--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our battered suitcases were piled on the…" description: "\"Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.\" — Jack Kerouac" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72f/jack-kerouac-182_journey_our-battered-suitcases-were-piled-on-the_1369036.jpg" --- # Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again… ![“Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.” quote by Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72f/jack-kerouac-182_journey_our-battered-suitcases-were-piled-on-the_1369036.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72f/jack-kerouac-182_journey_our-battered-suitcases-were-piled-on-the_1369036.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72f/jack-kerouac-182_journey_our-battered-suitcases-were-piled-on-the_1369036.jpg) > “Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.” [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) ## 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 continuous journey; setbacks are temporary and the path keeps moving forward. **In simple terms:** Life keeps moving despite setbacks. Key Takeaway Embrace the journey regardless of obstacles. Themes travel resilience adventure Mood reflective determined Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - road trips - career changes - personal growth - overcoming setbacks Key Concepts existentialism impermanence Questions to Reflect On - How do you keep moving when faced with repeated setbacks? - What does “the road is life” mean to you? A Different Perspective The quote romanticizes hardship, ignoring real hardship. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Battered Suitcases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battered-suitcases-4709699/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/road/) [Sidewalk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sidewalk/) [Sidewalk Longer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sidewalk-longer-4709700/) [Suitcases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suitcases/) [Suitcases Piled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suitcases-piled-4709701/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/) ## Related quotes > [For life is holy and every moment is precious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/for-life-is-holy-and-every-moment-is-precious/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-only-people-for-me-are-the-mad-ones-the-ones-who-are-mad-to-live-3/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Because the only people for me are the mad ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/because-the-only-people-for-me-are-the-mad-ones/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I realized these were all the snapshots which our children would look at someday with wonder, thinking their parents had lived smooth, well-ordered lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-realized-these-were-all-the-snapshots-which-our-children-would-look-2/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Last night I walked clear down to Times Square & just as I arrived I suddenly realized I was a ghost - it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/last-night-i-walked-clear-down-to-times-square-just-as-i-arrived-i/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Bop began with Jazz but one afternoon somewhere on a sidewalk maybe 1939, 1940, Dizzy Gillespie or Charlie Parker or Thelonious Monk was walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bop-began-with-jazz-but-one-afternoon-somewhere-on-a-sidewalk-maybe/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [To me, the most worrisome part of traveling comes before any of the traveling actually occurs: the suitcase-packing process. It's a challenging and anxiety-filled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-marano/to-me-the-most-worrisome-part-of-traveling-comes-before-any-of-the/) [Laura Marano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-marano/) > [I live out of my suitcase and I'm happy to do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-fiona/i-live-out-of-my-suitcase-and-i-m-happy-to-do-so/) [Melanie Fiona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-fiona/) > [My name is Carter Kane. I'm fourteen and my home is a suitcase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/my-name-is-carter-kane-i-m-fourteen-and-my-home-is-a-suitcase/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I got cocky and I stopped taking my vitamins. It was an inconvenience to have a suitcase full of vitamins with me on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ann-mobley/i-got-cocky-and-i-stopped-taking-my-vitamins-it-was-an-inconvenience/) [Mary Ann Mobley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ann-mobley/) > [I'm staying in a lovely hotel, dressing robe behind the door, lovely fluffy sheets - took me a half an hour getting my suitcase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-carson/i-m-staying-in-a-lovely-hotel-dressing-robe-behind-the-door-lovely/) [Frank Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-carson/) > [I'm the breadwinner. I kill the spiders. Actually I don't kill them. I put them in a plastic bag and take them outside. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teri-hatcher/i-m-the-breadwinner-i-kill-the-spiders-actually-i-don-t-kill-them-i/) [Teri Hatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teri-hatcher/) > [You wrestle one night, get up the next morning and fly out to the next city. You try to work out, you try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-goldberg/you-wrestle-one-night-get-up-the-next-morning-and-fly-out-to-the-next/) [Bill Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-goldberg/) > [My homeland is not a suitcase, and I am no traveller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-darwish/my-homeland-is-not-a-suitcase-and-i-am-no-traveller/) [Mahmoud Darwish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-darwish/) > [Everything that I own and use are in a carry-on suitcase,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shailene-woodley/everything-that-i-own-and-use-are-in-a-carry-on-suitcase/) [Shailene Woodley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shailene-woodley/) ## More by Jack Kerouac > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-beat-generation-that-was-a-vision-that-we-had-john-clellon-holmes/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [But, outside of being a sweet little girl, she was awfully dumb and capable of doing horrible things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/but-outside-of-being-a-sweet-little-girl-she-was-awfully-dumb-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“For when you realized that God is Everything you know that you've got to love everything no matter how bad it is, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/for-when-you-realized-that-god-is-everything-you-know-that-you-ve-got/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“I'm an idealist who has outgrown my idealism I have nothing to do the rest of my life but do it and the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-an-idealist-who-has-outgrown-my-idealism-i-have-nothing-to-do-the/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Most of them were running away from something―usually the law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/most-of-them-were-running-away-from-something-usually-the-law/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Non lo so, non importa e non fa nessuna differenza.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/non-lo-so-non-importa-e-non-fa-nessuna-differenza/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“And in the flush of the first few days of joy I confidently tell myself (not expecting what I'll do in three weeks only)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/and-in-the-flush-of-the-first-few-days-of-joy-i-confidently-tell/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I want a blaze of light to flame in me forever in a timeless, dear love of everything. And why should I pretend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-want-a-blaze-of-light-to-flame-in-me-forever-in-a-timeless-dear/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“For the next week that was all I heard - manana, a lovely word and one that probably means heaven.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/for-the-next-week-that-was-all-i-heard-manana-a-lovely-word-and-one/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“O how wonderful life is, how miraculous, God made this and God made that", "how do you know he doesn't hate what He did:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/o-how-wonderful-life-is-how-miraculous-god-made-this-and-god-made/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Notoriety and public confession in the literary form is a frazzler of the heart you were born with, believe me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/notoriety-and-public-confession-in-the-literary-form-is-a-frazzler-of/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I promise I shall never give up, and that I'll die yelling & laughing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-promise-i-shall-never-give-up-and-that-i-ll-die-yelling-laughing/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“The hot water pools are steaming, Fagan and Monsanto and the others are all sitting peacefully up to their necks, they're all naked, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-hot-water-pools-are-steaming-fagan-and-monsanto-and-the-others/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) [Explore all 936 Jack Kerouac quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) ## More Journey quotes > [The end is nothing; the road is all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/the-end-is-nothing-the-road-is-all/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [Strange - is it not? That of the myriads who Before us passed the door of Darkness through, Not one returns to tell us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/strange-is-it-not-that-of-the-myriads-who-before-us-passed-the-door/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/what-people-tend-to-forget-is-the-journey-that-i-had-getting-to/) [Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/) > [It is a sweet thing that we serve a dissatisfied God who has destinations in mind for us that we would never choose for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/it-is-a-sweet-thing-that-we-serve-a-dissatisfied-god-who-has/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [The path I choose through the maze makes me what I am. I am not only a thing, but also a way of being--one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-keyes/the-path-i-choose-through-the-maze-makes-me-what-i-am-i-am-not-only-a/) [Daniel Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-keyes/) > [Have a Blast; Life wont last! Make the best of the journey before it is over!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/have-a-blast-life-wont-last-make-the-best-of-the-journey-before-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Cocoon's cry to first fly, Travels thousands of miles— So much in so little life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-negi/cocoon-s-cry-to-first-fly-travels-thousands-of-miles-so-much-in-so/) [Ritu Negi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-negi/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [Loving yourself is a journey, not a destination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-holliday/loving-yourself-is-a-journey-not-a-destination/) [Tess Holliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-holliday/) > [“Everywhere is home, let is go home”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzuco-hu-nh/everywhere-is-home-let-is-go-home/) [Dzuco Huỳnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzuco-hu-nh/) > [Life is a journey, not a destination. Fall into the deep - rise to new heights. .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashish-basumatary/life-is-a-journey-not-a-destination-fall-into-the-deep-rise-to-new/) [Ashish Basumatary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashish-basumatary/) > [Be the inner journeys, be the outer travels, all trips elevate man, all voyages lift him up!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/be-the-inner-journeys-be-the-outer-travels-all-trips-elevate-man-all/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The hardest roads are often empty; the darkest paths are mostly silent; toughest destinations are almost peopleless! No easy road brings you great victory!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/the-hardest-roads-are-often-empty-the-darkest-paths-are-mostly-silent/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“May the seas bend to your journey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoraida-c-rdova/may-the-seas-bend-to-your-journey/) [Zoraida Córdova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoraida-c-rdova/) [Browse all 11,861 Journey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. 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