--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ... life itself is brief, and that is…" description: "\"... life itself is brief, and that is what charges the day with such ridiculous beauty.\" — Garrison Keillor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00c/garrison-keillor-1037_beauty_life-itself-is-brief-and-that-is-what-ch_1157205.jpg" --- # ... life itself is brief, and that is what charges the day… ![“... life itself is brief, and that is what charges the day with such ridiculous beauty.” quote by Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00c/garrison-keillor-1037_beauty_life-itself-is-brief-and-that-is-what-ch_1157205.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00c/garrison-keillor-1037_beauty_life-itself-is-brief-and-that-is-what-ch_1157205.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00c/garrison-keillor-1037_beauty_life-itself-is-brief-and-that-is-what-ch_1157205.jpg) > “... life itself is brief, and that is what charges the day with such ridiculous beauty.” [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) ## 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 brevity gives each day a vivid, almost absurd beauty that motivates us to cherish it. **In simple terms:** Short life makes each day beautiful. Key Takeaway Live fully, savor the moment. Themes mortality beauty mindfulness Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily routines - travel - creative projects - relationships Key Concepts existentialism aesthetics Questions to Reflect On - What makes today feel meaningful? - How do you balance joy with responsibility? A Different Perspective Focusing only on beauty may ignore life’s hardships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life itself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-itself/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Mortality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortality/) ## Related quotes > [“The day was ridiculous. In fact, the situation was so serious I thought they had to be joking - like maybe they staged a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/the-day-was-ridiculous-in-fact-the-situation-was-so-serious-i-thought/) [Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/) > [“Valentine's Day. The most ridiculous Hallmark excuse for a holiday ever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-askew/valentine-s-day-the-most-ridiculous-hallmark-excuse-for-a-holiday-ever/) [Kim Askew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-askew/) > [Life's so brief,” she goes on. “We're, at every juncture, staring mortality in the face. It's the very least we can do if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-mulgrew/life-s-so-brief-she-goes-on-we-re-at-every-juncture-staring-mortality/) [Kate Mulgrew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-mulgrew/) > [Thus it is that our faith and trust in our Heavenly Father, so far as this mortal experience is concerned, consists not simply of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/thus-it-is-that-our-faith-and-trust-in-our-heavenly-father-so-far-as/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [Life is so brief and time is a thief when you're undecided.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stewart/life-is-so-brief-and-time-is-a-thief-when-you-re-undecided/) [Rod Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stewart/) > [Life is too brief and too rich to tiptoe through half-heartedly, rather than galloping at it with whooping excitement and ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-humphreys/life-is-too-brief-and-too-rich-to-tiptoe-through-half-heartedly/) [Alastair Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-humphreys/) > [Life is brief and to have to spend every day of it doing what somebody else wants you to do is not the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/life-is-brief-and-to-have-to-spend-every-day-of-it-doing-what/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [Life is brief but love is LONG .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/life-is-brief-but-love-is-long/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [And we wept that one so lovely should have a life so brief;](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-we-wept-that-one-so-lovely-should-have-a-life-so-brief/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We don't get a chance to do that many things, and every one should be really excellent. Because this is our life. Life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/we-don-t-get-a-chance-to-do-that-many-things-and-every-one-should-be/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Anyway I know only too well that all life is nothing but a brief reprieve from death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/anyway-i-know-only-too-well-that-all-life-is-nothing-but-a-brief/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [Your body is like a dew-drop on the morning grass, your life is as brief as a flash of lightning. Momentary and vain, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/your-body-is-like-a-dew-drop-on-the-morning-grass-your-life-is-as/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [“I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-want-to-be-thoroughly-used-up-when-i-die-for-the-harder-i-work-the/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“This life is but a brief tenure, one of many perspectives a spirit must experience in the quest for eternity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-rathbone/this-life-is-but-a-brief-tenure-one-of-many-perspectives-a-spirit/) [Brian Rathbone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-rathbone/) > [Life was a brief candle- we would have one chance to shine on stage and then be blown out and gone forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/self-reliance/life-was-a-brief-candle-we-would-have-one-chance-to-shine-on-stage/) [Self-reliance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/self-reliance/) ## More by Garrison Keillor > [God writes a lot of comedy... the trouble is, he's stuck with so many bad actors who don't know how to play funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/god-writes-a-lot-of-comedy-the-trouble-is-he-s-stuck-with-so-many-bad/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [The socially redeeming aspect of golf lies in the vast number of lawyers and bankers and managers who play it, and when you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-socially-redeeming-aspect-of-golf-lies-in-the-vast-number-of/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [God plays a lot of jokes on us to get our attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/god-plays-a-lot-of-jokes-on-us-to-get-our-attention/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Ha! Easy for nuns to talk about giving up things. That's what they do for a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/ha-easy-for-nuns-to-talk-about-giving-up-things-that-s-what-they-do/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [This is the big reason most humorists fail. Drunks don't read books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/this-is-the-big-reason-most-humorists-fail-drunks-don-t-read-books/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Before the world was made, when it was only darkness and mist and waters, God was well aware of Lake Wobegon, my family, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/before-the-world-was-made-when-it-was-only-darkness-and-mist-and/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [On investments, 1998: Where I'm from we don't trust paper. Wealth is what's here on the premises. If I open a cupboard and see,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/on-investments-1998-where-i-m-from-we-don-t-trust-paper-wealth-is/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“The rich can afford to be progressive. Poor people have reason to be afraid of the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-rich-can-afford-to-be-progressive-poor-people-have-reason-to-be/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [English is the perfect language for preachers because it allows you to talk until you think of what to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/english-is-the-perfect-language-for-preachers-because-it-allows-you/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“If you can't read a simple goddam sign and follow one simple goddam instruction then get your fat butt the hell out of here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/if-you-can-t-read-a-simple-goddam-sign-and-follow-one-simple-goddam/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“The Gospel is meant to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-gospel-is-meant-to-comfort-the-afflicted-and-afflict-the/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [I don't want them to be told to remember me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/i-don-t-want-them-to-be-told-to-remember-me/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Childhood is the small town everyone came from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/childhood-is-the-small-town-everyone-came-from/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [I have taken so many wrong turns and been so careless with precious things and managed to lose, or break, or leave out in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/i-have-taken-so-many-wrong-turns-and-been-so-careless-with-precious/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Where I'm from we don't trust paper. Wealth is what's here on the premises. If I open a cupboard and see, say, thirty cans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/where-i-m-from-we-don-t-trust-paper-wealth-is-what-s-here-on-the/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) [Explore all 304 Garrison Keillor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) ## More Beauty quotes > [We do not want nowadays temples of worship and outward rites and ceremonies. What we really want is an Asram. We want a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/we-do-not-want-nowadays-temples-of-worship-and-outward-rites-and/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [To fathom the power, to witness the beauty, to bathe in the fountain, to swing on the spiral of our divinity, and still be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tool/to-fathom-the-power-to-witness-the-beauty-to-bathe-in-the-fountain-to/) [Tool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tool/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [“We've all met people who are beautiful on the outside, however, when they open their mouths to speak, they have nothing of substance to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/we-ve-all-met-people-who-are-beautiful-on-the-outside-however-when/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [To me, the beauty of a quilt or a dress lies within the stitches and the thought of the person who made them. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) > [“do not misunderstand person by beauty You really do not know its real or Mask on dirty thoughts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/do-not-misunderstand-person-by-beauty-you-really-do-not-know-its-real/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Call her beautiful a million times and she won't believe you. Call her ugly once, and she will never forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tumblr/call-her-beautiful-a-million-times-and-she-won-t-believe-you-call-her/) Tumblr > [Time can but make her beauty over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/time-can-but-make-her-beauty-over-again/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [“What about you? What do you do?” I needed to ask questions, draw him out. I needed to find out all the information I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-avery-ellison/what-about-you-what-do-you-do-i-needed-to-ask-questions-draw-him-out/) [Kate Avery Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-avery-ellison/) [Browse all 24,662 Beauty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "... life itself is brief, and that is what charges the day with such ridiculous beauty.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Garrison Keillor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/life-itself-is-brief-and-that-is-what-charges-the-day-with-such/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beauty" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/life-itself-is-brief-and-that-is-what-charges-the-day-with-such/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00c/garrison-keillor-1037_beauty_life-itself-is-brief-and-that-is-what-ch_1157205.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00c/garrison-keillor-1037_beauty_life-itself-is-brief-and-that-is-what-ch_1157205.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00c/garrison-keillor-1037_beauty_life-itself-is-brief-and-that-is-what-ch_1157205.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“... life itself is brief, and that is what charges the day with such ridiculous beauty.” — Garrison Keillor", "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": "Garrison Keillor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "... life itself is brief, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/life-itself-is-brief-and-that-is-what-charges-the-day-with-such/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/life-itself-is-brief-and-that-is-what-charges-the-day-with-such/#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 } } ] } ```