--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Form often this good thought, that we are…" description: "\"“Form often this good thought, that we are walking in this world between Paradise and Hell, and that our last step will place us in an eternal dwelling..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc6/francis-de-sales-38907_eternity_form-often-this-good-thought-that-we-are_2658867.jpg" --- # Form often this good thought, that we are walking in this… ![“Form often this good thought, that we are walking in this world between Paradise and Hell, and that our last step will place us in an eternal dwelling. We do not know which step will be our last, and so, in order to make our last step well, we must try to make all the others well. O holy and…” quote by Francis De Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc6/francis-de-sales-38907_eternity_form-often-this-good-thought-that-we-are_2658867.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc6/francis-de-sales-38907_eternity_form-often-this-good-thought-that-we-are_2658867.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc6/francis-de-sales-38907_eternity_form-often-this-good-thought-that-we-are_2658867.jpg) > ““Form often this good thought, that we are walking in this world between Paradise and Hell, and that our last step will place us in an eternal dwelling. We do not know which step will be our last, and so, in order to make our last step well, we must try to make all the others well. O holy and unending eternity! Blessed is he who thinks of you. Yes, for what do we play here in this world but a children's game for who knows how many days? It would be nothing whatever, if it were not the passage to eternity. On this account, therefore, we must pay attention to the time we have to dwell here below, and to all our occupations, so as to employ them in the conquest of the permanent good.”” [Francis De Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-de-sales/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is a fleeting journey between extremes; we must act virtuously now, as each step influences our eternal destiny. **In simple terms:** Live virtuously now because life is short. Key Takeaway Act with purpose, cherish each moment. Themes virtue eternity mindfulness Mood reflective serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily work - relationships - spiritual practice - time management Key Concepts spirituality ethics Questions to Reflect On - What actions today shape your future? - How do you balance worldly duties with spiritual goals? A Different Perspective Human free will may limit control over outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eternal Dwelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal-dwelling-2411697/) [Eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternity/) [Passage Eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passage-eternity-2411699/) [Pay attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay-attention/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Unending Eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unending-eternity-2411698/) ## Related quotes > [Eternity's a terrible thought. I mean, where's it all going to end?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/eternity-s-a-terrible-thought-i-mean-where-s-it-all-going-to-end/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Niches set back in the walls contained polished marble statues of entwined bodies. Will looked away from them hastily, and then back. It wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/niches-set-back-in-the-walls-contained-polished-marble-statues-of/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I have made a promise to myself that I will have no limitations as an actor. I have realised I have to pay attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randeep-hooda/i-have-made-a-promise-to-myself-that-i-will-have-no-limitations-as-an/) [Randeep Hooda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randeep-hooda/) > [The only thing I pay attention to with free throws is what a guy does in the final four minutes of a game. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calipari/the-only-thing-i-pay-attention-to-with-free-throws-is-what-a-guy-does/) [John Calipari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calipari/) > [“The accident in your rearview mirror already happened. The one in front of you is still preventable. Pay attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nakia-r-laushaul/the-accident-in-your-rearview-mirror-already-happened-the-one-in/) [Nakia R. Laushaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nakia-r-laushaul/) > [I want people to just be paying attention even if they're not necessarily laughing at something, or if it takes them a while to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-want-people-to-just-be-paying-attention-even-if-they-re-not/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [I want my whole life to be a great work of art, not just my art. And that means paying attention to my entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jewel/i-want-my-whole-life-to-be-a-great-work-of-art-not-just-my-art-and/) [Jewel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jewel/) > [The earliest language was body language and, since this language is the language of questions, if we limit the questions, and if we only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-earliest-language-was-body-language-and-since-this-language-is/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) > [Attention is a limited resource, so pay attention to where you pay attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/attention-is-a-limited-resource-so-pay-attention-to-where-you-pay/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [If you want a Real Man sit up straight close your legs and pay attention :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frenchqueen/if-you-want-a-real-man-sit-up-straight-close-your-legs-and-pay/) [Frenchqueen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frenchqueen/) > [There is a nationwide shortage of drugs for Attention Deficit Disorder. The FDA says they're not sure how it happened. I guess somebody wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/there-is-a-nationwide-shortage-of-drugs-for-attention-deficit/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Only two to three per cent of an audience is interested in words and pays attention to lyrics; most of the rest of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/only-two-to-three-per-cent-of-an-audience-is-interested-in-words-and/) [Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/) > [Why couldn't Jesus command us to obsess over everything, to try to control and manipulate people, to try not to breathe at all, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/why-couldn-t-jesus-command-us-to-obsess-over-everything-to-try-to/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [Ripped across tha ditch, settled in dirt... Wear you like a stitch, yet I'm the one who's hurt... Pay attention to your twisted lil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ctate-sk/ripped-across-tha-ditch-settled-in-dirt-wear-you-like-a-stitch-yet-i/) [CTate SK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ctate-sk/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) ## More by Francis De Sales > [“The same everlasting Father who cares for you today will care for you tomorrow and every day. Either he will shield you from suffering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-de-sales/the-same-everlasting-father-who-cares-for-you-today-will-care-for-you/) [Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-de-sales/) > [“The many troubles in your household will tend to your edification, if you strive to bear them all in gentleness, patience, and kindness. Keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-de-sales/the-many-troubles-in-your-household-will-tend-to-your-edification-if/) [Francis De Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-de-sales/) > [“Therefore, when you make ready to pray, you must say with your whole heart, “God is indeed here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-de-sales/therefore-when-you-make-ready-to-pray-you-must-say-with-your-whole/) [Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-de-sales/) > [“The Power of the Sign of the Cross The Cross has great power against the enemy for two reasons: the one is that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-de-sales/the-power-of-the-sign-of-the-cross-the-cross-has-great-power-against/) [Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-de-sales/) > [“Have contempt for contempt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-de-sales/have-contempt-for-contempt/) [Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-de-sales/) > [“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. 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One man sets great value on fasting, and believes himself to be leading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-de-sales/we-all-colour-devotion-according-to-our-own-likings-and-dispositions/) [Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-de-sales/) > [“The measure of love is to love without measure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-de-sales/the-measure-of-love-is-to-love-without-measure/) [Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-de-sales/) > [“It is a woeful thing to see souls beginning to chafe and grow disheartened because they find themselves still subject to imperfection after having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-de-sales/it-is-a-woeful-thing-to-see-souls-beginning-to-chafe-and-grow/) [Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-de-sales/) [Explore all 11 Francis De Sales quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-de-sales/) ## More Eternity quotes > [“I believe in forever, and that’s what you and I are. We define eternity. This may sound cheesy, but you make me go there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-mchugh/i-believe-in-forever-and-that-s-what-you-and-i-are-we-define-eternity/) [Gail McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-mchugh/) > [“Please not yet. Those are the three eternal words. Please not yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/please-not-yet-those-are-the-three-eternal-words-please-not-yet/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) > [There are two kinds of beauty; there is a beauty which God gives at birth, and which withers as a flower. And there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-kuyper/there-are-two-kinds-of-beauty-there-is-a-beauty-which-god-gives-at/) [Abraham Kuyper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-kuyper/) > [If I have a system it is limited to a recognition of what Kierkegaard called 'the infinite qualitative distinction' between time and eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/if-i-have-a-system-it-is-limited-to-a-recognition-of-what-kierkegaard/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [Only alone can you go into eternity. Only alone can you feel the transcendental light. It is not a shared experience because if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/only-alone-can-you-go-into-eternity-only-alone-can-you-feel-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The religion of art, like the religion of politics, was born from the ruins of Christianity. Art inherited from the old religion the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/the-religion-of-art-like-the-religion-of-politics-was-born-from-the/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [I think we all have a core that's ecstatic, that knows and that looks up in wonder. We all know that there are marvelous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coleman-barks/i-think-we-all-have-a-core-that-s-ecstatic-that-knows-and-that-looks/) [Coleman Barks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coleman-barks/) > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Heaven? Floating about with everyone you ever knew for eternity? Me family does me 'ed in after one day at xmas, I'd rather be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/heaven-floating-about-with-everyone-you-ever-knew-for-eternity-me/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [What does the future, that half of time, matter to the man who is infatuated with eternity?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/what-does-the-future-that-half-of-time-matter-to-the-man-who-is/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) > [You and I are both life. There's just the experience of every moment. We like to call them moments. There isn't really such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-and-i-are-both-life-there-s-just-the-experience-of-every-moment/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [You've decided to love me for eternity, I'm still deciding who I want to be today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/you-ve-decided-to-love-me-for-eternity-i-m-still-deciding-who-i-want/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [You may have some friends that come and go, but having a friend like God will last forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-tillmon/you-may-have-some-friends-that-come-and-go-but-having-a-friend-like/) [Alyssa Tillmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-tillmon/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Browse all 3,482 Eternity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Form often this good thought, that we are walking in this world between Paradise and Hell, and that our last step will place us in an eternal dwelling. 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