--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pierre was right when he said that one…" description: "\"Pierre was right when he said that one must believe in the possibility of happiness in order to be happy, and I now believe in it. Let the dead bury th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb6/leo-tolstoy-55_alive_pierre-was-right-when-he-said-that-one-m_331974.jpg" --- # Pierre was right when he said that one must believe in the… ![“Pierre was right when he said that one must believe in the possibility of happiness in order to be happy, and I now believe in it. Let the dead bury the dead, but while I'm alive, I must live and be happy.” quote by Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb6/leo-tolstoy-55_alive_pierre-was-right-when-he-said-that-one-m_331974.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb6/leo-tolstoy-55_alive_pierre-was-right-when-he-said-that-one-m_331974.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb6/leo-tolstoy-55_alive_pierre-was-right-when-he-said-that-one-m_331974.jpg) > “Pierre was right when he said that one must believe in the possibility of happiness in order to be happy, and I now believe in it. Let the dead bury the dead, but while I'm alive, I must live and be happy.” [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Believing in happiness is a prerequisite for experiencing it; live fully despite past sorrows. **In simple terms:** Believe in happiness to achieve it. Key Takeaway Embrace life now. Themes philosophy optimism existence Mood reflective hopeful Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - grieving - daily life - personal development Key Concepts belief purpose living fully Questions to Reflect On - How does belief shape your daily outlook? - What actions help you live joyfully now? A Different Perspective Optimism may overlook real pain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-possibility-601735/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happy Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-believe-329141/) [I'm alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-m-alive/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Pierre Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pierre-right-3104152/) [Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility/) [Possibility Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility-happiness-726691/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) ## Related quotes > [“one must believe in the possibility of happiness in order to be happy, and now I do believe in it. Let the dead bury…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/one-must-believe-in-the-possibility-of-happiness-in-order-to-be-happy/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I don't trust art that promises a 24-hour joyride. In fact, there seems to be a modern sense of entitlement for such constant "ups,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-ware/i-don-t-trust-art-that-promises-a-24-hour-joyride-in-fact-there-seems/) [Chris Ware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-ware/) > [“We talked of a future life, of art, service, marriage, and education; nor did the idea ever occur to us that very possibly all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/we-talked-of-a-future-life-of-art-service-marriage-and-education-nor/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I believe in the possibility of miracles but, more to the point, I believe in our need for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/i-believe-in-the-possibility-of-miracles-but-more-to-the-point-i/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [We need above all to learn again to believe in the possibility of nobility of spirit in ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-o-neill/we-need-above-all-to-learn-again-to-believe-in-the-possibility-of/) [Eugene O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-o-neill/) > [I don't know about forgiving, but it's an "I'm still here." And it's not just because I have nowhere else to go. It's because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-rankine/i-don-t-know-about-forgiving-but-it-s-an-i-m-still-here-and-it-s-not/) [Claudia Rankine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-rankine/) > [Being truly happy, is when you believe in your-self and do the impossible that you would never think of. Happy when you have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-moore/being-truly-happy-is-when-you-believe-in-your-self-and-do-the/) [Justin Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-moore/) > [I am perfectly happy to believe that nobody likes us but the public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-bing/i-am-perfectly-happy-to-believe-that-nobody-likes-us-but-the-public/) [Rudolf Bing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-bing/) > [“I am glad you are happy--but I never believe much in happiness. I never believe in misery either. Those are things you see on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-am-glad-you-are-happy-but-i-never-believe-much-in-happiness-i-never/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Desserts are things that make people happy." I believe in what Mom taught me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsumi-ando/desserts-are-things-that-make-people-happy-i-believe-in-what-mom/) [Natsumi Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsumi-ando/) > [“Theoretically there is a perfect possibility of happiness: believing in the indestructible element in oneself and not striving towards it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/theoretically-there-is-a-perfect-possibility-of-happiness-believing/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Happy was she who could believe without seeing, who was at one with the duration and continuity of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-cort-zar/happy-was-she-who-could-believe-without-seeing-who-was-at-one-with/) [Julio Cortazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-cort-zar/) > [The happy do not believe in miracles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-happy-do-not-believe-in-miracles/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I believe in the possibility of happiness, if one cultivates intuition and outlives the grosser passions, including optimism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/i-believe-in-the-possibility-of-happiness-if-one-cultivates-intuition/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [How happy it is to believe, with a steadfast assurance, that our petitions are heard even while we are making them; and how delightful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/how-happy-it-is-to-believe-with-a-steadfast-assurance-that-our/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) ## More by Leo Tolstoy > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-only-significance-of-life-consists-in-helping-to-establish-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Energy rests upon love; and come as it will, there's no forcing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/energy-rests-upon-love-and-come-as-it-will-there-s-no-forcing-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“If you only knew what those society women are, and women in general! My father is right. Selfish, vain, stupid, trivial in everything—that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/if-you-only-knew-what-those-society-women-are-and-women-in-general-my/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To speak of it would be giving importance to that which has none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-speak-of-it-would-be-giving-importance-to-that-which-has-none/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Once we're thrown off our habitual paths, we think all is lost, but it's only here that the new and the good begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/once-we-re-thrown-off-our-habitual-paths-we-think-all-is-lost-but-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He knew she was there by the rapture and the terror that seized on his heart. She was standing talking to a lady at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-knew-she-was-there-by-the-rapture-and-the-terror-that-seized-on/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Rest, nature, books, music...such is my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/rest-nature-books-music-such-is-my-idea-of-happiness/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He was not to blame for being born with an irrepressible charachter and a mind some how constrained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-was-not-to-blame-for-being-born-with-an-irrepressible-charachter/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I ask one thing only: I ask for the right to hope, to suffer as I do. But if even that cannot be, command…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-ask-one-thing-only-i-ask-for-the-right-to-hope-to-suffer-as-i-do/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The idea shared by many that life is a vale of tears is just as false as the idea shared by the great majority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-idea-shared-by-many-that-life-is-a-vale-of-tears-is-just-as-false/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To say that a work of art is good, but incomprehensible to the majority of men, is the same as saying of some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-say-that-a-work-of-art-is-good-but-incomprehensible-to-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [True life is lived when tiny changes occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/true-life-is-lived-when-tiny-changes-occur/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) [Explore all 1,754 Leo Tolstoy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Pierre was right when he said that one must believe in the possibility of happiness in order to be happy, and I now believe in it. 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