---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A child kicks his legs rhythmically…"
description: "\"“A child kicks his legs rhythmically through excess, not absence, of life. Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/g-k-chesterton-224_children_a-child-kicks-his-legs-rhythmically-thro_861337.jpg"
---

#  A child kicks his legs rhythmically through excess, not…

![“A child kicks his legs rhythmically through excess, not absence, of life. Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is…” quote by G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/g-k-chesterton-224_children_a-child-kicks-his-legs-rhythmically-thro_861337.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/g-k-chesterton-224_children_a-child-kicks-his-legs-rhythmically-thro_861337.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/g-k-chesterton-224_children_a-child-kicks-his-legs-rhythmically-thro_861337.jpg)

> ““A child kicks his legs rhythmically through excess, not absence, of life. Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.””

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

## About This Quote

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

Human vitality craves repetition, while adults lose joy in sameness; perhaps divine nature embraces endless cycles.

**In simple terms:** Kids love repeats; adults tire of them; God may love them.

Key Takeaway

Embrace simple, repeated joys.

Themes

vitality repetition spirituality aging joy

Mood

reflective hopeful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- parenting
- creative work
- daily routines
- spiritual practice

Key Concepts

infancy monotony divine appetite

Questions to Reflect On

- What simple habit could you repeat daily for deeper fulfillment?
- How does repetition shape your sense of purpose?

A Different Perspective

Adults may resist monotony, seeing it as stagnation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Every morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-morning/) [God Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-makes/) [God Says](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-says/) [Infancy Sinned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infancy-sinned-855983/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Repeated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repeated/) [Strong enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-enough/) [Things Repeated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-repeated-855982/)

## Related quotes

> [“Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/because-children-have-abounding-vitality-because-they-are-in-spirit/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [The things, that are repeated again and again, are pleasant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/the-things-that-are-repeated-again-and-again-are-pleasant/)

[Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/)

> [It's just that if you're not disruptive everything seems to be repeated endlessly - not so much the good things but the bland things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adamson/it-s-just-that-if-you-re-not-disruptive-everything-seems-to-be/)

[Robert Adamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adamson/)

> [History is the science of things which are not repeated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/history-is-the-science-of-things-which-are-not-repeated/)

[Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/)

> [Im a storyteller; that is what I do. And Im particularly interested in history; and in history of a certain era. But what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/im-a-storyteller-that-is-what-i-do-and-im-particularly-interested-in/)

[Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/)

> [“Day six: Then God says, “Let’s make people—like us, but human, with flesh and blood, skin and bone. Give them the job of caretakers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-halter/day-six-then-god-says-let-s-make-people-like-us-but-human-with-flesh/)

[Hugh Halter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-halter/)

> [That's what History teaches us, I think, that life goes on, even though individuals die and whole civilizations crumble away: The simple things last;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/that-s-what-history-teaches-us-i-think-that-life-goes-on-even-though/)

[Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/)

> [But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun.;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-perhaps-god-is-strong-enough-to-exult-in-monotony-it-is-possible/)

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

> [“We make our friends; we make our enemies; but God makes our next door neighbors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/we-make-our-friends-we-make-our-enemies-but-god-makes-our-next-door-2/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [“All the towering materialism which dominates the modern mind rests ultimately upon one assumption; a false assumption. It is supposed that if a thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/all-the-towering-materialism-which-dominates-the-modern-mind-rests/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [“Is it possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun; and every evening "Do it again" to the moon." from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/is-it-possible-that-god-says-every-morning-do-it-again-to-the-sun-and/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [“If God made all our faces, did he laugh when he made me? Does he make the legs that cannot walk and eyes that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/if-god-made-all-our-faces-did-he-laugh-when-he-made-me-does-he-make/)

[Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/)

> [God makes me play well. That is why I always make the sign of a cross when I walk out on to the pitch.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-maradona/god-makes-me-play-well-that-is-why-i-always-make-the-sign-of-a-cross/)

[Diego Maradona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-maradona/)

> [This is the law of God by which He makes His way known to man and is paramount to all human control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-king/this-is-the-law-of-god-by-which-he-makes-his-way-known-to-man-and-is/)

[Rufus King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-king/)

> [God makes things happen for a reason. So just remember, when something bad happens, God will always help you. (: so smile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-makes-things-happen-for-a-reason-so-just-remember-when-something/)

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

## More by G.K. Chesterton

> [“I never use paradox. The statements I make are wearisome and obvious common sense. I have even been driven to the tedium of reading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/i-never-use-paradox-the-statements-i-make-are-wearisome-and-obvious/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [“Nothing, again, could be more prosaic and impenetrable than the domestic energies of Miss Diana Duke. But Innocent had somehow blundered on the discovery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/nothing-again-could-be-more-prosaic-and-impenetrable-than-the/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [“The mass of men have been forced to be gay about the little things, but sad about the big ones. Nevertheless (I offer my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/the-mass-of-men-have-been-forced-to-be-gay-about-the-little-things/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [“ask yourself how many people you have met who grumbled at a thing as incurable, and how many who attacked it as curable? How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/ask-yourself-how-many-people-you-have-met-who-grumbled-at-a-thing-as/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [“The human race, to which so many of my readers belong, has been playing at children's games from the beginning, and will probably do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/the-human-race-to-which-so-many-of-my-readers-belong-has-been-playing/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [“Internationalism is in any case hostile to democracy….The only purely popular government is local, and founded on local knowledge. The citizens can rule the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/internationalism-is-in-any-case-hostile-to-democracy-the-only-purely/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [“There was a short railway official travelling up to the terminus, three fairly short market-gardeners picked up two stations afterwards, one very short widow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/there-was-a-short-railway-official-travelling-up-to-the-terminus/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [“Humility is the mother of giants. One sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/humility-is-the-mother-of-giants-one-sees-great-things-from-the/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [“Anything worth doing is worth doing badly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/anything-worth-doing-is-worth-doing-badly/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [“There exists in such a case a certain institution or law; let us say for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/there-exists-in-such-a-case-a-certain-institution-or-law-let-us-say/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [“Man, by a blind instinct, knew that if once things were wildly questioned, reason could be questioned first. The authority of priests to absolve,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/man-by-a-blind-instinct-knew-that-if-once-things-were-wildly/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [“It is idle to talk always of the alternative of reason and faith. Reason is itself a matter of faith. It is an act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/it-is-idle-to-talk-always-of-the-alternative-of-reason-and-faith/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [“But in order that life should be a story or romance to us, it is necessary that a great part of it, at any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/but-in-order-that-life-should-be-a-story-or-romance-to-us-it-is/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [“Buddhism seeks after God with the largest conception it can find, the all-producing and all-absorbing One; Christianity seeks after God with the most elementary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/buddhism-seeks-after-god-with-the-largest-conception-it-can-find-the/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [“Man is more himself, more manlike, when joy is the fundamental thing and grief superficial.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/man-is-more-himself-more-manlike-when-joy-is-the-fundamental-thing/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

[Explore all 853 G.K. Chesterton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

## 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": "“A child kicks his legs rhythmically through excess, not absence, of life. Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "G.K. Chesterton"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/a-child-kicks-his-legs-rhythmically-through-excess-not-absence-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Children"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/a-child-kicks-his-legs-rhythmically-through-excess-not-absence-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/g-k-chesterton-224_children_a-child-kicks-his-legs-rhythmically-thro_861337.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/g-k-chesterton-224_children_a-child-kicks-his-legs-rhythmically-thro_861337.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/g-k-chesterton-224_children_a-child-kicks-his-legs-rhythmically-thro_861337.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“A child kicks his legs rhythmically through excess, not absence, of life. Because children have abounding…” — G.K. Chesterton",
                "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.K. Chesterton",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“A child kicks his legs rhythmically...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/a-child-kicks-his-legs-rhythmically-through-excess-not-absence-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/a-child-kicks-his-legs-rhythmically-through-excess-not-absence-of/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
