--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We just have to recognize life for what…" description: "\"We just have to recognize life for what it is: a gift to be grateful for, not a property to cling to, hoard, or defend.\" — Henri Nouwen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/henri-nouwen-600_be-grateful_we-just-have-to-recognize-life-for-what_867644.png" --- # We just have to recognize life for what it is: a gift to… ![“We just have to recognize life for what it is: a gift to be grateful for, not a property to cling to, hoard, or defend.” quote by Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/henri-nouwen-600_be-grateful_we-just-have-to-recognize-life-for-what_867644.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/henri-nouwen-600_be-grateful_we-just-have-to-recognize-life-for-what_867644.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/henri-nouwen-600_be-grateful_we-just-have-to-recognize-life-for-what_867644.png) > “We just have to recognize life for what it is: a gift to be grateful for, not a property to cling to, hoard, or defend.” [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is a gift to be appreciated, not owned or defended. **In simple terms:** Life is a gift, not property. Key Takeaway Practice gratitude and let go of attachment. Themes gratitude mindfulness impermanence Mood calm hopeful Type spiritual inspirational When to use this quote - daily life - relationships - material possessions - stress management Key Concepts spirituality psychology Questions to Reflect On - What are you grateful for today? - How does attachment cause suffering? A Different Perspective Gratitude can be hard when facing loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Grateful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grateful/) [Gratitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gratitude/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is a gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is-a-gift/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) ## Related quotes > [Life is a gift to be grateful for and not a property to cling to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/life-is-a-gift-to-be-grateful-for-and-not-a-property-to-cling-to/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [“Looking around... she couldn't help thinking that life indeed was a gift, and she had much to be grateful for - friends, family, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vannetta-chapman/looking-around-she-couldn-t-help-thinking-that-life-indeed-was-a-gift/) [Vannetta Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vannetta-chapman/) > [Life is a gift, not to possess, but to share.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/life-is-a-gift-not-to-possess-but-to-share/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [“The spiritual life is a gift. It is a gift of the Holy Spirit, who lifts us up into the kingdom of God's love.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-spiritual-life-is-a-gift-it-is-a-gift-of-the-holy-spirit-who/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Life doesn't have to be a revolving door of one bad relationship after another or a carousel where one fool after can jump on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/life-doesn-t-have-to-be-a-revolving-door-of-one-bad-relationship/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [“Life is a gift. Live it with gratitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/life-is-a-gift-live-it-with-gratitude/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Life is a gift, and should be cherished, lived and experienced. Though experience often reveals itself as pain in this world, it is still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-poeltl/life-is-a-gift-and-should-be-cherished-lived-and-experienced-though/) [Michael Poeltl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-poeltl/) > [“Life Is a Gift from God. We hold from God the gift which includes all others. This gift is life -- physical, intellectual, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/life-is-a-gift-from-god-we-hold-from-god-the-gift-which-includes-all/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“My life is a gift from the Creator. What I do with it is my gift to the Creator.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-mills/my-life-is-a-gift-from-the-creator-what-i-do-with-it-is-my-gift-to/) [Billy Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-mills/) > [Life is a gift, living is a choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-a-gift-living-is-a-choice/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your life is a gift from the Creator. Your gift back to the Creator is what you do with your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-mills/your-life-is-a-gift-from-the-creator-your-gift-back-to-the-creator-is/) [Billy Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-mills/) > [When I look back at the past and think of all the time I squandered in error and idleness,... then my heart bleeds. Life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/when-i-look-back-at-the-past-and-think-of-all-the-time-i-squandered/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“There's something I have learned from what I've lived: lf you're to live something, live it to its fullest Your beloved should fall exhausted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-something-i-have-learned-from-what-i-ve-lived-lf-you-re-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-a-gift-and-it-offers-us-the-privilege-opportunity-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“life is a gift, death is an obligation, both are equally important to be able to get good grades”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friesda-tobing/life-is-a-gift-death-is-an-obligation-both-are-equally-important-to/) friesda Tobing ## More by Henri Nouwen > [We are not the healers, we are not the reconcilers, we are not the givers of life. We are sinful, broken, vulnerable people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/we-are-not-the-healers-we-are-not-the-reconcilers-we-are-not-the/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [The more we touch the intimate love of God which creates, sustains, and guides us, the more we recognize the multitude of fruits that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-more-we-touch-the-intimate-love-of-god-which-creates-sustains-and/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Feelings of guilt dominate our work as peacemakers we cannot last long. But when we have opened each other's eyes to the great human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/feelings-of-guilt-dominate-our-work-as-peacemakers-we-cannot-last/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [...we all want to hear stories, from the moment we are born to the moment we die. Stories connect our little lives with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/we-all-want-to-hear-stories-from-the-moment-we-are-born-to-the-moment/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [I have found it very important...to let go of my wishes and start hoping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/i-have-found-it-very-important-to-let-go-of-my-wishes-and-start-hoping/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Simply being with someone is difficult because it asks of us that we share in the other's vulnerability, enter with him or her into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/simply-being-with-someone-is-difficult-because-it-asks-of-us-that-we/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Somewhere we know that without silence, words lose their meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/somewhere-we-know-that-without-silence-words-lose-their-meaning/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Jesus says, "Keep your heart on the kingdom first. Keep your heart on God's love. Keep focused on the fact that you are God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/jesus-says-keep-your-heart-on-the-kingdom-first-keep-your-heart-on/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [This sounds very simple and maybe even trite, but very few people know that they are loved without condition or limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/this-sounds-very-simple-and-maybe-even-trite-but-very-few-people-know/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [“The more preoccupied we are with security the more visible the force of death becomes, whether in the form of a pistol beside our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-more-preoccupied-we-are-with-security-the-more-visible-the-force/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [If you feel a great loneliness and a deep longing for human contact, you have to be extremely discerning...and ask yourself whether this situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/if-you-feel-a-great-loneliness-and-a-deep-longing-for-human-contact/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [I choose L'Arche; L'Arche chooses me. I would be dead if I weren't here. I need people to love me and care for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/i-choose-l-arche-l-arche-chooses-me-i-would-be-dead-if-i-weren-t-here/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [The truth, even though I cannot feel it right now, is that I am the chosen child of God, precious in God's eyes, called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-truth-even-though-i-cannot-feel-it-right-now-is-that-i-am-the/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [In a world so torn apart by rivalry, anger, and hatred, we have the privileged vocation to be living signs of a love that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/in-a-world-so-torn-apart-by-rivalry-anger-and-hatred-we-have-the/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Where true inner freedom is, there is God. And where God is, there we want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/where-true-inner-freedom-is-there-is-god-and-where-god-is-there-we/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) [Explore all 452 Henri Nouwen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) ## More Be grateful quotes > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Man has an almost infinite capacity for taking things and people for granted and thereby missing out on the pleasure of being grateful that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/man-has-an-almost-infinite-capacity-for-taking-things-and-people-for/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [Kenny G, I have to be grateful to him for proving that the instrument can be played all different kinds of ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-lacy/kenny-g-i-have-to-be-grateful-to-him-for-proving-that-the-instrument/) [Steve Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-lacy/) > [Often I'm told I'm an inspiration to people which I will forever be grateful for. But the reality is that I'm only able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/often-i-m-told-i-m-an-inspiration-to-people-which-i-will-forever-be/) [Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [Focus on being grateful for what you have already .. enjoy it!! Then release into the universe. The universe will manifest it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/focus-on-being-grateful-for-what-you-have-already-enjoy-it-then/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [The Americans say that we are ungrateful-but I ask them for heaven's sake, what should we be grateful to them for-for murdering our fathers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-walker/the-americans-say-that-we-are-ungrateful-but-i-ask-them-for-heaven-s/) [David Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-walker/) > [My first encounter with yoga was in 1969 with my older brother Doug. I was thirteen years old, and he was eighteen. He'd learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-swensen/my-first-encounter-with-yoga-was-in-1969-with-my-older-brother-doug-i/) [David F. Swensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-swensen/) > [Just remember: to be grateful and thank the people who are there and support you along the way is a great start to success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-davis/just-remember-to-be-grateful-and-thank-the-people-who-are-there-and/) [Meryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-davis/) > [Be calm, be strong, be grateful, and become a lamp full of light, that the darkness of sorrows be annihilated, and that the sun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdu-l-bah/be-calm-be-strong-be-grateful-and-become-a-lamp-full-of-light-that/) [Abdu'l-Bahá](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdu-l-bah/) > [Enjoy your own life without comparing it with that of another for there will always be others whose lives on the face of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-de-caritat-marquis-de-condorcet/enjoy-your-own-life-without-comparing-it-with-that-of-another-for/) [Nicolas de Caritat, marquis de Condorcet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-de-caritat-marquis-de-condorcet/) > [Speak what I have to be grateful for when I get up and when I lie down to sleep. Meditation and prayer. I pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-taylor/speak-what-i-have-to-be-grateful-for-when-i-get-up-and-when-i-lie/) [Regina Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-taylor/) > [Be grateful for the love you have to share-share it, and it will return to you ten times over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-van-praagh/be-grateful-for-the-love-you-have-to-share-share-it-and-it-will/) [James Van Praagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-van-praagh/) > [There are those who say that trees shade the garden too much, and interfere with the growth of the vegetables. There may be something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dudley-warner/there-are-those-who-say-that-trees-shade-the-garden-too-much-and/) [Charles Dudley Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dudley-warner/) > [Kids aint supposed to be grateful! They're supposed to eat your food, break your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kripke/kids-aint-supposed-to-be-grateful-they-re-supposed-to-eat-your-food/) [Eric Kripke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kripke/) > [...Be grateful for what you have to be thankful for instead of complaining about the little things that annoy you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/be-grateful-for-what-you-have-to-be-thankful-for-instead-of/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) Browse all 602 Be grateful quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We just have to recognize life for what it is: a gift to be grateful for, not a property to cling to, hoard, or defend.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henri Nouwen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/we-just-have-to-recognize-life-for-what-it-is-a-gift-to-be-grateful/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Be grateful" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/we-just-have-to-recognize-life-for-what-it-is-a-gift-to-be-grateful/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/henri-nouwen-600_be-grateful_we-just-have-to-recognize-life-for-what_867644.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/henri-nouwen-600_be-grateful_we-just-have-to-recognize-life-for-what_867644.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dd/henri-nouwen-600_be-grateful_we-just-have-to-recognize-life-for-what_867644.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We just have to recognize life for what it is: a gift to be grateful for, not a property to cling to, hoard…” — Henri Nouwen", "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": "Henri Nouwen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We just have to recognize life...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/we-just-have-to-recognize-life-for-what-it-is-a-gift-to-be-grateful/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/we-just-have-to-recognize-life-for-what-it-is-a-gift-to-be-grateful/#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 } } ] } ```