--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Here’s a thing Jack Kerouac said: ‘What…" description: "\"“Here’s a thing Jack Kerouac said: ‘What is that feeling when you’re driving away from people and they recede on the plain till you see their specks di..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/961/maggie-stiefvater-76_kerouac_here-s-a-thing-jack-kerouac-said-what-is_1934288.png" --- # Here’s a thing Jack Kerouac said: ‘What is that feeling… ![“Here’s a thing Jack Kerouac said: ‘What is that feeling when you’re driving away from people and they recede on the plain till you see their specks dispersing?—it’s the too-huge world vaulting us, and it’s good-bye. But we lean forward to the next crazy venture beneath the skies.’ If you’re…” quote by Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/961/maggie-stiefvater-76_kerouac_here-s-a-thing-jack-kerouac-said-what-is_1934288.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/961/maggie-stiefvater-76_kerouac_here-s-a-thing-jack-kerouac-said-what-is_1934288.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/961/maggie-stiefvater-76_kerouac_here-s-a-thing-jack-kerouac-said-what-is_1934288.png) > ““Here’s a thing Jack Kerouac said: ‘What is that feeling when you’re driving away from people and they recede on the plain till you see their specks dispersing?—it’s the too-huge world vaulting us, and it’s good-bye. But we lean forward to the next crazy venture beneath the skies.’ If you’re missing someone tonight, know that I, Diablo Diablo, am, too. It’s an enormous sky out there with a lot of stars above it and a lot of folks underneath it, and all of us, stars and human, are missing someone in the dark. But I, Diablo Diablo, think that if we’re all out there missing someone, that means that we’re all really together on that one note, aren’t we? So none of us are really alone as long as we’re lonely.”” [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Feeling isolated yet connected, we find comfort in shared longing under a vast sky. **In simple terms:** Loneliness feels less alone when shared. Key Takeaway Embrace shared vulnerability. Themes loneliness connection existence Mood melancholic hopeful Type poetic inspirational When to use this quote - night walks - star gazing - grief support groups Key Concepts existentialism shared experience Questions to Reflect On - How does shared longing help? - What does the sky symbolize for you? A Different Perspective Shared longing may not resolve personal grief. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [Do you remember the church across the sands? You stood outside and planned to travel the lands, where the pilgrims go. So you packed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/do-you-remember-the-church-across-the-sands-you-stood-outside-and/) [Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/) > [ “I realized Jack \[Kerouac\] was deeply committed to writing. Kesey was just as deeply committed to living and experiencing the lives of others; for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-lord/i-realized-jack-kerouac-was-deeply-committed-to-writing-kesey-was/) [Sterling Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-lord/) > [Growing up in San Antonio, I was the dork at the Friday night football games with my head buried in a book - Jack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-chozick/growing-up-in-san-antonio-i-was-the-dork-at-the-friday-night-football/) [Amy Chozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-chozick/) > [Even Jack Kerouac, who famously said, "First thought, best thought," benefited from editing. His earliest works are the most edited, and they're the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-m-soehnlein/even-jack-kerouac-who-famously-said-first-thought-best-thought/) [K. M. Soehnlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-m-soehnlein/) > [“writers like Jack Kerouac (who called himself an "urban Thoreau") set forth to redefine and rediscover ways to live in America without slogging through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/writers-like-jack-kerouac-who-called-himself-an-urban-thoreau-set/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [“Most road trips in China these days are still more John Steinbeck than Jack Kerouac,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-road-trips-in-china-these-days-are-still-more-john-steinbeck/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Jack Kerouac, like a sick refrigerator, worked too hard at keeping cool and died on his mama's lap from alcohol and infantilism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/jack-kerouac-like-a-sick-refrigerator-worked-too-hard-at-keeping-cool/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [ “Unable to forgive his own sins, unsatisfied with just the goodness of his heart, \[Kerouac\] would go on poisoning his body until it rotted… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-nicosia/unable-to-forgive-his-own-sins-unsatisfied-with-just-the-goodness-of/) [Gerald Nicosia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-nicosia/) > [ As a woman I have felt encouraged and fed by and nurtured by the work of \[Jack\] Kerouac and others. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-waldman/as-a-woman-i-have-felt-encouraged-and-fed-by-and-nurtured-by-the-work/) [Anne Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-waldman/) > [Henry Miller, Jack Kerouac, Albert Camus, Graham Greene - they influenced my life to a profound extent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/henry-miller-jack-kerouac-albert-camus-graham-greene-they-influenced/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [To be able to play Jack Kerouac or Sal Paradise, it's mad to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/to-be-able-to-play-jack-kerouac-or-sal-paradise-it-s-mad-to-me/) [Rupert Penry-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/) > [My golden dream was to move to New York and live in the Village and become that cool rebel beatnik Jack Kerouac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/my-golden-dream-was-to-move-to-new-york-and-live-in-the-village-and/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [The truest form of any form of revolutionary left, whatever you want to call it, was Jack Kerouac, E.E. Cummings, and Allan Ginsberg's period.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/the-truest-form-of-any-form-of-revolutionary-left-whatever-you-want/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [ “I was impressed with Jack \[Kerouac\]’s commitment to serious writing at the expense of everything else in his life. At a time when the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-lord/i-was-impressed-with-jack-kerouac-s-commitment-to-serious-writing-at/) [Sterling Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-lord/) > [“I just love crazy people like this,' Murphy said. 'Jack Kerouac people. Mad to live, mad to die, that kind of thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-lynn-anderson/i-just-love-crazy-people-like-this-murphy-said-jack-kerouac-people/) [Jodi Lynn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-lynn-anderson/) ## More by Maggie Stiefvater > [Sam reached his hand toward mine and I automatically put my fingers in his. With a guilty little smile he pulled my hand toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/sam-reached-his-hand-toward-mine-and-i-automatically-put-my-fingers/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Once upon a time, there lived a boy, and he had to risk everything to keep what he loved. But really the story was:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/once-upon-a-time-there-lived-a-boy-and-he-had-to-risk-everything-to/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [I think-I need to ask an embarrassing question. Do you think I could borrow a pair of scrubs? I-uh-my pants-" "Oh!" Cried the poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-think-i-need-to-ask-an-embarrassing-question-do-you-think-i-could/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [We dance, we dance. You hold the thread of my soul. You spin, you spin. And you unravel the part from the whole. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/we-dance-we-dance-you-hold-the-thread-of-my-soul-you-spin-you-spin/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [It was the way she felt when she looked at the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/it-was-the-way-she-felt-when-she-looked-at-the-stars/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Mum once told Dad that vices are only vices when looked at through the frame of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/mum-once-told-dad-that-vices-are-only-vices-when-looked-at-through/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Why'd she leave so early? It's practically yesterday.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/why-d-she-leave-so-early-it-s-practically-yesterday/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [How long it takes us, each day, to know each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/how-long-it-takes-us-each-day-to-know-each-other/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“At least when he was at Aglionby he could turn over his papers to see the grades, concrete proof of his success at something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/at-least-when-he-was-at-aglionby-he-could-turn-over-his-papers-to-see/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [I'll cook the water...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-ll-cook-the-water/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“That's the one." In Puck Connolly's custody. That might be the last I see of that jacket.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/that-s-the-one-in-puck-connolly-s-custody-that-might-be-the-last-i/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“I asked,”Are you going to pick up next time I call you?” ”I did this time didn’t I?” “Say yes.” “Yes. Conditionally yes.”…... …”What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-asked-are-you-going-to-pick-up-next-time-i-call-you-i-did-this-time/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Tell me what it's like. The race." "What it's like is a battle. A mess of horses and men and blood. The fastest and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/tell-me-what-it-s-like-the-race-what-it-s-like-is-a-battle-a-mess-of/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“I felt a tickle on my skin; it took me a moment to realize that Cole was driving his die-cast Mustang up my arm.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-felt-a-tickle-on-my-skin-it-took-me-a-moment-to-realize-that-cole/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Happiness isn't something this island yields easily; the ground is too rocky and the sun too sparse for it to flourish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/happiness-isn-t-something-this-island-yields-easily-the-ground-is-too/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) [Explore all 1,564 Maggie Stiefvater quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) ## More Kerouac quotes > [ “I realized Jack \[Kerouac\] was deeply committed to writing. Kesey was just as deeply committed to living and experiencing the lives of others; for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-lord/i-realized-jack-kerouac-was-deeply-committed-to-writing-kesey-was/) [Sterling Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-lord/) > [ “I was impressed with Jack \[Kerouac\]’s commitment to serious writing at the expense of everything else in his life. At a time when the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-lord/i-was-impressed-with-jack-kerouac-s-commitment-to-serious-writing-at/) [Sterling Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-lord/) > [The truest form of any form of revolutionary left, whatever you want to call it, was Jack Kerouac, E.E. Cummings, and Allan Ginsberg's period.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/the-truest-form-of-any-form-of-revolutionary-left-whatever-you-want/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“Capote's rejoinder to the Kerouac assertion that he never needed to edit his writing: "That's not writing .That's typing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-cavano/capote-s-rejoinder-to-the-kerouac-assertion-that-he-never-needed-to/) Joseph Cavano > [My golden dream was to move to New York and live in the Village and become that cool rebel beatnik Jack Kerouac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/my-golden-dream-was-to-move-to-new-york-and-live-in-the-village-and/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) > [Kerouac: You're ruining American poetry, O'Hara. O'Hara: That's more than you ever did for it, Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-o-hara/kerouac-you-re-ruining-american-poetry-o-hara-o-hara-that-s-more-than/) [Frank O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-o-hara/) > [Kerouac was this kid who exemplified something happening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/kerouac-was-this-kid-who-exemplified-something-happening/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [I was always aware that Jack loved women not only for their bodies but for the stories that came into being as they interacted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-johnson/i-was-always-aware-that-jack-loved-women-not-only-for-their-bodies/) [Joyce Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-johnson/) > [I fantasised about F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby' - I loved it, and then I read everything J. D. Salinger had to offer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-hedlund/i-fantasised-about-f-scott-fitzgerald-s-the-great-gatsby-i-loved-it/) [Garrett Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-hedlund/) > [Try the meditation of the trail, just walk along looking at the trail at your feet and don't look about and just fall into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/try-the-meditation-of-the-trail-just-walk-along-looking-at-the-trail/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [To be able to play Jack Kerouac or Sal Paradise, it's mad to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-penry-jones/to-be-able-to-play-jack-kerouac-or-sal-paradise-it-s-mad-to-me/) [Rupert Penry-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-penry-jones/) > [Kerouac's books portray a hero and narrator free and easy, confident, sure of his rebellion against the American system. In reality, Jack was torn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-nicosia/kerouac-s-books-portray-a-hero-and-narrator-free-and-easy-confident/) [Gerald Nicosia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-nicosia/) > [Kerouac and I are not real at all. The only thing about a writer is that he has written, and not his so-called life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/kerouac-and-i-are-not-real-at-all-the-only-thing-about-a-writer-is/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [The cruellest thing you can do to Kerouac is reread him at thirty-eight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/the-cruellest-thing-you-can-do-to-kerouac-is-reread-him-at-thirty/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“...Cody is furiously explaining to his little son Tim 'Never let the right hand know what your left hand is doing'... Page 100.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/cody-is-furiously-explaining-to-his-little-son-tim-never-let-the/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) Browse all 77 Kerouac quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Here’s a thing Jack Kerouac said: ‘What is that feeling when you’re driving away from people and they recede on the plain till you see their specks dispersing?—it’s the too-huge world vaulting us, and it’s good-bye. But we lean forward to the next crazy venture beneath the skies.’ If you’re missing someone tonight, know that I, Diablo Diablo, am, too. It’s an enormous sky out there with a lot of stars above it and a lot of folks underneath it, and all of us, stars and human, are missing someone in the dark. But I, Diablo Diablo, think that if we’re all out there missing someone, that means that we’re all really together on that one note, aren’t we? 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