--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: G. K. Chesterton wrote: “A dead thing can…" description: "\"“G. K. Chesterton wrote: “A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it.”2 Change means you’re alive, my friend.”\" — J..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d8/jen-hatmaker-4184_change_g-k-chesterton-wrote-a-dead-thing-can-go_1337826.png" --- # G. K. Chesterton wrote: “A dead thing can go with the… ![“G. K. Chesterton wrote: “A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it.”2 Change means you’re alive, my friend.” quote by Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d8/jen-hatmaker-4184_change_g-k-chesterton-wrote-a-dead-thing-can-go_1337826.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d8/jen-hatmaker-4184_change_g-k-chesterton-wrote-a-dead-thing-can-go_1337826.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d8/jen-hatmaker-4184_change_g-k-chesterton-wrote-a-dead-thing-can-go_1337826.png) > ““G. K. Chesterton wrote: “A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it.”2 Change means you’re alive, my friend.”” [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living change requires embracing life, opposing the status quo, and staying alive. **In simple terms:** Change means you’re alive; go against the stream. Key Takeaway Embrace change and challenge norms. Themes change life individuality courage growth Mood determined inspirational thoughtful Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career shifts - creative projects - social activism - personal growth Key Concepts Existentialism social conformity personal development Questions to Reflect On - What stream are you resisting? - How does change feel for you? A Different Perspective Resistance can bring isolation or conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive-friend-4509613/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-means-562957/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-thing/) [Means Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means-alive-707954/) [Stream Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stream-living-361180/) ## Related quotes > [A dead thing goes with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/a-dead-thing-goes-with-the-stream-but-only-a-living-thing-can-go/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [“A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/a-dead-thing-can-go-with-the-stream-but-only-a-living-thing-can-go/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [Struggle is what it means to be alive and free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-budbill/struggle-is-what-it-means-to-be-alive-and-free/) [David Budbill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-budbill/) > [“You never feel more aware of what it means to be alive than when you're falling in love. Or dying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bassett/you-never-feel-more-aware-of-what-it-means-to-be-alive-than-when-you/) [Kate Bassett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bassett/) > [“You have no idea," he says to me, "what it means to truly suffer. Sometimes I think you live in some fantasy land where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/you-have-no-idea-he-says-to-me-what-it-means-to-truly-suffer/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [When things are going bad, don't get all bummed out. Don't get startled; don't get frustrated. If you can say the word 'good,' guess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/when-things-are-going-bad-don-t-get-all-bummed-out-don-t-get-startled/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [“Life's a riddle, child," he said lightly, "but if you can feel the bumps on the road, it means you're alive and in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-a-belmond/life-s-a-riddle-child-he-said-lightly-but-if-you-can-feel-the-bumps/) [C.A. Belmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-a-belmond/) > [I enjoy life when things are happening. I don't care if it's good things or bad things. That means you're alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-enjoy-life-when-things-are-happening-i-don-t-care-if-it-s-good/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [“I’m fated to lose everyone I ever love,” April said. “I already know that.” “Of course you are,” Jet responded in her calm, measured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/i-m-fated-to-lose-everyone-i-ever-love-april-said-i-already-know-that/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [To me, the research is a way of exploring what it means to be alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/to-me-the-research-is-a-way-of-exploring-what-it-means-to-be-alive/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [The goal of being alive is to figure out what it means to be alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-goal-of-being-alive-is-to-figure-out-what-it-means-to-be-alive/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [“And as the ax bites into the wood, be comforted in the fact that the ache in your heart and the confusion in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harding/and-as-the-ax-bites-into-the-wood-be-comforted-in-the-fact-that-the/) [Paul Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harding/) > [“Perhaps we only leave So we may once again arrive, To get a bird's eye view Of what it means to be alive. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-hanson/perhaps-we-only-leave-so-we-may-once-again-arrive-to-get-a-bird-s-eye/) [Erin Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-hanson/) > [“Yet if I was asked to do this again - in fact, if I was ever asked to repeat any of my experiences -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barrowman/yet-if-i-was-asked-to-do-this-again-in-fact-if-i-was-ever-asked-to/) [John Barrowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barrowman/) > [You're alive, Bianca. You still can't appreciate what it means, to be alive. It's better than being a vampire - better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/you-re-alive-bianca-you-still-can-t-appreciate-what-it-means-to-be/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) ## More by Jen Hatmaker > [“...when the exhaustive exegesis of God's Word doesn't create people transformed into the image of Jesus, we have missed the forest for the trees.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/when-the-exhaustive-exegesis-of-god-s-word-doesn-t-create-people/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [We cannot carry the gospel to the poor and lowly while emulating the practices of the rich and powerful. We’ve been invited into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/we-cannot-carry-the-gospel-to-the-poor-and-lowly-while-emulating-the/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“Desperately wanting God's kingdom to come, we lead with the law, like a sixteen-year-old girl who thought a Bible on a desk corner would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/desperately-wanting-god-s-kingdom-to-come-we-lead-with-the-law-like-a/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“Simply speaking truth out loud is healing in and of itself. When people courageously voice a true, hard thing, they’ve already stolen some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/simply-speaking-truth-out-loud-is-healing-in-and-of-itself-when/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“Jesus operates beyond the tidy boundaries of good behavior. Rather than simply enforce His rules, we should show our kids His kingdom. That’s where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/jesus-operates-beyond-the-tidy-boundaries-of-good-behavior-rather/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“Flatten your feet, because nothing in your life is too dead for resurrection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/flatten-your-feet-because-nothing-in-your-life-is-too-dead-for/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“Maybe it’s my tattoos talking, but this is my favorite missional mandate. Because the perception of Christians as self-righteous segregationists is so prevailing, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/maybe-it-s-my-tattoos-talking-but-this-is-my-favorite-missional/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“It is incredibly tempting to disparage people who didn’t “change” with us. I have criticized the words of others when the same words came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/it-is-incredibly-tempting-to-disparage-people-who-didn-t-change-with/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“We don't see the New Testament church hoarding the feast for themselves, gorging, getting fatter and fatter and asking for more; more bible studies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/we-don-t-see-the-new-testament-church-hoarding-the-feast-for/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“believe You’re my healer. I believe You are all I need. I believe You’re my portion. I believe You’re more than enough for me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/believe-you-re-my-healer-i-believe-you-are-all-i-need-i-believe-you/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [Faith does not always demand that God explains Himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/faith-does-not-always-demand-that-god-explains-himself/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“Love refuses to deny or dismantle another’s perspective simply because I don’t share it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/love-refuses-to-deny-or-dismantle-another-s-perspective-simply/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“I've discovered reduced consumption doesn't equal reduced community or reduced contentment. There is something liberating about unplugging the machine to discover the heartbeat of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/i-ve-discovered-reduced-consumption-doesn-t-equal-reduced-community/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“Cooking dinner is a sacred gateway from work to rest, from seven separate lives to one shared table.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/cooking-dinner-is-a-sacred-gateway-from-work-to-rest-from-seven/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“The boys organized air-soft gun wars, so eight sweaty, stinky boys are running through my house wielding semiautomatic pellet guns dressed in sweatshirts though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/the-boys-organized-air-soft-gun-wars-so-eight-sweaty-stinky-boys-are/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) [Explore all 114 Jen Hatmaker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“G. 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