--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not easy for a man to be as great…" description: "\"It is not easy for a man to be as great as a mountain or a forest. But that is why the creator gave them to us as teachers. Now that I am old I Iook on..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06b/kent-nerburn-10008_age_it-is-not-easy-for-a-man-to-be-as-great_2350978.png" --- # It is not easy for a man to be as great as a mountain or a… ![“It is not easy for a man to be as great as a mountain or a forest. But that is why the creator gave them to us as teachers. Now that I am old I Iook once more toward them for lessons, instead of trying to understand the ways of men. They tell me to be patient. They tell me I cannot change what is…” quote by Kent Nerburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06b/kent-nerburn-10008_age_it-is-not-easy-for-a-man-to-be-as-great_2350978.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06b/kent-nerburn-10008_age_it-is-not-easy-for-a-man-to-be-as-great_2350978.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06b/kent-nerburn-10008_age_it-is-not-easy-for-a-man-to-be-as-great_2350978.png) > “It is not easy for a man to be as great as a mountain or a forest. But that is why the creator gave them to us as teachers. Now that I am old I Iook once more toward them for lessons, instead of trying to understand the ways of men. They tell me to be patient. They tell me I cannot change what is, I can only hope to change what will become. Let the grasses grow over our scars, they say, and let flowers bloom over our wounds.” [Kent Nerburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-nerburn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Nature serves as a patient teacher, offering lessons in acceptance and hope beyond human control. **In simple terms:** Nature teaches patience and hope when we cannot change everything. Key Takeaway Learn patience and hope from natural cycles. Themes nature patience hope acceptance learning Mood tranquil inspirational Type reflective spiritual When to use this quote - grief healing - personal growth - environmental reflection Key Concepts ecology spirituality humility Questions to Reflect On - How can you apply nature’s patience to personal setbacks? - What does “letting flowers bloom over wounds” mean to you? A Different Perspective Nature’s lessons may be abstract and hard to apply directly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Be patient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-patient/) [Blooming flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blooming-flower/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Creator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creator/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Forests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forests/) [Grass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grass/) [Grasses Grow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grasses-grow-928790/) [Grows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grows/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessons/) [Let Grasses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-grasses-5724048/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-tell-426362/) [Mountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mountain/) [Patient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patient/) [Scar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scar/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Ways Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ways-men-2043812/) [Wounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wounds/) ## Related quotes > [Images provide a knowledge that we can interiorize rather than 'apply,' can take to that place in ourselves where there is water and where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-downing/images-provide-a-knowledge-that-we-can-interiorize-rather-than-apply/) [Christine Downing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-downing/) > [Change is a continuous process. 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