--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Believe me, my young friend, there is…" description: "\"“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”\" — Kenneth Grahame" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be1/kenneth-grahame-3489_boats_believe-me-my-young-friend-there-is-noth_3177532.jpg" --- # Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely… ![“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” quote by Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be1/kenneth-grahame-3489_boats_believe-me-my-young-friend-there-is-noth_3177532.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be1/kenneth-grahame-3489_boats_believe-me-my-young-friend-there-is-noth_3177532.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be1/kenneth-grahame-3489_boats_believe-me-my-young-friend-there-is-noth_3177532.jpg) > ““Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”” [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Simple pleasures like boating are profoundly valuable, offering joy beyond serious pursuits. **In simple terms:** Enjoying simple activities is highly worthwhile. Key Takeaway Make time for playful, simple joys. Themes leisure nature joy simplicity Mood lighthearted nostalgic Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - Family outings - personal downtime - creative breaks Key Concepts Literature philosophy recreation Questions to Reflect On - When do you let fun replace responsibility? - How can play enhance productivity? A Different Perspective Too much leisure can become escapism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boats/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) ## Related quotes > [“There’s nothing––absolutely nothing––half so much worth doing as messing about in boats.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/there-s-nothing-absolutely-nothing-half-so-much-worth-doing-as/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/there-is-nothing-absolutely-nothing-half-so-much-worth-doing-as-2/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [Nice? It's the ONLY thing, said the Water Rat solemnly, as he leant forward for his stroke. Believe me, my young friend, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/nice-it-s-the-only-thing-said-the-water-rat-solemnly-as-he-leant/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [Whatever day Makes man a slave, takes half his worth away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/whatever-day-makes-man-a-slave-takes-half-his-worth-away/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“Splash or crash? Do you want special ops messing about in boats? Or special ops messing in aeroplanes?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-radcliffe/splash-or-crash-do-you-want-special-ops-messing-about-in-boats-or/) Robert Radcliffe > [“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing—absolutely nothing—half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. —KENNETH GRAHAME, The Wind in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-fedarko/believe-me-my-young-friend-there-is-nothing-absolutely-nothing-half/) [Kevin Fedarko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-fedarko/) > [“My young friend, don't ever forget that while love and hate may be on opposite sides, they share the same coin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-anne-graham/my-young-friend-don-t-ever-forget-that-while-love-and-hate-may-be-on/) Mary Anne Graham > [My young friend supposes his ingenuousness is merely a ruse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/my-young-friend-supposes-his-ingenuousness-is-merely-a-ruse/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“Your mysterious young friend, whose name you have never told me, but whose picture really fascinates me, never thinks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/your-mysterious-young-friend-whose-name-you-have-never-told-me-but/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“I recall how I suspected at the time that my young friend was indulging in her first bout of calf love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-westhaven/i-recall-how-i-suspected-at-the-time-that-my-young-friend-was/) [Margaret Westhaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-westhaven/) > [Someday, my young friend, you'll find out that girls are actually people too. Just like you and me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-brewer/someday-my-young-friend-you-ll-find-out-that-girls-are-actually/) [Heather Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-brewer/) > [...in the eyes of her oldest friends and colleagues and extended family, she wasn't a painfully thin seventy-five-year-old gray haired woman dying of cancer-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-schwalbe/in-the-eyes-of-her-oldest-friends-and-colleagues-and-extended-family/) [Will Schwalbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-schwalbe/) > [It is very natural for a young friend and a young lover to think the persons they love have nothing to do but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/it-is-very-natural-for-a-young-friend-and-a-young-lover-to-think-the/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [People see in stories what they’re looking for, my young friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/people-see-in-stories-what-they-re-looking-for-my-young-friend/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“A man’s destiny is not in the eyes of others. It’s in his own. And that, my young friend, is as good as any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-evison/a-man-s-destiny-is-not-in-the-eyes-of-others-it-s-in-his-own-and-that/) [Jonathan Evison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-evison/) ## More by Kenneth Grahame > [Monkeys who very sensibly refrain from speech, lest they should be set to earn their livings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/monkeys-who-very-sensibly-refrain-from-speech-lest-they-should-be-set/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [“What the Boy chiefly dabbled in was natural history and fairy tales, and he just took them as they came, in a sandwichy sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/what-the-boy-chiefly-dabbled-in-was-natural-history-and-fairy-tales/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [“The dragon is a more enduring animal than the pterodactyl. I have never yet met anyone who really believed in a pterodactyl; but every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/the-dragon-is-a-more-enduring-animal-than-the-pterodactyl-i-have/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [The past was like a bad dream; the future was all happy holiday as I moved Southwards week by week, easily, lazily, lingering as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/the-past-was-like-a-bad-dream-the-future-was-all-happy-holiday-as-i/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [“Independence is all very well, but we animals never allow our friends to make fools of themselves beyond a certain limit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/independence-is-all-very-well-but-we-animals-never-allow-our-friends/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [“Supper was finished at last, and each animal felt that his skin was now as tight as was decently safe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/supper-was-finished-at-last-and-each-animal-felt-that-his-skin-was/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [The river , corrected the Rat, It's my world...What it hasn't got is not worth having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/the-river-corrected-the-rat-it-s-my-world-what-it-hasn-t-got-is-not/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [“What is the meaning of this gross outrage?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/what-is-the-meaning-of-this-gross-outrage/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [Slowly, but with no doubt or hesitation whatever, and in something of a solemn expectancy, the two animals passed through the broken tumultuous water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/slowly-but-with-no-doubt-or-hesitation-whatever-and-in-something-of-a/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [“In silence they landed, and pushed through the blossom and scented herbage and undergrowth that led up to the level ground, till they stood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/in-silence-they-landed-and-pushed-through-the-blossom-and-scented/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [It's not the sort of night for bed, anyhow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/it-s-not-the-sort-of-night-for-bed-anyhow/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [But Mole stood still a moment, held in thought. As one wakened suddenly from a beautiful dream, who struggles to recall it, but can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/but-mole-stood-still-a-moment-held-in-thought-as-one-wakened-suddenly/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [“This day was only the first of man similar ones for the emancipated Mole, each of them longer and fuller of interest as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/this-day-was-only-the-first-of-man-similar-ones-for-the-emancipated/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [“As he hurried along, eagerly anticipating the moment when he would be at home again among the things he knew and liked, the Mole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/as-he-hurried-along-eagerly-anticipating-the-moment-when-he-would-be/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [Animals arrived, liked the look of the place, took up their quarters, settled down, spread, and flourished. They didn't bother themselves about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/animals-arrived-liked-the-look-of-the-place-took-up-their-quarters/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) [Explore all 129 Kenneth Grahame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) ## More Boats quotes > [“Salvage Boats For Sale Here are best quality Salvage Boats for sale presents the I Bid Safely Inc Company. You also check the wide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-bid-safely-inc/salvage-boats-for-sale-here-are-best-quality-salvage-boats-for-sale/) I Bid Safely Inc > [“In December of 2007 human bones including skulls, which have been radiocarbon dated back to between 1304 and 1424, were found in a museum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/in-december-of-2007-human-bones-including-skulls-which-have-been/) Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater One > [“one of Marjorie's boats, they were inevitably”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-rubin-stuart/one-of-marjorie-s-boats-they-were-inevitably/) Nancy Rubin Stuart > [You cannot sink someone else's end of the boat and still keep your own afloat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bower/you-cannot-sink-someone-else-s-end-of-the-boat-and-still-keep-your/) Charles Bower > [“I love boats. Boats are great. You can get all kinds of places and meet all kinds of interesting people, and you never know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-vernon/i-love-boats-boats-are-great-you-can-get-all-kinds-of-places-and-meet/) [Ursula Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-vernon/) > [“I really don't know why it is that all of us are so committed to the sea, except I think it's because in addition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/i-really-don-t-know-why-it-is-that-all-of-us-are-so-committed-to-the/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [What is more beautiful than a sea of water with a number of white-winged boats skirting its surface? Poetry and beauty contesting with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-matthew-adams/what-is-more-beautiful-than-a-sea-of-water-with-a-number-of-white/) [George Matthew Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-matthew-adams/) > [Nodding the head does not row the boat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nodding-the-head-does-not-row-the-boat/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some boats are rotten in the ports; some boats shine in the hard journeys!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/some-boats-are-rotten-in-the-ports-some-boats-shine-in-the-hard/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I miss my boats, and I miss having the ability to be out on the water during the daytime and then go skiing at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-priestley/i-miss-my-boats-and-i-miss-having-the-ability-to-be-out-on-the-water/) [Jason Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-priestley/) > [“In my land we don't question someone who has been touched deeply. There is no malign shadow over capsized boats.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-char/in-my-land-we-don-t-question-someone-who-has-been-touched-deeply/) [René Char](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-char/) > [Without grounding, it's easy to embrace the 'baller' lifestyle: dropping out of tech, throwing money at cars, boats and real estate, and slipping into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/without-grounding-it-s-easy-to-embrace-the-baller-lifestyle-dropping/) [Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/) > [“Thing about boats is, you can always sell them if you don't like them. Can't sell kids.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-pardey/thing-about-boats-is-you-can-always-sell-them-if-you-don-t-like-them/) [Lin Pardey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-pardey/) > [We were therefore obliged to unload our boats of their cargoes and pass them empty over the falls by means of long cords which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-ashley/we-were-therefore-obliged-to-unload-our-boats-of-their-cargoes-and/) [William Henry Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-henry-ashley/) > [Why does the New Italian navy have glass bottom boats? To see the Old Italian Navy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/why-does-the-new-italian-navy-have-glass-bottom-boats-to-see-the-old/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) [Browse all 117 Boats quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boats/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kenneth Grahame" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/believe-me-my-young-friend-there-is-nothing-absolutely-nothing-half-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Boats" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/believe-me-my-young-friend-there-is-nothing-absolutely-nothing-half-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be1/kenneth-grahame-3489_boats_believe-me-my-young-friend-there-is-noth_3177532.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be1/kenneth-grahame-3489_boats_believe-me-my-young-friend-there-is-noth_3177532.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be1/kenneth-grahame-3489_boats_believe-me-my-young-friend-there-is-noth_3177532.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply…” — Kenneth Grahame", "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": "Kenneth Grahame", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Believe me, my young friend, there...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/believe-me-my-young-friend-there-is-nothing-absolutely-nothing-half-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/believe-me-my-young-friend-there-is-nothing-absolutely-nothing-half-2/#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 } } ] } ```