--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always thought about the theatre…" description: "\"“I've always thought about the theatre like a Christmas tree, all shining and bright with beautiful ornaments. But now it seems like a Christmas tree w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/madeleine-l-engle-345_christmas-tree_i-ve-always-thought-about-the-theatre-li_567375.png" --- # I've always thought about the theatre like a Christmas… ![“I've always thought about the theatre like a Christmas tree, all shining and bright with beautiful ornaments. But now it seems like a Christmas tree with the tinsel all tarnished and the colored balls all fallen off and broken...' Sure, I know what you mean...And it's both ways...Some of the…” quote by Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/madeleine-l-engle-345_christmas-tree_i-ve-always-thought-about-the-theatre-li_567375.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/madeleine-l-engle-345_christmas-tree_i-ve-always-thought-about-the-theatre-li_567375.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/madeleine-l-engle-345_christmas-tree_i-ve-always-thought-about-the-theatre-li_567375.png) > ““I've always thought about the theatre like a Christmas tree, all shining and bright with beautiful ornaments. But now it seems like a Christmas tree with the tinsel all tarnished and the colored balls all fallen off and broken...' Sure, I know what you mean...And it's both ways...Some of the ornaments fall and break and some stay clear and bright. Some of the tinsel gets tarnished and some stays shining and beautiful like the night before Christmas. Nothing's ever all one way. You know that. It's all mixed up and you've just got to find the part that's right for you.' —Elizabeth and Ben”” [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) ## 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 a mix of bright moments and tarnished ones; we must find what works for us. **In simple terms:** Life has both beauty and decay; choose your path. Key Takeaway Embrace both light and dark aspects. Themes art self‑discovery resilience Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - career decisions - creative projects - relationships - personal setbacks Key Concepts metaphor personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What ornaments do you cherish? - How do you handle tarnished parts? A Different Perspective Focusing only on positives can ignore real problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christmas tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas-tree/) ## Related quotes > [There are two types of woman - those who don't do anything with accessories and those who wear so many that they look like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gok-wan/there-are-two-types-of-woman-those-who-don-t-do-anything-with/) [Gok Wan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gok-wan/) > [At least I don't look like a Christmas tree. You look like the star atop the tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-least-i-don-t-look-like-a-christmas-tree-you-look-like-the-star/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I lit up like a Christmas tree, Hazel Grace”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-lit-up-like-a-christmas-tree-hazel-grace/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“I lit up like a Christmas tree, Hazel Grace. The lining of my chest, my left hip, my liver, everywhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-lit-up-like-a-christmas-tree-hazel-grace-the-lining-of-my-chest-my/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I don't like to see Christmas trees torn down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-prine/i-don-t-like-to-see-christmas-trees-torn-down/) [John Prine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-prine/) > [“What is salvation without faith? is like a Christmas tree without a star, is like a kingdom without a king, is like a heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/what-is-salvation-without-faith-is-like-a-christmas-tree-without-a/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [Make your plate look like a Christmas tree,' I tell people, 'mostly green with splashes of other bright colors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-moran/make-your-plate-look-like-a-christmas-tree-i-tell-people-mostly-green/) [Victoria Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-moran/) > [It lit up like a Christmas Tree Hazel Grace...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/it-lit-up-like-a-christmas-tree-hazel-grace/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Starting to drink now in preparation for New Years. No more last minute stuff like Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/starting-to-drink-now-in-preparation-for-new-years-no-more-last/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [“Night was like Christmas. There wasn't nearly enough of it to go around, especially in June.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-c-stevens/night-was-like-christmas-there-wasn-t-nearly-enough-of-it-to-go/) [Courtney C. Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-c-stevens/) > [Sometimes I like to get drunk and buy things on the internet, and then I wake up the next day and find 'em on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/sometimes-i-like-to-get-drunk-and-buy-things-on-the-internet-and-then/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [The beauty of Christmas movies is that they make you feel like Christmas is actually the most wonderful time of the year. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunny-singh/the-beauty-of-christmas-movies-is-that-they-make-you-feel-like/) [Sunny Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunny-singh/) > [“Education is like Christmas. We’re all just opening our gifts, one at a time. And it is a fact that each and every child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glennon-melton/education-is-like-christmas-we-re-all-just-opening-our-gifts-one-at-a/) [Glennon Melton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glennon-melton/) > [I do like Christmas. I do understand that there are people who hate it, and there are other religions that resent it. So, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-do-like-christmas-i-do-understand-that-there-are-people-who-hate-it/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I don't like most Christmas movies. They're pretty bad, though they seem to make tons of money anyway. 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And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/you-have-to-write-the-book-that-wants-to-be-written-and-if-the-book/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [Severe illness isolates those in close contact with it, because it inevitably narrows the focus of concern. To a certain extent this can lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/severe-illness-isolates-those-in-close-contact-with-it-because-it/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [Goodness has never been a guarantee of safety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/goodness-has-never-been-a-guarantee-of-safety/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [“Faith is what makes life bearable, with all its tragedies and ambiguities and sudden, startling joys.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/faith-is-what-makes-life-bearable-with-all-its-tragedies-and/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [“Instead of rejoicing in this glorious “impossible” which gives meaning and dignity to our lives, we try to domesticate God, to make his mighty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/instead-of-rejoicing-in-this-glorious-impossible-which-gives-meaning/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [I have never lived before...Until this summer, I did not know what it was to be alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/i-have-never-lived-before-until-this-summer-i-did-not-know-what-it/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [On the other side of pain, there is still love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/on-the-other-side-of-pain-there-is-still-love/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [“To love is to be vulnerable; and it is only in vulnerability and risk—not safety and security—that we overcome darkness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/to-love-is-to-be-vulnerable-and-it-is-only-in-vulnerability-and-risk/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [“IT was the most horrible, the most repellent thing she had ever seen, far more nauseating then anything she had ever imagined with her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/it-was-the-most-horrible-the-most-repellent-thing-she-had-ever-seen/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [I feel as though I'm not breathing when I'm out of his presence. He's the oxygen in my air, the sun in my universe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/i-feel-as-though-i-m-not-breathing-when-i-m-out-of-his-presence-he-s/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [Rather than feeling lost and unimportant and meaningless, set against galaxies which go beyond the reach of the furthest telescopes, I feel that my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/rather-than-feeling-lost-and-unimportant-and-meaningless-set-against/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [My husband is my most ruthless critic... sometimes he will say, 'It's been said better before.' Of course it has. It's all been said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/my-husband-is-my-most-ruthless-critic-sometimes-he-will-say-it-s-been/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [If we aren't capable of being hurt we aren't capable of feeling joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/if-we-aren-t-capable-of-being-hurt-we-aren-t-capable-of-feeling-joy/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) [Explore all 660 Madeleine L'Engle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) ## More Christmas tree quotes > [Don't measure the height of your Christmas tree. Measure the abundance of the love present in your heart! Have a Blessed Christmas!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-measure-the-height-of-your-christmas-tree-measure-the-abundance/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [November, I'll give thanks that you belong to me. December, you're the present beneath my Christmas tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-sedaka/november-i-ll-give-thanks-that-you-belong-to-me-december-you-re-the/) [Neil Sedaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-sedaka/) > [“It still feels weird to spend money on Christmas trees. Back when Mom was alive, we’d go out “tree hunting.” That’s what she called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/it-still-feels-weird-to-spend-money-on-christmas-trees-back-when-mom/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) > [I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-ve-learned-that-you-can-tell-a-lot-about-a-person-by-the-way-he-she/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [ “Like almost all of Beefheart's recorded work, \[Trout Mask Replica\] was not even "ahead" of its time in 1969. Then and now, it stands… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-bangs/like-almost-all-of-beefheart-s-recorded-work-trout-mask-replica-was/) [Lester Bangs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-bangs/) > [“Also, I was living in the middle of my parents' marriage. No one ever says this about families, and maybe people who aren't only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/also-i-was-living-in-the-middle-of-my-parents-marriage-no-one-ever/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [I played guitar from the age of four or five. Every year there would be a slightly larger triangular box under the Christmas tree,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/i-played-guitar-from-the-age-of-four-or-five-every-year-there-would/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) > [Christmas tree stands are the work of the devil and they want you dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/christmas-tree-stands-are-the-work-of-the-devil-and-they-want-you-dead/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [“You remember how homesick I used to get, and what long talks we used to have coming from school? We've someway always felt alike…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/you-remember-how-homesick-i-used-to-get-and-what-long-talks-we-used/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [We really love decorating the Christmas tree around Christmas and have our little fun by playing Secret Santa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunny-singh/we-really-love-decorating-the-christmas-tree-around-christmas-and/) [Sunny Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunny-singh/) > [Not everyone who sells Christmas trees believes in Santa Claus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barr/not-everyone-who-sells-christmas-trees-believes-in-santa-claus/) [Matt Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barr/) > [My parents always had a Christmas tree in the house and I was put in ballet at a very young age. So every year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-rainbow/my-parents-always-had-a-christmas-tree-in-the-house-and-i-was-put-in/) [Randy Rainbow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-rainbow/) > [I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-learned-that-no-matter-what-happens-or-how-bad-it-seems-today/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There was music from my neighbor's house through the summer nights. In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/there-was-music-from-my-neighbor-s-house-through-the-summer-nights-in/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Rudy draws his knees up and wraps his hands around his legs, laughing shakily against his thighs. This is not how he planned this,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aggybird/rudy-draws-his-knees-up-and-wraps-his-hands-around-his-legs-laughing/) [aggybird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aggybird/) [Browse all 290 Christmas tree quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas-tree/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I've always thought about the theatre like a Christmas tree, all shining and bright with beautiful ornaments. But now it seems like a Christmas tree with the tinsel all tarnished and the colored balls all fallen off and broken...' Sure, I know what you mean...And it's both ways...Some of the ornaments fall and break and some stay clear and bright. Some of the tinsel gets tarnished and some stays shining and beautiful like the night before Christmas. Nothing's ever all one way. You know that. 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