---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have been hunted for twenty-one years…"
description: "\"I have been hunted for twenty-one years. I have literally lived in the saddle. I have never known a day of perfect peace.\" — Frank James"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/frank-james-48629_hunted_i-have-been-hunted-for-twenty-one-years_576211.png"
---

#  I have been hunted for twenty-one years. I have literally…

![“I have been hunted for twenty-one years. I have literally lived in the saddle. I have never known a day of perfect peace.” quote by Frank James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/frank-james-48629_hunted_i-have-been-hunted-for-twenty-one-years_576211.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/frank-james-48629_hunted_i-have-been-hunted-for-twenty-one-years_576211.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/frank-james-48629_hunted_i-have-been-hunted-for-twenty-one-years_576211.png)

> “I have been hunted for twenty-one years. I have literally lived in the saddle. I have never known a day of perfect peace.”

[Frank James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-james/)

## About This Quote

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

A life of constant pursuit leaves little room for peace; the journey is relentless.

**In simple terms:** Endless pursuit prevents peace.

Key Takeaway

Seek balance amidst relentless pursuits.

Themes

conflict adventure inner turmoil

Mood

reflective somber

Type

memoir philosophical

When to use this quote

- military campaigns
- explorations
- high‑stress careers
- personal quests

Key Concepts

psychology survivalism

Questions to Reflect On

- What does peace look like for you?
- Can you find moments of calm in a hectic life?

A Different Perspective

Peace may be unattainable without intentional rest.

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[Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Perfect peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-peace/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/)

## Related quotes

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[William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/)

> [I was tired of an outlaw's life. I have been hunted for twenty-one years. I have literally lived in the saddle. I have never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-james/i-was-tired-of-an-outlaw-s-life-i-have-been-hunted-for-twenty-one/)

[Frank James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-james/)

> [I've been here 21 years, and I literally did walk up and down Music Row trying to break into the business. I felt very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-curtis-chapman/i-ve-been-here-21-years-and-i-literally-did-walk-up-and-down-music/)

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> [War's Legitimate Object Is More Perfect Peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/war-s-legitimate-object-is-more-perfect-peace/)

[William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/)

> [ “\[THE DAILY BREATH\] Do you remember the first day of school, when your mom and dad gave you the new uniform, the shiny shoes… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/the-daily-breath-do-you-remember-the-first-day-of-school-when-your/)

[Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/)

> [I see not any road of perfect peace which a man can walk but after the counsel of his own bosom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-see-not-any-road-of-perfect-peace-which-a-man-can-walk-but-after/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [ “All Hellenistic schools seem to define \[wisdom\] in approximately the same terms: first and foremost, as a state of perfect peace of mind. From… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-hadot/all-hellenistic-schools-seem-to-define-wisdom-in-approximately-the/)

[Pierre Hadot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-hadot/)

> [“WELCOME CHALLENGING TIMES as opportunities to trust Me. You have Me beside you and My Spirit within you, so no set of circumstances is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-young/welcome-challenging-times-as-opportunities-to-trust-me-you-have-me/)

[Sarah Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-young/)

> [There is a state of perfect peace with God to be attained under imperfect obedience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/there-is-a-state-of-perfect-peace-with-god-to-be-attained-under/)

[John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/)

> [“The Kingdom of the Lion THE BEASTS of the field and forest had a Lion as their king. He was neither wrathful, cruel, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-kingdom-of-the-lion-the-beasts-of-the-field-and-forest-had-a-lion/)

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

> [“You keep him in perfect peace         whose mind is stayed on you,         because he trusts in you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/you-keep-him-in-perfect-peace-whose-mind-is-stayed-on-you-because-he/)

Crossway

> [Human nature being what it is, peace must inevitably be a relative condition. The essence of life is struggle and competition, and to that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-perez-de-cuellar/human-nature-being-what-it-is-peace-must-inevitably-be-a-relative/)

[Javier Perez de Cuellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-perez-de-cuellar/)

> [We forget, we have a short memory and we're human. This morning my Scripture was Isaiah 26:3, which said, Thou wilt keep him in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-judd/we-forget-we-have-a-short-memory-and-we-re-human-this-morning-my/)

[Naomi Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-judd/)

> [“Meditation is a mysterious method of self-restoration. It involves “shutting” out the outside world, and by that means sensing the universal “presence” which is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/meditation-is-a-mysterious-method-of-self-restoration-it-involves/)

[Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/)

> [In one family, every little plan or question is discussed amid bickering and irritation. In another, without the least effort, every discussion goes on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-buxton/in-one-family-every-little-plan-or-question-is-discussed-amid/)

[Charles Buxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-buxton/)

## More by Frank James

> [The Internet is clearly about more than sports scores and email now. It's a place where we can conduct our democracy and get very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-james/the-internet-is-clearly-about-more-than-sports-scores-and-email-now/)

[Frank James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-james/)

> [We sometime didn't get enough to buy oats for our horses. Most banks had very little money in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-james/we-sometime-didn-t-get-enough-to-buy-oats-for-our-horses-most-banks/)

[Frank James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-james/)

> [I want results when I fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-james/i-want-results-when-i-fight/)

[Frank James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-james/)

> [When I slept it was literally in the midst of an arsenal. If I heard dogs bark more fiercely than usual, or the feet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-james/when-i-slept-it-was-literally-in-the-midst-of-an-arsenal-if-i-heard/)

[Frank James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-james/)

> [I was tired of an outlaw's life. I have been hunted for twenty-one years. I have literally lived in the saddle. I have never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-james/i-was-tired-of-an-outlaw-s-life-i-have-been-hunted-for-twenty-one/)

[Frank James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-james/)

> [It was one long, anxious, inexorable, eternal vigil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-james/it-was-one-long-anxious-inexorable-eternal-vigil/)

[Frank James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-james/)

> [I was tired of an outlaw's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-james/i-was-tired-of-an-outlaw-s-life/)

[Frank James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-james/)

[Explore all 8 Frank James quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-james/)

## More Hunted quotes

> [Everyone loves a witch hunt as long as it's someone else's witch being hunted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/everyone-loves-a-witch-hunt-as-long-as-it-s-someone-else-s-witch/)

[Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/)

> [“Last night, the Hunter was hunted. Do you remember how hard I made you cum?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-james/last-night-the-hunter-was-hunted-do-you-remember-how-hard-i-made-you/)

[Ella James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-james/)

> [Viewed from a holistic ecological perspective, some meat - such as conscientiously hunted animals - involves less suffering and environmental damage than arable agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristram-stuart/viewed-from-a-holistic-ecological-perspective-some-meat-such-as/)

[Tristram Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristram-stuart/)

> [Perseus wore a magic cap that the monsters he hunted down might not see him. We draw the magic cap down over eyes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/perseus-wore-a-magic-cap-that-the-monsters-he-hunted-down-might-not/)

[Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/)

> [Home? I have no home. Hunted, despised, living like an animal. The jungle is my home. But I will show the world that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-wood/home-i-have-no-home-hunted-despised-living-like-an-animal-the-jungle/)

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> [Certainly the first true humans were unique by virtue of their large brains. It was because the human brain is so large when compared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/certainly-the-first-true-humans-were-unique-by-virtue-of-their-large/)

[Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/)

> [It is much easier to be the hunter than the hunted. When you are the one not expected to do anything, you play better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-payton/it-is-much-easier-to-be-the-hunter-than-the-hunted-when-you-are-the/)

[Gary Payton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-payton/)

> [In searching for the self, one cannot simultaneously be the hunter and the hunted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-ryle/in-searching-for-the-self-one-cannot-simultaneously-be-the-hunter-and/)

[Gilbert Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-ryle/)

> [I hunted all through the four Gospels trying to find one of Christ's funeral sermons, but I couldn't find any. I found He broke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/i-hunted-all-through-the-four-gospels-trying-to-find-one-of-christ-s/)

[Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/)

> [It was far in the sameness of the wood; I was running with joy on the Demon's trail, Though I knew what I hunted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/it-was-far-in-the-sameness-of-the-wood-i-was-running-with-joy-on-the/)

[Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/)

> [I grew up in a whaling town. We didn't stop whaling in Australia until 1978. And I've always lived in fishing communities. You could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-winton/i-grew-up-in-a-whaling-town-we-didn-t-stop-whaling-in-australia-until/)

[Tim Winton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-winton/)

> [There were studies that asked people in different cultures to draw pictures of their enemies, and the pictures all looked remarkably the same. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaron-lanier/there-were-studies-that-asked-people-in-different-cultures-to-draw/)

[Jaron Lanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaron-lanier/)

> [ There are certain aspects of celebrity that I understand, although that's not the main point of the story \[in Assassination of Jesse James\] ,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/there-are-certain-aspects-of-celebrity-that-i-understand-although/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

> [I'm tired of being hunted all over. I can't go anywhere without criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bela-karolyi/i-m-tired-of-being-hunted-all-over-i-can-t-go-anywhere-without/)

[Bela Karolyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bela-karolyi/)

> [You can be the hunter, or you can be the hunted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/you-can-be-the-hunter-or-you-can-be-the-hunted/)

[Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/)

Browse all 172 Hunted quotes

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