--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But one thing I do know: life and time…" description: "\"“But one thing I do know: life and time are ghosted creatures for us all. They belong to us - and are not ours at the same time.”\" — Joan D. Chittister" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25c/joan-d-chittister-2635_clock_but-one-thing-i-do-know-life-and-time-ar_2082532.png" --- # But one thing I do know: life and time are ghosted… ![“But one thing I do know: life and time are ghosted creatures for us all. They belong to us - and are not ours at the same time.” quote by Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25c/joan-d-chittister-2635_clock_but-one-thing-i-do-know-life-and-time-ar_2082532.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25c/joan-d-chittister-2635_clock_but-one-thing-i-do-know-life-and-time-ar_2082532.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25c/joan-d-chittister-2635_clock_but-one-thing-i-do-know-life-and-time-ar_2082532.png) > ““But one thing I do know: life and time are ghosted creatures for us all. They belong to us - and are not ours at the same time.”” [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life and time feel both owned and elusive, reminding us of their fleeting nature. **In simple terms:** Life and time are both ours and not. Key Takeaway Cherish each moment. Themes impermanence spirituality mindfulness Mood reflective contemplative Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - daily routine - major life decisions - grief processing - celebrations Key Concepts existentialism temporal paradox Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance ownership and acceptance of time? - What rituals help you honor fleeting moments? A Different Perspective We often forget to act while time slips away. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life and time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-and-time/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I've been ghosted by all four members of Little Mix.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-capaldi/i-ve-been-ghosted-by-all-four-members-of-little-mix/) [Lewis Capaldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-capaldi/) > [I'm a Scorpio who gets ghosted by Aries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/i-m-a-scorpio-who-gets-ghosted-by-aries/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [The hardest part about being ghosted is the fact that you can't deal with the ghoster directly. You just never hear from them again,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mallory-ortberg/the-hardest-part-about-being-ghosted-is-the-fact-that-you-can-t-deal/) [Mallory Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mallory-ortberg/) > [Halloween might be a time that's renowned for ghosts, but we no longer experience ghosts only on Halloween. In our dating lives, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hussey/halloween-might-be-a-time-that-s-renowned-for-ghosts-but-we-no-longer/) [Matthew Hussey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-hussey/) > [I've been in love with both men and women. I've been ghosted by both men and women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/i-ve-been-in-love-with-both-men-and-women-i-ve-been-ghosted-by-both/) [Bari Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/) > [“And so she ghosted on, in relentless pursuit of escape, not from society, but from herself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-schneider/and-so-she-ghosted-on-in-relentless-pursuit-of-escape-not-from/) [Robyn Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-schneider/) > [The bagel budget for 'Sex and the City 2' could pay for 'Ghosted.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-malik/the-bagel-budget-for-sex-and-the-city-2-could-pay-for-ghosted/) [Art Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-malik/) > [“Employment bargains your life and time for a piece of currency”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/employment-bargains-your-life-and-time-for-a-piece-of-currency/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [The growing child must derive a vitalizing sense of reality from the awareness that his individual way of mastering experience (his ego synthesis) is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-erikson/the-growing-child-must-derive-a-vitalizing-sense-of-reality-from-the/) [Erik Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-erikson/) > [The process of schooling does not give birth to human beings - as education should but never will so long as it springs from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/the-process-of-schooling-does-not-give-birth-to-human-beings-as/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [Life and time are world's two teachers. Life teaches us to make good use of time, while time teaches us the value of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-and-time-are-world-s-two-teachers-life-teaches-us-to-make-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“10. What books would you recommend to an aspiring entrepreneur? Some quick favorites: The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing: Violate Them at Your Own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/10-what-books-would-you-recommend-to-an-aspiring-entrepreneur-some/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [We need another and a wiser and perhaps a more mystical concept of animals. Remote from universal nature, and living by complicated artifice, man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-beston/we-need-another-and-a-wiser-and-perhaps-a-more-mystical-concept-of/) [Henry Beston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-beston/) > [It's fun chasing boys, especially when you're young, but I think it takes time and life experience to notice the other boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reese-witherspoon/it-s-fun-chasing-boys-especially-when-you-re-young-but-i-think-it/) [Reese Witherspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reese-witherspoon/) > [Nirvana is a word that means enlightenment, being beyond the illusion of birth and death, the illusion of pain, the illusion of love, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/nirvana-is-a-word-that-means-enlightenment-being-beyond-the-illusion/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) ## More by Joan D. Chittister > [A hard heart makes for hard judgments; a compassionate heart understands the humanity of the one we presume to judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/a-hard-heart-makes-for-hard-judgments-a-compassionate-heart/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [To be enlightened is to know that heaven is not "coming." Heaven is here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/to-be-enlightened-is-to-know-that-heaven-is-not-coming-heaven-is-here/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [We don't change as we get older - we just get to be more of what we've always been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/we-don-t-change-as-we-get-older-we-just-get-to-be-more-of-what-we-ve/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [We may well be the ones Proverbs warns when it reminds us: "Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value the one who speaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/we-may-well-be-the-ones-proverbs-warns-when-it-reminds-us-kings-take/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Today we live in a world that judges its achievements by speed and busyness. Â… We are so busy making things happen that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/today-we-live-in-a-world-that-judges-its-achievements-by-speed-and/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [My limitations make space for the gifts of other people. Without the grace of our limitations we would be isolated, dry, and insufferable creatures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/my-limitations-make-space-for-the-gifts-of-other-people-without-the/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Humility is authenticity. It comes from the Latin word humus, meaning "earth." As the church has taught, we're made of dust, and unto dust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/humility-is-authenticity-it-comes-from-the-latin-word-humus-meaning/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Compassion makes no distinction between friends and enemies, neighbors and outsiders, compatriots and foreigners. Compassion is the gate to human community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/compassion-makes-no-distinction-between-friends-and-enemies-neighbors/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Prophets are so dangerous because they cry in season and out of season, politely and impolitely, loud and long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/prophets-are-so-dangerous-because-they-cry-in-season-and-out-of/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [“We don't change as we get older - we just get to be ore of what we've always been.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/we-don-t-change-as-we-get-older-we-just-get-to-be-ore-of-what-we-ve/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [“What happens to the spiritual life of a young girl who is made to understand, consciously or subconsciously, that she has no place in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/what-happens-to-the-spiritual-life-of-a-young-girl-who-is-made-to/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Old age tells us that we ourselves have failed often, have never really done anything completely right, have never truly been perfect - anad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/old-age-tells-us-that-we-ourselves-have-failed-often-have-never/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [But we are here to depart from this world as finished as we can possibly become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/but-we-are-here-to-depart-from-this-world-as-finished-as-we-can/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [“Whatever happens to the body, what toll age takes on the physical, the spirit does not grow old. In our dreams, in the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/whatever-happens-to-the-body-what-toll-age-takes-on-the-physical-the/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Two ideas militate against our consciously contributing to a better world. The idea that we can do everything or the conclusion that we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/two-ideas-militate-against-our-consciously-contributing-to-a-better/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) [Explore all 156 Joan D. Chittister quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) ## More Clock quotes > [Even Einstein had to rely for his time on his clock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/even-einstein-had-to-rely-for-his-time-on-his-clock/) [Stanislaw Jerzy Lec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/) > [“Time was never neutral and often felt dangerous. We either think we have all the time in the world or time moves too fast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-reay/time-was-never-neutral-and-often-felt-dangerous-we-either-think-we/) [Katherine Reay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-reay/) > [Before a clock was in the tower, Or e'er a watch was worn; I knew of night the passing hour, And prophesied the morn;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/before-a-clock-was-in-the-tower-or-e-er-a-watch-was-worn-i-knew-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A clock struck out the hour of twelve, and the bird in the hedgerow was still singing as we marched out to the roadway,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-macgill/a-clock-struck-out-the-hour-of-twelve-and-the-bird-in-the-hedgerow/) [Patrick MacGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-macgill/) > [“Time is, to put it in its most impressive and some might say poncy-sounding form, my domain. I can see things that once happened,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-rayner/time-is-to-put-it-in-its-most-impressive-and-some-might-say-poncy/) [Jacqueline Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-rayner/) > [Time travel offends our sense of cause and effect - but maybe the universe doesn't insist on cause and effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/time-travel-offends-our-sense-of-cause-and-effect-but-maybe-the/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [Time.The greatest creator, and the worst destroyer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/levi-keely/time-the-greatest-creator-and-the-worst-destroyer/) Levi Keely > [Steven Spielberg seems to have wanted to be a director from 13. He put his dog in a certain position and made him eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/steven-spielberg-seems-to-have-wanted-to-be-a-director-from-13-he-put/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [No life goes past so swiftly as an eventless one, no clock spins like a clock whose days are all alike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/no-life-goes-past-so-swiftly-as-an-eventless-one-no-clock-spins-like/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Those who stop marketing to save money are like those who stop a clock to save time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/those-who-stop-marketing-to-save-money-are-like-those-who-stop-a/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [Time is the nervous system of narration, whether factual or fictive. If it gets confused some of the minutiae of human nature are certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenway-wescott/time-is-the-nervous-system-of-narration-whether-factual-or-fictive-if/) [Glenway Wescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenway-wescott/) > [I don't know if it's just me or everyone, but the whole vibe with skiing is not so much thriving on competition against others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/picabo-street/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-just-me-or-everyone-but-the-whole-vibe-with/) [Picabo Street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/picabo-street/) > [Time goes on, even when yer not looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/time-goes-on-even-when-yer-not-looking/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clock-n-a-machine-of-great-moral-value-to-man-allaying-his-concern/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Browse all 2,738 Clock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But one thing I do know: life and time are ghosted creatures for us all. They belong to us - and are not ours at the same time.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joan D. 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