--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The unexpectedness of life, waiting round…" description: "\"The unexpectedness of life, waiting round every corner, catches even wise women unawares (...) To avoid corners altogether is, after all, to refuse to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/freya-stark-3403_corners_the-unexpectedness-of-life-waiting-round_177907.png" --- # The unexpectedness of life, waiting round every corner… ![“The unexpectedness of life, waiting round every corner, catches even wise women unawares (...) To avoid corners altogether is, after all, to refuse to live.” quote by Freya Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/freya-stark-3403_corners_the-unexpectedness-of-life-waiting-round_177907.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/freya-stark-3403_corners_the-unexpectedness-of-life-waiting-round_177907.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/freya-stark-3403_corners_the-unexpectedness-of-life-waiting-round_177907.png) > “The unexpectedness of life, waiting round every corner, catches even wise women unawares (...) To avoid corners altogether is, after all, to refuse to live.” [Freya Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-stark/) ## 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 unpredictability confronts even the most prepared, and avoiding risk means missing out on living fully. **In simple terms:** Unexpected events challenge us; avoiding them means not truly living. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty, don’t shy away from risk. Themes risk uncertainty living fully wisdom adventure Mood reflective inspired Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - travel - personal growth - decision making - creative pursuits Key Concepts existentialism stoicism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What risks are you avoiding? - How does uncertainty enrich life? A Different Perspective Avoiding all risk leads to a stagnant, unfulfilled life. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Rounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rounds/) [Unexpectedness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unexpectedness/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) [Wise women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-women/) ## Related quotes > [ “The unexpectedness of life, waiting round every corner, catches even wise women unawares," \[Freya\] wrote. "To avoid corners altogether is, after all, to refuse… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-steinbach/the-unexpectedness-of-life-waiting-round-every-corner-catches-even-2/) [Alice Steinbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-steinbach/) > [ In \[great mathematics\] there is a very high degree of unexpectedness, combined with inevitability and economy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-h-hardy/in-great-mathematics-there-is-a-very-high-degree-of-unexpectedness/) [G. H. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-h-hardy/) > [We shall see later on that the diversity of the forms of death that circulate invisibly is the cause of the peculiar unexpectedness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/we-shall-see-later-on-that-the-diversity-of-the-forms-of-death-that/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [There must be bands of enthusiasts for everything on earth-fanatics who shared a vocabulary, a batch of technical skills and equipment, and, perhaps, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/there-must-be-bands-of-enthusiasts-for-everything-on-earth-fanatics/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“It was not death or dying that frightened him, but the unexpectedness of both.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/it-was-not-death-or-dying-that-frightened-him-but-the-unexpectedness-2/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Mistakes - call them unexpected learning experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/mistakes-call-them-unexpected-learning-experiences/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [“Life is crazy, unexpected, and endlessly beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-wallock/life-is-crazy-unexpected-and-endlessly-beautiful/) Daniel Wallock > [Loneliness has little to do with what we do or where we do it, whether we're married or unmarried, optimists or pessimists, heterosexual or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/loneliness-has-little-to-do-with-what-we-do-or-where-we-do-it-whether/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [It is the nature of beginning that something new is started which cannot be expected from whatever may have happened before. This character of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/it-is-the-nature-of-beginning-that-something-new-is-started-which/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [The great artist, whether he be musician, painter, or poet, is known for this absolute unexpectedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-eiseley/the-great-artist-whether-he-be-musician-painter-or-poet-is-known-for/) [Loren Eiseley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-eiseley/) > [A compassionate willingess is required - as is the courage to live before the fact, before the understanding, before any rational support or certainty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-moustakas/a-compassionate-willingess-is-required-as-is-the-courage-to-live/) [Clark Moustakas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-moustakas/) > [It was not death or dying that frightened him, but the unexpectedness of both. In sorting it all out, he hit on the notion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/it-was-not-death-or-dying-that-frightened-him-but-the-unexpectedness/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [I love Leonardo DiCaprio. He just makes really great films with great directors. He has great relationships with directors but also has a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-booth/i-love-leonardo-dicaprio-he-just-makes-really-great-films-with-great/) [Douglas Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-booth/) > [In order to educate man to a new longing, everyday familiar objects must be shown to him with totally unexpected perspectives and in unexpected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-rodchenko/in-order-to-educate-man-to-a-new-longing-everyday-familiar-objects/) [Alexander Rodchenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-rodchenko/) > [“I can still remember the unexpectedness of The Girl with the Dragon”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stieg-larsson/i-can-still-remember-the-unexpectedness-of-the-girl-with-the-dragon/) [Stieg Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stieg-larsson/) ## More by Freya Stark > [I do think we should be provided with a new body about the age of thirty or so when we have learnt to attend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-stark/i-do-think-we-should-be-provided-with-a-new-body-about-the-age-of/) [Freya Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-stark/) > [The world has become too full of many things, an over furnished room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-stark/the-world-has-become-too-full-of-many-things-an-over-furnished-room/) [Freya Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-stark/) > [From love one can only escape at the price of life itself; and no lessening of sorrow is worth exile from that stream of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-stark/from-love-one-can-only-escape-at-the-price-of-life-itself-and-no/) [Freya Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-stark/) > [Words are the only arteries of thought our poor human body possesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-stark/words-are-the-only-arteries-of-thought-our-poor-human-body-possesses/) [Freya Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-stark/) > [The past is our treasure. Its works, whether we know them or not, flourish in our lives with whatever strength they had. From it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-stark/the-past-is-our-treasure-its-works-whether-we-know-them-or-not/) [Freya Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-stark/) > [On the other hand, there is a certain advantage in traveling with someone who has a reputation for shooting rather than being shot: as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-stark/on-the-other-hand-there-is-a-certain-advantage-in-traveling-with/) [Freya Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-stark/) > [If one were given a single window from which to look upon the changing Eastern world, it should face, I think, the road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-stark/if-one-were-given-a-single-window-from-which-to-look-upon-the/) [Freya Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-stark/) > [advertisement ... has brought our disregard for truth into the open without even a figleaf to cover it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-stark/advertisement-has-brought-our-disregard-for-truth-into-the-open/) [Freya Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-stark/) > [Who dares to be intellectual in the presence of death?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-stark/who-dares-to-be-intellectual-in-the-presence-of-death/) [Freya Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-stark/) > [The Persian's mind, like his illuminated manuscripts, does not deal in perspective: two thousand years, if he happens to know anything about them, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-stark/the-persian-s-mind-like-his-illuminated-manuscripts-does-not-deal-in/) [Freya Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-stark/) > [Curiosity is the one thing invincible in Nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-stark/curiosity-is-the-one-thing-invincible-in-nature/) [Freya Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-stark/) > [There are, I sometimes think, only two sorts of people in this world - the settled and the nomad - and there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-stark/there-are-i-sometimes-think-only-two-sorts-of-people-in-this-world/) [Freya Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-stark/) > [Nearly all trouble comes from mis-timing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-stark/nearly-all-trouble-comes-from-mis-timing/) [Freya Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-stark/) > [“I have no reason to go, except that I have never been, and knowledge is better than ignorance. What better reason could there be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-stark/i-have-no-reason-to-go-except-that-i-have-never-been-and-knowledge-is/) [Freya Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-stark/) > [Once divested of missionary virus, the cult of our gods gives no offence. It would be a peaceful age if this were recognized, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-stark/once-divested-of-missionary-virus-the-cult-of-our-gods-gives-no/) [Freya Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-stark/) [Explore all 131 Freya Stark quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-stark/) ## More Corners quotes > [On the McLaughlin Report, August 26, 1990: 'There are only two groups that are beating the drums for war in the middle East, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/on-the-mclaughlin-report-august-26-1990-there-are-only-two-groups/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [I feel excited about getting older as an actress, too. I think there are some amazing opportunities around the corner and I don't need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sutton-foster/i-feel-excited-about-getting-older-as-an-actress-too-i-think-there/) [Sutton Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sutton-foster/) > [You will not find a soulmate in the quiet of your room. You must go to a noisy place and look in the quiet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/you-will-not-find-a-soulmate-in-the-quiet-of-your-room-you-must-go-to/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [I was so shy. Instead of waiting in line with other kids at lunch, I'd go to a corner and buy a pretzel and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-facinelli/i-was-so-shy-instead-of-waiting-in-line-with-other-kids-at-lunch-i-d/) [Peter Facinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-facinelli/) > [Curiosity is the essence of human existence. 'Who are we? Where are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?'... I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/curiosity-is-the-essence-of-human-existence-who-are-we-where-are-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Curiously, the righteous Pharisees had little historical impact, save for a brief time in a remote corner of the Roman Empire. But Jesus' disciples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/curiously-the-righteous-pharisees-had-little-historical-impact-save/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [...As the disparity between the rich and the poor grows, the fight to corner resources is intensifying. To push through their "sweetheart deals," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/as-the-disparity-between-the-rich-and-the-poor-grows-the-fight-to/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [If we could imagine such a man, that is a man who could invent the fly and send him out on his mission and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-we-could-imagine-such-a-man-that-is-a-man-who-could-invent-the-fly/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Self-respect,--the corner-stone of all virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-herschel/self-respect-the-corner-stone-of-all-virtue/) [John Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-herschel/) > [My first big mistake was made when, in a moment of weakness, I consented to learn the game; for a man who can frankly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/my-first-big-mistake-was-made-when-in-a-moment-of-weakness-i/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [Guys standing around and talking about Spanish fly: 'You know anything about Spanish fly?' 'No, tell me about it.' Well there's this girl Crazy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/guys-standing-around-and-talking-about-spanish-fly-you-know-anything/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [If I had to pick favourite parts of Interlagos, I would say the first and last corners. 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