--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ah! How often when I have been abroad on…" description: "\"Ah! How often when I have been abroad on the mountains has my heart risen in grateful praise to God that it was not my destiny to waste and pine among ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/john-james-audubon-9371_abroad_ah-how-often-when-i-have-been-abroad-on_2854070.jpg" --- # Ah! How often when I have been abroad on the mountains has… ![“Ah! How often when I have been abroad on the mountains has my heart risen in grateful praise to God that it was not my destiny to waste and pine among those noisome congregations of the city.” quote by John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/john-james-audubon-9371_abroad_ah-how-often-when-i-have-been-abroad-on_2854070.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/john-james-audubon-9371_abroad_ah-how-often-when-i-have-been-abroad-on_2854070.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/john-james-audubon-9371_abroad_ah-how-often-when-i-have-been-abroad-on_2854070.jpg) > “Ah! How often when I have been abroad on the mountains has my heart risen in grateful praise to God that it was not my destiny to waste and pine among those noisome congregations of the city.” [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He feels gratitude for nature over city life, seeing mountains as divine blessing **In simple terms:** Grateful for nature, not city crowds Key Takeaway Cherish natural spaces Themes nature spirituality city vs wilderness gratitude Mood reflective reverent Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - hiking - travel - urban escape - spiritual reflection Key Concepts Transcendentalism environmental appreciation Questions to Reflect On - How does nature shape your spiritual outlook? - What city experiences have you valued? A Different Perspective City life can also offer community and growth ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city/) [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Grateful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grateful/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Mountains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mountains/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) [Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste/) ## Related quotes > [“Some people climb mountains, others get to have heart surgery. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-c-oz/some-people-climb-mountains-others-get-to-have-heart-surgery/) Mehmet C. Oz > [As warmth makes even glaciers trickle, and opens streams in the ribs of frozen mountains, so the heart knows the full flow and life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/as-warmth-makes-even-glaciers-trickle-and-opens-streams-in-the-ribs/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child, Friends on earth and friends above, for all gentle thoughts and mild; Christ, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/folliott-sandford-pierpoint/for-the-joy-of-human-love-brother-sister-parent-child-friends-on/) Folliott Sandford Pierpoint > [For the joy of ear and eye, for the heart and mind's delight, for the mystic harmony, linking sense to sound and sight; Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/folliott-sandford-pierpoint/for-the-joy-of-ear-and-eye-for-the-heart-and-mind-s-delight-for-the/) Folliott Sandford Pierpoint > [“Sing to the Lord with grateful praise. . . . —Psalm 147:7 (NIV)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guideposts/sing-to-the-lord-with-grateful-praise-psalm-147-7-niv/) Guideposts > [Would it be possible that I should not in any degree succeed? I can scarcely think so. Ah delusive hope, how much further wilt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/would-it-be-possible-that-i-should-not-in-any-degree-succeed-i-can/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [When I was working with Tom Ford, he would just look at me and ask, 'Will you wear it?' I'd say, 'Ah, too long,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carine-roitfeld/when-i-was-working-with-tom-ford-he-would-just-look-at-me-and-ask/) [Carine Roitfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carine-roitfeld/) > [I don't think I handle the notes much differently from other pianists. But the pauses between the notes - ah, there is where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-schnabel/i-don-t-think-i-handle-the-notes-much-differently-from-other-pianists/) [Artur Schnabel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-schnabel/) > [Ah, I hope to live to 87 and drink from the the goblet of life to the dregs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-van-gogh/ah-i-hope-to-live-to-87-and-drink-from-the-the-goblet-of-life-to-the/) [Theo Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-van-gogh/) > [I always have scarves handy; they're my indulgence. I buy them at an L.A. shop called Lost & Found. I'll spray one with loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-headey/i-always-have-scarves-handy-they-re-my-indulgence-i-buy-them-at-an-l/) [Lena Headey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-headey/) > [I make a film - and once I've made it, everyone comes along and says 'Ah! This is a film that's political, or social'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dario-argento/i-make-a-film-and-once-i-ve-made-it-everyone-comes-along-and-says-ah/) [Dario Argento](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dario-argento/) > [So in those days, they were scooping up any young person who could sing and look decent, ah, at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-carlisle/so-in-those-days-they-were-scooping-up-any-young-person-who-could/) [Kitty Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-carlisle/) > [Life is beautiful, what do you think? In the morning I say, 'Ah, I am alive still!' All my friends die already. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/life-is-beautiful-what-do-you-think-in-the-morning-i-say-ah-i-am/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [Ah! Young people, travel if you can, and if you cannot - travel all the same!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/ah-young-people-travel-if-you-can-and-if-you-cannot-travel-all-the/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [My feeling is, I do a lot of low-budget films. I don't do low-budget acting. I have no interest in just goofballing my way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-henriksen/my-feeling-is-i-do-a-lot-of-low-budget-films-i-don-t-do-low-budget/) [Lance Henriksen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-henriksen/) ## More by John James Audubon > [All trembling, I reached the Falls of Niagara, and oh, what a scene! My blood shudders still, although I am not a coward, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/all-trembling-i-reached-the-falls-of-niagara-and-oh-what-a-scene-my/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [From the top of a high rock, I obtained a good few of the most extensive and dreary wilderness I ever beheld. It chilled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/from-the-top-of-a-high-rock-i-obtained-a-good-few-of-the-most/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [To repay evils with kindness is the religion I was taught to practise, and this will forever be my rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/to-repay-evils-with-kindness-is-the-religion-i-was-taught-to-practise/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [Surrounded by all the members of my dear family, enjoying the affection of numerous friends, who have never abandoned me, and possessing a sufficient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/surrounded-by-all-the-members-of-my-dear-family-enjoying-the/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [I cannot help but think a curious event is this life of mine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/i-cannot-help-but-think-a-curious-event-is-this-life-of-mine/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [In America, business is the first object in view at all times, and rightly it should be so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/in-america-business-is-the-first-object-in-view-at-all-times-and/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [I looked long and carefully at the picture of a stag painted by Landseer - the style was good, and the brush was handled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/i-looked-long-and-carefully-at-the-picture-of-a-stag-painted-by/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [Almost every day, instead of going to school, I made for the fields, where I spent my day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/almost-every-day-instead-of-going-to-school-i-made-for-the-fields/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [How could I make a little book, when I have seen enough to make a dozen large books?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/how-could-i-make-a-little-book-when-i-have-seen-enough-to-make-a/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [The fact is I am growing old too fast, alas! I feel it, and yet work I will, and may God grant me life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/the-fact-is-i-am-growing-old-too-fast-alas-i-feel-it-and-yet-work-i/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [My drawings at first were made altogether in watercolors, but they wanted softness and a great deal of finish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/my-drawings-at-first-were-made-altogether-in-watercolors-but-they/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [July 2. A beautiful day for Labrador. Went ashore and killed nothing, but was pleased with what I saw. The country is so grandly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/july-2-a-beautiful-day-for-labrador-went-ashore-and-killed-nothing/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [The Fur Company may be called the exterminating medium of these wild and almost uninhabitable regions, which cupidity or the love of money alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/the-fur-company-may-be-called-the-exterminating-medium-of-these-wild/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [To have been torn from the study would have been as death; my time was entirely occupied with art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/to-have-been-torn-from-the-study-would-have-been-as-death-my-time-was/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [Because my father was often absent on naval duty, my mother suffered me to do much as I pleased](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/because-my-father-was-often-absent-on-naval-duty-my-mother-suffered/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) [Explore all 73 John James Audubon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) ## More Abroad quotes > [I love India, Russia and touring has made me many friends abroad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-i-am/i-love-india-russia-and-touring-has-made-me-many-friends-abroad/) [will.i.am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-i-am/) > [“When the ancient Romans would conquer a new place or a new people, they would leave the language and the customs in tact –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/when-the-ancient-romans-would-conquer-a-new-place-or-a-new-people/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [Africa for the Africans... at home and abroad!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/africa-for-the-africans-at-home-and-abroad/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [For years, I had a top secret clearance and never left Russia. Just once did I go to Bulgaria with my wife for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalashnikov/for-years-i-had-a-top-secret-clearance-and-never-left-russia-just/) [Mikhail Kalashnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalashnikov/) > [We have a family holiday once a year, usually abroad, but that's it. I feel I should have holidays for my family's sake, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-webb/we-have-a-family-holiday-once-a-year-usually-abroad-but-that-s-it-i/) [Robert Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-webb/) > [I didn't go abroad until quite late. A friend drove us to Amalfi, Italy, for his sister's wedding when I was a teenager. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harewood/i-didn-t-go-abroad-until-quite-late-a-friend-drove-us-to-amalfi-italy/) [David Harewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harewood/) > [I studied a month in Costa Rica and loved it. I'm not scared to go abroad. I feel like I can figure things out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-olusola/i-studied-a-month-in-costa-rica-and-loved-it-i-m-not-scared-to-go/) [Kevin Olusola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-olusola/) > [I don't think I know everything because I don't watch much news from abroad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peng-shuai/i-don-t-think-i-know-everything-because-i-don-t-watch-much-news-from/) [Peng Shuai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peng-shuai/) > [Clearly, if you go abroad to a top club, it means one more step in your development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kroos/clearly-if-you-go-abroad-to-a-top-club-it-means-one-more-step-in-your/) [Toni Kroos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kroos/) > [My first trip abroad was to do a TV version of 'Les Miserables' in France with Anthony Perkins. There I was at 12 acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-fletcher/my-first-trip-abroad-was-to-do-a-tv-version-of-les-miserables-in/) [Dexter Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-fletcher/) > [I've had a lot of success in England, and I've really enjoyed my time with Manchester City, but I wanted to challenge myself even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-duggan/i-ve-had-a-lot-of-success-in-england-and-i-ve-really-enjoyed-my-time/) [Toni Duggan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-duggan/) > [“Hatutakiwi kuishi kama raia wa Tanzania peke yake. Tunatakiwa kuishi kama raia wa dunia na watumishi wa utu, hasa katika kipindi hiki cha zama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/hatutakiwi-kuishi-kama-raia-wa-tanzania-peke-yake-tunatakiwa-kuishi/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [I'm a simple hillbilly. I don't like eating modern, industrialized, fast food. I grew up eating home-cooked food. So when I'm traveling abroad, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-hirata/i-m-a-simple-hillbilly-i-don-t-like-eating-modern-industrialized-fast/) [Andrea Hirata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-hirata/) > [When you're abroad, you always miss your country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-mancini/when-you-re-abroad-you-always-miss-your-country/) [Roberto Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-mancini/) > [The great and recurrent question about Abroad is, is it worth the trouble of getting there?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/the-great-and-recurrent-question-about-abroad-is-is-it-worth-the/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) Browse all 363 Abroad quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ah! How often when I have been abroad on the mountains has my heart risen in grateful praise to God that it was not my destiny to waste and pine among those noisome congregations of the city.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John James Audubon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/ah-how-often-when-i-have-been-abroad-on-the-mountains-has-my-heart/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abroad" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/ah-how-often-when-i-have-been-abroad-on-the-mountains-has-my-heart/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/john-james-audubon-9371_abroad_ah-how-often-when-i-have-been-abroad-on_2854070.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/john-james-audubon-9371_abroad_ah-how-often-when-i-have-been-abroad-on_2854070.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b4/john-james-audubon-9371_abroad_ah-how-often-when-i-have-been-abroad-on_2854070.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ah! How often when I have been abroad on the mountains has my heart risen in grateful praise to God that it…” — John James Audubon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John James Audubon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Ah! How often when I have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/ah-how-often-when-i-have-been-abroad-on-the-mountains-has-my-heart/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/ah-how-often-when-i-have-been-abroad-on-the-mountains-has-my-heart/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```