--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I recognized my work for what it was--as…" description: "\"“I recognized my work for what it was--as unimportant a drug as cigarettes to get one through the weeks and years. If we are extinguished by death, as ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2db/graham-greene-441_death_i-recognized-my-work-for-what-it-was-as_231603.jpg" --- # I recognized my work for what it was--as unimportant a… ![“I recognized my work for what it was--as unimportant a drug as cigarettes to get one through the weeks and years. If we are extinguished by death, as I still try to believe, what point is there in leaving some books behind any more than bottles, clothes, or cheap jewellry?” quote by Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2db/graham-greene-441_death_i-recognized-my-work-for-what-it-was-as_231603.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2db/graham-greene-441_death_i-recognized-my-work-for-what-it-was-as_231603.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2db/graham-greene-441_death_i-recognized-my-work-for-what-it-was-as_231603.jpg) > ““I recognized my work for what it was--as unimportant a drug as cigarettes to get one through the weeks and years. If we are extinguished by death, as I still try to believe, what point is there in leaving some books behind any more than bottles, clothes, or cheap jewellry?”” [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He sees his work as a fleeting, trivial escape, questioning the lasting value of any creation after death. **In simple terms:** Work feels meaningless, like a temporary habit. Key Takeaway Focus on what truly matters now. Themes existentialism legacy meaninglessness Mood melancholic reflective Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - creative writing - daily routine - personal reflection Key Concepts nihilism temporary fulfillment mortality Questions to Reflect On - What would you create if you knew it wouldn't last? - How do you find value in everyday tasks? A Different Perspective Even trivial acts can hold personal significance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Books and bottles breed generosity, and the bibliophile and the oenophile og through life scattering largesse from their libraries and cellars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holless-wilbur-allen/books-and-bottles-breed-generosity-and-the-bibliophile-and-the/) Holless Wilbur Allen > [It's great to be recognized for work, and the work is great, but once you have the awards, it becomes less important. It just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-kaminski/it-s-great-to-be-recognized-for-work-and-the-work-is-great-but-once/) [Janusz Kaminski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-kaminski/) > [So many people are stuck in jobs for which they feel they aren't recognized - their work isn't recognized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-schwartz/so-many-people-are-stuck-in-jobs-for-which-they-feel-they-aren-t/) [Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/) > [If you wrote something, you deserve to get paid and recognized for your work. No one should take a bow with another man's hat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-isley/if-you-wrote-something-you-deserve-to-get-paid-and-recognized-for/) [Ronald Isley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-isley/) > [Leaving behind books is even more beautiful — there are far too many children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-yourcenar/leaving-behind-books-is-even-more-beautiful-there-are-far-too-many/) [Marguerite Yourcenar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-yourcenar/) > [I cannot help leaving my books behind me whenever God calls me hence; but in every other respect, my own hands will be my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/i-cannot-help-leaving-my-books-behind-me-whenever-god-calls-me-hence/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [“PAPER TOWERS The library was on the second floor of the House, not far from my room. It had two floors—the first held the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-neill/paper-towers-the-library-was-on-the-second-floor-of-the-house-not-far/) [Chloe Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-neill/) > [“Leaving behind books is more beautiful. There are already enough children”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margurete-yourcenar/leaving-behind-books-is-more-beautiful-there-are-already-enough/) Margurete Yourcenar > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) ## More by Graham Greene > [“Time gives poetry to a battlefield...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/time-gives-poetry-to-a-battlefield/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [“What is cowardice in the young is wisdom in the old, but all the same one can be ashamed of wisdom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/what-is-cowardice-in-the-young-is-wisdom-in-the-old-but-all-the-same/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [Pity is cruel. Pity destroys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/pity-is-cruel-pity-destroys/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [Hate is a lack of imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/hate-is-a-lack-of-imagination/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [Despair is the price one pays for setting oneself an impossible aim. 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Damn me, I deserve it, but let her live forever.’ This was the love he should have felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/he-said-oh-god-help-her-damn-me-i-deserve-it-but-let-her-live-forever/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [“A police photograph is like a passport photograph: the intelligence which casts a veil over the crude common shape is never recorded by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/a-police-photograph-is-like-a-passport-photograph-the-intelligence/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [ “I tossed up whether I'd see \[the critic\] or not: I knew too well the pompous phrases of his article, the buried significance he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/i-tossed-up-whether-i-d-see-the-critic-or-not-i-knew-too-well-the/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [Success is more dangerous than failure, the ripples break over a wider coastline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/success-is-more-dangerous-than-failure-the-ripples-break-over-a-wider/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [“But we do not love people for what they do for us. Love happens to us; it isn't created.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/but-we-do-not-love-people-for-what-they-do-for-us-love-happens-to-us/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) [Explore all 550 Graham Greene quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. 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Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. 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