--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Letter 68 A pod of whales was lying like…" description: "\"“Letter 68 A pod of whales was lying like long reclining Buddhas on the sea. My sister and I put our ears to the bottom of the boat so we could listen ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/gregory-colbert-28050_ashes-and-snow_letter-68-a-pod-of-whales-was-lying-like_1643253.png" --- # Letter 68 A pod of whales was lying like long reclining… ![“Letter 68 A pod of whales was lying like long reclining Buddhas on the sea. My sister and I put our ears to the bottom of the boat so we could listen to their songs. We turned to my grandfather and asked, "What do their song mean?" "The whales do not sing because they have an answer," he said…” quote by Gregory Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/gregory-colbert-28050_ashes-and-snow_letter-68-a-pod-of-whales-was-lying-like_1643253.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/gregory-colbert-28050_ashes-and-snow_letter-68-a-pod-of-whales-was-lying-like_1643253.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/gregory-colbert-28050_ashes-and-snow_letter-68-a-pod-of-whales-was-lying-like_1643253.png) > ““Letter 68 A pod of whales was lying like long reclining Buddhas on the sea. My sister and I put our ears to the bottom of the boat so we could listen to their songs. We turned to my grandfather and asked, "What do their song mean?" "The whales do not sing because they have an answer," he said. "They sing because they have a song.”” [Gregory Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-colbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He shares a story about whales singing without needing answers, emphasizing pure expression. **In simple terms:** Whales sing for the joy of singing. Key Takeaway Value creative expression. Themes nature creativity philosophy Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - nature walks - creative workshops - mindfulness practice Key Concepts communication existentialism art Questions to Reflect On - What does “song” mean to you? - How do you express yourself without a goal? A Different Perspective Not everyone perceives art as purposeless. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Whales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whales/) ## Related quotes > [The whales do not sing because they have an answer, they sing because they have a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-colbert/the-whales-do-not-sing-because-they-have-an-answer-they-sing-because/) [Gregory Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-colbert/) > [“It's all in the opposition of the thumbs. For all we know, whales sing in three act plays—but they can't write them down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bronwen-wallace/it-s-all-in-the-opposition-of-the-thumbs-for-all-we-know-whales-sing/) Bronwen Wallace > [“Letter 17 Morning. The snow was falling outside. There was a white silence. 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Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“What is courage?" its chorus asked--and the song answered, "It is to give when hope is gone, when there is no chance that men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/what-is-courage-its-chorus-asked-and-the-song-answered-it-is-to-give/) [Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/) > [When I feel it, I got it, 'cause, like, on 'Changes,' I didn't never know what that song was, never knew who it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bradley/when-i-feel-it-i-got-it-cause-like-on-changes-i-didn-t-never-know/) [Charles Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bradley/) > [Will you make a song for him?' the woman asked. 'He has a song,' the man replied. 'He is the prince that was promised,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/will-you-make-a-song-for-him-the-woman-asked-he-has-a-song-the-man/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every culture from the Egyptians to the Mayans to the American Indians to the Bedouins created bestiaries that enabled them to express their relationship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-colbert/every-culture-from-the-egyptians-to-the-mayans-to-the-american/) [Gregory Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-colbert/) > [Everyone else on the planet, from the lowest amoebae to the great blue whale, expresses all their component elements in a perfect dance with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-lore/everyone-else-on-the-planet-from-the-lowest-amoebae-to-the-great-blue/) [Nicholas Lore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-lore/) ## More by Gregory Colbert > [Feather to fire,fire to blood Blood to bone,bone to marrow Marrow to ashes,ashes to snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-colbert/feather-to-fire-fire-to-blood-blood-to-bone-bone-to-marrow-marrow-to/) [Gregory Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-colbert/) > [“Letter 4 As I lay dreaming, Montezuma introduced himself and put his hand on my shoulder. 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In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-colbert/when-i-started-ashes-and-snow-in-1992-i-set-out-to-explore-the-2/) [Gregory Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-colbert/) [Explore all 20 Gregory Colbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-colbert/) ## More Ashes-and-snow quotes > [“Letter 4 As I lay dreaming, Montezuma introduced himself and put his hand on my shoulder. The palm of the Aztec king felt like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-colbert/letter-4-as-i-lay-dreaming-montezuma-introduced-himself-and-put-his/) [Gregory Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-colbert/) > [“Letter 74 I still have the first letter that you wrote to me. 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Too heavy for their wings, they sometimes crashed through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-colbert/letter-7-in-the-beginning-of-time-the-skies-were-filled-with-flying/) [Gregory Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-colbert/) > [“Letter 84 An elephant with his trunk raised is a ladder to the stars. A breaching whale is a ladder to the bottom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-colbert/letter-84-an-elephant-with-his-trunk-raised-is-a-ladder-to-the-stars/) [Gregory Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-colbert/) Browse all 7 Ashes-and-snow quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Letter 68 A pod of whales was lying like long reclining Buddhas on the sea. My sister and I put our ears to the bottom of the boat so we could listen to their songs. 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