--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They'd been standing like that for thirty…" description: "\"They'd been standing like that for thirty seconds of forever.\" — Markus Zusak" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73d/markus-zusak-165_forever_they-d-been-standing-like-that-for-thirt_622468.png" --- # They'd been standing like that for thirty seconds of… ![“They'd been standing like that for thirty seconds of forever.” quote by Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73d/markus-zusak-165_forever_they-d-been-standing-like-that-for-thirt_622468.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73d/markus-zusak-165_forever_they-d-been-standing-like-that-for-thirt_622468.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73d/markus-zusak-165_forever_they-d-been-standing-like-that-for-thirt_622468.png) > “They'd been standing like that for thirty seconds of forever.” [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes a moment that feels endless, emphasizing how time can stretch in intense situations. **In simple terms:** Time feels endless in intense moments. Key Takeaway Recognize and manage perceived eternity. Themes patience perception time Mood anxious contemplative Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - waiting rooms - high‑stress events - long meetings Key Concepts psychology subjective experience Questions to Reflect On - How does stress affect time perception? - What techniques shorten perceived waiting? A Different Perspective Perception can distort actual duration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [I'm not worried about what's going to happen when I'm thirty, because I am never going to make it to thirty. You know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/i-m-not-worried-about-what-s-going-to-happen-when-i-m-thirty-because/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [So when Putin goes out to buy a Coke, thirty seconds later it is known in Washington DC.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/so-when-putin-goes-out-to-buy-a-coke-thirty-seconds-later-it-is-known/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [Thirty seconds is the exact amount of time Americans can tolerate something they don't understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/thirty-seconds-is-the-exact-amount-of-time-americans-can-tolerate/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Will you stop counting!' snarled Zaphod. 'Yes,' said Ford Prefect, 'in three minutes and thirty-five seconds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/will-you-stop-counting-snarled-zaphod-yes-said-ford-prefect-in-three/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [If I could make a record in two minutes and thirty seconds, I'd do it. I want the creativity, and I don't give a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-sixx/if-i-could-make-a-record-in-two-minutes-and-thirty-seconds-i-d-do-it/) [Nikki Sixx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-sixx/) > [There is literally no such thing as an idea that cannot be expressed well and articulately to today's voters in thirty seconds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-morris/there-is-literally-no-such-thing-as-an-idea-that-cannot-be-expressed/) [Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-morris/) > [I prefer to leave standing up, like a well-mannered guest at a party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leontyne-price/i-prefer-to-leave-standing-up-like-a-well-mannered-guest-at-a-party/) [Leontyne Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leontyne-price/) > [Over and over in the play my character says, "I'm thirty-two years old," as if that should explain everything that's wrong in her life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/over-and-over-in-the-play-my-character-says-i-m-thirty-two-years-old/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [“he lets me take the orders, standing at my side like my own personal Mexican food encyclopedia”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-young/he-lets-me-take-the-orders-standing-at-my-side-like-my-own-personal/) [Suzanne Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-young/) > [Standing there like a sore thumb out notice your image is different traits that change it's just to quick follow on clues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quicksand/standing-there-like-a-sore-thumb-out-notice-your-image-is-different/) [Quicksand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quicksand/) > [Laugh like you're ten, party like your twenty. Travel like you're thirty, think like you're forty. Advise like you're fifty, care like you're sixty.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/laugh-like-you-re-ten-party-like-your-twenty-travel-like-you-re/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Later when, dude? Like when you’re thirty-five? You are twenty-two now, if you have to take any risks, this is going to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/varun-agarwal/later-when-dude-like-when-you-re-thirty-five-you-are-twenty-two-now/) Varun Agarwal > [“I don't know what it's like to be thirty-two, but I can imagine. I imagine that she means she's stuck in an in-between time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-graham/i-don-t-know-what-it-s-like-to-be-thirty-two-but-i-can-imagine-i/) [Lauren Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-graham/) > [“When you stand in the crowd, you stand like the cloud- baseless. But when you stand out of the crowd, you're 'out-standing' like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-aghado/when-you-stand-in-the-crowd-you-stand-like-the-cloud-baseless-but/) [Emmanuel Aghado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-aghado/) > [“Annabelle was practically standing on my back. It was like wearing an Annabelle backpack.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-pressey/annabelle-was-practically-standing-on-my-back-it-was-like-wearing-an/) [Rose Pressey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-pressey/) ## More by Markus Zusak > [Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I think that as a writer your responsibility is to search for and stir up the things that are in this world. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-think-that-as-a-writer-your-responsibility-is-to-search-for-and/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“For two days I went about my business. I travelled the globe as always, handing souls to the conveyor belt of eternity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/for-two-days-i-went-about-my-business-i-travelled-the-globe-as-always/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [It is early, early morning. It's that time when it's still dark but you know the day is coming. Blue is bleeding through black.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/it-is-early-early-morning-it-s-that-time-when-it-s-still-dark-but-you/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“I'm twenty years old and look at me-- there isn't a thing I want to do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-m-twenty-years-old-and-look-at-me-there-isn-t-a-thing-i-want-to-do/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [You should give it to Max, Liesel. See if you can leave it on the bedside table, like all the other things." Liesel watched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/you-should-give-it-to-max-liesel-see-if-you-can-leave-it-on-the/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“When a woman with an iron fist tells you to get out there and clean spit off the door, you do it. Especially when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/when-a-woman-with-an-iron-fist-tells-you-to-get-out-there-and-clean/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Is there cowardice with the acknowledgement of fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/is-there-cowardice-with-the-acknowledgement-of-fear/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [In years to come, he would be a giver of bread, not a stealer - proof again of the contradictory human being. So much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/in-years-to-come-he-would-be-a-giver-of-bread-not-a-stealer-proof/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“«¿Por qué no puede oírlo el resto del mundo? —me pregunto. En pocos segundos me lo pregunto muchas veces—. Porque no le importa —me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/por-qu-no-puede-o-rlo-el-resto-del-mundo-me-pregunto-en-pocos/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Could she smell my breath? Could she hear my cursed circular heart beat revolving like the crime it is in my deathly chest?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/could-she-smell-my-breath-could-she-hear-my-cursed-circular-heart/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I see how complicated it is to make a film and how many people are involved and I love the fact that I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-see-how-complicated-it-is-to-make-a-film-and-how-many-people-are/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [One wild card was yet to be played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/one-wild-card-was-yet-to-be-played/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“Može li netko ukrasti sreću? Ili je i to još jedan unutarnji, paklenski ljudski trik?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/mo-e-li-netko-ukrasti-sre-u-ili-je-i-to-jo-jedan-unutarnji-paklenski/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I look at my first books and am glad they weren't published… You start writing by imitating your heroes, then you keep the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-look-at-my-first-books-and-am-glad-they-weren-t-published-you-start/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) [Explore all 953 Markus Zusak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) ## More Forever quotes > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [“I believe in forever, and that’s what you and I are. We define eternity. This may sound cheesy, but you make me go there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-mchugh/i-believe-in-forever-and-that-s-what-you-and-i-are-we-define-eternity/) [Gail McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-mchugh/) > [Contradictory precepts that have guided me for as long as I can remember: 1: I will live forever. 2: I will die tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gardner/contradictory-precepts-that-have-guided-me-for-as-long-as-i-can/) [Howard Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gardner/) > [People don't always realize that a record is forever. It'll always be there under your name. You've got to be certain that it's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-iero/people-don-t-always-realize-that-a-record-is-forever-it-ll-always-be/) [Frank Iero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-iero/) > [When you find someone you want to spend forever with you, you don't let them go, whether forever turns out to be a day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/when-you-find-someone-you-want-to-spend-forever-with-you-you-don-t/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [What does forever mean to you? When you couldnt even keep it true You said were youd forever be there But were those just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fad-ibra/what-does-forever-mean-to-you-when-you-couldnt-even-keep-it-true-you/) [Fad Ibra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fad-ibra/) > [Forever is a really long time, you know? What do you do with forever?" "The same thing you do when you don't have forever."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/forever-is-a-really-long-time-you-know-what-do-you-do-with-forever/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) > [Whole scenes of your life slip away forever if you don't put them down in ink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silas-house/whole-scenes-of-your-life-slip-away-forever-if-you-don-t-put-them/) [Silas House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silas-house/) > [Tonight I feel like a prisoner on fire, waiting desperately... denied, sentenced forever more. Only your love can set me free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bolton/tonight-i-feel-like-a-prisoner-on-fire-waiting-desperately-denied/) [Michael Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bolton/) > [It all depends on you. You can go on sleeping forever, you can wake up right this moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/it-all-depends-on-you-you-can-go-on-sleeping-forever-you-can-wake-up/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [I want to do - I want to be putting out classic stuff that's gonna stick and last forever, you feel me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yg/i-want-to-do-i-want-to-be-putting-out-classic-stuff-that-s-gonna/) YG > [“I will run every mile, i will save every line, i will say i reached the top and i will fall back down standing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mennah-al-refaey/i-will-run-every-mile-i-will-save-every-line-i-will-say-i-reached-the/) Mennah al refaey Browse all 10,689 Forever quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They'd been standing like that for thirty seconds of forever.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Markus Zusak" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/they-d-been-standing-like-that-for-thirty-seconds-of-forever/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Forever" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/they-d-been-standing-like-that-for-thirty-seconds-of-forever/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73d/markus-zusak-165_forever_they-d-been-standing-like-that-for-thirt_622468.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73d/markus-zusak-165_forever_they-d-been-standing-like-that-for-thirt_622468.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73d/markus-zusak-165_forever_they-d-been-standing-like-that-for-thirt_622468.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They'd been standing like that for thirty seconds of forever.” — Markus Zusak", "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": "Markus Zusak", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "They'd been standing like that for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/they-d-been-standing-like-that-for-thirty-seconds-of-forever/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/they-d-been-standing-like-that-for-thirty-seconds-of-forever/#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 } } ] } ```