Past and future Quote by Laini Taylor
““My people understood that time is an ocean, not a river. It doesn't flow away and pour itself out, done and gone. It simply is - eternal and entire. Mortals might move through it in one direction, but that's no reflection of its true nature - only of our limitations. Past and future are our own constructs. And as for myths, some are made up, nothing but fantasy. But some myths are true. Some have already been lived. And in the drift of time, eternal and entire, some haven't.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Daughter of Smoke and Bone, by Laini Taylor, 2011
Time is a vast, unchanging continuum; human perception imposes linear narratives, while myths can hold kernels of truth beyond imagination.
In simple terms: Time is endless; we impose stories on it.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the limits of our temporal view.
Themes
philosophy
mythology
perception
Mood
contemplative
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- personal growth
- creative writing
- historical analysis
- spiritual contemplation
Key Concepts
eternity
subjective experience
narrative constructs
Questions to Reflect On
- In what ways do you see myths reflecting deeper truths?
- How does viewing time as an ocean change your decisions?
A Different Perspective
Human understanding of time is inherently limited and may overlook deeper realities.
![“What actually happened was something absurdly simple and unspectacular: I stopped thinking. [...] Reason and imagination and all mental chatter died down. For once, words really failed me. Past and future dropped away. I forgot who and what I was, my name, manhood, animalhood, all that could be…” quote by Douglas Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3cb/douglas-harding-37614_blue-sky_what-actually-happened-was-something-abs_102127.jpg)
