--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The spreading wide my narrow Hands / To…" description: "\"The spreading wide my narrow Hands / To gather Paradise-.\" — Emily Dickinson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/emily-dickinson-310_hands_the-spreading-wide-my-narrow-hands-to-ga_1886598.jpg" --- # The spreading wide my narrow Hands / To gather Paradise-. ![“The spreading wide my narrow Hands / To gather Paradise-.” quote by Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/emily-dickinson-310_hands_the-spreading-wide-my-narrow-hands-to-ga_1886598.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/emily-dickinson-310_hands_the-spreading-wide-my-narrow-hands-to-ga_1886598.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/252/emily-dickinson-310_hands_the-spreading-wide-my-narrow-hands-to-ga_1886598.jpg) > “The spreading wide my narrow Hands / To gather Paradise-.” [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The poet longs to reach an ideal, but feels constrained by limited capacity. **In simple terms:** Desire for perfection despite limits. Key Takeaway Accept limits while striving. Themes aspiration constraint spirituality Mood melancholic hopeful Type poetic reflective When to use this quote - creative work - spiritual practice - personal ambition - goal setting Key Concepts longing paradox faith Questions to Reflect On - What "par do you seek? - How do you balance ambition with reality? A Different Perspective Idealism may lead to frustration if expectations are unrealistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gather Paradise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gather-paradise-2699348/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Hands Gather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands-gather-2699349/) [Narrow Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrow-hands-2699347/) [Paradise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradise/) [Spreading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spreading/) [Spreading Wide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spreading-wide-2699346/) ## Related quotes > [“I dwell in Possibility— A fairer House than Prose— More numerous of Windows— Superior—for Doors— Of Chambers as the Cedars— Impregnable of Eye— And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/i-dwell-in-possibility-a-fairer-house-than-prose-more-numerous-of/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [Spreading the word about depression is my mission. I am working to build awareness, educate people about the symptoms, and change public opinion and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-polis-schutz/spreading-the-word-about-depression-is-my-mission-i-am-working-to/) [Susan Polis Schutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-polis-schutz/) > [I think that for all of the dangers of technology spreading, I think it is more dangerous in some ways that it doesn't. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-suarez/i-think-that-for-all-of-the-dangers-of-technology-spreading-i-think/) [Daniel Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-suarez/) > [A way of spreading the dharma is just telling people, sharing with them your experiences. Never push it, never be a missionary. Be completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-way-of-spreading-the-dharma-is-just-telling-people-sharing-with/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I think something will soon have to be done to protect people from hacking and blogging and lying and spreading rumors and chasing you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-macgraw/i-think-something-will-soon-have-to-be-done-to-protect-people-from/) [Ali MacGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-macgraw/) > [Atheism is spreading like wildfire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-comfort/atheism-is-spreading-like-wildfire/) [Ray Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-comfort/) > [If I can tell you the story from beginning to end in five minutes, I'm ready to start writing. Then it's a constant spreading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-price/if-i-can-tell-you-the-story-from-beginning-to-end-in-five-minutes-i-m/) [Richard Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-price/) > [Keep spreading the love, world. But don't get greedy and overpopulate the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-evangelista/keep-spreading-the-love-world-but-don-t-get-greedy-and-overpopulate/) [Allen Evangelista](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-evangelista/) > [What was shocking to us was that by spreading the energy out across seven beams instead of one, the phototoxicity went way down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-betzig/what-was-shocking-to-us-was-that-by-spreading-the-energy-out-across/) [Eric Betzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-betzig/) > [Colonialism subdues in many dulcet guises. 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I've wanted to do something about it... but I don't know what... but I believe... that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiraiya/even-i-can-tell-that-hatred-is-spreading-i-ve-wanted-to-do-something/) [Jiraiya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiraiya/) > [Rumors. Well at least you're spreading something else besides your legs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rumors-well-at-least-you-re-spreading-something-else-besides-your-legs/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is truly vital for the United States to assure that it is not attacked with weapons of mass destruction; to prevent wars in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/it-is-truly-vital-for-the-united-states-to-assure-that-it-is-not/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) ## More by Emily Dickinson > [A Light exists in Spring Not present on the Year At any other period - When March is scarcely here A Color stands abroad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/a-light-exists-in-spring-not-present-on-the-year-at-any-other-period/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [I could not prove the Years had feet-/Yet confident they run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/i-could-not-prove-the-years-had-feet-yet-confident-they-run/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [How softly summer shuts, without the creaking of a door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/how-softly-summer-shuts-without-the-creaking-of-a-door/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [“Could you tell me how to grow--or is it unconveyed--like Melody--or Witchcraft?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/could-you-tell-me-how-to-grow-or-is-it-unconveyed-like-melody-or/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [It might be lonelier Without the Loneliness - I’m so accustomed to my Fate - Perhaps the Other - Peace - Would interrupt the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/it-might-be-lonelier-without-the-loneliness-i-m-so-accustomed-to-my/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [“Inebriate of Air — am I — And Debauchee of Dew — Reeling — thro endless summer days — From Inns of Molten Blue —”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/inebriate-of-air-am-i-and-debauchee-of-dew-reeling-thro-endless/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [Luck is not chance, it's toil; fortune's expensive smile is earned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/luck-is-not-chance-it-s-toil-fortune-s-expensive-smile-is-earned/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [The abdication of Belief Makes the Behavior small- Better an ignis fatuus Than no illume at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/the-abdication-of-belief-makes-the-behavior-small-better-an-ignis/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [Longing is like a seed that wrestles in the ground](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/longing-is-like-a-seed-that-wrestles-in-the-ground/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [“He ate and drank the precious words, His spirit grew robust; He knew no more that he was poor, Nor that his frame was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/he-ate-and-drank-the-precious-words-his-spirit-grew-robust-he-knew-no/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [I SEE thee better in the dark, I do not need a light. 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Sometimes you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-davis/i-always-step-on-the-plane-with-my-right-foot-and-touch-the-outside/) [Hope Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-davis/) > [If one truly has lost hope, one would not be on hand to say so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bentley/if-one-truly-has-lost-hope-one-would-not-be-on-hand-to-say-so/) [Eric Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bentley/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. 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