--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But each time he received an invitation…" description: "\"“But each time he received an invitation from the Harvard Club to join…he postponed his application for the time when he could do little but rest in th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/mark-helprin-1171_end-of-life_but-each-time-he-received-an-invitation_244901.png" --- # But each time he received an invitation from the Harvard… ![“But each time he received an invitation from the Harvard Club to join…he postponed his application for the time when he could do little but rest in the kind of comfortable chair that is to the end of life what a cradle is to the beginning.” quote by Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/mark-helprin-1171_end-of-life_but-each-time-he-received-an-invitation_244901.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/mark-helprin-1171_end-of-life_but-each-time-he-received-an-invitation_244901.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/mark-helprin-1171_end-of-life_but-each-time-he-received-an-invitation_244901.png) > ““But each time he received an invitation from the Harvard Club to join…he postponed his application for the time when he could do little but rest in the kind of comfortable chair that is to the end of life what a cradle is to the beginning.”” [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage reflects a desire to delay ambition until old age, seeking comfort and rest rather than early achievement. **In simple terms:** Prefers comfort in old age over early ambition. Key Takeaway Consider timing of goals. Themes aging comfort ambition Mood reflective melancholic Type literary contemplative When to use this quote - career planning - retirement - health - creative projects Key Concepts life stages priorities Questions to Reflect On - When is the right time to pursue goals? - What comforts do you seek in later life? A Different Perspective Risk of missing opportunities by postponing too long. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [End of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-of-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I don't want to be someone sitting in my rocking chair at the end saying, 'Well, I passed.' My mum used to say life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/i-don-t-want-to-be-someone-sitting-in-my-rocking-chair-at-the-end/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [“Earlier that year, at the hundredth anniversary of his Harvard club, a member was talking about the spirit of Harvard College and saying how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/earlier-that-year-at-the-hundredth-anniversary-of-his-harvard-club-a/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) > [Facebook should have a Drama Club you can join.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-s/facebook-should-have-a-drama-club-you-can-join/) [Laura S](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-s/) > [Get down to your local swimming pool or your local swimming club, join up and see what it's like. I can guarantee that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-tancock/get-down-to-your-local-swimming-pool-or-your-local-swimming-club-join/) [Liam Tancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-tancock/) > [The minute you become a leader of a country, you go into a very small club. You join that sort of pantheon of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/the-minute-you-become-a-leader-of-a-country-you-go-into-a-very-small/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [How the holy and the profane mix in the light of day and at the end of life is sometimes the most beautiful thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/how-the-holy-and-the-profane-mix-in-the-light-of-day-and-at-the-end/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [“When I reflect on the stories of death supported by hospice care and contrast it with our story depicting an absence of support, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/when-i-reflect-on-the-stories-of-death-supported-by-hospice-care-and/) [Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/) > [Someday your life will be over, no matter how much attention you give to your health. Will you look back with regret, because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/someday-your-life-will-be-over-no-matter-how-much-attention-you-give/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [Are all ends of life so sad?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-of-romania/are-all-ends-of-life-so-sad/) [Marie of Romania](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-of-romania/) > [Through a grandmother's voice and hands the end of life is known at the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/through-a-grandmother-s-voice-and-hands-the-end-of-life-is-known-at/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [The end of life is to be like unto God; and the soul following God, will be like unto Him; He being the beginning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-end-of-life-is-to-be-like-unto-god-and-the-soul-following-god/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [It will not bother me in the hour of death to reflect that I have been "had for a sucker" by any number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/it-will-not-bother-me-in-the-hour-of-death-to-reflect-that-i-have/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“What I really fear is time. That's the devil: whipping us on when we'd rather loll, so the present sprints by, impossible to grasp,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/what-i-really-fear-is-time-that-s-the-devil-whipping-us-on-when-we-d/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [You're already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/you-re-already-naked-there-is-no-reason-not-to-follow-your-heart/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“What matters is at the end of life, when you're about to pass into oblivion, that you've at least scratched 'Kilroy was here,' on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/what-matters-is-at-the-end-of-life-when-you-re-about-to-pass-into/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) ## More by Mark Helprin > [“Defiance, Catherine, is a gift of God, who is superior to nature. When nature comes to get you, honor God by treating it, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/defiance-catherine-is-a-gift-of-god-who-is-superior-to-nature-when/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [Because there were all kinds of hell - some were black and dirty, and some were silvery and high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/because-there-were-all-kinds-of-hell-some-were-black-and-dirty-and/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [“In living, one muddles through the years for the sake of those one or two moments which are indisputably great.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/in-living-one-muddles-through-the-years-for-the-sake-of-those-one-or/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [“Do you know why you walk slowly when you’re old?” “No.” “Because with age you receive the gift of friction. The less time you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/do-you-know-why-you-walk-slowly-when-you-re-old-no-because-with-age/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [The British monarchy has the political and constitutional task of subtracting from the government and governors of Britain the papal and kingly airs that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/the-british-monarchy-has-the-political-and-constitutional-task-of/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [“Your time is a good time, and though I have to leave, you can stay. How lucky you are to be in the city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/your-time-is-a-good-time-and-though-i-have-to-leave-you-can-stay-how/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [Truth is no rounder than a horse's eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/truth-is-no-rounder-than-a-horse-s-eye/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [They were dancing around the fountain, arm in arm, in an old Dutch dance, their cheeks touching, their hands entwined. They had no music;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/they-were-dancing-around-the-fountain-arm-in-arm-in-an-old-dutch/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [For what can be imagined more beautiful than the sight of a perfectly just city rejoicing in justice alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/for-what-can-be-imagined-more-beautiful-than-the-sight-of-a-perfectly/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [I follow my own nose. So I read things that are different. People will always say to me, "Have you read Robert S. Bosco's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/i-follow-my-own-nose-so-i-read-things-that-are-different-people-will/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [“If all the months and all their days could be like June weather in New York, there would be paradise on earth. Often, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/if-all-the-months-and-all-their-days-could-be-like-june-weather-in/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [“At least until there are new lakes in the clouds that open upon living cities as yet unknown, and perhaps forever, that is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/at-least-until-there-are-new-lakes-in-the-clouds-that-open-upon/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [You will most appreciate 'Freddy and Fredericka' if you are familiar with the story of the Fall, the Good Hermit, 'Tom Jones,' 'Huckleberry Finn,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/you-will-most-appreciate-freddy-and-fredericka-if-you-are-familiar/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [their powerlessness, innocence, and imagination fused to enable them to turn time inside out, travel on the wind, and enter the souls of animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/their-powerlessness-innocence-and-imagination-fused-to-enable-them-to/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > ['Freeing' a literary work into the public domain is less a public benefit than a transfer of wealth from the families of American writers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/freeing-a-literary-work-into-the-public-domain-is-less-a-public/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) [Explore all 279 Mark Helprin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) ## More End of life quotes > [“What matters is at the end of life, when you're about to pass into oblivion, that you've at least scratched 'Kilroy was here,' on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/what-matters-is-at-the-end-of-life-when-you-re-about-to-pass-into/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [You're already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/you-re-already-naked-there-is-no-reason-not-to-follow-your-heart/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“What I really fear is time. That's the devil: whipping us on when we'd rather loll, so the present sprints by, impossible to grasp,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/what-i-really-fear-is-time-that-s-the-devil-whipping-us-on-when-we-d/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [It will not bother me in the hour of death to reflect that I have been "had for a sucker" by any number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/it-will-not-bother-me-in-the-hour-of-death-to-reflect-that-i-have/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The end of life is to be like unto God; and the soul following God, will be like unto Him; He being the beginning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-end-of-life-is-to-be-like-unto-god-and-the-soul-following-god/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Through a grandmother's voice and hands the end of life is known at the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/through-a-grandmother-s-voice-and-hands-the-end-of-life-is-known-at/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Are all ends of life so sad?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-of-romania/are-all-ends-of-life-so-sad/) [Marie of Romania](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-of-romania/) > [Someday your life will be over, no matter how much attention you give to your health. Will you look back with regret, because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/someday-your-life-will-be-over-no-matter-how-much-attention-you-give/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“When I reflect on the stories of death supported by hospice care and contrast it with our story depicting an absence of support, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/when-i-reflect-on-the-stories-of-death-supported-by-hospice-care-and/) [Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/) > [Be driven by excellence.To be driven by excellence so at the end of each day,each month,each year,and indeed at the end of life itself,we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-huseman/be-driven-by-excellence-to-be-driven-by-excellence-so-at-the-end-of/) Richard Huseman > [Having the choice at the end of my life has become incredibly important. It has given me a sense of peace during a time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-maynard/having-the-choice-at-the-end-of-my-life-has-become-incredibly/) [Brittany Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-maynard/) > [And what is true education? It is awakening a love for truth; giving a just sense of duty; opening the eyes of the soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/and-what-is-true-education-it-is-awakening-a-love-for-truth-giving-a/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [Death is not the end of life, but a birth of the better life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rmkatta/death-is-not-the-end-of-life-but-a-birth-of-the-better-life/) RMKATTA > [“What is the use of beauty in woman? Provided a woman is physically well made and capable of bearing children, she will always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theophile-gautier/what-is-the-use-of-beauty-in-woman-provided-a-woman-is-physically/) [Théophile Gautier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theophile-gautier/) > [Sometimes we have just to let go of someone who matters to us not because we want to but because we have to, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-we-have-just-to-let-go-of-someone-who-matters-to-us-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 251 End of life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-of-life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But each time he received an invitation from the Harvard Club to join…he postponed his application for the time when he could do little but rest in the kind of comfortable chair that is to the end of life what a cradle is to the beginning.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mark Helprin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/but-each-time-he-received-an-invitation-from-the-harvard-club-to-join/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "End of life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/but-each-time-he-received-an-invitation-from-the-harvard-club-to-join/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/mark-helprin-1171_end-of-life_but-each-time-he-received-an-invitation_244901.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/mark-helprin-1171_end-of-life_but-each-time-he-received-an-invitation_244901.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/mark-helprin-1171_end-of-life_but-each-time-he-received-an-invitation_244901.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But each time he received an invitation from the Harvard Club to join…he postponed his application for the…” — Mark Helprin", "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": "Mark Helprin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But each time he received an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/but-each-time-he-received-an-invitation-from-the-harvard-club-to-join/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/but-each-time-he-received-an-invitation-from-the-harvard-club-to-join/#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 } } ] } ```