--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is the way life goes in Big Sur…" description: "\"This is the way life goes in Big Sur. Waiting for the mail, watching the sea-lions in the surf or the freighters on the horizon, sitting in the tubs at..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5a/hunter-s-thompson-278_art_this-is-the-way-life-goes-in-big-sur-wai_265067.jpg" --- # This is the way life goes in Big Sur. Waiting for the… ![“This is the way life goes in Big Sur. Waiting for the mail, watching the sea-lions in the surf or the freighters on the horizon, sitting in the tubs at Hot Springs, once in a while a bit of drink - and, most of the time, working at what ever it is that you came here to work on, whether it be…” quote by Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5a/hunter-s-thompson-278_art_this-is-the-way-life-goes-in-big-sur-wai_265067.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5a/hunter-s-thompson-278_art_this-is-the-way-life-goes-in-big-sur-wai_265067.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5a/hunter-s-thompson-278_art_this-is-the-way-life-goes-in-big-sur-wai_265067.jpg) > “This is the way life goes in Big Sur. Waiting for the mail, watching the sea-lions in the surf or the freighters on the horizon, sitting in the tubs at Hot Springs, once in a while a bit of drink - and, most of the time, working at what ever it is that you came here to work on, whether it be painting, writing, gardening or the simple art of living your own life.” [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life in Big Sur is a blend of simple pleasures, work, and the rhythm of nature, suggesting fulfillment comes from embracing both work and leisure. **In simple terms:** Balance work with nature and simple joys. Key Takeaway Seek harmony between purpose and place. Themes nature work balance solitude creativity Mood reflective contemplative Type essay travelogue philosophical When to use this quote - travel writing - personal essays - creative pursuits Key Concepts mindfulness place‑based living authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How do you integrate work and environment? - What simple rituals ground you daily? A Different Perspective The romantic view may ignore practical challenges of remote living. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art of living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-of-living/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Big sur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-sur/) [Gardening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gardening/) [Horizon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horizon/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lions/) [Live your own life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-your-own-life/) [Living life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-life/) [Living Your Own Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-your-own-life/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea/) [Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spring/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Religion means living your own life, completely fresh and new, without being taken in by anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kodo-sawaki/religion-means-living-your-own-life-completely-fresh-and-new-without/) [Kodo Sawaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kodo-sawaki/) > [As for conforming outwardly, and living your own life inwardly, I do not think much of that. Let not your right hand know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-conforming-outwardly-and-living-your-own-life-inwardly-i-do/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Being a failure at living your own life as best as you can is better than being a success living the life somebody else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-lester/being-a-failure-at-living-your-own-life-as-best-as-you-can-is-better/) [Julius Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-lester/) > [As to conforming outwardly and living your own life inwardly, I do not think much of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-to-conforming-outwardly-and-living-your-own-life-inwardly-i-do-not/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [All teachings are mere references. The true experience is living your own life. Then, even the holiest of words are only words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-teachings-are-mere-references-the-true-experience-is-living-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Hell, in my opinion, is never finding your true self and never living your own life or knowing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bradshaw/hell-in-my-opinion-is-never-finding-your-true-self-and-never-living/) [John Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bradshaw/) > [“California, Labor Day weekend...early, with ocean fog still in the streets, outlaw motorcyclists wearing chains, shades and greasy Levis roll out from damp garages,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/california-labor-day-weekend-early-with-ocean-fog-still-in-the/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“I have tonight begun reading a stupid, shitty book by Kerouac called Big Sur , and I would give a ball to wake up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/i-have-tonight-begun-reading-a-stupid-shitty-book-by-kerouac-called/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“Above all else, be true to yourself. Do what YOU want to do. Walk alone and be your own judge. It’ll be a bumpy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-wiggins/above-all-else-be-true-to-yourself-do-what-you-want-to-do-walk-alone/) [Karl Wiggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-wiggins/) > [Don't be the person living life for the nexted fix or high. Be the person that your conscious gets the best of you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lee-riner/don-t-be-the-person-living-life-for-the-nexted-fix-or-high-be-the/) [Justin Lee Riner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lee-riner/) > [Maybe YOU would have friends too if you'd get your face out the tabloids & start living your own life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/maybe-you-would-have-friends-too-if-you-d-get-your-face-out-the/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [“Waiting to live life is not worth it. Waiting for someone to figure out how to live with you is not worth waiting for.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadiqua-hamdan/waiting-to-live-life-is-not-worth-it-waiting-for-someone-to-figure/) [Sadiqua Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadiqua-hamdan/) > [I just dont get some people. If you have all the time in the world to talk about other people, and for them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-just-dont-get-some-people-if-you-have-all-the-time-in-the-world-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Love is living your own life, but sharing it. It's forgiveness. It's making a million mistakes and turning them into learning experiences. Love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey/love-is-living-your-own-life-but-sharing-it-it-s-forgiveness-it-s/) [Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey/) > [“Hell, in my opinion, is never finding your true self and never living your own life or knowing who you are. This is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bradshaw/hell-in-my-opinion-is-never-finding-your-true-self-and-never-living-2/) [John Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bradshaw/) ## More by Hunter S. Thompson > [“There was also the fact that sending a penniless writer to get $135 worth of beer was — as Khrushchev said of Nixon —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-was-also-the-fact-that-sending-a-penniless-writer-to-get-135/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“Cases of champagne and scotch lay broken in the street, and everyone I saw had a bottle. They were screaming and dancing, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/cases-of-champagne-and-scotch-lay-broken-in-the-street-and-everyone-i/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [No music + Bad TV = Bad mood & no pages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-music-bad-tv-bad-mood-no-pages/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [By disgracing and degrading the presidency of the United States, by fleeing the White House like a diseased cur, Richard Nixon broke the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/by-disgracing-and-degrading-the-presidency-of-the-united-states-by/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [No one holds command over me. No man. No god. No Prince. What is a claim of age for ones who are immortal? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-one-holds-command-over-me-no-man-no-god-no-prince-what-is-a-claim/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“The person who doesn't scatter the morning dew will not comb grey hairs”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-person-who-doesn-t-scatter-the-morning-dew-will-not-comb-grey/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Hope rises and dreams flicker and die. Love plans for tomorrow and loneliness thinks of yesterday. Life is beautiful and living is pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/hope-rises-and-dreams-flicker-and-die-love-plans-for-tomorrow-and/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [If we get chased out of Iraq with our tail between our legs, that will be the fifth consecutive Third-world country with no hint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/if-we-get-chased-out-of-iraq-with-our-tail-between-our-legs-that-will/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [At age 22 I set what I insist is an all-time record for distance hitchhiking in Bermuda shorts: 3,700 miles in three weeks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/at-age-22-i-set-what-i-insist-is-an-all-time-record-for-distance/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Paranoia is just another mask for ignorance. The truth, when you finally chase it down is almost always far worse than your darkest visions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/paranoia-is-just-another-mask-for-ignorance-the-truth-when-you/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“No doubt they all Got What Was Coming To Them. All those pathetically eager acid freaks who thought they could buy Peace and Understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-doubt-they-all-got-what-was-coming-to-them-all-those-pathetically/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“For several months they'd been drifting toward political involvement, but the picture was hazy and one of the most confusing elements was their geographical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/for-several-months-they-d-been-drifting-toward-political-involvement/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [He wandered into the Newsroom and asked for a job the same way he’d walk into a barbershop and ask for a haircut, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/he-wandered-into-the-newsroom-and-asked-for-a-job-the-same-way-he-d/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [There's no point in getting into politics at all unless you plan to lash things around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-no-point-in-getting-into-politics-at-all-unless-you-plan-to/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [There’s a lot of things wrong with this country, but one of the few things still right with it is that a man can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-a-lot-of-things-wrong-with-this-country-but-one-of-the-few/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) [Explore all 765 Hunter S. Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "This is the way life goes in Big Sur. Waiting for the mail, watching the sea-lions in the surf or the freighters on the horizon, sitting in the tubs at Hot Springs, once in a while a bit of drink - and, most of the time, working at what ever it is that you came here to work on, whether it be painting, writing, gardening or the simple art of living your own life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hunter S. Thompson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/this-is-the-way-life-goes-in-big-sur-waiting-for-the-mail-watching/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/this-is-the-way-life-goes-in-big-sur-waiting-for-the-mail-watching/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5a/hunter-s-thompson-278_art_this-is-the-way-life-goes-in-big-sur-wai_265067.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5a/hunter-s-thompson-278_art_this-is-the-way-life-goes-in-big-sur-wai_265067.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5a/hunter-s-thompson-278_art_this-is-the-way-life-goes-in-big-sur-wai_265067.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“This is the way life goes in Big Sur. Waiting for the mail, watching the sea-lions in the surf or the…” — Hunter S. Thompson", "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": "Hunter S. Thompson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "This is the way life goes...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/this-is-the-way-life-goes-in-big-sur-waiting-for-the-mail-watching/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/this-is-the-way-life-goes-in-big-sur-waiting-for-the-mail-watching/#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 } } ] } ```