--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All things pass in time. We are far less…" description: "\"All things pass in time. We are far less significant than we imagine ourselves to be. All that we are, all that we have wrought, is but a shadow, no ma..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/jim-butcher-151_breath_all-things-pass-in-time-we-are-far-less_3128143.jpg" --- # All things pass in time. We are far less significant than… ![“All things pass in time. We are far less significant than we imagine ourselves to be. All that we are, all that we have wrought, is but a shadow, no matter how durable it may seem. One day, when the last man has breathed his last breath, the sun will shine, the mountains will stand, the rain will…” quote by Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/jim-butcher-151_breath_all-things-pass-in-time-we-are-far-less_3128143.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/jim-butcher-151_breath_all-things-pass-in-time-we-are-far-less_3128143.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/jim-butcher-151_breath_all-things-pass-in-time-we-are-far-less_3128143.jpg) > “All things pass in time. We are far less significant than we imagine ourselves to be. All that we are, all that we have wrought, is but a shadow, no matter how durable it may seem. One day, when the last man has breathed his last breath, the sun will shine, the mountains will stand, the rain will fall, the streams will whisper—and they will not miss him.” [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) ## 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 the fleeting nature of human existence and the insignificance of individual achievements in the vast timeline of nature. **In simple terms:** Human life is brief and modest compared to nature. Key Takeaway Recognize humility and focus on lasting values. Themes humility impermanence existentialism Mood contemplative melancholic Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - personal reflection - philosophical discourse - creative writing - public speaking Key Concepts cosmic perspective legacy ego Questions to Reflect On - How does acknowledging impermanence affect your priorities? - What lasting impact can you strive for? A Different Perspective It may overlook the agency humans have to influence the world positively. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breath/) [Breathed Breath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathed-breath-1289120/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Last breath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-breath/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Missing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missing/) [Mountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mountain/) [One day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-day/) [Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rain/) [Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shadow/) [Shining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shining/) [Significant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significant/) [Streams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streams/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) [Things Pass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-pass/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wrought Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrought-shadow-5521702/) ## Related quotes > [And when I breathed, my breath was lightning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/and-when-i-breathed-my-breath-was-lightning/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [So now, how did God produce this world?... 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I was with him when he took his last breath, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-o-riordan/my-father-i-spent-a-lot-of-time-with-him-at-the-hospital-i-was-with/) [Dolores O'Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-o-riordan/) > [I definitely consider 'Poses' - the whole album in fact - to be kind of a miracle. Like the last breath of that moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-definitely-consider-poses-the-whole-album-in-fact-to-be-kind-of-a/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [Think of the sound you make when you let go after holding your breath for a very, very long time. Think of the gladdest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-d-schmidt/think-of-the-sound-you-make-when-you-let-go-after-holding-your-breath/) [Gary D. Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-d-schmidt/) ## More by Jim Butcher > [“I stared at MacFinn for a long moment. I believed that he was telling me the truth. 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I'm gone for a few months and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/i-swear-this-stupid-town-why-does-every-hideous-supernatural-thing/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [Well. We’ll just have to hope that this wasn’t a loup-garou, I guess.” “If it was a louper, you’d know,” Bob said wisely. “In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/well-we-ll-just-have-to-hope-that-this-wasn-t-a-loup-garou-i-guess-if/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“I'm going to use them to track him down and thwart him." "Thwart?" Sarissa asked. "Thwart." I said. "To prevent someone from accomplishing something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/i-m-going-to-use-them-to-track-him-down-and-thwart-him-thwart-sarissa/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“But you can't go around changing your definition of right and wrong (or smart and stupid) just because doing the wrong thing happens to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/but-you-can-t-go-around-changing-your-definition-of-right-and-wrong/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“Not everyone can be equally right, Harry.” “But believe you me, everyone can be equally wrong,” I said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/not-everyone-can-be-equally-right-harry-but-believe-you-me-everyone/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [You are a drug dealer. To tiny faeries. Shame." 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Professional ectomancer with a national reputation as a medium tells you what’s going on, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/mort-looked-at-the-cat-and-sighed-oh-sure-professional-ectomancer/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) [Explore all 1,110 Jim Butcher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) ## More Breath quotes > [“The days may last forever, but the years pass by in a blink; the secret to survival is actually remembering to take a deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-smokler/the-days-may-last-forever-but-the-years-pass-by-in-a-blink-the-secret/) [Jill Smokler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-smokler/) > [Dawn's faint breath breathes with your mouth at the ends of empty streets. Gray light your eyes, sweet drops of dawn on dark hills.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/dawn-s-faint-breath-breathes-with-your-mouth-at-the-ends-of-empty/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [Take a deep breath. It,s just a bad day not a bad life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/take-a-deep-breath-it-s-just-a-bad-day-not-a-bad-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I stopped loving you today, But OMG..., Seeing your Body takes my breath away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becka-miller/i-stopped-loving-you-today-but-omg-seeing-your-body-takes-my-breath/) [Becka Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becka-miller/) > [So we must do our very best Whatever life may bring And look beyond the winter chill To smell the breath of spring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-we-must-do-our-very-best-whatever-life-may-bring-and-look-beyond/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Poetry should be vital--either stirring our blood by its divine movements or snatching our breath by its divine perfection. To do both is supreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-birrell/poetry-should-be-vital-either-stirring-our-blood-by-its-divine/) [Augustine Birrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-birrell/) > [“The first step in awareness is to be watchful of your body. Slowly,slowly one becomes alert about each gesture,each movement. And as you become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/the-first-step-in-awareness-is-to-be-watchful-of-your-body-slowly/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [Tic Tacs are the maracas of breath mints.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/tic-tacs-are-the-maracas-of-breath-mints/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [“To control your life, control your mind. To control your mind, control your breath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/to-control-your-life-control-your-mind-to-control-your-mind-control/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [“He’s sitting so close, I can feel his breath on my cheek. My stomach flip-flops again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-s-sitting-so-close-i-can-feel-his-breath-on-my-cheek-my-stomach/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“My life to yours. My breath beecome yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/my-life-to-yours-my-breath-beecome-yours/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“My heart is your heart," she whispers, and wow that takes my breath away, this line from my childhood that she always used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabel-pitcher/my-heart-is-your-heart-she-whispers-and-wow-that-takes-my-breath-away/) [Annabel Pitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabel-pitcher/) > [Good manners and bad breath will get you nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/good-manners-and-bad-breath-will-get-you-nowhere/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [“Being able to be myself was like being able to exhale for the first time after holding my breath for years. It’s only when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/404-ink/being-able-to-be-myself-was-like-being-able-to-exhale-for-the-first/) [404 Ink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/404-ink/) [Browse all 1,839 Breath quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breath/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All things pass in time. We are far less significant than we imagine ourselves to be. All that we are, all that we have wrought, is but a shadow, no matter how durable it may seem. 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