--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is something all life has in…" description: "\"There is something all life has in common, and when I know what it is I shall know myself.\" — Jean Craighead George" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45e/jean-craighead-george-27073_common_there-is-something-all-life-has-in-commo_1879634.jpg" --- # There is something all life has in common, and when I know… ![“There is something all life has in common, and when I know what it is I shall know myself.” quote by Jean Craighead George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45e/jean-craighead-george-27073_common_there-is-something-all-life-has-in-commo_1879634.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45e/jean-craighead-george-27073_common_there-is-something-all-life-has-in-commo_1879634.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45e/jean-craighead-george-27073_common_there-is-something-all-life-has-in-commo_1879634.jpg) > “There is something all life has in common, and when I know what it is I shall know myself.” [Jean Craighead George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding a universal life principle reveals self‑knowledge. **In simple terms:** Knowing life's common thread reveals self. Key Takeaway Seek common patterns to understand yourself. Themes self‑knowledge universality nature Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - personal reflection - nature observation - mindfulness practice Key Concepts philosophy psychology ecology Questions to Reflect On - What universal truth resonates with you? - How does nature reflect personal identity? A Different Perspective Identifying a single principle may oversimplify complexity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [Posterity shall know of me even less than I shall know of posterity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/posterity-shall-know-of-me-even-less-than-i-shall-know-of-posterity/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) > [Still we say as we go,-"Strange to think by the wayWhatever there is to know,That shall we know one day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-gabriel-rossetti/still-we-say-as-we-go-strange-to-think-by-the-waywhatever-there-is-to/) [Dante Gabriel Rossetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-gabriel-rossetti/) > [“Anything you see, anything you know or anything you shall see, anything you shall know will remain only for a while!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anything-you-see-anything-you-know-or-anything-you-shall-see-anything/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do you know not now; but you shall know hereafter”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-swaggart/7-jesus-answered-and-said-unto-him-what-i-do-you-know-not-now-but-you/) [Jimmy Swaggart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-swaggart/) > [“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-now-we-see-through-a-glass-darkly-but-then-face-to-face-now-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Whatever there is to know, That shall we know one day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-branch-cabell/whatever-there-is-to-know-that-shall-we-know-one-day/) [James Branch Cabell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-branch-cabell/) > [ \[In the Universe it may be that\] Primitive life is very common and intelligent life is fairly rare. Some would say it has yet… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-the-universe-it-may-be-that-primitive-life-is-very-common-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We're all living a life. We all have so much in common, but we're each going through our time and space in a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-song/we-re-all-living-a-life-we-all-have-so-much-in-common-but-we-re-each/) [Celine Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-song/) > [Other intelligent life-forms will differ greatly in appearance - they may resemble the creature in E.T. or startle us with their beauty - but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-drake/other-intelligent-life-forms-will-differ-greatly-in-appearance-they/) [Frank Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-drake/) > [In life there is nothing more common than talent and intelligence. What is missing is passion, persistence, commitment, and dedication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/in-life-there-is-nothing-more-common-than-talent-and-intelligence/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [“You’ll live your life at the least common denominator of those you spend the most time with if you are not watchful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mensah-oteh/you-ll-live-your-life-at-the-least-common-denominator-of-those-you/) [Mensah Oteh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mensah-oteh/) > [Intelligent life can't be all that common because it's really rare on Earth and especially since we define ourselves to be intelligent. But in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/intelligent-life-can-t-be-all-that-common-because-it-s-really-rare-on/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [You don't have to have anything in common with people you've known since you were five. With old friends, you've got your whole life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/you-don-t-have-to-have-anything-in-common-with-people-you-ve-known/) [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) > [This administration affects the everyday life of the common person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jourgensen/this-administration-affects-the-everyday-life-of-the-common-person/) [Al Jourgensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jourgensen/) > [.Life is all about common sense ,but common sense is not common.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armstrong-shonhiwa/life-is-all-about-common-sense-but-common-sense-is-not-common/) [Armstrong Shonhiwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armstrong-shonhiwa/) ## More by Jean Craighead George > [To be a writer you should read, write and talk to people, hear their knowledge, hear their problems. Be a good listener. The rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/to-be-a-writer-you-should-read-write-and-talk-to-people-hear-their/) [Jean Craighead George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/) > [I am actually looking most forward to seeing the country again. It's a wonderful town and the wilderness around there is beautiful. The falls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/i-am-actually-looking-most-forward-to-seeing-the-country-again-it-s-a/) [Jean Craighead George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/) > [I love to travel, but when I really want to escape, I read a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/i-love-to-travel-but-when-i-really-want-to-escape-i-read-a-book/) [Jean Craighead George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/) > [I just love the world around me and wanted my audience to love and appreciate it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/i-just-love-the-world-around-me-and-wanted-my-audience-to-love-and/) [Jean Craighead George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/) > [Cat talk is a complicated, self-centered language. If you speak to your cat first, it probably won't speak back. Cats initiate conversations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/cat-talk-is-a-complicated-self-centered-language-if-you-speak-to-your/) [Jean Craighead George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/) > [Cats ... are completely self-sufficient and can leave you at any time and go off and make a living. And yet cats can have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/cats-are-completely-self-sufficient-and-can-leave-you-at-any-time-and/) [Jean Craighead George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/) > [“There the old Eskimo hunters she had known in her childhood thought the riches of life were intelligence, fearlessness, and love. A man with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/there-the-old-eskimo-hunters-she-had-known-in-her-childhood-thought/) [Jean Craighead George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/) > [Most birds are geniuses. We had one that became a pet; he learned to talk, use tools and solve problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/most-birds-are-geniuses-we-had-one-that-became-a-pet-he-learned-to/) [Jean Craighead George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/) > [The dog wags its tail only at living things. A tail wag, the equivalent of a human smile, is bestowed upon people, dogs ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/the-dog-wags-its-tail-only-at-living-things-a-tail-wag-the-equivalent/) [Jean Craighead George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/) > [I must say this now about that first fire. It was magic. Out of dead tinder and grass and sticks came a live warm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/i-must-say-this-now-about-that-first-fire-it-was-magic-out-of-dead/) [Jean Craighead George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/) > [That is the greatest gift my books have given me; what it means and has done for the kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/that-is-the-greatest-gift-my-books-have-given-me-what-it-means-and/) [Jean Craighead George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/) > [“When the wolves are gone there will be too many caribou grazing the grass and the lemmings will starve. Without the lemmings the foxes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/when-the-wolves-are-gone-there-will-be-too-many-caribou-grazing-the/) [Jean Craighead George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/) > [“Maybe the Europeans once thought the earth was flat, but the Eskimos always knew it was round. One only needed to look at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/maybe-the-europeans-once-thought-the-earth-was-flat-but-the-eskimos/) [Jean Craighead George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/) > [Chicken is Good! It tastes like chicken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/chicken-is-good-it-tastes-like-chicken/) [Jean Craighead George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/) > [When fear seizes, change what you are doing. You are doing something wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/when-fear-seizes-change-what-you-are-doing-you-are-doing-something/) [Jean Craighead George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/) [Explore all 21 Jean Craighead George quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/) ## More Common quotes > [I'm Fine!, the most common LIE in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/i-m-fine-the-most-common-lie-in-the-world/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. 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If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/when-you-have-a-cavity-in-your-tooth-and-you-let-it-get-worse/) [Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Common sense is nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down in the mind before you reach eighteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/common-sense-is-nothing-more-than-a-deposit-of-prejudices-laid-down/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-is-a-tragedy-that-we-live-in-a-world-where-physical-courage-is-so/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) Browse all 7,866 Common quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is something all life has in common, and when I know what it is I shall know myself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean Craighead George" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/there-is-something-all-life-has-in-common-and-when-i-know-what-it-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Common" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/there-is-something-all-life-has-in-common-and-when-i-know-what-it-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45e/jean-craighead-george-27073_common_there-is-something-all-life-has-in-commo_1879634.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45e/jean-craighead-george-27073_common_there-is-something-all-life-has-in-commo_1879634.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45e/jean-craighead-george-27073_common_there-is-something-all-life-has-in-commo_1879634.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is something all life has in common, and when I know what it is I shall know myself.” — Jean Craighead George", "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": "Jean Craighead George", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is something all life has...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/there-is-something-all-life-has-in-common-and-when-i-know-what-it-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/there-is-something-all-life-has-in-common-and-when-i-know-what-it-is/#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 } } ] } ```