--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is short, very short, and what are…" description: "\"Life is short, very short, and what are we doing here if not trying to become more generous and loving?\" — George Saunders" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/george-saunders-317_generous_life-is-short-very-short-and-what-are-we_1851742.jpg" --- # Life is short, very short, and what are we doing here if… ![“Life is short, very short, and what are we doing here if not trying to become more generous and loving?” quote by George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/george-saunders-317_generous_life-is-short-very-short-and-what-are-we_1851742.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/george-saunders-317_generous_life-is-short-very-short-and-what-are-we_1851742.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/george-saunders-317_generous_life-is-short-very-short-and-what-are-we_1851742.jpg) > “Life is short, very short, and what are we doing here if not trying to become more generous and loving?” [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) ## 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 urges us to act with generosity and love rather than selfishness. **In simple terms:** Be kind because life is short. Key Takeaway Practice daily generosity. Themes ethics humanity purpose Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - volunteering - family gatherings - workplace culture Key Concepts altruism existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What small act of kindness can you do today? - How do you balance self‑care with giving? A Different Perspective Generosity may be unsustainable without boundaries. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Generous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generous/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is-short/) [Loving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loving/) ## Related quotes > [I think life is too short not to be doing something which you really believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mccurry/i-think-life-is-too-short-not-to-be-doing-something-which-you-really/) [Steve McCurry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mccurry/) > [One life is too short for doing everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massimo-vignelli/one-life-is-too-short-for-doing-everything/) [Massimo Vignelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-vignelli/) > [Beware of a wicked man who is trying to be generous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/beware-of-a-wicked-man-who-is-trying-to-be-generous/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [My parents made me who I am. They are kind, generous, loving people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-welbeck/my-parents-made-me-who-i-am-they-are-kind-generous-loving-people/) [Danny Welbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-welbeck/) > [What can we surmise about the likelihood of someone's being caring and generous, loving and helpful, just from knowing that they are a believer?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/what-can-we-surmise-about-the-likelihood-of-someone-s-being-caring/) [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) > [Think of yourself as a role model for others-showing that you can be kind, generous, loving, and rich!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/think-of-yourself-as-a-role-model-for-others-showing-that-you-can-be/) [T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/) > [The bottom line for me is that life is short and art is long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/the-bottom-line-for-me-is-that-life-is-short-and-art-is-long/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [When men are not regretting that life is so short, they are doing something to kill time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/when-men-are-not-regretting-that-life-is-so-short-they-are-doing/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [Life is too short, keep on doing things that would make you happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-too-short-keep-on-doing-things-that-would-make-you-happy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is too short to be doing work that doesn't make you feel happy and fulfilled. I'd rather wait for the right project, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-crew/life-is-too-short-to-be-doing-work-that-doesn-t-make-you-feel-happy/) [Amanda Crew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-crew/) > [If I can get out of the way, if I can be pure enough, if I can be selfless enough, and if I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mclaughlin/if-i-can-get-out-of-the-way-if-i-can-be-pure-enough-if-i-can-be/) [John McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mclaughlin/) > [The more compassionate you are, the more generous you can be. The more generous you are, the move loving friendliness you cultivate to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/the-more-compassionate-you-are-the-more-generous-you-can-be-the-more/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [“We wind up in cells of our own making when we're not generous, loving, compassionate, and forgiving. Without love, we build dungeons in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/we-wind-up-in-cells-of-our-own-making-when-we-re-not-generous-loving/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [“Care not who is richer or more learned than thou, if none be more generous and loving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lancaster-spalding/care-not-who-is-richer-or-more-learned-than-thou-if-none-be-more/) [John Lancaster Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lancaster-spalding/) > [“The challenges and changes you meet are, in effect, hand delivered to you by a generous, loving Universe for the purpose of making you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-prentiss/the-challenges-and-changes-you-meet-are-in-effect-hand-delivered-to/) [Chris Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-prentiss/) ## More by George Saunders > [Success is like a mountain in front of you that keeps growing. If you're not careful, it will take up your whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/success-is-like-a-mountain-in-front-of-you-that-keeps-growing-if-you/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Wow wow wow is all I can say! Remember how I always buy lunchtime Scratch-Off ticket? Have I said? Maybe did not say? Well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/wow-wow-wow-is-all-i-can-say-remember-how-i-always-buy-lunchtime/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“None of it was real; nothing was real. Everything was real; inconceivably real, infinitely dear. These and all things started as nothing, latent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/none-of-it-was-real-nothing-was-real-everything-was-real/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“We must see God not as a Him (some linear rewarding fellow) but an IT, a great beast beyond our understanding, who wants something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-must-see-god-not-as-a-him-some-linear-rewarding-fellow-but-an-it-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [America, to me, should be shouting all the time, a bunch of shouting voices, most of them wrong, some of them nuts, but please,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/america-to-me-should-be-shouting-all-the-time-a-bunch-of-shouting/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [In my case, when I am trying to be "kind" I often default in a sort of toothless loving-all stance that is, actually, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/in-my-case-when-i-am-trying-to-be-kind-i-often-default-in-a-sort-of/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Whatever your supposed politics are - left, right - if you put it in a human connection, most people will rise to the occasion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/whatever-your-supposed-politics-are-left-right-if-you-put-it-in-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“A Clinton staffer tells me his theory. Think about Frank Sinatra, he says: born to sing. Think about Willie Mays: born to play ball.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/a-clinton-staffer-tells-me-his-theory-think-about-frank-sinatra-he/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [We try, we fail, we posture, we aspire, we pontificate - and then we age, shrink, die, and vanish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-try-we-fail-we-posture-we-aspire-we-pontificate-and-then-we-age/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“You were torturing a cat," she says. "With a freaking prod." "A prod I built myself in metal shop," he says. "But of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-were-torturing-a-cat-she-says-with-a-freaking-prod-a-prod-i-built/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Rachel got up and did this happy little shuffle, like she was some cheerful farmer chick who'd just stepped outside to find the hick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/rachel-got-up-and-did-this-happy-little-shuffle-like-she-was-some/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [What America is, to me, is a guy doesn't want to buy, you let him not buy, you respect his not buying. A guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/what-america-is-to-me-is-a-guy-doesn-t-want-to-buy-you-let-him-not/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [What good the prophet in the wilderness may do is incremental and personal. It's good for us to hear someone speak the irrational truth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/what-good-the-prophet-in-the-wilderness-may-do-is-incremental-and/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [We're in the transition between birth and death. But the one that people often know about is the transition between the moment of death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-re-in-the-transition-between-birth-and-death-but-the-one-that/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [You don't want to be that parent - the one who dresses his kid in a cloth sack when all the other kids are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-don-t-want-to-be-that-parent-the-one-who-dresses-his-kid-in-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) [Explore all 690 George Saunders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) ## More Generous quotes > [Plenty of white space and generous line spacing,and don't make the type size too miserly. Then you will be assured of a product fit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giambattista-bodoni/plenty-of-white-space-and-generous-line-spacing-and-don-t-make-the/) Giambattista Bodoni > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [If you take all the food aid, America is by far the most generous country. If you take the direct aid, we're very generous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-you-take-all-the-food-aid-america-is-by-far-the-most-generous/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [Generous in spirit, richly poetic, and packed with memorable characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-millman/generous-in-spirit-richly-poetic-and-packed-with-memorable-characters/) [Lawrence Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-millman/) > [As most New Yorkers have done, I have given serious and generous thought to the state of my apartment should I get killed during…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/as-most-new-yorkers-have-done-i-have-given-serious-and-generous/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [Love is the key to the mystery. Love by its very nature is not selfish, but generous. It seeks not its own, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/love-is-the-key-to-the-mystery-love-by-its-very-nature-is-not-selfish/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [SCIENCE! thou fair effusive ray From the great source of mental Day, Free, generous, and refin'd! Descend with all thy treasures fraught, Illumine each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-akenside/science-thou-fair-effusive-ray-from-the-great-source-of-mental-day/) [Mark Akenside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-akenside/) > [The American people are incredibly generous and even playful when you open yourself up and feed the media beast until it goes away satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/the-american-people-are-incredibly-generous-and-even-playful-when-you/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [If you're a generous person, when you get money and fame, you're going to be more generous. If you're a sharer, you're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harvey/if-you-re-a-generous-person-when-you-get-money-and-fame-you-re-going/) [Steve Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harvey/) > [Be relentlessly generous, without focusing on when it will come back to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/be-relentlessly-generous-without-focusing-on-when-it-will-come-back/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [You know, whenever women make imaginary female kingdoms in literature, they are always very permissive, to use the jargon word, and easy and generous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/you-know-whenever-women-make-imaginary-female-kingdoms-in-literature/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [In terms of the unemployed, of which we have over a million-and-a-half, don't feel particularly bad for many of these people. They don't feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-harper/in-terms-of-the-unemployed-of-which-we-have-over-a-million-and-a-half/) [Stephen Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-harper/) > [Precise, graceful, and generous, the poems in SuperLoop, seem to be born out of a deep, careful attention and a profound compassion. Sometimes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ada-limon/precise-graceful-and-generous-the-poems-in-superloop-seem-to-be-born/) [Ada Limon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ada-limon/) [Browse all 1,450 Generous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generous/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Life is short, very short, and what are we doing here if not trying to become more generous and loving?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Saunders" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/life-is-short-very-short-and-what-are-we-doing-here-if-not-trying-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Generous" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/life-is-short-very-short-and-what-are-we-doing-here-if-not-trying-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/george-saunders-317_generous_life-is-short-very-short-and-what-are-we_1851742.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/george-saunders-317_generous_life-is-short-very-short-and-what-are-we_1851742.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/george-saunders-317_generous_life-is-short-very-short-and-what-are-we_1851742.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Life is short, very short, and what are we doing here if not trying to become more generous and loving?” — George Saunders", "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": "George Saunders", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Life is short, very short, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/life-is-short-very-short-and-what-are-we-doing-here-if-not-trying-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/life-is-short-very-short-and-what-are-we-doing-here-if-not-trying-to/#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 } } ] } ```