---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Boston is an oasis in the desert, a place…"
description: "\"Boston is an oasis in the desert, a place where the larger proportion of people are loving, rational and happy.\" — Julia Ward Howe"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/julia-ward-howe-10103_boston_boston-is-an-oasis-in-the-desert-a-place_1202317.jpg"
---

#  Boston is an oasis in the desert, a place where the larger…

![“Boston is an oasis in the desert, a place where the larger proportion of people are loving, rational and happy.” quote by Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/julia-ward-howe-10103_boston_boston-is-an-oasis-in-the-desert-a-place_1202317.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/julia-ward-howe-10103_boston_boston-is-an-oasis-in-the-desert-a-place_1202317.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/julia-ward-howe-10103_boston_boston-is-an-oasis-in-the-desert-a-place_1202317.jpg)

> “Boston is an oasis in the desert, a place where the larger proportion of people are loving, rational and happy.”

[Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A community with love, reason, and happiness stands out like an oasis amid harsh surroundings.

**In simple terms:** Loving, rational, happy people are rare in a harsh world.

Key Takeaway

Foster love and reason.

Themes

community happiness reason optimism

Mood

hopeful inspirational

Type

philosophical social

When to use this quote

- urban neighborhoods
- online forums
- workplace culture
- volunteer groups

Key Concepts

social cohesion positive psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you nurture love and reason locally?
- What obstacles prevent happiness in your area?

A Different Perspective

Idealizing can ignore existing challenges.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Boston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boston/) [Desert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desert/) [Oasis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oasis/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [“We are an oasis in the desert, beautiful but doomed!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-lafrenier/we-are-an-oasis-in-the-desert-beautiful-but-doomed/)

Clifford lafrenier

> [“The flexibility of the mind is like an oasis in the desert, creating miraculous salvation in a desperate situation where there is no hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/the-flexibility-of-the-mind-is-like-an-oasis-in-the-desert-creating/)

[Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [The barn where I work, it's only 15 minutes or so from Harvard square, so It's very close to the center of Boston, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tod-machover/the-barn-where-i-work-it-s-only-15-minutes-or-so-from-harvard-square/)

[Tod Machover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tod-machover/)

> [People loving people. That's the enemy of everything that's evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-brooks/people-loving-people-that-s-the-enemy-of-everything-that-s-evil/)

[Garth Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-brooks/)

> [What I'm doing ain't about hating White people. It's about loving us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/what-i-m-doing-ain-t-about-hating-white-people-it-s-about-loving-us/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [We can love all people while loving the law and expecting the law to be fulfilled, and that's a tricky balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-perdue/we-can-love-all-people-while-loving-the-law-and-expecting-the-law-to/)

[Sonny Perdue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-perdue/)

> [“Some people are loving no matter where they are or what they do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/some-people-are-loving-no-matter-where-they-are-or-what-they-do/)

[Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/)

> [I cannot stop gushing over the reviews that 'The Dirty Picture' has garnered. I'm glad that people are loving it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ekta-kapoor/i-cannot-stop-gushing-over-the-reviews-that-the-dirty-picture-has/)

[Ekta Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ekta-kapoor/)

> [ People are loving it \[Blow Ya Mind\], people are bumping it in cars everywhere. People are hitting me, they feel it, the streets are… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/styles-p/people-are-loving-it-blow-ya-mind-people-are-bumping-it-in-cars/)

[Styles P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/styles-p/)

> [A lot of people are using the Church, but not a lot of people are loving the Church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/a-lot-of-people-are-using-the-church-but-not-a-lot-of-people-are/)

[Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/)

> [People loving my performances give me a kick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-massey/people-loving-my-performances-give-me-a-kick/)

[Vikrant Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-massey/)

> [I think it's all about people loving each other and having compassion, accepting one another and educating themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/normani-kordei/i-think-it-s-all-about-people-loving-each-other-and-having-compassion/)

[Normani Kordei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/normani-kordei/)

> [People are loving me because they don't even know me. "You're Bob's son. We love you." So I think that's a good thing for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziggy-marley/people-are-loving-me-because-they-don-t-even-know-me-you-re-bob-s-son/)

[Ziggy Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziggy-marley/)

> [You can’t fool people into loving you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/you-can-t-fool-people-into-loving-you/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [Perhaps, the problem is not the intensity of your love, but the quality of the people you are loving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/perhaps-the-problem-is-not-the-intensity-of-your-love-but-the-quality/)

[Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/)

## More by Julia Ward Howe

> [We, women of one country, Will be too tender of those of another country To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/we-women-of-one-country-will-be-too-tender-of-those-of-another/)

[Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/)

> [Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord -](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/mine-eyes-have-seen-the-glory-of-the-coming-of-the-lord/)

[Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/)

> [It is not good for beauty that it should be a profession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/it-is-not-good-for-beauty-that-it-should-be-a-profession/)

[Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/)

> [All the sugar was in the bottom of the cup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/all-the-sugar-was-in-the-bottom-of-the-cup/)

[Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/)

> [How utterly are one's best thoughts invaded by this going out in society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/how-utterly-are-one-s-best-thoughts-invaded-by-this-going-out-in/)

[Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/)

> [Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord: / He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/mine-eyes-have-seen-the-glory-of-the-coming-of-the-lord-he-is/)

[Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/)

> [Every newly discovered truth judges the world, separates the good from the evil, and calls on faithful souls to make sure of their election.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/every-newly-discovered-truth-judges-the-world-separates-the-good-from/)

[Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/)

> [Every fallen woman represents a man as guilty as herself, who escapes human detection, but whose soul lies open before God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/every-fallen-woman-represents-a-man-as-guilty-as-herself-who-escapes/)

[Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/)

> [While your life is the true expression of your faith, whom can you fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/while-your-life-is-the-true-expression-of-your-faith-whom-can-you-fear/)

[Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/)

> [The blind must not only be fed and housed and cared for; they must learn to make thir lives useful to the community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/the-blind-must-not-only-be-fed-and-housed-and-cared-for-they-must/)

[Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/)

> [I have never known my husband to approve any act of mine which I myself valued.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/i-have-never-known-my-husband-to-approve-any-act-of-mine-which-i/)

[Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/)

> [ “\[The ideal aim of life is\] to learn, to teach, to serve, to enjoy!” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/the-ideal-aim-of-life-is-to-learn-to-teach-to-serve-to-enjoy/)

[Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/)

> [Every life has its actual blanks, which the ideal must fill up, or which else remain bare &amp; profitless forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/every-life-has-its-actual-blanks-which-the-ideal-must-fill-up-or/)

[Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/)

> [I take refuge in my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/i-take-refuge-in-my-books/)

[Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/)

> [The language of the face is not taught by the schools; it is intuitive, and to the observant is always legible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/the-language-of-the-face-is-not-taught-by-the-schools-it-is-intuitive/)

[Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/)

[Explore all 68 Julia Ward Howe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/)

## More Boston quotes

> [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/)

[Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/)

> [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/)

[Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/)

> [“Mom, I live in the South End, not South Boston. They are entirely different neighborhoods.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-swanson-goodreads-author/mom-i-live-in-the-south-end-not-south-boston-they-are-entirely/)

Peter Swanson (Goodreads Author

> [I think there are four or five interesting pockets where a lot of cool technology companies are getting started. Chicago is one of them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-lefkofsky/i-think-there-are-four-or-five-interesting-pockets-where-a-lot-of/)

[Eric Lefkofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-lefkofsky/)

> [I love cooking but I still always go and sneak a little bit of sides from Boston Market, and it's so good. They're so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-walsh/i-love-cooking-but-i-still-always-go-and-sneak-a-little-bit-of-sides/)

[Kate Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-walsh/)

> [Boston is one of my favorite places to wrestle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rikishi/boston-is-one-of-my-favorite-places-to-wrestle/)

[Rikishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rikishi/)

> [I ain't got no problem in Boston, I especially like the attention. I know that I'm one of the top guys in this game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-ramirez/i-ain-t-got-no-problem-in-boston-i-especially-like-the-attention-i/)

[Manny Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-ramirez/)

> [I lived to play basketball. Growing up as a kid, Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics were my favorite team. The way they played,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/i-lived-to-play-basketball-growing-up-as-a-kid-bill-russell-and-the/)

[Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/)

> [The success of Boston's economy is intertwined with the health and well-being of every neighborhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/the-success-of-boston-s-economy-is-intertwined-with-the-health-and/)

[Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/)

> [2004 was a great year for Boston! The Patriots won the Super Bowl! Boston hosted its first national political convention! And - the Red…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-menino/2004-was-a-great-year-for-boston-the-patriots-won-the-super-bowl/)

[Thomas Menino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-menino/)

> [ It was when Boston invited us to do a parade one November, and I was the only \[Star Wars\] cast member skeptical of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/it-was-when-boston-invited-us-to-do-a-parade-one-november-and-i-was/)

[John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/)

> [Now I have been studying very closely what happens every day in the courts in Boston, Massachusetts. You would be astounded--maybe you wouldn't, maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/now-i-have-been-studying-very-closely-what-happens-every-day-in-the/)

[Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/)

> [Boston's justice system is in serious need of reform. Many of its policies and practices are antiquated, expensive, and don't really even make Boston…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-king/boston-s-justice-system-is-in-serious-need-of-reform-many-of-its/)

[Shaun King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-king/)

> [I grew up outside of Boston in a town called Manchester by the Sea, and we spent our summers in Nantucket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-faxon/i-grew-up-outside-of-boston-in-a-town-called-manchester-by-the-sea/)

[Nat Faxon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-faxon/)

> [Priests, like all of us, are affected by culture, ... When the culture is sick, every element in it becomes infected. While it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/priests-like-all-of-us-are-affected-by-culture-when-the-culture-is/)

[Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/)

[Browse all 787 Boston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boston/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Boston is an oasis in the desert, a place where the larger proportion of people are loving, rational and happy.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Julia Ward Howe"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/boston-is-an-oasis-in-the-desert-a-place-where-the-larger-proportion/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Boston"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/boston-is-an-oasis-in-the-desert-a-place-where-the-larger-proportion/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/julia-ward-howe-10103_boston_boston-is-an-oasis-in-the-desert-a-place_1202317.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/julia-ward-howe-10103_boston_boston-is-an-oasis-in-the-desert-a-place_1202317.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/julia-ward-howe-10103_boston_boston-is-an-oasis-in-the-desert-a-place_1202317.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Boston is an oasis in the desert, a place where the larger proportion of people are loving, rational and…” — Julia Ward Howe",
                "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": "Julia Ward Howe",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Boston is an oasis in the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/boston-is-an-oasis-in-the-desert-a-place-where-the-larger-proportion/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/boston-is-an-oasis-in-the-desert-a-place-where-the-larger-proportion/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
