--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The life we've been leading couldn't last…" description: "\"The life we've been leading couldn't last forever. It's a wonder it lasted as long as it did.\" — Jack Vance" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9d/jack-vance-3851_forever_the-life-we-ve-been-leading-couldn-t-las_3066691.jpg" --- # The life we've been leading couldn't last forever. It's a… ![“The life we've been leading couldn't last forever. It's a wonder it lasted as long as it did.” quote by Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9d/jack-vance-3851_forever_the-life-we-ve-been-leading-couldn-t-las_3066691.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9d/jack-vance-3851_forever_the-life-we-ve-been-leading-couldn-t-las_3066691.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9d/jack-vance-3851_forever_the-life-we-ve-been-leading-couldn-t-las_3066691.jpg) > “The life we've been leading couldn't last forever. It's a wonder it lasted as long as it did.” [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our current lifestyle is unsustainable; change is inevitable. **In simple terms:** Life can't stay the same forever. Key Takeaway Prepare for inevitable change. Themes change sustainability impermanence reflection Mood concerned motivational Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - career - environment - personal growth Key Concepts adaptation future planning Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of your life need change? - How can you embrace change positively? A Different Perspective Optimism may overlook urgency of change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [The truth of the matter is that I have lasted a long time, and with it comes both good and bad things. One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/the-truth-of-the-matter-is-that-i-have-lasted-a-long-time-and-with-it/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [“If we'd been edible we'd never have lasted this long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-hoban/if-we-d-been-edible-we-d-never-have-lasted-this-long/) [Russell Hoban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-hoban/) > [There was a time when I believed that all things beautiful were because they only lasted so long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/high-kick-3/there-was-a-time-when-i-believed-that-all-things-beautiful-were/) High Kick 3 > [One reason we lasted so long is that we usually played two people who were very much in love. As we were realistic actors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-fontanne/one-reason-we-lasted-so-long-is-that-we-usually-played-two-people-who/) [Lynn Fontanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-fontanne/) > [We have lasted this long close together, so we must have something going for each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-mccartney/we-have-lasted-this-long-close-together-so-we-must-have-something/) [Linda McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-mccartney/) > [“I couldn't let you believe we'd keep going, when we'd already lasted too long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-choi/i-couldn-t-let-you-believe-we-d-keep-going-when-we-d-already-lasted/) [Susan Choi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-choi/) > [He lasted about as long as the dessert tray at Rosie O'Donnell's house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-miller/he-lasted-about-as-long-as-the-dessert-tray-at-rosie-o-donnell-s-house/) [Dennis Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-miller/) > [I think 19 years, what I've done, you see nowadays people get there with money and so on, but they last one or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rubens-barrichello/i-think-19-years-what-i-ve-done-you-see-nowadays-people-get-there/) [Rubens Barrichello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rubens-barrichello/) > [“It lasted for a long time, I believe." "A very long time. It was a great success, but even great successes come to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/it-lasted-for-a-long-time-i-believe-a-very-long-time-it-was-a-great/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [“You couldn't have know, and you always came back to me. They never lasted long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlen-aymes/you-couldn-t-have-know-and-you-always-came-back-to-me-they-never/) [Kahlen Aymes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlen-aymes/) > [“It couldn’t last forever. It wasn’t meant to. So at last I rolled onto my side to face him. I let myself drink in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-hart/it-couldn-t-last-forever-it-wasn-t-meant-to-so-at-last-i-rolled-onto/) [Megan Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-hart/) > [“She knew that this day, this feeling, couldn't last forever. Everything passed; that was partly why it was so beautiful. Things would get difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/she-knew-that-this-day-this-feeling-couldn-t-last-forever-everything/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“wonderful things couldn’t last forever, or they would be dulled by repetition and cease being wonderful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wonderful-things-couldn-t-last-forever-or-they-would-be-dulled-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She knew that this day, this feeling, couldn't last forever. Everything passed; that was partly why it was so beautiful. Things would get difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/she-knew-that-this-day-this-feeling-couldn-t-last-forever-everything-2/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“No, of course not. But surely you know your affair couldn't go on forever." "Forever has no meaning when you're living in the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/no-of-course-not-but-surely-you-know-your-affair-couldn-t-go-on/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) ## More by Jack Vance > [Conversation! Supple sentences, with first and second meanings and overtones beyond, outrageous challenges with cleverly planned slip-points, rebuttals of elegant brevity; deceptions and guiles,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-vance/conversation-supple-sentences-with-first-and-second-meanings-and/) [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) > [But, for instance, when I was awfully young, I read all the Oz books. They were an enormous influence on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-vance/but-for-instance-when-i-was-awfully-young-i-read-all-the-oz-books/) [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) > [I categorically declare first my absolute innocence, second my lack of criminal intent, and third my effusive apologies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-vance/i-categorically-declare-first-my-absolute-innocence-second-my-lack-of/) [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) > [Right now I'm so old that if I had a big gush of money, I don't know what I'd do with it. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-vance/right-now-i-m-so-old-that-if-i-had-a-big-gush-of-money-i-don-t-know/) [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) > [This is no science, this is art, where equations fall away to elements like resolving chords, and where always prevails a symmetry either explicit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-vance/this-is-no-science-this-is-art-where-equations-fall-away-to-elements/) [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) > [“I will be glad to go. There is no poetry here. It is as I have always set forth: joy comes of its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-vance/i-will-be-glad-to-go-there-is-no-poetry-here-it-is-as-i-have-always/) [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) > [Jack Vance's Lyonesse books are the greatest fairy tale of the twentieth century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-vance/jack-vance-s-lyonesse-books-are-the-greatest-fairy-tale-of-the/) [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) > [Good music always defeats bad luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-vance/good-music-always-defeats-bad-luck/) [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) > [“I am not Cugel the Clever for nothing!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-vance/i-am-not-cugel-the-clever-for-nothing/) [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) > [“Twango's hospitality, though largely symbolic, does him credit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-vance/twango-s-hospitality-though-largely-symbolic-does-him-credit/) [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) > [Nothing is more conspicuous than a farting princess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-vance/nothing-is-more-conspicuous-than-a-farting-princess/) [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) > [“The dead man's companions at the counter started to their feet, but halted as Voynod with great aplomb turned to face them. "Take care,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-vance/the-dead-man-s-companions-at-the-counter-started-to-their-feet-but/) [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) > [The story was such that I couldn't make a graceful ending and then make a graceful new beginning. I could have, but I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-vance/the-story-was-such-that-i-couldn-t-make-a-graceful-ending-and-then/) [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) > [Vance has a genius in evoking the beauty of strangeness, the strangeness of beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-vance/vance-has-a-genius-in-evoking-the-beauty-of-strangeness-the/) [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) > [This flattery has been rather slow in coming. I think all of sudden late in life now I'm getting some credit for what I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-vance/this-flattery-has-been-rather-slow-in-coming-i-think-all-of-sudden/) [Jack Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) [Explore all 120 Jack Vance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-vance/) ## More Forever quotes > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [“I believe in forever, and that’s what you and I are. We define eternity. This may sound cheesy, but you make me go there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-mchugh/i-believe-in-forever-and-that-s-what-you-and-i-are-we-define-eternity/) [Gail McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-mchugh/) > [Contradictory precepts that have guided me for as long as I can remember: 1: I will live forever. 2: I will die tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gardner/contradictory-precepts-that-have-guided-me-for-as-long-as-i-can/) [Howard Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gardner/) > [People don't always realize that a record is forever. It'll always be there under your name. You've got to be certain that it's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-iero/people-don-t-always-realize-that-a-record-is-forever-it-ll-always-be/) [Frank Iero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-iero/) > [When you find someone you want to spend forever with you, you don't let them go, whether forever turns out to be a day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/when-you-find-someone-you-want-to-spend-forever-with-you-you-don-t/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [What does forever mean to you? When you couldnt even keep it true You said were youd forever be there But were those just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fad-ibra/what-does-forever-mean-to-you-when-you-couldnt-even-keep-it-true-you/) [Fad Ibra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fad-ibra/) > [Forever is a really long time, you know? What do you do with forever?" "The same thing you do when you don't have forever."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/forever-is-a-really-long-time-you-know-what-do-you-do-with-forever/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) > [Whole scenes of your life slip away forever if you don't put them down in ink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silas-house/whole-scenes-of-your-life-slip-away-forever-if-you-don-t-put-them/) [Silas House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silas-house/) > [Tonight I feel like a prisoner on fire, waiting desperately... denied, sentenced forever more. Only your love can set me free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bolton/tonight-i-feel-like-a-prisoner-on-fire-waiting-desperately-denied/) [Michael Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bolton/) > [It all depends on you. You can go on sleeping forever, you can wake up right this moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/it-all-depends-on-you-you-can-go-on-sleeping-forever-you-can-wake-up/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [I want to do - I want to be putting out classic stuff that's gonna stick and last forever, you feel me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yg/i-want-to-do-i-want-to-be-putting-out-classic-stuff-that-s-gonna/) YG > [“I will run every mile, i will save every line, i will say i reached the top and i will fall back down standing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mennah-al-refaey/i-will-run-every-mile-i-will-save-every-line-i-will-say-i-reached-the/) Mennah al refaey Browse all 10,689 Forever quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The life we've been leading couldn't last forever. 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