--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we respected only what is inevitable…" description: "\"“If we respected only what is inevitable and has a right to be, music and poetry would resound along the streets. When we are unhurried and wise, we pe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da3/henry-david-thoreau-20_fear_if-we-respected-only-what-is-inevitable_1784446.jpg" --- # If we respected only what is inevitable and has a right to… ![“If we respected only what is inevitable and has a right to be, music and poetry would resound along the streets. When we are unhurried and wise, we perceive that only great and worthy things have any permanent and absolute existence, that petty fears and petty pleasures are but the shadow of the…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da3/henry-david-thoreau-20_fear_if-we-respected-only-what-is-inevitable_1784446.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da3/henry-david-thoreau-20_fear_if-we-respected-only-what-is-inevitable_1784446.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da3/henry-david-thoreau-20_fear_if-we-respected-only-what-is-inevitable_1784446.jpg) > ““If we respected only what is inevitable and has a right to be, music and poetry would resound along the streets. When we are unhurried and wise, we perceive that only great and worthy things have any permanent and absolute existence, that petty fears and petty pleasures are but the shadow of the reality. This is always exhilarating and sublime.”” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing that only enduring, noble values truly matter, while fleeting fears and pleasures are insubstantial. **In simple terms:** Only lasting virtues matter, fleeting things are shadows. Key Takeaway Focus on timeless values, ignore trivialities. Themes philosophy values timelessness Mood contemplative inspired Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - personal reflection - urban life - artistic inspiration - mindfulness Key Concepts Existentialism aesthetic appreciation Questions to Reflect On - What truly endures in your life? - How do you differentiate lasting worth from fleeting pleasure? A Different Perspective May overlook practical needs in pursuit of idealism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Existence Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence-petty-1891135/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Inevitable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inevitable/) [Inevitable Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inevitable-right-1891136/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music And Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-and-poetry/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Respected Inevitable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respected-inevitable-1891134/) ## Related quotes > [If we respected only what is inevitable and has a right to be, music and poetry would resound along the streets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-we-respected-only-what-is-inevitable-and-has-a-right-to-be-music-2/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [When we are unhurried and wise, we perceive that only great and worthy things have any permanent and absolute existence, that petty fears and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-we-are-unhurried-and-wise-we-perceive-that-only-great-and-worthy/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [ “\[...\] but just as formerly these pursuits and ideas had seemed petty and insignificant in comparison with the darkness that overshadowed all existence, so… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/but-just-as-formerly-these-pursuits-and-ideas-had-seemed-petty-and/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [There's a certain line between jokes and music and poetry that's a bit blurred in my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/there-s-a-certain-line-between-jokes-and-music-and-poetry-that-s-a/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [I was sensitive to music and poetry, and it was around me growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosanne-cash/i-was-sensitive-to-music-and-poetry-and-it-was-around-me-growing-up/) [Rosanne Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosanne-cash/) > [The incalculable winds of fantasy and music and poetry, the mere face of a girl, the song of a bird, or the sight of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-incalculable-winds-of-fantasy-and-music-and-poetry-the-mere-face/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...in Aristotle...leisure is a far more noble, spiritual goal than work...leisure is pursued solely for its own sake...: the pleasures of music and poetry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-du-plessix-gray/in-aristotle-leisure-is-a-far-more-noble-spiritual-goal-than-work/) [Francine du Plessix Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-du-plessix-gray/) > [I love to write music and poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naturi-naughton/i-love-to-write-music-and-poetry/) [Naturi Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naturi-naughton/) > [The feeling of awed wonder that science can give us is one of the highest experiences of which the human psyche is capable. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-feeling-of-awed-wonder-that-science-can-give-us-is-one-of-the/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“Yes, I’m sorry for you — sorry to see you throwing away happiness with both hands and reaching out for something that would never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/yes-i-m-sorry-for-you-sorry-to-see-you-throwing-away-happiness-with/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [Architecture, sculpture, painting, music, and poetry, may truly be called the efflorescence of civilised life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/architecture-sculpture-painting-music-and-poetry-may-truly-be-called/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [“Until now, I've been writing about "now" as if it were literally an instant of time, but of course human faculties are not infinitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/until-now-i-ve-been-writing-about-now-as-if-it-were-literally-an/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [I didn't go out on one date in high school. I played guitar and sang and wrote my own music and poetry and stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-bates/i-didn-t-go-out-on-one-date-in-high-school-i-played-guitar-and-sang/) [Kathy Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-bates/) > [Let us then blend everything: love, religion, genius, with sunshine, perfume, music, and poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/let-us-then-blend-everything-love-religion-genius-with-sunshine/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [“where does creativity come from? Creativity comes from the Universe itself. “There is music and poetry in the Universe itself — surely we hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/where-does-creativity-come-from-creativity-comes-from-the-universe/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Existence quotes > [Getting on the cover of TIME guarantees the existence of opposition in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/getting-on-the-cover-of-time-guarantees-the-existence-of-opposition/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [A lot of indigenous cultures are deeply involved in working with ancestor spirits, elemental spirits, and demons. Many of these cultures feel that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pinchbeck/a-lot-of-indigenous-cultures-are-deeply-involved-in-working-with/) [Daniel Pinchbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pinchbeck/) > [It does not seem to me to be sufficiently recognized everywhere among the officials that the existence or non-existence of our people and Empire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-von-hindenburg/it-does-not-seem-to-me-to-be-sufficiently-recognized-everywhere-among/) [Paul von Hindenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-von-hindenburg/) > [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram, or the most intricate analysis, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/my-mind-rebels-at-stagnation-give-me-problems-give-me-work-give-me/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [Never belong to a crowd; Never belong to a nation; Never belong to a religion; Never belong to a race. Belong to the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/never-belong-to-a-crowd-never-belong-to-a-nation-never-belong-to-a/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Universities are the cathedrals of the modern age. They shouldn't have to justify their existence by utilitarian criteria.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lodge/universities-are-the-cathedrals-of-the-modern-age-they-shouldn-t-have/) [David Lodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lodge/) > [Just as everybody has the vote including women, I think children should, because as a child is conscious of itself then it has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/just-as-everybody-has-the-vote-including-women-i-think-children/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [To divide one's life by years is of course to tumble into a trap set by our own arithmetic. The calendar consents to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/to-divide-one-s-life-by-years-is-of-course-to-tumble-into-a-trap-set/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) [Browse all 7,646 Existence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If we respected only what is inevitable and has a right to be, music and poetry would resound along the streets. 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