--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of this our true individual life, our…" description: "\"Of this our true individual life, our present life is a glimpse, a fragment, a hint, and in its best moments a visible beginning.\" — Josiah Royce" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/632/josiah-royce-15505_birth_of-this-our-true-individual-life-our-pre_1482114.png" --- # Of this our true individual life, our present life is a… ![“Of this our true individual life, our present life is a glimpse, a fragment, a hint, and in its best moments a visible beginning.” quote by Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/632/josiah-royce-15505_birth_of-this-our-true-individual-life-our-pre_1482114.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/632/josiah-royce-15505_birth_of-this-our-true-individual-life-our-pre_1482114.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/632/josiah-royce-15505_birth_of-this-our-true-individual-life-our-pre_1482114.png) > “Of this our true individual life, our present life is a glimpse, a fragment, a hint, and in its best moments a visible beginning.” [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is a fleeting glimpse of a deeper, ongoing individual existence. **In simple terms:** Our present life is only a brief hint of a larger self. Key Takeaway Seek deeper meaning beyond the moment. Themes existence identity transcendence Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - creative work - spiritual practice - long‑term projects Key Concepts philosophy self‑realization continuity Questions to Reflect On - What deeper self do you feel glimpsed? - How can you nurture that larger identity? A Different Perspective Interpretations can be highly subjective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Birth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individual life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Present life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-life/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [In each little life, we can see great truth and beauty, and in each little life we glimpse the way of all things in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/in-each-little-life-we-can-see-great-truth-and-beauty-and-in-each/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [Everything in this life is only a glimpse of the real thing. 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It is only in the present that we can be in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sakyong-mipham/past-events-are-already-gone-and-the-future-is-yet-to-happen-it-is/) [Sakyong Mipham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sakyong-mipham/) > [When we are present, life is also present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/when-we-are-present-life-is-also-present/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [That this individual life of all of us is not something limited in its temporal expression to the life that now we experience, follows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/that-this-individual-life-of-all-of-us-is-not-something-limited-in/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [Although I have felt compelled to write things down since I was five years old, I doubt that my daughter ever will, for she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/although-i-have-felt-compelled-to-write-things-down-since-i-was-five/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [Health requires this relaxation, this aimless life. This life in the present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/health-requires-this-relaxation-this-aimless-life-this-life-in-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Because if every moment of a life is present in every other, so is every old self you've ever tried to outrun. And then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-risk-hallberg/because-if-every-moment-of-a-life-is-present-in-every-other-so-is/) [Garth Risk Hallberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-risk-hallberg/) > [One of the biggest things I struggle with in life is not being present. I'm worried about my future or I'm dwelling on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-webber/one-of-the-biggest-things-i-struggle-with-in-life-is-not-being/) [Mark Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-webber/) > [“You don’t need to be perfect in your life, but always be present in it. 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To it the first is only preparatory.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/the-other-aspect-of-idealism-is-the-one-which-gives-us-our-notion-of/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [If I look to see what I ever did that, for all I now know, some other man might not have done, I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/if-i-look-to-see-what-i-ever-did-that-for-all-i-now-know-some-other/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [Men accept without questioning that this world is real and important and worthwhile. This is faith. Philosophy is the ongoing questioning of this faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/men-accept-without-questioning-that-this-world-is-real-and-important/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [So far as we live and strive at all, our lives are various, are needed for the whole, and are unique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/so-far-as-we-live-and-strive-at-all-our-lives-are-various-are-needed/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [And just because God attains and wins and finds this uniqueness all our lives win in our union with him the individuality which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/and-just-because-god-attains-and-wins-and-finds-this-uniqueness-all/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) [Explore all 43 Josiah Royce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) ## More Birth quotes > [“Conception is the beginning of human life. 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