---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I see that life itself is often more…"
description: "\"“I see that life itself is often more fantastic and terrible than the stories we believed as children, and that perhaps there is no harm in finding mag..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/eowyn-ivey-7989_children_i-see-that-life-itself-is-often-more-fan_352461.jpg"
---

#  I see that life itself is often more fantastic and…

![“I see that life itself is often more fantastic and terrible than the stories we believed as children, and that perhaps there is no harm in finding magic among the trees.” quote by Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/eowyn-ivey-7989_children_i-see-that-life-itself-is-often-more-fan_352461.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/eowyn-ivey-7989_children_i-see-that-life-itself-is-often-more-fan_352461.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/eowyn-ivey-7989_children_i-see-that-life-itself-is-often-more-fan_352461.jpg)

> ““I see that life itself is often more fantastic and terrible than the stories we believed as children, and that perhaps there is no harm in finding magic among the trees.””

[Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Life's wonder and horror exceed childhood stories; seeking magic in nature is harmless.

**In simple terms:** Life is more magical and terrible than childhood tales.

Key Takeaway

Embrace wonder in the natural world.

Themes

wonder nature magic childhood reality

Mood

reflective hopeful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- forest walks
- reading
- creative writing
- mindfulness

Key Concepts

literature philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

- What magic do you find in everyday surroundings?
- How do you balance wonder with realism?

A Different Perspective

Idealizing nature may ignore real challenges.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life itself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-itself/) [Trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trees/)

## Related quotes

> [“life itself is often more fantastic and terrible than the stories we believed as children, and that perhaps there is no harm in finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/life-itself-is-often-more-fantastic-and-terrible-than-the-stories-we/)

[Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

> [“In my old age, I see that life is often more fantastic and terrible than stories we believed as children, and that perhaps there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/in-my-old-age-i-see-that-life-is-often-more-fantastic-and-terrible/)

[Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

> [“In my old age, I see that life itself is often more fantastic and terrible than the stories we believed as children, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/in-my-old-age-i-see-that-life-itself-is-often-more-fantastic-and/)

[Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

> [“My father believed all children had work potential, no matter how young they were. Play was okay for town kids, he’d say, but country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawn-griffiths/my-father-believed-all-children-had-work-potential-no-matter-how/)

[Lawn Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawn-griffiths/)

> [“That stays, the bright cameo of all we were and all we believed as children, all that shone in our eyes even when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/that-stays-the-bright-cameo-of-all-we-were-and-all-we-believed-as/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“ http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1... This is a link to my first kick starter project called "Magic of the Trees”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-leckman/http-www-kickstarter-com-projects-1-this-is-a-link-to-my-first-kick/)

[neil leckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-leckman/)

> [“If all the old stories are to be believed, and some people, let us remember, do believe them, then our king is one part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/if-all-the-old-stories-are-to-be-believed-and-some-people-let-us/)

[Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/)

> [“Magic was well-crafted lies woven into stories no one believed were true, even though they delighted in seeing the convincing falsehood with their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwenda-bond/magic-was-well-crafted-lies-woven-into-stories-no-one-believed-were/)

[Gwenda Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwenda-bond/)

> [“It's not simply about reading fairytales as you grow older. It's about still finding the magic in fairytales when the world tells you you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-alexander/it-s-not-simply-about-reading-fairytales-as-you-grow-older-it-s-about/)

[D.L. Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-alexander/)

> [With many things in life, you're there because there's a cute girl around that you want to go out with, and you end up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-luna/with-many-things-in-life-you-re-there-because-there-s-a-cute-girl/)

[Diego Luna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-luna/)

> [There's not much point in finding a magic ring that lets you into other worlds if you're afraid to look at them when you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/digory-kirke/there-s-not-much-point-in-finding-a-magic-ring-that-lets-you-into/)

Digory Kirke

> [While Mojo suggests any art that invokes supernatural powers, for us creators Mojovation means finding magic in what we do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-genn/while-mojo-suggests-any-art-that-invokes-supernatural-powers-for-us/)

[Robert Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-genn/)

> [My pregnancy was amazing. I was happy that whole time, I felt good, I had energy, I was like Superwoman. I wish I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halle-berry/my-pregnancy-was-amazing-i-was-happy-that-whole-time-i-felt-good-i/)

[Halle Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halle-berry/)

> [For some of us life is so fantastic we can't stand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-fagg/for-some-of-us-life-is-so-fantastic-we-can-t-stand-it/)

[Lawrence Fagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-fagg/)

> [Keep your focus sharp as a razor blade and be prepared to experience life in fantastic shapes and colors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/keep-your-focus-sharp-as-a-razor-blade-and-be-prepared-to-experience/)

[Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/)

## More by Eowyn Ivey

> [“It was beautiful, Mabel knew, but it was a beauty that ripped you open and scored you clean so that you were left helpless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/it-was-beautiful-mabel-knew-but-it-was-a-beauty-that-ripped-you-open/)

[Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

> [“Makes me see that there might be some sense to having children after all, just so your entire life and all your family’s contributions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/makes-me-see-that-there-might-be-some-sense-to-having-children-after/)

[Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

> [“She and Jack had formed her of snow and birch boughs and frosty wild grass.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/she-and-jack-had-formed-her-of-snow-and-birch-boughs-and-frosty-wild/)

[Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

> [“You’ll drive yourself crazy looking for something that’s not there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/you-ll-drive-yourself-crazy-looking-for-something-that-s-not-there/)

[Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

> [“She might be curt and ungrateful, but by God she could bake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/she-might-be-curt-and-ungrateful-but-by-god-she-could-bake/)

[Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

> [“And if it is true...that we are each inhabited by some bit of divine light, then upon death, how long before those particles dissipate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/and-if-it-is-true-that-we-are-each-inhabited-by-some-bit-of-divine/)

[Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

> [“Carry me on and on to the edge of the earth, with children's laughter like a wind - full sail, then carry me beyond”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/carry-me-on-and-on-to-the-edge-of-the-earth-with-children-s-laughter/)

[Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

> [“When she first fell in love with Jack, she had dreamed she could fly, that on a warm, inky black night she had pushed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/when-she-first-fell-in-love-with-jack-she-had-dreamed-she-could-fly/)

[Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

> [“But what makes the question of cultural loss the most uncomfortable, and difficult for me to address, are the inherent definitions built into it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/but-what-makes-the-question-of-cultural-loss-the-most-uncomfortable/)

[Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

> [“Sewing was different. Mabel knew if she was patient and meticulous, if she carefully followed the lines, took each step as it came, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/sewing-was-different-mabel-knew-if-she-was-patient-and-meticulous-if/)

[Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

> [“As Jack's eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, he saw the ground covered in white and, in the light of Garrett"s lantern, snowflakes spinning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/as-jack-s-eyes-grew-accustomed-to-the-darkness-he-saw-the-ground/)

[Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

> [“Doubt crouched over his shoulder, ready to take him by the throat, whispering in his ear, You are an old man. An old, old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/doubt-crouched-over-his-shoulder-ready-to-take-him-by-the-throat/)

[Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

> [“All her life she had believed in something more, in the mystery that shape-shifted at the edge of her senses. It was the flutter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/all-her-life-she-had-believed-in-something-more-in-the-mystery-that/)

[Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

> [“In my old age, I see that life itself is often more fantastic and terrible than the stories we believed as children, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/in-my-old-age-i-see-that-life-itself-is-often-more-fantastic-and/)

[Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

> [“Was it as Ada had suggested, that we can choose our own endings, joy over sorrow? Or does the cruel world just give and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/was-it-as-ada-had-suggested-that-we-can-choose-our-own-endings-joy/)

[Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

[Explore all 84 Eowyn Ivey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/)

## More Children quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/)

[Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/)

> [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/)

[Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/)

> [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/)

[Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/)

> [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/)

[Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/)

> [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/)

[Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/)

> [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/)

[Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/)

> [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/)

[Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/)

> [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/)

[Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/)

> [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/)

[Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/)

> [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/)

[Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/)

> [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/)

[Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/)

> [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/)

[Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/)

[Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I see that life itself is often more fantastic and terrible than the stories we believed as children, and that perhaps there is no harm in finding magic among the trees.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Eowyn Ivey"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/i-see-that-life-itself-is-often-more-fantastic-and-terrible-than-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Children"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/i-see-that-life-itself-is-often-more-fantastic-and-terrible-than-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/eowyn-ivey-7989_children_i-see-that-life-itself-is-often-more-fan_352461.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/eowyn-ivey-7989_children_i-see-that-life-itself-is-often-more-fan_352461.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4b/eowyn-ivey-7989_children_i-see-that-life-itself-is-often-more-fan_352461.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I see that life itself is often more fantastic and terrible than the stories we believed as children, and…” — Eowyn Ivey",
                "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": "Eowyn Ivey",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I see that life itself is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/i-see-that-life-itself-is-often-more-fantastic-and-terrible-than-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/i-see-that-life-itself-is-often-more-fantastic-and-terrible-than-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
