Business Quote by Jeanette Winterson
““Much of what I have done is left unfinished- not because I left it too soon, not because I was lazy, but because it had a life of it's own that continues without me. Children, I suppose, are always unfinished business: they begin as part of your own body, and continue as seperate as another continent. The work you do, if it has any meaning, passes to other hands. The day slides into a night's dreaming. True stories are the ones that lie open at the border, allowing a crossing, a further frontier. The final frontier is just science fiction -don't believe it. Like the universe, there is no end. (p.87)””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Passion, Jeanette Winterson, 1987
The quote reflects on unfinished work, especially children, as ongoing, autonomous projects that outlive their creator, and the idea that meaning passes on to others, with life and stories being endless frontiers
In simple terms: Unfinished work continues beyond us, and meaning is passed forward
Key Takeaway
Recognize and nurture ongoing legacies
Themes
legacy
continuity
creation
meaning
future
Mood
reflective
hopeful
philosophical
Type
inspirational
reflective
When to use this quote
- parenting
- artistic projects
- scientific research
- storytelling
- mentorship
Key Concepts
Existentialism
intergenerational impact
narrative openness
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we balance unfinished potential with the need for resolution?
- What responsibilities arise when we inherit others' unfinished work?
A Different Perspective
It may romanticize continuity, overlooking the need for closure
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![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)