--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Much of what I have done is left…" description: "\"“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 contin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fec/jeanette-winterson-166_business_much-of-what-i-have-done-is-left-unfinis_239586.jpg" --- # Much of what I have done is left unfinished- not because I… ![“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…” quote by Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fec/jeanette-winterson-166_business_much-of-what-i-have-done-is-left-unfinis_239586.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fec/jeanette-winterson-166_business_much-of-what-i-have-done-is-left-unfinis_239586.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fec/jeanette-winterson-166_business_much-of-what-i-have-done-is-left-unfinis_239586.jpg) > ““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)”” [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. 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 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Childern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childern-31138/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Final Frontier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/final-frontier-782314/) [Left Unfinished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-unfinished-2169207/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Science fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Suppose Unfinished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suppose-unfinished-2404730/) [Unfinished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfinished/) [Unfinished business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfinished-business/) ## Related quotes > [Would I go back to Napoli? It'd be wonderful even to just know those fans had thought of me. 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