--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It does not take a long time to fall to…" description: "\"“It does not take a long time to fall to the ground, even from nine stories up. But it took a lifetime for Yetta. It took every single one of the last ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/margaret-peterson-haddix-19372_life_it-does-not-take-a-long-time-to-fall-to_1435456.jpg" --- # It does not take a long time to fall to the ground, even… ![“It does not take a long time to fall to the ground, even from nine stories up. But it took a lifetime for Yetta. It took every single one of the last moments of her life.” quote by Margaret Peterson Haddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/margaret-peterson-haddix-19372_life_it-does-not-take-a-long-time-to-fall-to_1435456.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/margaret-peterson-haddix-19372_life_it-does-not-take-a-long-time-to-fall-to_1435456.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/margaret-peterson-haddix-19372_life_it-does-not-take-a-long-time-to-fall-to_1435456.jpg) > ““It does not take a long time to fall to the ground, even from nine stories up. But it took a lifetime for Yetta. It took every single one of the last moments of her life.”” [Margaret Peterson Haddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-peterson-haddix/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A single moment can end a life, but a lifetime can be defined by a single, profound experience. **In simple terms:** Life’s meaning can hinge on one pivotal moment. Key Takeaway Recognize the weight of each moment. Themes life mortality meaning Mood reflective melancholy Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - grief counseling - life coaching - creative writing Key Concepts existentialism personal narrative time perception Questions to Reflect On - What moments have defined your life? - How do we honor both fleeting and lasting experiences? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on single events may ignore broader context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [It took me a lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/it-took-me-a-lifetime/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [It took me a lifetime to realizethings don't get lost if they don't have value- you don't miss what you don't care about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-took-me-a-lifetime-to-realizethings-don-t-get-lost-if-they-don-t/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [All I needed was the courage to be me. That courage took a lifetime to develop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-scott/all-i-needed-was-the-courage-to-be-me-that-courage-took-a-lifetime-to/) [Jimmy Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-scott/) > [Love one another, Jesus said. Sometimes it took a lifetime to learn how. Sometimes it took someone to hit rock bottom to make someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/love-one-another-jesus-said-sometimes-it-took-a-lifetime-to-learn-how/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [I drank my lifetime supply of alcohol and I took my lifetime supply of drugs between the ages of 15 and 19.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/i-drank-my-lifetime-supply-of-alcohol-and-i-took-my-lifetime-supply/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [“There is a lot of time between now and the fall term. There is a lot of time between now and the day after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/there-is-a-lot-of-time-between-now-and-the-fall-term-there-is-a-lot/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“The cycle of time seems to spin its delicate tapestry into our souls, opening the beauty that was there all along. The shifting sands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-maxwell-preston/the-cycle-of-time-seems-to-spin-its-delicate-tapestry-into-our-souls/) Todd Maxwell Preston > [If you get up one more time than you fall you will make it through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinese-proverbs/if-you-get-up-one-more-time-than-you-fall-you-will-make-it-through/) Chinese Proverbs > [The airplane stays up because it doesn't have the time to fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orville-wright/the-airplane-stays-up-because-it-doesn-t-have-the-time-to-fall/) [Orville Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orville-wright/) > [Can't wait until daylight savings time. Fall back, Spring forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/can-t-wait-until-daylight-savings-time-fall-back-spring-forward/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Success is getting up one more time than you fall down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-bowen/success-is-getting-up-one-more-time-than-you-fall-down/) [Julie Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-bowen/) > [i wanted more time so we could fall in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-wanted-more-time-so-we-could-fall-in-love/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Success means that you get up one more time than you fall down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/success-means-that-you-get-up-one-more-time-than-you-fall-down/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He that hopes to look back hereafter with satisfaction upon past years must learn to know the present value of single minutes, and endeavour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/he-that-hopes-to-look-back-hereafter-with-satisfaction-upon-past/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“We've got lots of time to fall in love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-hand/we-ve-got-lots-of-time-to-fall-in-love/) [Cynthia Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-hand/) ## More by Margaret Peterson Haddix > [“I start to think, 'It's awful being too poor to even buy my own dress for homecoming.' But that's instantly swept away by another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-peterson-haddix/i-start-to-think-it-s-awful-being-too-poor-to-even-buy-my-own-dress/) [Margaret Peterson Haddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-peterson-haddix/) > [“I have a choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-peterson-haddix/i-have-a-choice/) [Margaret Peterson Haddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-peterson-haddix/) > [“You bite off more than you can chew, 'course you're going to choke. One bite at a time. And that goes for thinking things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-peterson-haddix/you-bite-off-more-than-you-can-chew-course-you-re-going-to-choke-one/) [Margaret Peterson Haddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-peterson-haddix/) > [“I was there laughing and joking with everyone else, but it’s like there was some part of me standing back, watching, thinking, “Is this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-peterson-haddix/i-was-there-laughing-and-joking-with-everyone-else-but-it-s-like/) [Margaret Peterson Haddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-peterson-haddix/) > [“Maybe everyone is just waiting for some else to save them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-peterson-haddix/maybe-everyone-is-just-waiting-for-some-else-to-save-them/) [Margaret Peterson Haddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-peterson-haddix/) > [“But, really, are there any guys out there who aren’t jerks? I don’t even know any grown-up men who aren’t jerks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-peterson-haddix/but-really-are-there-any-guys-out-there-who-aren-t-jerks-i-don-t-even/) [Margaret Peterson Haddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-peterson-haddix/) > [“I have been thinking--" He chuckled. "Always a dangerous thing for a woman to do," he said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-peterson-haddix/i-have-been-thinking-he-chuckled-always-a-dangerous-thing-for-a-woman/) [Margaret Peterson Haddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-peterson-haddix/) > [“Winning isn't everything," Eisenhower said faintly. "Sometimes, just knowing your family's safe and healthy and alive is even better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-peterson-haddix/winning-isn-t-everything-eisenhower-said-faintly-sometimes-just/) [Margaret Peterson Haddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-peterson-haddix/) > [“I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, my mind a jumble. So much for breaking it off gently, I thought. The humor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-peterson-haddix/i-leaned-my-head-back-and-closed-my-eyes-my-mind-a-jumble-so-much-for/) [Margaret Peterson Haddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-peterson-haddix/) > [“I wasn't asking anything about God," Jonah complained. "Yeah, you kind of were," JB said. "If there is fate, who else would control it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-peterson-haddix/i-wasn-t-asking-anything-about-god-jonah-complained-yeah-you-kind-of/) [Margaret Peterson Haddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-peterson-haddix/) > [“Because," he said in an even voice, "you're used to winning, so you don't even think about how, every time there's a game, both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-peterson-haddix/because-he-said-in-an-even-voice-you-re-used-to-winning-so-you-don-t/) [Margaret Peterson Haddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-peterson-haddix/) > [“Most people couldn't be rich if they wanted to be honest; most people couldn't be honest if they wanted to be rich.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-peterson-haddix/most-people-couldn-t-be-rich-if-they-wanted-to-be-honest-most-people/) [Margaret Peterson Haddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-peterson-haddix/) > [“Why didn't you tell me that evil could be so lighthearted?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-peterson-haddix/why-didn-t-you-tell-me-that-evil-could-be-so-lighthearted/) [Margaret Peterson Haddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-peterson-haddix/) > [“You know how to steer a yacht?" Mr. McIntyre asked Ian worriedly. "I was born knowing how to steer a yacht," Ian said. Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-peterson-haddix/you-know-how-to-steer-a-yacht-mr-mcintyre-asked-ian-worriedly-i-was/) [Margaret Peterson Haddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-peterson-haddix/) > [“But did he go to heaven?" Katherine persisted. "That's between him and God, not him and history," JB said. Alex started, jerking so spastically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-peterson-haddix/but-did-he-go-to-heaven-katherine-persisted-that-s-between-him-and/) [Margaret Peterson Haddix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-peterson-haddix/) [Explore all 28 Margaret Peterson Haddix quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-peterson-haddix/) ## More Life quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. 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That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/) [Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/) > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) Deanna L. Lawlis > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It does not take a long time to fall to the ground, even from nine stories up. 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