--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The world before us is a postcard, and I…" description: "\"The world before us is a postcard, and I imagine the story we are writing on it.\" — Mary E. Pearson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c1/mary-e-pearson-2812_imagine_the-world-before-us-is-a-postcard-and-i_1126004.png" --- # The world before us is a postcard, and I imagine the story… ![“The world before us is a postcard, and I imagine the story we are writing on it.” quote by Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c1/mary-e-pearson-2812_imagine_the-world-before-us-is-a-postcard-and-i_1126004.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c1/mary-e-pearson-2812_imagine_the-world-before-us-is-a-postcard-and-i_1126004.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c1/mary-e-pearson-2812_imagine_the-world-before-us-is-a-postcard-and-i_1126004.png) > “The world before us is a postcard, and I imagine the story we are writing on it.” [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our lives are like a blank canvas, and we are the authors of the narrative that unfolds upon it. **In simple terms:** Life is a story we create on a vast canvas. Key Takeaway Embrace creative agency. Themes creativity agency storytelling Mood reflective inspired Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - writing a novel - planning a project - personal growth - community building Key Concepts self‑determination narrative identity Questions to Reflect On - What story are you currently writing? - How does seeing life as a canvas affect your choices? A Different Perspective It can be daunting to accept responsibility for the whole story. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Postcard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/postcard/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“In those years before mobile phones, email and Skype, travelers depended on the rudimentary communications system known as the postcard. Other methods--the long-distance phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/in-those-years-before-mobile-phones-email-and-skype-travelers/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [On TV you can't show landscapes. You just can't. Even a postcard is better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-luc-godard/on-tv-you-can-t-show-landscapes-you-just-can-t-even-a-postcard-is/) [Jean-Luc Godard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-luc-godard/) > [Dear Alec and Magnus, This is the first postcard of five. Don't freak out or anything, but I need you to send me $150,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/dear-alec-and-magnus-this-is-the-first-postcard-of-five-don-t-freak/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I shot many scenes of Hamburg, albums full of postcard motifs, and I discarded almost all of them. I ride my bike through Hamburg…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fatih-ak-n/i-shot-many-scenes-of-hamburg-albums-full-of-postcard-motifs-and-i/) [Fatih Ak?n](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fatih-ak-n/) > [What goes by the name of love is banishment, with now and then a postcard from the homeland, such is my considered opinion, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/what-goes-by-the-name-of-love-is-banishment-with-now-and-then-a/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [That's why when I send a postcard I quiz people. "Hey, did you get that postcard?" "Yeah, yeah yeah." "Well what'd I say?" "Uh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/that-s-why-when-i-send-a-postcard-i-quiz-people-hey-did-you-get-that/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [Don't ever forget the words on a postcard that my father sent me last year: "If you win the rat race, you're still a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/don-t-ever-forget-the-words-on-a-postcard-that-my-father-sent-me-last/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [Why do you have to be out of town to write a postcard? I want a to write a postcard to my neighbor: "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/why-do-you-have-to-be-out-of-town-to-write-a-postcard-i-want-a-to/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [A postcard. Neat handwriting fills the rectangle. Half my days I cannot bear to touch you. The rest of my time I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/a-postcard-neat-handwriting-fills-the-rectangle-half-my-days-i-cannot/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [I'm pretty satisfied with how 'Postcard' turned out. I think everybody did a great job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jardine/i-m-pretty-satisfied-with-how-postcard-turned-out-i-think-everybody/) [Al Jardine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jardine/) > [For email, the old postcard rule applies. Nobody else is supposed to read your postcards, but you'd be a fool if you wrote anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/for-email-the-old-postcard-rule-applies-nobody-else-is-supposed-to/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [I once got a postcard from a French poet who wrote - "you don't know me but I'm always very grumpy when I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-graves/i-once-got-a-postcard-from-a-french-poet-who-wrote-you-don-t-know-me/) [Michael Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graves/) > [I've never seen a postcard of my work in a museum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wade-guyton/i-ve-never-seen-a-postcard-of-my-work-in-a-museum/) [Wade Guyton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wade-guyton/) > [Just as in writing, there are novelistic and sort of pedestrian ways of telling a story, to write a postcard with your little pocket…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-mekas/just-as-in-writing-there-are-novelistic-and-sort-of-pedestrian-ways/) [Jonas Mekas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-mekas/) > [Despite living in an increasingly digital world, there are a few things I still like to keep as physical reminders. So every time I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruzwana-bashir/despite-living-in-an-increasingly-digital-world-there-are-a-few/) [Ruzwana Bashir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruzwana-bashir/) ## More by Mary E. Pearson > [“Once upon a time, there was a man as great as the gods… But even the great can tremble with fear. Even the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-man-as-great-as-the-gods-but-even-the/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [“abuelita speaks no english. she doesn't need to, zoe thinks. her smile fills and communicates so much more than the empty, half-said words of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/abuelita-speaks-no-english-she-doesn-t-need-to-zoe-thinks-her-smile/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [... Change doesn't happen overnight-it's molded by people who don't give up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/change-doesn-t-happen-overnight-it-s-molded-by-people-who-don-t-give/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [There are all kinds of friends you make in life... But there's something different about someone who spreads their wings with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/there-are-all-kinds-of-friends-you-make-in-life-but-there-s-something/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [“I shan't make a fuss over the babe's father.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/i-shan-t-make-a-fuss-over-the-babe-s-father/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [“Multiple closets for different needs. Overkill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/multiple-closets-for-different-needs-overkill/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [“It is good to have many strengths, Natiya...Do not sacrifice one kind of strength for another”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/it-is-good-to-have-many-strengths-natiya-do-not-sacrifice-one-kind-of/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [“Somewhere beyond all that, on an unseeable horizon, was Morrighan and all the people who lived there, going about their lives, unaware. My brothers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/somewhere-beyond-all-that-on-an-unseeable-horizon-was-morrighan-and/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [“I play the if game too, Tavish. It´s practically a hobby of mine, but I´ve found it´s a game of endless possibilities with no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/i-play-the-if-game-too-tavish-it-s-practically-a-hobby-of-mine-but-i/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [“He leaned back, the misery in his eyes cutting through me. "But they're only wishes Lia, because you've made promises and so have I.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/he-leaned-back-the-misery-in-his-eyes-cutting-through-me-but-they-re/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [Father says it will come in time. “Time heals,” he says. I don’t tell him that I don’t know what time is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/father-says-it-will-come-in-time-time-heals-he-says-i-don-t-tell-him/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [There is something about her eyes. Eyes don't breathe. I know that much. But hers look breathless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/there-is-something-about-her-eyes-eyes-don-t-breathe-i-know-that-much/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [But remember, child, we may all have our own story and destiny, and sometimes our seemingly bad fortune, but we're all part of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/but-remember-child-we-may-all-have-our-own-story-and-destiny-and/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [But I am more than a name. More than they tell me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/but-i-am-more-than-a-name-more-than-they-tell-me/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [“I looked at her, unsure how to answer. Even after everything Mikael had done, every day I had to let go again. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/i-looked-at-her-unsure-how-to-answer-even-after-everything-mikael-had/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) [Explore all 148 Mary E. Pearson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) ## More Imagine quotes > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Many patients imagine that they have tried everything. True, they have used many remedies, but they have never had the cause of their infirmity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-palmer/many-patients-imagine-that-they-have-tried-everything-true-they-have/) [Daniel D. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-d-palmer/) > [It seems an insult to nature and to the Creator to imagine that pregnancy was ever intended to be a sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-bisbee-duffey/it-seems-an-insult-to-nature-and-to-the-creator-to-imagine-that/) Eliza Bisbee Duffey > [A vacuum can only exist, I imagine, by the things which enclose it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zelda-fitzgerald/a-vacuum-can-only-exist-i-imagine-by-the-things-which-enclose-it/) [Zelda Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zelda-fitzgerald/) > [Never in a million years would I imagine Calvin Klein flying me out to my first men's fashion show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-dallas/never-in-a-million-years-would-i-imagine-calvin-klein-flying-me-out/) [Cameron Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-dallas/) > [Jonah Lehrer is one of the most talented explainers of science that we’ve got. What a pleasure it is to follow his investigation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-foer/jonah-lehrer-is-one-of-the-most-talented-explainers-of-science-that/) [Joshua Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-foer/) > [Life is more complicated than we think, yet far simpler than anyone dares to imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-durrell/life-is-more-complicated-than-we-think-yet-far-simpler-than-anyone/) [Lawrence Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-durrell/) > [I can't imagine not working, really. I just think work's more fun than fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-quant/i-can-t-imagine-not-working-really-i-just-think-work-s-more-fun-than/) [Mary Quant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-quant/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [We live in such a special time when literally anything we can think of is possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-willey/we-live-in-such-a-special-time-when-literally-anything-we-can-think/) [Daniel Willey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-willey/) > [Imagine what you'd do if it absolutely didn't matter what people thought of you. Got it? Good. Never go back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/imagine-what-you-d-do-if-it-absolutely-didn-t-matter-what-people/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [ Together he \[Girolamo Savonarola\] and his archenemy Lorenzo \[de' Medici\] would have been the stuff of gargoyles. One could almost imagine the diptych in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dunant/together-he-girolamo-savonarola-and-his-archenemy-lorenzo-de-medici/) [Sarah Dunant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dunant/) Browse all 6,768 Imagine quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The world before us is a postcard, and I imagine the story we are writing on it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mary E. 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