--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was over. He would be dead within…" description: "\"“It was over. He would be dead within minutes, or hours, at most. He thought that if he had it to do over again, he’d do only one thing differently. He..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/g-f-gustav-63557_every-moment_it-was-over-he-would-be-dead-within-minu_2585203.jpg" --- # It was over. He would be dead within minutes, or hours, at… ![“It was over. He would be dead within minutes, or hours, at most. He thought that if he had it to do over again, he’d do only one thing differently. He’d try to savor every moment of consciousness. He’d give up complaining about anything, ever again. He’d do his best to remember that the purpose in…” quote by G.F. Gustav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/g-f-gustav-63557_every-moment_it-was-over-he-would-be-dead-within-minu_2585203.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/g-f-gustav-63557_every-moment_it-was-over-he-would-be-dead-within-minu_2585203.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/g-f-gustav-63557_every-moment_it-was-over-he-would-be-dead-within-minu_2585203.jpg) > ““It was over. He would be dead within minutes, or hours, at most. He thought that if he had it to do over again, he’d do only one thing differently. He’d try to savor every moment of consciousness. He’d give up complaining about anything, ever again. He’d do his best to remember that the purpose in doing anything lay in the doing. Never in the thing. Because nothing lasts and ultimately, nothing would be remembered. In the end, there would be no one to remember it.”” [G.F. Gustav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-f-gustav/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Regret leads to a desire to savor each moment, but memory is fleeting and ultimately forgotten. **In simple terms:** Regret pushes us to cherish now. Key Takeaway Live fully, without regret. Themes mortality mindfulness regret Mood reflective melancholic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily meditation - legacy projects - relationship building Key Concepts impermanence memory purpose consciousness Questions to Reflect On - What does “purpose in doing” mean to you? - How can you create lasting impact? A Different Perspective Living fully may still feel empty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Every moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-moment/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Eventually, this is how I would like to be remembered at the end of my career: He was never the best in anything he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takeshi-kitano/eventually-this-is-how-i-would-like-to-be-remembered-at-the-end-of-my/) [Takeshi Kitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takeshi-kitano/) > [“An artist is ultimately remembered for creating an uncompromised body of work. Uncompromised, unfettered and fiercely passionate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nidhie-sharma/an-artist-is-ultimately-remembered-for-creating-an-uncompromised-body/) [Nidhie sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nidhie-sharma/) > [“Your purpose is to remember your purpose”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-rangel-gerry-o-malley/your-purpose-is-to-remember-your-purpose/) [Ana Rangel & Gerry O'malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-rangel-gerry-o-malley/) > [Life Is Like An Attitude Of Racing Between A Cat And Rat, The Cat Runs For Food, And A Rat Runs For Life... Remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/life-is-like-an-attitude-of-racing-between-a-cat-and-rat-the-cat-runs/) Pacifiersucker > [“I withdrew a small card from the pouch. The front of it was filled with lines of elegant, hand-lettered script. "What does it say?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-lund/i-withdrew-a-small-card-from-the-pouch-the-front-of-it-was-filled/) Gerald Lund > [We need to remember the purpose of our service to one another. If it were only to accomplish some part of His work, God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/we-need-to-remember-the-purpose-of-our-service-to-one-another-if-it/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) > [Remember, purpose is about giving...All you can do with your life is to give it away in the service of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/remember-purpose-is-about-giving-all-you-can-do-with-your-life-is-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Make sure you aren’t living out your fears, but releasing them. Try to remember that there is a purpose for every hardship or opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/make-sure-you-aren-t-living-out-your-fears-but-releasing-them-try-to/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [There is a voice in the Universe urging us to remember our purpose for being on this great Earth. This is the voice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/there-is-a-voice-in-the-universe-urging-us-to-remember-our-purpose/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Remember - purpose is shared with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mastin-kipp/remember-purpose-is-shared-with-others/) [Mastin Kipp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mastin-kipp/) > [“In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies...but the silence of our friends. - Martin Luther King, Jr.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-long/in-the-end-we-will-remember-not-the-words-of-our-enemies-but-the/) Mark Long > [“It was Martin Luther King who said, ‘In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-west/it-was-martin-luther-king-who-said-in-the-end-we-will-remember-not/) [Ed West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-west/) > [“In the end we remember all the students we've gone to school with and invite them to our homes only to find out that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bernhard/in-the-end-we-remember-all-the-students-we-ve-gone-to-school-with-and/) [Thomas Bernhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bernhard/) > [“That thing, that tiny part of The Land of Elyon, is gone but not entirely forgotten. Elyon had his reason for sending you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-carman/that-thing-that-tiny-part-of-the-land-of-elyon-is-gone-but-not/) [Patrick Carman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-carman/) > [“And, in the end what we will remember most is a beautiful heart and how it made us feel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-r-hart/and-in-the-end-what-we-will-remember-most-is-a-beautiful-heart-and/) [N.R.Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-r-hart/) ## More by G.F. Gustav > [“This is one of the reasons I study psychology. I’ve never understood why people are so irrational. How supposedly intelligent people can believe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-f-gustav/this-is-one-of-the-reasons-i-study-psychology-i-ve-never-understood/) [G.F. Gustav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-f-gustav/) > [“But had he squandered it? He thought maybe not. At least not entirely. He’d enjoyed his brief moment of wakefulness. He’d seen and experienced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-f-gustav/but-had-he-squandered-it-he-thought-maybe-not-at-least-not-entirely/) [G.F. Gustav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-f-gustav/) > [“I suppose you’re too stupid to have acquired a vocabulary sufficient to express your emotions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-f-gustav/i-suppose-you-re-too-stupid-to-have-acquired-a-vocabulary-sufficient/) [G.F. Gustav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-f-gustav/) > [“Life, consciousness, self-awareness, he decided in that moment, amounted to a remarkable gift bestowed upon those fortunate enough to have been born. It had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-f-gustav/life-consciousness-self-awareness-he-decided-in-that-moment-amounted/) [G.F. Gustav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-f-gustav/) [Explore all 5 G.F. Gustav quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-f-gustav/) ## More Every moment quotes > [“Will you destroy something in order to make it beautiful? Will you avoid something in order to fall in love with it? Will you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-hassan-barbhuiya/will-you-destroy-something-in-order-to-make-it-beautiful-will-you/) [Hanif Hassan Barbhuiya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-hassan-barbhuiya/) > [“His expression is inscrutable. His eyes look strange with their pulsing pupils. “You’re not like other girls. You’re special.” Intoxicating warmth crawls over my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-jordan/his-expression-is-inscrutable-his-eyes-look-strange-with-their/) [Sophie Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-jordan/) > [ “\[Roger\] “Do you know how amazingly beautiful you are to me?” “As beautiful as you are to me.” She slid her gaze down then… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-saint/roger-do-you-know-how-amazingly-beautiful-you-are-to-me-as-beautiful/) [J.L. Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-saint/) > [“Are you sure?" he asked in a low voice. "Because if I had the chance... I would spend every moment of every day with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-monir/are-you-sure-he-asked-in-a-low-voice-because-if-i-had-the-chance-i/) [Alexandra Monir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-monir/) > [I'm getting to a point where everything is becoming streamlined in my life. I'm learning how to stand onstage for two hours and play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/i-m-getting-to-a-point-where-everything-is-becoming-streamlined-in-my/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [This moment in which you experience stillness is every moment. Don't let the mind seduce you into the past or future. Stay in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/this-moment-in-which-you-experience-stillness-is-every-moment-don-t/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [You'll never see me coming around the corner not smiling... I mean, I enjoy every moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquem-griffin/you-ll-never-see-me-coming-around-the-corner-not-smiling-i-mean-i/) [Shaquem Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquem-griffin/) > [I don't think it's always a sign of respect for persons (inside or outside of fiction) to pretend to be able to represent, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lerner/i-don-t-think-it-s-always-a-sign-of-respect-for-persons-inside-or/) [Ben Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lerner/) > [“You must enjoy and treasure every moment of your journey on earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-must-enjoy-and-treasure-every-moment-of-your-journey-on-earth/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Being a full-time mother is one of the biggest jobs in the world; it's like another career for me. I love every moment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darcey-bussell/being-a-full-time-mother-is-one-of-the-biggest-jobs-in-the-world-it-s/) [Darcey Bussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darcey-bussell/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [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/) > [The length of the journey has to be borne with, for every moment is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-length-of-the-journey-has-to-be-borne-with-for-every-moment-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can say that I love you every moment of my life but it doesn't mean I love you every second of my life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/just-me/i-can-say-that-i-love-you-every-moment-of-my-life-but-it-doesn-t-mean/) [Just Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/just-me/) > [Life is a climb and it's a struggle getting to the top but the drop to the bottom can be quick and so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/life-is-a-climb-and-it-s-a-struggle-getting-to-the-top-but-the-drop/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) [Browse all 2,606 Every moment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-moment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It was over. He would be dead within minutes, or hours, at most. He thought that if he had it to do over again, he’d do only one thing differently. He’d try to savor every moment of consciousness. He’d give up complaining about anything, ever again. He’d do his best to remember that the purpose in doing anything lay in the doing. Never in the thing. Because nothing lasts and ultimately, nothing would be remembered. In the end, there would be no one to remember it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "G.F. Gustav" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-f-gustav/it-was-over-he-would-be-dead-within-minutes-or-hours-at-most-he/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Every moment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-f-gustav/it-was-over-he-would-be-dead-within-minutes-or-hours-at-most-he/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/g-f-gustav-63557_every-moment_it-was-over-he-would-be-dead-within-minu_2585203.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/g-f-gustav-63557_every-moment_it-was-over-he-would-be-dead-within-minu_2585203.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/g-f-gustav-63557_every-moment_it-was-over-he-would-be-dead-within-minu_2585203.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It was over. He would be dead within minutes, or hours, at most. He thought that if he had it to do over…” — G.F. Gustav", "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": "G.F. Gustav", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-f-gustav/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It was over. He would be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-f-gustav/it-was-over-he-would-be-dead-within-minutes-or-hours-at-most-he/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-f-gustav/it-was-over-he-would-be-dead-within-minutes-or-hours-at-most-he/#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 } } ] } ```