--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those joys were so small that they passed…" description: "\"“Those joys were so small that they passed unnoticed, like gold in sand, and at bad moments she could see nothing but the pain, nothing but sand; but t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/leo-tolstoy-55_dolly_those-joys-were-so-small-that-they-passe_430807.png" --- # Those joys were so small that they passed unnoticed, like… ![“Those joys were so small that they passed unnoticed, like gold in sand, and at bad moments she could see nothing but the pain, nothing but sand; but there were good moments too when she saw nothing but the joy, nothing but gold.” quote by Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/leo-tolstoy-55_dolly_those-joys-were-so-small-that-they-passe_430807.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/leo-tolstoy-55_dolly_those-joys-were-so-small-that-they-passe_430807.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/leo-tolstoy-55_dolly_those-joys-were-so-small-that-they-passe_430807.png) > ““Those joys were so small that they passed unnoticed, like gold in sand, and at bad moments she could see nothing but the pain, nothing but sand; but there were good moments too when she saw nothing but the joy, nothing but gold.”” [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. Small joys often go unnoticed, yet they can be as precious as gold; even in pain, moments of pure happiness exist. **In simple terms:** Tiny joys are precious and can appear even in suffering. Key Takeaway Notice and cherish small moments. Themes joy perception resilience Mood reflective poetic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - daily life - grief - celebrations - personal reflection Key Concepts mindfulness gratitude contrast Questions to Reflect On - What small joys can you recognize today? - How do you balance joy and sorrow? A Different Perspective Focusing only on joy may ignore necessary processing of pain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dolly/) [Gold Sand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold-sand-230603/) [Good mom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-mom/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Joy Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy-gold-3797155/) [Joys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joys/) [Joys Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joys-small-2303649/) [Like Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-gold/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“...those children were already beginning to repay her care by affording her small joys. These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/those-children-were-already-beginning-to-repay-her-care-by-affording/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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 children themselves repaid her griefs with small joys. These joys were so small that they could not be seen, like gold in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-children-themselves-repaid-her-griefs-with-small-joys-these-joys/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The moment I decided to follow instead of lead, I discovered the joys of becoming part of a small child's world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-gonzalez-mena/the-moment-i-decided-to-follow-instead-of-lead-i-discovered-the-joys/) [Janet Gonzalez-Mena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-gonzalez-mena/) > [The truth is obtained like gold, not by letting it grow bigger, but by washing off from it everything that isn't gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-truth-is-obtained-like-gold-not-by-letting-it-grow-bigger-but-by/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/truth-like-gold-is-to-be-obtained-not-by-its-growth-but-by-washing-2/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Only Anna was sad. She knew that now, from Dolly's departure, no one again would stir up within her soul the feelings that had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/only-anna-was-sad-she-knew-that-now-from-dolly-s-departure-no-one/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I don't think anything," she said, "but I always loved you, and if one loves anyone, one loves the whole person, just as they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-don-t-think-anything-she-said-but-i-always-loved-you-and-if-one/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“She, his Dolly, forever fussing and worrying over household details,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/she-his-dolly-forever-fussing-and-worrying-over-household-details/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Soon after the doctor, Dolly had arrived. She knew that there was to be a consultation that day, and though she was only just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/soon-after-the-doctor-dolly-had-arrived-she-knew-that-there-was-to-be/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I feel like a Gold surrounded by Silver!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-p-romulo/i-feel-like-a-gold-surrounded-by-silver/) [Carlos P. Romulo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-p-romulo/) > [“Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold. —Count Leo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/truth-like-gold-is-to-be-obtained-not-by-its-growth-but-by-washing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A brother is like gold and a friend is like diamond. If gold cracks you can melt it and make it just like it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib-a-s/a-brother-is-like-gold-and-a-friend-is-like-diamond-if-gold-cracks/) [Ali Ibn Abi Talib A.S](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib-a-s/) > [Do not hold everything as gold that shines like gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-lille/do-not-hold-everything-as-gold-that-shines-like-gold/) [Alain de Lille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-lille/) > [“Talent, just like gold or any other precious commodity is subject to the same demand & supply economics”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gyan-nagpal/talent-just-like-gold-or-any-other-precious-commodity-is-subject-to/) [Gyan Nagpal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gyan-nagpal/) ## 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 Dolly quotes > [I remember people would talk about Country Music like it was this sexist, lame thing. Well, no, because Dolly Parton is writing songs and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neko-case/i-remember-people-would-talk-about-country-music-like-it-was-this/) [Neko Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neko-case/) > [“Soon after the doctor, Dolly had arrived. She knew that there was to be a consultation that day, and though she was only just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/soon-after-the-doctor-dolly-had-arrived-she-knew-that-there-was-to-be/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Dolly Parton, who said to her doctor, Are you sure it's a chest cold? Never got a dinner!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-buttons/dolly-parton-who-said-to-her-doctor-are-you-sure-it-s-a-chest-cold/) [Red Buttons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-buttons/) > [“I don’t like the term “Average Joe.” I prefer “Dolly,” because not only is the Everyman a sheep, but he’s also a clone. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-don-t-like-the-term-average-joe-i-prefer-dolly-because-not-only-is/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [We just lost Carol Channing, who performed 'Hello, Dolly!' at the St. James Theatre. I played the St. James Theatre as well. To know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helene-yorke/we-just-lost-carol-channing-who-performed-hello-dolly-at-the-st-james/) [Helene Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helene-yorke/) > [Of course, Dolly started out basically on my television show. She just learned a lot when she was on my show the first seven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/porter-wagoner/of-course-dolly-started-out-basically-on-my-television-show-she-just/) [Porter Wagoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/porter-wagoner/) > [ When I first got to Nashville, somebody said that \[Kris Kristofferson and I\] were the only two people who could describe Dolly Parton without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-t-hall/when-i-first-got-to-nashville-somebody-said-that-kris-kristofferson/) [Tom T. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-t-hall/) > [“...those children were already beginning to repay her care by affording her small joys. These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/those-children-were-already-beginning-to-repay-her-care-by-affording/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I was never any dolly-bird, was I?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilda-swinton/i-was-never-any-dolly-bird-was-i/) [Tilda Swinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilda-swinton/) > [Lets be clear, Dolly Parton is a rapper. Somewhere before all the country, I don't know what happens up there in the mountains when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-latifah/lets-be-clear-dolly-parton-is-a-rapper-somewhere-before-all-the/) [Queen Latifah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-latifah/) > [It's like a woman going into a beauty parlor, she goes in an old hag and come out lookin like Dolly Parton. -Si](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duck-dynasty/it-s-like-a-woman-going-into-a-beauty-parlor-she-goes-in-an-old-hag/) [Duck Dynasty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duck-dynasty/) > [My mom was in the chorus of 'Hello Dolly' and 'The Worldly Players'; my dad would build the set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/my-mom-was-in-the-chorus-of-hello-dolly-and-the-worldly-players-my/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [My mom took me to a Dolly Parton concert when I was 3.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-dennings/my-mom-took-me-to-a-dolly-parton-concert-when-i-was-3/) [Kat Dennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-dennings/) > [Do not try woman \| dolly so that it can reach the sky and whether anyone can be found in the soil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/do-not-try-woman-dolly-so-that-it-can-reach-the-sky-and-whether/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [I struggle to learn a Dolly Parton cover with three key changes, but boy does it make me happy. I dare you to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-zauner/i-struggle-to-learn-a-dolly-parton-cover-with-three-key-changes-but/) [Michelle Zauner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-zauner/) [Browse all 74 Dolly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dolly/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Those joys were so small that they passed unnoticed, like gold in sand, and at bad moments she could see nothing but the pain, nothing but sand; but there were good moments too when she saw nothing but the joy, nothing but gold.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leo Tolstoy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/those-joys-were-so-small-that-they-passed-unnoticed-like-gold-in-sand/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dolly" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/those-joys-were-so-small-that-they-passed-unnoticed-like-gold-in-sand/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/leo-tolstoy-55_dolly_those-joys-were-so-small-that-they-passe_430807.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/leo-tolstoy-55_dolly_those-joys-were-so-small-that-they-passe_430807.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/leo-tolstoy-55_dolly_those-joys-were-so-small-that-they-passe_430807.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Those joys were so small that they passed unnoticed, like gold in sand, and at bad moments she could see…” — Leo Tolstoy", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Leo Tolstoy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Those joys were so small that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/those-joys-were-so-small-that-they-passed-unnoticed-like-gold-in-sand/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/those-joys-were-so-small-that-they-passed-unnoticed-like-gold-in-sand/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```