--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: perhaps the greatest lesson was also the…" description: "\"“perhaps the greatest lesson was also the simplest: Cherish and take care of what you value. Happiness is fragile. Appreciate every moment and do every..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/harlan-coben-847_background-noise_perhaps-the-greatest-lesson-was-also-the_1259303.png" --- # perhaps the greatest lesson was also the simplest: Cherish… ![“perhaps the greatest lesson was also the simplest: Cherish and take care of what you value. Happiness is fragile. Appreciate every moment and do everything you can to protect it. The rest of life, in a sense, is background noise.” quote by Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/harlan-coben-847_background-noise_perhaps-the-greatest-lesson-was-also-the_1259303.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/harlan-coben-847_background-noise_perhaps-the-greatest-lesson-was-also-the_1259303.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9a/harlan-coben-847_background-noise_perhaps-the-greatest-lesson-was-also-the_1259303.png) > ““perhaps the greatest lesson was also the simplest: Cherish and take care of what you value. Happiness is fragile. Appreciate every moment and do everything you can to protect it. The rest of life, in a sense, is background noise.”” [Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-coben/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cherish what you value, because happiness is fragile and life’s background noise is less important. **In simple terms:** Protect what matters; happiness is fragile. Key Takeaway Prioritize and safeguard valued things. Themes value fragility mindfulness Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - relationships - health care - personal development - stress management Key Concepts existential reflection psychology Questions to Reflect On - What do you truly value? - How can you protect it daily? A Different Perspective People often neglect protecting what they cherish. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Background noise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/background-noise/) [Every moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-moment/) [Fragile Appreciate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fragile-appreciate-2854823/) [Greatest Lesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-lesson-1027181/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Fragile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-fragile-1508936/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Rest of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rest-of-life/) [Simplest Cherish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simplest-cherish-3997819/) [Value Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value-happiness-1580737/) ## Related quotes > [“Cherish and take care of what you value. Happiness is fragile. 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Even sadness is an another opportunity to face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zineb-skarabi/we-have-a-lot-of-opportunities-in-life-but-we-don-t-know-how-to-gain/) [ZINEB SKARABI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zineb-skarabi/) ## More by Harlan Coben > [“He flipped through the music stations as he drove, searching for some nonexistent perfect song that would be, as Stevie Nicks might sing, “hauntingly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-coben/he-flipped-through-the-music-stations-as-he-drove-searching-for-some/) [Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-coben/) > [“The whole place had a feel and aura about as warm as a cold sore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-coben/the-whole-place-had-a-feel-and-aura-about-as-warm-as-a-cold-sore/) [Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-coben/) > [When I was seventeen, I worked as a counsellor at a co-ed sleep-away camp for eight weeks. 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