--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It began as most thing begin. Not on a…" description: "\"It began as most thing begin. Not on a dark and stormy night. Not foreshadowed by ominous here comes the villain music, dire warning at the bottom of a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/karen-marie-moning-189_began_it-began-as-most-thing-begin-not-on-a-da_1766561.png" --- # It began as most thing begin. Not on a dark and stormy… ![“It began as most thing begin. Not on a dark and stormy night. Not foreshadowed by ominous here comes the villain music, dire warning at the bottom of a teacup, or dread portents in the sky. It began small and innocuously, as most catastrophes do. A butterfly flaps its wings somewhere and the wind…” quote by Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/karen-marie-moning-189_began_it-began-as-most-thing-begin-not-on-a-da_1766561.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/karen-marie-moning-189_began_it-began-as-most-thing-begin-not-on-a-da_1766561.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f6/karen-marie-moning-189_began_it-began-as-most-thing-begin-not-on-a-da_1766561.png) > “It began as most thing begin. Not on a dark and stormy night. Not foreshadowed by ominous here comes the villain music, dire warning at the bottom of a teacup, or dread portents in the sky. It began small and innocuously, as most catastrophes do. A butterfly flaps its wings somewhere and the wind changes, and a warm front hits a cold front off the coast of western Africa and before you know it you’ve got an hurricane closing in. By the time anyone figured out the storm was coming, it was too late to do anything but batten down the hatches and exercise damage control.” [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Small, unnoticed events can trigger massive, uncontrollable consequences, often too late to prevent. **In simple terms:** Minor causes can lead to major disasters. Key Takeaway Watch early signs, act before escalation. Themes cause and effect unintended consequences prevention risk management Mood anxious thoughtful Type cautionary philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - business decisions - environmental policy - public health emergencies Key Concepts chaos theory butterfly effect systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - How can we improve early detection of hidden risks? - What habits help us respond before crises grow? A Different Perspective Complex systems may hide early warnings, making detection hard. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Butterfly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/butterfly/) [Catastrophe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catastrophe/) [Cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) [Damage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/damage/) [Damage control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/damage-control/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Hurricanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurricanes/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Portents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portents/) [Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky/) [Stormy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stormy/) [Stormy nights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stormy-nights/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) [Villain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/villain/) [Warning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/warning/) [Western](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western/) [Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wind/) ## Related quotes > [“A butterfly flaps its wings somewhere and the wind changes, and a warm front hits a cold front off the coast of western Africa…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/a-butterfly-flaps-its-wings-somewhere-and-the-wind-changes-and-a-warm/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [I began to do this thing I do of giving myself a class every day, and trying to experiment and push further. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merce-cunningham/i-began-to-do-this-thing-i-do-of-giving-myself-a-class-every-day-and/) [Merce Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merce-cunningham/) > [“Suddenly the sun rose – like a burst of hope. The dark autumn water mirrored the sky; it began to breathe and the sun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/suddenly-the-sun-rose-like-a-burst-of-hope-the-dark-autumn-water/) [Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/) > [“Hush!’ said the Cabby. They all listened. In the darkness something was happening at last. A voice had begun to sing. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/hush-said-the-cabby-they-all-listened-in-the-darkness-something-was/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents, except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-was-a-dark-and-stormy-night-the-rain-fell-in-torrents-except-at/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It was a dark and stormy night. Suddenly a scream pierced the air'. . . . Good writing takes enormous concentration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-schulz/it-was-a-dark-and-stormy-night-suddenly-a-scream-pierced-the-air-good/) [Charles M. Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-schulz/) > [I loved ghost stories, creaky staircases, stormy nights. If it guaranteed nightmares I read it by flashlight, after midnight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/i-loved-ghost-stories-creaky-staircases-stormy-nights-if-it/) [Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/) > [Day appears again. This time he leans in close enough for his hair to brush, light as silk, against my cheeks. He pulls me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/day-appears-again-this-time-he-leans-in-close-enough-for-his-hair-to/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) > [An infant prodigy of nine is shoved upon the stage in white. She starts off in a dismal whine about a dark and stormy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-coward/an-infant-prodigy-of-nine-is-shoved-upon-the-stage-in-white-she/) [Noel Coward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-coward/) > [No one is in charge of this process, this is what makes history so interesting, it's a runaway freight train on a dark and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/no-one-is-in-charge-of-this-process-this-is-what-makes-history-so/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [New Orleans is 5 feet below sea level, which means that holes dug in the ground immediately fill with water. Coffins were punctured and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cagney/new-orleans-is-5-feet-below-sea-level-which-means-that-holes-dug-in/) [James Cagney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cagney/) > [It was a dark and stormy night. Suddenly, a shot rang out! A door slammed. The maid screamed. Suddenly, a pirate ship appeared on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-schulz/it-was-a-dark-and-stormy-night-suddenly-a-shot-rang-out-a-door/) [Charles M. Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-schulz/) > [For humans as well as for ships, dark stormy nights are better teachers than tranquil sunny days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/for-humans-as-well-as-for-ships-dark-stormy-nights-are-better/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I got so good at writing to a budget, my brain was restricting myself. I'd write, "It's a stormy night." Then I'd cross out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/i-got-so-good-at-writing-to-a-budget-my-brain-was-restricting-myself/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [“The worst things always happen at night, and oftener than one would think on stormy nights. ("The Compensation House")”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-collins/the-worst-things-always-happen-at-night-and-oftener-than-one-would/) Charles Collins ## More by Karen Marie Moning > [“I can either be a victim—or a winner. Fuck victimhood. I don’t wear it well; it clashes with my wardrobe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-can-either-be-a-victim-or-a-winner-fuck-victimhood-i-don-t-wear-it/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Some things are sacred. Until you act like they're not. Then you lose them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/some-things-are-sacred-until-you-act-like-they-re-not-then-you-lose/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Who would ever understand me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/who-would-ever-understand-me/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Sometimes, Ms. Lane," he said, "one must break with one's past to embrace one's future. It is never an easy thing to do. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/sometimes-ms-lane-he-said-one-must-break-with-one-s-past-to-embrace/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“I think I’m under control, that I’ve stripped away all weaknesses. That committing to my mission has made me impervious. I’m wrong. The thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-think-i-m-under-control-that-i-ve-stripped-away-all-weaknesses-that/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Desire makes life happen. Makes it matter. Makes everything worth it. Desire is life. Hunger to see the next sunrise or sunset, to touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/desire-makes-life-happen-makes-it-matter-makes-everything-worth-it/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Finally, someone had seen him. And what had he done? Let her get away. Undermined by his disgusting human anatomy. It had just been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/finally-someone-had-seen-him-and-what-had-he-done-let-her-get-away/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Our sex is fierce. We will both be bruised. "I want it to always be like this," I tell him. "Try holding onto that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/our-sex-is-fierce-we-will-both-be-bruised-i-want-it-to-always-be-like/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Keep hoping to see the light in her eyes. Even knowing it'll mean she's saying good-bye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/keep-hoping-to-see-the-light-in-her-eyes-even-knowing-it-ll-mean-she/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Strength wasn‘t about being able to do everything alone. Strength was knowing when to ask for help and not being too proud to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/strength-wasn-t-about-being-able-to-do-everything-alone-strength-was/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“He swapped the fistful of my shirt for one in my hair, and ground his mouth against mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/he-swapped-the-fistful-of-my-shirt-for-one-in-my-hair-and-ground-his/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [He’s so beautiful,” she said wistfully. “He’s like an angel.” “Yep,” I agreed flatly. “The one that fell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/he-s-so-beautiful-she-said-wistfully-he-s-like-an-angel-yep-i-agreed/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [And when he did that, my hands curled into fists because I thought about touching his face like maybe I could catch joy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/and-when-he-did-that-my-hands-curled-into-fists-because-i-thought/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Flattered as I am that you count me among the beautiful people, Barrons, allow me to point out that I’m still alive. I encountered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/flattered-as-i-am-that-you-count-me-among-the-beautiful-people/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) [Explore all 940 Karen Marie Moning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) ## More Began quotes > [When I was 13, I began relaxing my hair, and that meant when I turned 18 it began to crack and fall off, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/when-i-was-13-i-began-relaxing-my-hair-and-that-meant-when-i-turned/) [Soledad O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soledad-o-brien/) > [We began intercepting Japanese radio transmissions, which indicated the two forces were very close to each other. We found out later that we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-adams/we-began-intercepting-japanese-radio-transmissions-which-indicated/) [Jack Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-adams/) > [“Begin as you mean to go on, and go on as you began, and let the Lord be all in all to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/begin-as-you-mean-to-go-on-and-go-on-as-you-began-and-let-the-lord-be/) [Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/) > [We began as mineral. We emerged into plant life, and into the animal state, and then into being human, and always we have forgotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/we-began-as-mineral-we-emerged-into-plant-life-and-into-the-animal/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [I didn't have any role models. I really thought I was doomed to this loveless, lonely life. I didn't know any gay people until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-batt/i-didn-t-have-any-role-models-i-really-thought-i-was-doomed-to-this/) [Bryan Batt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-batt/) > [I began with small roles in successful movies like 'No Country For Old Men' by the Coen brothers; but it was 'The Last Exorcism'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-landry-jones/i-began-with-small-roles-in-successful-movies-like-no-country-for-old/) [Caleb Landry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-landry-jones/) > [When God made the world, all things began with him. Life, death, it all began when he said so. That includes you and me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manae-poet-of-carisis/when-god-made-the-world-all-things-began-with-him-life-death-it-all/) Manae Poet Of Carisis > [“I'm not giving up my life. My life began when I met you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-eckrich/i-m-not-giving-up-my-life-my-life-began-when-i-met-you/) Shannon Eckrich > [I was precocious, so I began reading 'Cosmo' when I was 12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-coles/i-was-precocious-so-i-began-reading-cosmo-when-i-was-12/) [Joanna Coles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-coles/) > [When the 2008 victory of Barack Obama and the defeat of grumpy old John McCain began looking, um, inevitable, I started fielding inquiries about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/when-the-2008-victory-of-barack-obama-and-the-defeat-of-grumpy-old/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) > [I was a photographer. That's how I began my career, behind the camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shweta-tripathi/i-was-a-photographer-that-s-how-i-began-my-career-behind-the-camera/) [Shweta Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shweta-tripathi/) > [The work-family divide is the biggest issue for American women. But in some ways it's amazing how adjusted society has become to it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/the-work-family-divide-is-the-biggest-issue-for-american-women-but-in/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [I often get asked, 'Is the book dead?' It hasn't happened yet. It's different than music. Music was always meant to be pure sound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/i-often-get-asked-is-the-book-dead-it-hasn-t-happened-yet-it-s/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [I wasn‘t—" I began. I didn‘t—" He began. How charming," V‘lane cut us off. His voice arrived before he did. "The very portrait of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-wasn-t-i-began-i-didn-t-he-began-how-charming-v-lane-cut-us-off-his/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Watergate got us to think of leaders as mere mortals. America began to think of itself in a very different way - I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/watergate-got-us-to-think-of-leaders-as-mere-mortals-america-began-to/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) Browse all 658 Began quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It began as most thing begin. Not on a dark and stormy night. Not foreshadowed by ominous here comes the villain music, dire warning at the bottom of a teacup, or dread portents in the sky. It began small and innocuously, as most catastrophes do. A butterfly flaps its wings somewhere and the wind changes, and a warm front hits a cold front off the coast of western Africa and before you know it you’ve got an hurricane closing in. 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