--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Oh, as Dean says, nobody is free - never…" description: "\"“Oh, as Dean says, nobody is free - never, except just for a few brief moments now and then, when the flash comes, or when as on my haystack night, the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/l-m-montgomery-567_ambitions_oh-as-dean-says-nobody-is-free-never-exc_1975533.jpg" --- # Oh, as Dean says, nobody is free - never, except just for… ![“Oh, as Dean says, nobody is free - never, except just for a few brief moments now and then, when the flash comes, or when as on my haystack night, the soul slips over into eternity for a little space. All the rest of our years we are slaves to something - traditions - conventions - ambitions…” quote by L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/l-m-montgomery-567_ambitions_oh-as-dean-says-nobody-is-free-never-exc_1975533.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/l-m-montgomery-567_ambitions_oh-as-dean-says-nobody-is-free-never-exc_1975533.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/l-m-montgomery-567_ambitions_oh-as-dean-says-nobody-is-free-never-exc_1975533.jpg) > ““Oh, as Dean says, nobody is free - never, except just for a few brief moments now and then, when the flash comes, or when as on my haystack night, the soul slips over into eternity for a little space. All the rest of our years we are slaves to something - traditions - conventions - ambitions - relations.”” [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is constantly constrained by social expectations and personal ambitions, offering only fleeting moments of true freedom and timelessness. **In simple terms:** We are mostly bound by duties, with brief glimpses of freedom. Key Takeaway Seek moments of stillness to experience deeper meaning. Themes freedom constraints tradition ambition relationships Mood contemplative melancholic hopeful Type philosophical reflective inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - creative work - spiritual practice - decision making Key Concepts existentialism social pressure temporal vs eternal Questions to Reflect On - When do you feel truly free? - How can you create more timeless moments? A Different Perspective Freedom is limited by external obligations and internal desires. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitions/) [Conventions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conventions/) [Dean Says](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dean-says-3341871/) [Eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternity/) [Filial-love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filial-love-63825/) [Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free/) [Free will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-will/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freewill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freewill/) [Haystack Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/haystack-night-3341872/) [Little Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-space/) [Relations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relations/) [Says Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/says-free-416252/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Traditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traditions/) ## Related quotes > [“Love – whether romantic, Or filial, Is as selfish as those mountains.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neelam-saxena-chandra/love-whether-romantic-or-filial-is-as-selfish-as-those-mountains/) [Neelam Saxena Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neelam-saxena-chandra/) > [Only the man who says no is free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/only-the-man-who-says-no-is-free/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [So, I'm lying on the couch and Laura walks in and I say, 'Free at last,' and she says 'You're free all right, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/so-i-m-lying-on-the-couch-and-laura-walks-in-and-i-say-free-at-last/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“I look to my right and see a sign that reads, "THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HIGHWAY IN THE WORLD." The officer smiles with relief, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-pelzer/i-look-to-my-right-and-see-a-sign-that-reads-the-most-beautiful/) [Dave Pelzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-pelzer/) > [Who says I can't be free from all of the things that I used to be?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/who-says-i-can-t-be-free-from-all-of-the-things-that-i-used-to-be/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [“Its only after you've lost everything," Tyler says, "that you're free to do anything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/its-only-after-you-ve-lost-everything-tyler-says-that-you-re-free-to/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“Only after disaster can we be resurrected. "It’s only after you’ve lost everything,” Tyler says, "that you’re free to do anything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/only-after-disaster-can-we-be-resurrected-it-s-only-after-you-ve-lost-2/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“Though I cannot tell why it was exactly that those stage managers, the Fates, put me down for this shabby part of a whaling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/though-i-cannot-tell-why-it-was-exactly-that-those-stage-managers-the/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Be yourself, give your freewill a chance. You've got to want to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yes-band/be-yourself-give-your-freewill-a-chance-you-ve-got-to-want-to-succeed/) [Yes (Band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yes-band/) > [“All preordained A prisoner in chains A victim of venomous fate Kicked in the face You can't pray for a place In heaven's unearthly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/all-preordained-a-prisoner-in-chains-a-victim-of-venomous-fate-kicked/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [“Freewill. Some have called it the greatest gift bestowed on humanity. It is our ability to control what happens to us and exactly how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/freewill-some-have-called-it-the-greatest-gift-bestowed-on-humanity/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [ The word "freewill" (as also "self-determining power" \[autexousiou\] used by the Greek Fathers) does not occur in Scripture ... I Cor 7:37 does not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-turretin/the-word-freewill-as-also-self-determining-power-autexousiou-used-by/) [Francis Turretin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-turretin/) > [“I don't believe in fate, though, because fate isn't as much fun as freewill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-bosworth/i-don-t-believe-in-fate-though-because-fate-isn-t-as-much-fun-as/) [Mel Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-bosworth/) > [God created a system which gave us freewill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gilmour/god-created-a-system-which-gave-us-freewill/) [David Gilmour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gilmour/) > [“Freewill does not impune the sovereignty of God, it in fact affirms it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-alan-woods/freewill-does-not-impune-the-sovereignty-of-god-it-in-fact-affirms-it/) [R. Alan Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-alan-woods/) ## More by L.M. Montgomery > [“The other day Nan said, 'Nothing can ever be quite the same for any of us again.' It made me feel rebellious. Why shouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/the-other-day-nan-said-nothing-can-ever-be-quite-the-same-for-any-of/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“It's a very bad habit to put off disagreeable things...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/it-s-a-very-bad-habit-to-put-off-disagreeable-things/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“Who was it said, ‘We forget because we must’? He was right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/who-was-it-said-we-forget-because-we-must-he-was-right/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“I don't think it's any help that it's your habit. What would you think of a person who went about sticking pins and needles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/i-don-t-think-it-s-any-help-that-it-s-your-habit-what-would-you-think/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“What a splendid day! Isn't it good just to be alive on a day like this? I pity the people who aren't born yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/what-a-splendid-day-isn-t-it-good-just-to-be-alive-on-a-day-like-this/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“I told you the Bible was more to be depended on than newspapers!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/i-told-you-the-bible-was-more-to-be-depended-on-than-newspapers/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“On a day like this there's no such word as fail in my bright lexicon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/on-a-day-like-this-there-s-no-such-word-as-fail-in-my-bright-lexicon/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“I took the brooch because I was too overcome with irresistible temptation. I was imagining I was Lady Cordelia Fitzgerald, and I just had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/i-took-the-brooch-because-i-was-too-overcome-with-irresistible/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“…she made a poem on it at once, the lines singing themselves through her consciousness without effort. With one side of her nature she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/she-made-a-poem-on-it-at-once-the-lines-singing-themselves-through/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“I think there are two kinds of TRUE THINGS-- true things that ARE, and true things that ARE NOT, but MIGHT be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/i-think-there-are-two-kinds-of-true-things-true-things-that-are-and/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“when the darkness is close to us it is a friend. But when we sorter push it away from us—divorce ourselves from it, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/when-the-darkness-is-close-to-us-it-is-a-friend-but-when-we-sorter/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“Yesterday she had been all her own. Now she was this man's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/yesterday-she-had-been-all-her-own-now-she-was-this-man-s/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“I suppose that's how it looks in prose. But it's very different if you look at it through poetry…and I think it's nicer…' Anne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/i-suppose-that-s-how-it-looks-in-prose-but-it-s-very-different-if-you/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“Ilse and I hunted all over the old orchard today for a four-leaved clover and couldn't find one. Then I found one in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/ilse-and-i-hunted-all-over-the-old-orchard-today-for-a-four-leaved/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“Nothing seems worthwhile. My very thoughts are old. I've thought them all before. What is the use of living after all, Anne?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/nothing-seems-worthwhile-my-very-thoughts-are-old-i-ve-thought-them/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) [Explore all 463 L.M. Montgomery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) ## More Ambitions quotes > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Coaching Netherlands remains one of my ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-koeman/coaching-netherlands-remains-one-of-my-ambitions/) [Ronald Koeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-koeman/) > [“Why should some foul word-slinging curb my ambitions?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronika-carnaby/why-should-some-foul-word-slinging-curb-my-ambitions/) [Veronika Carnaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronika-carnaby/) > [I don't know what my ambitions are until they turn up really but I'd love to work with Shane Meadows, I know that much!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kaye/i-don-t-know-what-my-ambitions-are-until-they-turn-up-really-but-i-d/) [Paul Kaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kaye/) > [It's interesting when you wind up distilling all your ambitions and your goals and dreams into one single person. It's giving that person a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/it-s-interesting-when-you-wind-up-distilling-all-your-ambitions-and/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [I hope I can fulfill all my ambitions at Everton. But you never know in this game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-moyes/i-hope-i-can-fulfill-all-my-ambitions-at-everton-but-you-never-know/) [David Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-moyes/) > [There are a lot of goals and ambitions that I have in life, things I want to accomplish. Who knows? I mean - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-tebow/there-are-a-lot-of-goals-and-ambitions-that-i-have-in-life-things-i/) [Tim Tebow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-tebow/) > [Success needs to be measured according to the ambitions and the resources of each designer. And many aren't interested in being a megabrand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-gunn/success-needs-to-be-measured-according-to-the-ambitions-and-the/) [Tim Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-gunn/) > [I have no screen ambitions whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-princess-of-hanover/i-have-no-screen-ambitions-whatsoever/) [Caroline, Princess of Hanover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-princess-of-hanover/) > [Some players have ambitions, and therefore, they leave and want to experience something new, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-emerick-aubameyang/some-players-have-ambitions-and-therefore-they-leave-and-want-to/) [Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-emerick-aubameyang/) > [When you've accomplished a certain amount in your career, you're not so focused on your ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-douglas/when-you-ve-accomplished-a-certain-amount-in-your-career-you-re-not/) [Michael Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-douglas/) > [“Beware of those who steer you away from your heart’s true happiness. It would make them happy to see you steer yourself right next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/beware-of-those-who-steer-you-away-from-your-heart-s-true-happiness/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [My ambitions have ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/behdad-sami/my-ambitions-have-ambitions/) [Behdad Sami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/behdad-sami/) > [Do what in your heart you know is right. It is easy to get caught up in your ambitions, but no job is worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irene-rosenfeld/do-what-in-your-heart-you-know-is-right-it-is-easy-to-get-caught-up/) [Irene Rosenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irene-rosenfeld/) > [There are points in your life, especially if you have creative ambitions, where selfishness is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kristofferson/there-are-points-in-your-life-especially-if-you-have-creative/) [Kris Kristofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kristofferson/) [Browse all 312 Ambitions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Oh, as Dean says, nobody is free - never, except just for a few brief moments now and then, when the flash comes, or when as on my haystack night, the soul slips over into eternity for a little space. 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