--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Bad, or good, as it happens to be, that…" description: "\"“Bad, or good, as it happens to be, that is what it is to exist! . . . It is as though I have been silent and fuddled with sleep all my life. In spite ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/malcolm-lowry-8442_boat_bad-or-good-as-it-happens-to-be-that-is_2302436.png" --- # Bad, or good, as it happens to be, that is what it is to… ![“Bad, or good, as it happens to be, that is what it is to exist! . . . It is as though I have been silent and fuddled with sleep all my life. In spite of all, I know now that at least it is better to go always towards the summer, towards those burning seas of light; to sit at night in the…” quote by Malcolm Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/malcolm-lowry-8442_boat_bad-or-good-as-it-happens-to-be-that-is_2302436.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/malcolm-lowry-8442_boat_bad-or-good-as-it-happens-to-be-that-is_2302436.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c3/malcolm-lowry-8442_boat_bad-or-good-as-it-happens-to-be-that-is_2302436.png) > ““Bad, or good, as it happens to be, that is what it is to exist! . . . It is as though I have been silent and fuddled with sleep all my life. In spite of all, I know now that at least it is better to go always towards the summer, towards those burning seas of light; to sit at night in the forecastle lost in an unfamiliar dream, when the spirit becomes filled with stars, instead of wounds, and good and compassionate and tender. To sail into an unknown spring, or receive one's baptism on storm's promontory, where the solitary albatross heels over in the gale, and at last come to land. To know the earth under one's foot and go, in wild delight, ways where there is water.”” [Malcolm Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-lowry/) ## 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 journey toward light and discovery, embracing unknown challenges and seeking growth despite hardship. **In simple terms:** Seek light and growth despite hardship. Key Takeaway Embrace unknown challenges for growth. Themes adventure spirituality resilience Mood hopeful poetic Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - travel - creative pursuits - personal crises - spiritual quests Key Concepts existentialism transcendence Questions to Reflect On - What unknowns inspire you? - How do you balance risk and hope? A Different Perspective Idealistic view may overlook practical risks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Moving forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving-forward/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Sailing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sailing/) [Sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea/) [Searching-and-finding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/searching-and-finding/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/) ## Related quotes > [If you're not getting better in the summer, you're wasting your time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bosh/if-you-re-not-getting-better-in-the-summer-you-re-wasting-your-time/) [Chris Bosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bosh/) > [I just try to get better every summer and I think everything will fall into place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-g-anunoby/i-just-try-to-get-better-every-summer-and-i-think-everything-will/) [O. G. Anunoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-g-anunoby/) > [Surely 't is better, when summer is over To die when all fair things are fading away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-haynes-bayly/surely-t-is-better-when-summer-is-over-to-die-when-all-fair-things/) [Thomas Haynes Bayly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-haynes-bayly/) > [Life is better in the summer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-better-in-the-summer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“People often ask themselves the right questions. Where they fail is in answering the questions they ask themselves, and even there they do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-maxwell/people-often-ask-themselves-the-right-questions-where-they-fail-is-in-2/) [William Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-maxwell/) > [“Searching represents the achievement of the goal of searching. Finding represents the achievement of the goal of finding.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cohen/searching-represents-the-achievement-of-the-goal-of-searching-finding/) [Alan Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cohen/) > [“In search of myself, I have created myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/in-search-of-myself-i-have-created-myself/) [Ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/) > [“To search is more blessed than to find, Gissler thinks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-schalansky/to-search-is-more-blessed-than-to-find-gissler-thinks/) [Judith Schalansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-schalansky/) > [“Every sacred mission, every hunt for hidden relics, every pilgrimage from one end of the earth to the other … I was looking for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-hardy/every-sacred-mission-every-hunt-for-hidden-relics-every-pilgrimage/) [Dianna Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-hardy/) > [“I did and do believe, after all that I've seen and done, that if you project yourself into the mass of things, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mendelsohn/i-did-and-do-believe-after-all-that-i-ve-seen-and-done-that-if-you/) [Daniel Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mendelsohn/) > [“Many never realize they always had the key in their pocket, so they die at the locked door, never reaching deep inside to pull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/many-never-realize-they-always-had-the-key-in-their-pocket-so-they/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [“\*\*\*Sunn Meri Dastak\*\*\* khudse naaraz hai kyu, aisi talaash hai kyu, rooh teri udaas hai kyu bandeya... naa mitegi yeh hasratein, naa bharegi yeh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henna-sohail/sunn-meri-dastak-khudse-naaraz-hai-kyu-aisi-talaash-hai-kyu-rooh-teri/) [Henna Sohail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henna-sohail/) > [“I believe we must document our past; this tells us who we are and from where we came." ---Author Pamela Clark, from her interview…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-a-clark/i-believe-we-must-document-our-past-this-tells-us-who-we-are-and-from/) Pamela A. Clark > [If marriages are said to be made in heaven then why search for grooms in hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-abraham/if-marriages-are-said-to-be-made-in-heaven-then-why-search-for-grooms/) [Amit Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-abraham/) > [“ "Have you ever considered simply exploring and looking for the place where the sun shines over the moon?" It suggested.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-fiorre/have-you-ever-considered-simply-exploring-and-looking-for-the-place/) [Grace Fiorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-fiorre/) ## More by Malcolm Lowry > [“Night: and once again, the nightly grapple with death, the room shaking with daemonic orchestras, the snatches of fearful sleep, the voices outside the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-lowry/night-and-once-again-the-nightly-grapple-with-death-the-room-shaking/) [Malcolm Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-lowry/) > [War is being declared to-morrow here so perhaps you can understand that I have been working under difficulties, but difficulties negligible compared with what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-lowry/war-is-being-declared-to-morrow-here-so-perhaps-you-can-understand/) [Malcolm Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-lowry/) > [“He was safe here; this was the place he loved - sanctuary, the paradise of his despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-lowry/he-was-safe-here-this-was-the-place-he-loved-sanctuary-the-paradise/) [Malcolm Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-lowry/) > [What I have absolutely no sympathy with is the legislator, the man who seeks, for his own profit, to exploit the weaknesses of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-lowry/what-i-have-absolutely-no-sympathy-with-is-the-legislator-the-man-who/) [Malcolm Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-lowry/) > [“The will of man is unconquerable. Even God cannot conquer it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-lowry/the-will-of-man-is-unconquerable-even-god-cannot-conquer-it/) [Malcolm Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-lowry/) > [“and as they stood in silence before her, prayed again. "Nothing is altered and in spite of God's mercy I am still alone. Though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-lowry/and-as-they-stood-in-silence-before-her-prayed-again-nothing-is/) [Malcolm Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-lowry/) > [“Far above him a few white clouds were racing windily after a pale gibbous moon. Drink all morning, they said to him, drink all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-lowry/far-above-him-a-few-white-clouds-were-racing-windily-after-a-pale/) [Malcolm Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-lowry/) > [Adiós," she added in Spanish, "I have no house only a shadow. But whenever you are in need of a shadow, my shadow is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-lowry/adi-s-she-added-in-spanish-i-have-no-house-only-a-shadow-but-whenever/) [Malcolm Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-lowry/) > [“They were the cars at the fair that were whirling around her; no, they were the planets, while the sun stood, burning and spinning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-lowry/they-were-the-cars-at-the-fair-that-were-whirling-around-her-no-they/) [Malcolm Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-lowry/) > [“When I should have been producing obscure volumes of verse entitled the Triumph of Humpty Dumpty or the Nose with the Luminous Dong! Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-lowry/when-i-should-have-been-producing-obscure-volumes-of-verse-entitled/) [Malcolm Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-lowry/) > [“My lover. Oh come to me again as once in May.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-lowry/my-lover-oh-come-to-me-again-as-once-in-may/) [Malcolm Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-lowry/) > [“I have no house only a shadow. But whenever you are in need of a shadow, my shadow is yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-lowry/i-have-no-house-only-a-shadow-but-whenever-you-are-in-need-of-a/) [Malcolm Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-lowry/) > [“Indeed, on the face of it, this man of abnormal strength and constitution and obscure ambition, whom Hugh would never know, could never deliver…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-lowry/indeed-on-the-face-of-it-this-man-of-abnormal-strength-and/) [Malcolm Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-lowry/) > [“Under the Volcano” embraces everything from Dante to Freud to the cabala. Here it shambles like Cervantes, there it rages like Ahab, and every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-lowry/under-the-volcano-embraces-everything-from-dante-to-freud-to-the/) [Malcolm Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-lowry/) > [War is being declared tomorrow here so perhaps you can understand that I have been working under difficulties, but difficulties negligible compared with what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-lowry/war-is-being-declared-tomorrow-here-so-perhaps-you-can-understand/) [Malcolm Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-lowry/) [Explore all 78 Malcolm Lowry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-lowry/) ## More Boat quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [Fly-fishing for wild trout on quiet waters must be one of the toughest and craziest ways to catch fish ever invented by man, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-voelker/fly-fishing-for-wild-trout-on-quiet-waters-must-be-one-of-the/) [John D. Voelker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-voelker/) > [It was just the sort of yatch you'd expect a rock promoter to have. Mirrored ceilings, marble, Jacuzzis and leopard-skin everything, it made the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-anderson/it-was-just-the-sort-of-yatch-you-d-expect-a-rock-promoter-to-have/) [Pamela Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-anderson/) > [It's a hindrance in trying to get a serious acting role. The minute a producer has a script and my name comes up, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbi-benton/it-s-a-hindrance-in-trying-to-get-a-serious-acting-role-the-minute-a/) [Barbi Benton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbi-benton/) > [Something I like to do a lot is just sit by water when there’s a current and just stare into the water. I don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/something-i-like-to-do-a-lot-is-just-sit-by-water-when-there-s-a/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [The trouble is, you can't properly present something you don't believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mcguane/the-trouble-is-you-can-t-properly-present-something-you-don-t-believe/) [Thomas McGuane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mcguane/) > [You know how this is: if I look at the crystal moon, at the red branch of the slow autumn at my window, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/you-know-how-this-is-if-i-look-at-the-crystal-moon-at-the-red-branch/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [A film is a boat which is always on the point of sinking-it always tends to break up as you go along and drag…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-truffaut/a-film-is-a-boat-which-is-always-on-the-point-of-sinking-it-always/) [Francois Truffaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-truffaut/) > [I took one guitar lesson, and they wanted me to play 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' or 'Michael Row the Boat Ashore,' and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-took-one-guitar-lesson-and-they-wanted-me-to-play-mary-had-a-little/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [I was 35 years old and in a position to take a shot at whatever I wanted to try. The Air Force said I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-doyle/i-was-35-years-old-and-in-a-position-to-take-a-shot-at-whatever-i/) [Jerry Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-doyle/) > [We wanted a musical number that would capture the exhilaration of being out on a boat as they were and sailing with the stars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-musker/we-wanted-a-musical-number-that-would-capture-the-exhilaration-of/) [John Musker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-musker/) > [I thought I would try my hand at sailing. It was too small and kept sinking, so I decided to try a boat instead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-jolly/i-thought-i-would-try-my-hand-at-sailing-it-was-too-small-and-kept/) [Arthur M. Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-jolly/) > [I once went down the Amazon and our boat got charged by Columbian policemen with guns and we all had to get on motorbikes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-skelton/i-once-went-down-the-amazon-and-our-boat-got-charged-by-columbian/) [Helen Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-skelton/) > [Most of the world is covered by water. A fisherman's job is simple: Pick out the best parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-w-waterman/most-of-the-world-is-covered-by-water-a-fisherman-s-job-is-simple/) Charles W. Waterman Browse all 1,788 Boat quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Bad, or good, as it happens to be, that is what it is to exist! . . . It is as though I have been silent and fuddled with sleep all my life. 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