--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Survival is balance. Life’s ugliness is…" description: "\"“Survival is balance. Life’s ugliness is balanced by beauty. Trauma is balanced by awe. For me, being on the road has come to represent awe-seeking—wha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/l-m-browning-18708_awe_survival-is-balance-life-s-ugliness-is-b_1180817.jpg" --- # Survival is balance. Life’s ugliness is balanced by… ![“Survival is balance. Life’s ugliness is balanced by beauty. Trauma is balanced by awe. For me, being on the road has come to represent awe-seeking—what I find in the still-wild places is counterbalance to the traumas.” quote by L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/l-m-browning-18708_awe_survival-is-balance-life-s-ugliness-is-b_1180817.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/l-m-browning-18708_awe_survival-is-balance-life-s-ugliness-is-b_1180817.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/l-m-browning-18708_awe_survival-is-balance-life-s-ugliness-is-b_1180817.jpg) > ““Survival is balance. Life’s ugliness is balanced by beauty. Trauma is balanced by awe. For me, being on the road has come to represent awe-seeking—what I find in the still-wild places is counterbalance to the traumas.”” [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s hardships are countered by beauty and awe; seeking wild, still places provides equilibrium to trauma. **In simple terms:** Beauty and awe balance life’s ugliness and trauma. Key Takeaway Seek awe in nature to balance trauma. Themes balance beauty trauma awe nature Mood hopeful calm inspired Type reflective motivational philosophical When to use this quote - hiking - travel - therapy sessions - artistic creation - mindfulness practice Key Concepts psychology ecopsychology resilience Questions to Reflect On - How can you cultivate awe daily? - What natural places restore you? A Different Perspective Awe may be fleeting and not address deep wounds. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Awe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awe/) [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Healing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healing/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [National parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/national-parks/) [Roadtrip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roadtrip/) [Trauma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trauma/) ## Related quotes > [“the secret of survival was to balance hope and despair”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/the-secret-of-survival-was-to-balance-hope-and-despair/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“There are times when all I can take in lies between my headlights.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/there-are-times-when-all-i-can-take-in-lies-between-my-headlights/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Funny, how it took a little bit of pain to remember that certain parts of yourself were alive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adi-alsaid/funny-how-it-took-a-little-bit-of-pain-to-remember-that-certain-parts/) [Adi Alsaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adi-alsaid/) > [“Among all the machines, motorcar is my favorite machine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/among-all-the-machines-motorcar-is-my-favorite-machine/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“God's dreams for us is far better than our own. He desires that we be able to maximize every potential and every gift that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ru-dela-torre/god-s-dreams-for-us-is-far-better-than-our-own-he-desires-that-we-be/) Ru Dela Torre > [“I am so obsessed with the cars that sometimes I feel like my heart is not a muscle, it's an engine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-am-so-obsessed-with-the-cars-that-sometimes-i-feel-like-my-heart-is/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“Asking someone else to drive your sports car is like asking someone else to kiss your girlfriend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/asking-someone-else-to-drive-your-sports-car-is-like-asking-someone/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“I am emotional about engines, if you hurt my car, you hurt my heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-am-emotional-about-engines-if-you-hurt-my-car-you-hurt-my-heart/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“I love the wheels, I mean steering wheel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-love-the-wheels-i-mean-steering-wheel/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“It’s not about the destination. It’s getting there that’s the good part. - Leonard”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-matson/it-s-not-about-the-destination-it-s-getting-there-that-s-the-good/) [Morgan Matson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-matson/) > [“Take care of your car in the garage, and the car will take care of you on the road.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/take-care-of-your-car-in-the-garage-and-the-car-will-take-care-of-you/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“5. Thou must set the scene with tunes. Road trips aren't the only time a decent playlist is required. How we consume music has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriella-bennett/5-thou-must-set-the-scene-with-tunes-road-trips-aren-t-the-only-time/) [Gabriella Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriella-bennett/) > [The national park is the best idea America ever had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bryce/the-national-park-is-the-best-idea-america-ever-had/) [James Bryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bryce/) > [While cares will drop off like autumn leaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/while-cares-will-drop-off-like-autumn-leaves/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [If you take away the predators in the prairies and the national parks, you suddenly have an explosion of elk, and then you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/if-you-take-away-the-predators-in-the-prairies-and-the-national-parks/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) ## More by L.M. Browning > [“Now I know, you can’t change what’s happened to you or hide it, or spin it, or get over it. All you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/now-i-know-you-can-t-change-what-s-happened-to-you-or-hide-it-or-spin/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Belief acts as a temporary bridge when we are trying to accept something that seems incomprehensible. We use belief and simply accept the workings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/belief-acts-as-a-temporary-bridge-when-we-are-trying-to-accept/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“The pace of this modern age is not conducive to maintaining one’s consciousness. Glued to our electronics, we are blind and deaf to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/the-pace-of-this-modern-age-is-not-conducive-to-maintaining-one-s/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“The divine is in the present and you must be present to experience it. When you vacate the present and recede into your mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/the-divine-is-in-the-present-and-you-must-be-present-to-experience-it/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Throughout the journey West, I had a raging fever. In a mere two days, we drove 1,925 miles from Connecticut to Colorado Springs, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/throughout-the-journey-west-i-had-a-raging-fever-in-a-mere-two-days/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Evil demons dwelling in underworlds, Gods sitting on-high, angels battling and protecting. We have become so wrapped up in these stories, and in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/evil-demons-dwelling-in-underworlds-gods-sitting-on-high-angels/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Take all those things that would propose to be important, and weigh them upon the scale of your soul. Asking how much each thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/take-all-those-things-that-would-propose-to-be-important-and-weigh/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“We all have those things that help us carry on through life. It is important that these things upon which we depend for daily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/we-all-have-those-things-that-help-us-carry-on-through-life-it-is/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“There is no “letting go.” I would dare to take it further and say there is no healing from trauma. For nearly 25 years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/there-is-no-letting-go-i-would-dare-to-take-it-further-and-say-there/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“I’m broken. We’re all broken and right now we’re all isolated within that brokenness. The cure for the loneliness is connection—connection with that broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/i-m-broken-we-re-all-broken-and-right-now-we-re-all-isolated-within/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Question everything—no matter how beloved, or how long-held, or how exalted—without apology. Only those who build their world upon lies need fear an inquisitive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/question-everything-no-matter-how-beloved-or-how-long-held-or-how/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“I no longer seek those things that help me to heal but for those things that fortify me with the strength required to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/i-no-longer-seek-those-things-that-help-me-to-heal-but-for-those/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“The purpose of a pilgrimage is about setting aside a long period of time in which the only focus is to be the matters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/the-purpose-of-a-pilgrimage-is-about-setting-aside-a-long-period-of/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“We pass hatred and prejudice on to our children, as though they were heirlooms of humanity. We cling to traditions that keep us bound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/we-pass-hatred-and-prejudice-on-to-our-children-as-though-they-were/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Shall we not recover ourselves? Shall we not redeem ourselves to one another? Shall we not restore this world? Could we not be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/shall-we-not-recover-ourselves-shall-we-not-redeem-ourselves-to-one/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) [Explore all 34 L.M. Browning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) ## More Awe quotes > [Because I've never had any higher education of any sort, I've never held in awe those who have had it or have a sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-corbyn/because-i-ve-never-had-any-higher-education-of-any-sort-i-ve-never/) [Jeremy Corbyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-corbyn/) > [Of course the Dharma-body of the Buddha was the hedge at the bottom of the garden. At the same time, and no less obviously,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/of-course-the-dharma-body-of-the-buddha-was-the-hedge-at-the-bottom/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [When I look at the human brain I'm still in awe of it. Every single time you lift off the bone and open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/when-i-look-at-the-human-brain-i-m-still-in-awe-of-it-every-single/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [“I know you deserve better than me. You think I don’t know that? But if there was any woman made for me … it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/i-know-you-deserve-better-than-me-you-think-i-don-t-know-that-but-if/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [There are certain scenes that would awe an atheist into belief without the help of any other argument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gray/there-are-certain-scenes-that-would-awe-an-atheist-into-belief/) [Thomas Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gray/) > [As we contemplate with reverence and awe how our Savior embraces us, comforts us, and heals us, let us commit to become His hands,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/as-we-contemplate-with-reverence-and-awe-how-our-savior-embraces-us/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [My journey deep into coma, outside this lowly physical realm and into the loftiest dwelling place of the almighty Creator, revealed the indescribably immense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eben-alexander/my-journey-deep-into-coma-outside-this-lowly-physical-realm-and-into/) [Eben Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eben-alexander/) > [Awe combined with intimacy is the essence of Christian worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/awe-combined-with-intimacy-is-the-essence-of-christian-worship/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Everything we perceive to be solid and static is made up of almost entirely empty space.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/everything-we-perceive-to-be-solid-and-static-is-made-up-of-almost/) [Joseph P. 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Taken as a whole, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-trefil/the-laws-of-nature-are-the-skeleton-of-the-universe-they-support-it/) James Trefil > [When you look at yourself and feel dissatisfaction about any part of you, you will continue to attract feelings of dissatisfaction, because the law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/when-you-look-at-yourself-and-feel-dissatisfaction-about-any-part-of/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [“What can we make of the inexpressible joy of children? 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