--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Time lies frozen there. It's always Then…" description: "\"“Time lies frozen there. It's always Then. It's never Now.”\" — James Thurber" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba6/james-thurber-1534_clock_time-lies-frozen-there-it-s-always-then_293203.png" --- # Time lies frozen there. It's always Then. It's never Now. ![“Time lies frozen there. It's always Then. It's never Now.” quote by James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba6/james-thurber-1534_clock_time-lies-frozen-there-it-s-always-then_293203.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba6/james-thurber-1534_clock_time-lies-frozen-there-it-s-always-then_293203.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba6/james-thurber-1534_clock_time-lies-frozen-there-it-s-always-then_293203.png) > ““Time lies frozen there. It's always Then. It's never Now.”” [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Time is perceived as a static moment, never truly present, suggesting we live in a mental past rather than the present. **In simple terms:** Time feels stuck, never now. Key Takeaway Live in the present. Themes time perception mindfulness philosophy Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily routines - stress management - mindful meditation - creative work Key Concepts existentialism temporal awareness Questions to Reflect On - How can you anchor yourself in the now? - What habits keep you stuck in the past? A Different Perspective Living only in memory can hinder growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Frozen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frozen/) [Lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lies/) [Lies Frozen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lies-frozen-2815970/) [Now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/now/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-lies-380385/) ## Related quotes > [“If a policeman is serious about his profession but says he has time, he lies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/if-a-policeman-is-serious-about-his-profession-but-says-he-has-time/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [How long a time lies in one little word?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/how-long-a-time-lies-in-one-little-word/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The time for lies and secrets is over," she meowed. "The truth must come out. Starclan was wrong not to tell you who you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-hunter/the-time-for-lies-and-secrets-is-over-she-meowed-the-truth-must-come-2/) [Erin Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-hunter/) > [“Time heals all wounds. Time is of the essence. Time is short. Time is on my side. Lies. All lies. Time is the enemy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-reid/time-heals-all-wounds-time-is-of-the-essence-time-is-short-time-is-on/) [Penny Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-reid/) > [The camera lies all the time -- lies 24 times/second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-palma/the-camera-lies-all-the-time-lies-24-times-second/) [Brian De Palma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-palma/) > [“And time is a curious thing. Most of us only live for the time that lies right ahead of us. A few days, weeks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/and-time-is-a-curious-thing-most-of-us-only-live-for-the-time-that-2/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [“The time for lies is over.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner-the-death-cure/the-time-for-lies-is-over/) [James Dashner The Death Cure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner-the-death-cure/) > [In time, lies bring turmoil, where honesty brings peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-fesler/in-time-lies-bring-turmoil-where-honesty-brings-peace/) [Wes Fesler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-fesler/) > [Fake people dont get no where cause there comes a time where they lies all comes out and they the one all alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teady/fake-people-dont-get-no-where-cause-there-comes-a-time-where-they/) [$Teady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teady/) > [The time for lies and secrets is over," she meowed. "The truth must come out. 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When these things are raised to a high point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/humor-does-not-include-sarcasm-invalid-irony-sardonicism-innuendo-or/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Where most of us end up there is no knowing, but the hellbent get where they are going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/where-most-of-us-end-up-there-is-no-knowing-but-the-hellbent-get/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Comedy has to be done en clair. You can't blunt the edge of wit or the point of satire with obscurity. 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I can see things that once happened,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-rayner/time-is-to-put-it-in-its-most-impressive-and-some-might-say-poncy/) [Jacqueline Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-rayner/) > [Time travel offends our sense of cause and effect - but maybe the universe doesn't insist on cause and effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/time-travel-offends-our-sense-of-cause-and-effect-but-maybe-the/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [Time.The greatest creator, and the worst destroyer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/levi-keely/time-the-greatest-creator-and-the-worst-destroyer/) [Levi Keely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/levi-keely/) > [Steven Spielberg seems to have wanted to be a director from 13. He put his dog in a certain position and made him eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/steven-spielberg-seems-to-have-wanted-to-be-a-director-from-13-he-put/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [No life goes past so swiftly as an eventless one, no clock spins like a clock whose days are all alike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/no-life-goes-past-so-swiftly-as-an-eventless-one-no-clock-spins-like/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Those who stop marketing to save money are like those who stop a clock to save time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/those-who-stop-marketing-to-save-money-are-like-those-who-stop-a/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [Time is the nervous system of narration, whether factual or fictive. If it gets confused some of the minutiae of human nature are certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenway-wescott/time-is-the-nervous-system-of-narration-whether-factual-or-fictive-if/) [Glenway Wescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenway-wescott/) > [I don't know if it's just me or everyone, but the whole vibe with skiing is not so much thriving on competition against others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/picabo-street/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-just-me-or-everyone-but-the-whole-vibe-with/) [Picabo Street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/picabo-street/) > [Time goes on, even when yer not looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/time-goes-on-even-when-yer-not-looking/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clock-n-a-machine-of-great-moral-value-to-man-allaying-his-concern/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Browse all 2,738 Clock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Time lies frozen there. It's always Then. 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