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Augustus waters Quote by John Green

“I missed the future. Obviously I knew even before his recurrence that I'd never grow old with Augustus Waters. But thinking about Lidewij and her boyfriend, I felt robbed. I would probably never again see the ocean from thirty thousand feet above, so far up that you can't make out the waves or any…” quote by John Green
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““I missed the future. Obviously I knew even before his recurrence that I'd never grow old with Augustus Waters. But thinking about Lidewij and her boyfriend, I felt robbed. I would probably never again see the ocean from thirty thousand feet above, so far up that you can't make out the waves or any boats, so that the ocean is a great and endless monolith. I could imagine it. I could remember it. But I couldn't see it again, and it occurred to me that the voracious ambition of humans is never sated by dreams coming true, because there is always the thought that everything might be done better and again.””

John Green

About This Quote

Source Novel: The Fault in Our Stars, 2012

Human ambition is never satisfied; even fulfilled dreams leave longing for more

In simple terms: People always want something beyond what they achieve

Key Takeaway

Recognize contentment beyond endless striving

Themes

ambition desire mortality growth existentialism

Mood

melancholic reflective introspective

Type

literary philosophical emotional

When to use this quote

  • career planning
  • creative projects
  • personal goals
  • grief counseling

Key Concepts

impermanence satisfaction meaning of life

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you balance ambition with gratitude?
  • When does striving become harmful?
A Different Perspective

The quote may romanticize perpetual dissatisfaction

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