sum up my life? I think I've been particularly lucky. Does that have something to do with faith also? I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/how-shall-i-sum-up-my-life-i-think-i-ve-been-particularly-lucky-does/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [“There is no way to clearly capture or sum up life...when fully lived.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/there-is-no-way-to-clearly-capture-or-sum-up-life-when-fully-lived/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [In three words I can sum up everything Ive learned about life: it goes on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/in-three-words-i-can-sum-up-everything-ive-learned-about-life-it-goes/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [Wander a whole summer if you can. Time will not be taken from the sum of life. Instead of shortening, it will definitely lengthen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/wander-a-whole-summer-if-you-can-time-will-not-be-taken-from-the-sum/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) ## More by Ella Maillart > [Shall we ever see the 10 million things of the universe simultaneously in order to be the all? I am convinced that to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/shall-we-ever-see-the-10-million-things-of-the-universe/) [Ella Maillart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/) > [Not only does travel give us a new system of reckoning, it also brings to the fore unknown aspects of our own self. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/not-only-does-travel-give-us-a-new-system-of-reckoning-it-also-brings/) [Ella Maillart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/) > [It is always our own self that we find at the end of the journey. The sooner we face that self, the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/it-is-always-our-own-self-that-we-find-at-the-end-of-the-journey-the/) [Ella Maillart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/) > [When the heart speaks, its language is the same under all latitudes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/when-the-heart-speaks-its-language-is-the-same-under-all-latitudes/) [Ella Maillart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/) > [Others are keen to see if natives other than us live better than we do, without heat in pipes, ice in boxes, sunshine in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/others-are-keen-to-see-if-natives-other-than-us-live-better-than-we/) [Ella Maillart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/) > [The usual channels of university studies or secretarial work did not appeal to me. I cherished difficult dreams through confidence in myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/the-usual-channels-of-university-studies-or-secretarial-work-did-not/) [Ella Maillart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/) > [There is only one valid species of voyage, which is walk towards the men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/there-is-only-one-valid-species-of-voyage-which-is-walk-towards-the/) [Ella Maillart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/) > [Humanity is made up of an infinity of different individuals. Each of us travels for motives exclusively his own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/humanity-is-made-up-of-an-infinity-of-different-individuals-each-of/) [Ella Maillart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/) > [I had to live in the desert before I could understand the full value of grass in a green ditch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/i-had-to-live-in-the-desert-before-i-could-understand-the-full-value/) [Ella Maillart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/) > [“I write with my foot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/i-write-with-my-foot/) [Ella Maillart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/) > [You do not travel if you are afraid of the unknown, you travel for the unknown, that reveals you with yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/you-do-not-travel-if-you-are-afraid-of-the-unknown-you-travel-for-the/) [Ella Maillart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/) > [Certain travellers give the impression that they keep moving because only then do they feel fully alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/certain-travellers-give-the-impression-that-they-keep-moving-because/) [Ella Maillart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/) > [One travels to run away from routine, that dreadful routine that kills all imagination and all our capacity for enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/one-travels-to-run-away-from-routine-that-dreadful-routine-that-kills/) [Ella Maillart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/) > [Travel can also be the spirit of adventure somewhat tamed, for those who desire to do something they are a bit afraid of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/travel-can-also-be-the-spirit-of-adventure-somewhat-tamed-for-those/) [Ella Maillart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/) > [The benefits of the accomplished journey cannot be weighed in terms of perfect moments, but in terms of how this journey affects and changes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/the-benefits-of-the-accomplished-journey-cannot-be-weighed-in-terms/) [Ella Maillart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/) [Explore all 43 Ella Maillart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/) ## More Escapism quotes > [Music is escapism from the grim realities of life. But then as soon as you escape into the music, from my point of view,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/music-is-escapism-from-the-grim-realities-of-life-but-then-as-soon-as/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [What 'Escapism' did, of course I'm over the moon about that - but if that's the biggest moment that I ever get then so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raye/what-escapism-did-of-course-i-m-over-the-moon-about-that-but-if-that/) [Raye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raye/) > [The young man shivered. He rolled the stock themes of fantasy over in his mind: cars and stockbrokers and commuters, housewives and police, agony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-young-man-shivered-he-rolled-the-stock-themes-of-fantasy-over-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I loved underground comics and psychedelic art. I did like some supernatural horror, but mainly fantasy. I was into escapism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arik-roper/i-loved-underground-comics-and-psychedelic-art-i-did-like-some/) [Arik Roper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arik-roper/) > [“We both knew no bounds to our escapism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-lillith-assadi/we-both-knew-no-bounds-to-our-escapism/) [Hannah Lillith Assadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-lillith-assadi/) > [“Often the most tricky questions are the ones we secretly know the answers of. What are you running from? What are you waiting for?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanhita-baruah/often-the-most-tricky-questions-are-the-ones-we-secretly-know-the/) [Sanhita Baruah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanhita-baruah/) > [Everything we do is escapism, because we'll all be dead and everything we do is completely meaningless. Why brush your teeth? Why not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-c-boyle/everything-we-do-is-escapism-because-we-ll-all-be-dead-and-everything/) [T.C. Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-c-boyle/) > [Fashion is, after all, a form of escapism, and in fact people are buying more special things than ever, nowadays. They deny and deny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ford/fashion-is-after-all-a-form-of-escapism-and-in-fact-people-are-buying/) [Tom Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ford/) > [I think everybody wants to feel validated in some way, and when you're looking for leisure activities or if you're looking for escapism or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/i-think-everybody-wants-to-feel-validated-in-some-way-and-when-you-re/) [Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/) > [A great book provides escapism for me. The artistry and the creativity in a story are better than any drugs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/a-great-book-provides-escapism-for-me-the-artistry-and-the-creativity/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [Expeditions are escapism. The stuff that we're normally concerned about just doesn't matter out there. Tax returns, gas bill, none of it. Life becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-saunders/expeditions-are-escapism-the-stuff-that-we-re-normally-concerned/) [Ben Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-saunders/) > [“Time spent doing whatever it is you do to escape your daily life would be better spent acquiring a life that needs no escape.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/time-spent-doing-whatever-it-is-you-do-to-escape-your-daily-life/) [Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/) > [Fashion is so close in revealing a person's inner feelings and everybody seems to hate to lay claim to vanity so people tend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-blum/fashion-is-so-close-in-revealing-a-person-s-inner-feelings-and/) [Stella Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-blum/) > [Without its roots in reality, I don't think escapism can survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajkumar-hirani/without-its-roots-in-reality-i-don-t-think-escapism-can-survive/) [Rajkumar Hirani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajkumar-hirani/) > [I love all that kind of gothic Bram Stoker kind of thing. I love to get lost in that kind of escapism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-halford/i-love-all-that-kind-of-gothic-bram-stoker-kind-of-thing-i-love-to/) [Rob Halford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-halford/) [Browse all 264 Escapism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escapism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That idea of escapism... these words could sum up my life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ella Maillart" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/that-idea-of-escapism-these-words-could-sum-up-my-life/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Escapism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/that-idea-of-escapism-these-words-could-sum-up-my-life/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/ella-maillart-15348_escapism_that-idea-of-escapism-these-words-could_938145.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/ella-maillart-15348_escapism_that-idea-of-escapism-these-words-could_938145.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/ella-maillart-15348_escapism_that-idea-of-escapism-these-words-could_938145.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That idea of escapism... these words could sum up my life.” — Ella Maillart", "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": "Ella Maillart", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-maillart/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "That idea of escapism... these words...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/that-idea-of-escapism-these-words-could-sum-up-my-life/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-maillart/that-idea-of-escapism-these-words-could-sum-up-my-life/#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 } } ] } ```