--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I said I was ready to die recently, and I…" description: "\"I said I was ready to die recently, and I think I was exaggerating.That declaration of readiness, no matter what the outcome, that's a part of everyone..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/938/leonard-cohen-448_declaration_i-said-i-was-ready-to-die-recently-and-i_2806462.jpg" --- # I said I was ready to die recently, and I think I was… ![“I said I was ready to die recently, and I think I was exaggerating.That declaration of readiness, no matter what the outcome, that's a part of everyone's soul.” quote by Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/938/leonard-cohen-448_declaration_i-said-i-was-ready-to-die-recently-and-i_2806462.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/938/leonard-cohen-448_declaration_i-said-i-was-ready-to-die-recently-and-i_2806462.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/938/leonard-cohen-448_declaration_i-said-i-was-ready-to-die-recently-and-i_2806462.jpg) > “I said I was ready to die recently, and I think I was exaggerating.That declaration of readiness, no matter what the outcome, that's a part of everyone's soul.” [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledging mortality is a universal human experience, reflecting inner readiness regardless of outcome. **In simple terms:** Facing death is universal. Key Takeaway Embrace life’s impermanence. Themes mortality existentialism self‑reflection Mood reflective philosophical Type musical poetic When to use this quote - daily life - personal journaling - therapy sessions Key Concepts death spirituality psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does confronting death shape daily choices? - What does “readiness” mean to you? A Different Perspective Acceptance may coexist with fear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Declaration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/declaration/) [Ready to die](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ready-to-die/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“I think you should come home with me tonight and we can talk about it," she said "Ready when you are”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaci-burton/i-think-you-should-come-home-with-me-tonight-and-we-can-talk-about-it/) [Jaci Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaci-burton/) > [“So you’re going to be the Big Boss Lady?” I opened my mouth to make some quippy comment, but nothing came. So I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/so-you-re-going-to-be-the-big-boss-lady-i-opened-my-mouth-to-make/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [“knew he’d spoken the truth. It would be okay because Mr. Perfect would make it okay. The guy was responsible, dependable, a stand-up fellow.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-burford/knew-he-d-spoken-the-truth-it-would-be-okay-because-mr-perfect-would/) Pamela Burford > [“It was then that the seven-year-old said, “I am ready. What wonderful place will we visit tonight?” “I can take you wherever your dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-price/it-was-then-that-the-seven-year-old-said-i-am-ready-what-wonderful/) Cheryl Price > [She said I'm ready...for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-jam/she-said-i-m-ready-for-you/) [Pearl Jam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-jam/) > [“Frank, I ran into Gladys and Billy at the store yesterday. Do you know what he said to me?" The girls went very quiet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/frank-i-ran-into-gladys-and-billy-at-the-store-yesterday-do-you-know/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) > [“She looked at me and smiled and said "Are you ready?" And I was. I finally was. I had never been more ready in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/she-looked-at-me-and-smiled-and-said-are-you-ready-and-i-was-i/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [What if I said I'm not to blame I don't care if you think I'm the same. What if I said I'm ready to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/for-the-fallen-dreams/what-if-i-said-i-m-not-to-blame-i-don-t-care-if-you-think-i-m-the/) [For The Fallen Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/for-the-fallen-dreams/) > [What gave it away? When she loaded me bound and gagged into the back of her truck? Or when she actually said. "I'm ready…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/what-gave-it-away-when-she-loaded-me-bound-and-gagged-into-the-back/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [“Galen?” “Hmm?” “You can put me down now.” “I’m not ready yet.” He tightens his hold. “You don’t have to hold—“ “Emma? Can you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/galen-hmm-you-can-put-me-down-now-i-m-not-ready-yet-he-tightens-his/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) > [I never could tell a joke. I just started talking to the audience, and when the drunks would yell, "Hey, when do the broads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-never-could-tell-a-joke-i-just-started-talking-to-the-audience-and/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [It is only a short step from exaggerating what we can find in the world to exaggerating our power to remake the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/it-is-only-a-short-step-from-exaggerating-what-we-can-find-in-the/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [I've told you for the fifty-thousandth time, stop exaggerating. Losers are people who are afraid of losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/i-ve-told-you-for-the-fifty-thousandth-time-stop-exaggerating-losers/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [I think I am generally prone to exaggerating characters, taking them to a ridiculous extent. But you do also meet those people in real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-davis/i-think-i-am-generally-prone-to-exaggerating-characters-taking-them/) [Julia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-davis/) > [In the age of social media, everyone's a newspaper columnist, exaggerating what they think and feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-brooker/in-the-age-of-social-media-everyone-s-a-newspaper-columnist/) [Charlie Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-brooker/) ## More by Leonard Cohen > [The blizzard of the world has crossed the threshold and it's overturned the order of the soul...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-blizzard-of-the-world-has-crossed-the-threshold-and-it-s/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Don't matter if you're rich and strong Don't matter if you're weak Don't matter if you write a song The nightingales repeat Don't matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/don-t-matter-if-you-re-rich-and-strong-don-t-matter-if-you-re-weak/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“You don't know me from the wind you never will, you never did I'm the little jew who wrote the Bible. I've seen the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/you-don-t-know-me-from-the-wind-you-never-will-you-never-did-i-m-the/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“This is it I’m not coming after you I’m going to lie down for half an hour This is it I’m not going down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-is-it-i-m-not-coming-after-you-i-m-going-to-lie-down-for-half-an/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [My sense of proprietorship has been so weak that actually I didn't pay attention and I lost the copyrights on a lot of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/my-sense-of-proprietorship-has-been-so-weak-that-actually-i-didn-t/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [This world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled. But there are moments when we can... reconcile and embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-world-is-full-of-conflicts-and-full-of-things-that-cannot-be/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [ I would say the hummingbird really deserves the royalties on \[some of my songs\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-would-say-the-hummingbird-really-deserves-the-royalties-on-some-of/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [One is given to self-dramatization from time to time. I intend to live forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/one-is-given-to-self-dramatization-from-time-to-time-i-intend-to-live/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [The basic function of popular music is to create an environment for courting, lovemaking, and doing the dishes. It's useful because it addresses the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-basic-function-of-popular-music-is-to-create-an-environment-for/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Blessed are you, embrace of the falling, foundation of the light, master of the human accident.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/blessed-are-you-embrace-of-the-falling-foundation-of-the-light-master/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I continually blacken pages and scribble away, so I always have a number of songs that are half-finished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-continually-blacken-pages-and-scribble-away-so-i-always-have-a/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I have nothing against the Queen of England. Even in my heart I never resented her for not being Jackie Kennedy. She is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-have-nothing-against-the-queen-of-england-even-in-my-heart-i-never/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I loved you when you opened like a lily to the heat; you see I’m just another snowman standing in the rain and sleet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-loved-you-when-you-opened-like-a-lily-to-the-heat-you-see-i-m-just/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [It's time that we began to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/it-s-time-that-we-began-to-laugh-and-cry-and-cry-and-laugh-about-it/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“I followed the course From chaos to art Desire the horse Depression the cart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-followed-the-course-from-chaos-to-art-desire-the-horse-depression/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) [Explore all 543 Leonard Cohen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## More Declaration quotes > [Our times demand the declaration of the world's resources as the common heritage of all people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/our-times-demand-the-declaration-of-the-world-s-resources-as-the/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/throughout-our-history-the-words-of-the-declaration-have-inspired/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [It was often this way, life consisted of a series of false beginnings, bluff declarations of arrival to destinations not even glimpsed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/it-was-often-this-way-life-consisted-of-a-series-of-false-beginnings/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) Joe Pitts > [“It was to accomplish this lofty purpose basic to all liberty that God “established the Constitution of this land by the hands of wise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-b-lee/it-was-to-accomplish-this-lofty-purpose-basic-to-all-liberty-that-god/) [Harold B. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-b-lee/) > [Scott noticed Will staring at it and grinned. "Like what you see?" Woolsey Scott asked. "I do enjoy these surprise midnight declarations. 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McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) [Browse all 685 Declaration quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/declaration/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I said I was ready to die recently, and I think I was exaggerating.That declaration of readiness, no matter what the outcome, that's a part of everyone's soul.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leonard Cohen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-said-i-was-ready-to-die-recently-and-i-think-i-was-exaggerating/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Declaration" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-said-i-was-ready-to-die-recently-and-i-think-i-was-exaggerating/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/938/leonard-cohen-448_declaration_i-said-i-was-ready-to-die-recently-and-i_2806462.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/938/leonard-cohen-448_declaration_i-said-i-was-ready-to-die-recently-and-i_2806462.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/938/leonard-cohen-448_declaration_i-said-i-was-ready-to-die-recently-and-i_2806462.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I said I was ready to die recently, and I think I was exaggerating.That declaration of readiness, no matter…” — Leonard Cohen", "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": "Leonard Cohen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I said I was ready to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-said-i-was-ready-to-die-recently-and-i-think-i-was-exaggerating/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-said-i-was-ready-to-die-recently-and-i-think-i-was-exaggerating/#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 } } ] } ```