--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was thinking about how fleeting and…" description: "\"I was thinking about how fleeting and precious life is. Life is also arbitrary. For example, the choices that you make, the luck of being born into the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/mary-ellen-mark-8293_choices_i-was-thinking-about-how-fleeting-and-pr_971851.jpg" --- # I was thinking about how fleeting and precious life is… ![“I was thinking about how fleeting and precious life is. Life is also arbitrary. For example, the choices that you make, the luck of being born into the right bed, to parents who support and help you and who love you. That doesn't always happen - and then, what happens when it doesn't?” quote by Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/mary-ellen-mark-8293_choices_i-was-thinking-about-how-fleeting-and-pr_971851.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/mary-ellen-mark-8293_choices_i-was-thinking-about-how-fleeting-and-pr_971851.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/mary-ellen-mark-8293_choices_i-was-thinking-about-how-fleeting-and-pr_971851.jpg) > “I was thinking about how fleeting and precious life is. Life is also arbitrary. For example, the choices that you make, the luck of being born into the right bed, to parents who support and help you and who love you. That doesn't always happen - and then, what happens when it doesn't?” [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s value is fleeting and arbitrary; circumstances like birth and support shape it, prompting contemplation of loss. **In simple terms:** Life is short, random, and depends on luck and support. Key Takeaway Recognize privilege and cherish relationships. Themes mortality luck privilege family inequality Mood thoughtful somber Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - health crises - economic hardship - family loss Key Concepts existential reflection social commentary personal narrative Questions to Reflect On - What can we do to support those less fortunate? - How does acknowledging randomness affect our choices? A Different Perspective Not all can control birth circumstances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Fleeting Precious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fleeting-precious-1870728/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Arbitrary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-arbitrary-1870726/) [Life life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luck/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Precious life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precious-life/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Thinking Fleeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-fleeting-1870727/) ## Related quotes > [Confronting the worst-case scenario saps it of much of its anxiety-inducing power. 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I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/that-s-the-way-i-learned-photography-you-make-your-picture-in-the/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [I'm a documentary photographer. That's what I've always wanted to be; that's where my heart and soul is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/i-m-a-documentary-photographer-that-s-what-i-ve-always-wanted-to-be/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [I wanted to travel from the beginning. As a kid, I used to dream about airplanes, before I ever flew in one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/i-wanted-to-travel-from-the-beginning-as-a-kid-i-used-to-dream-about/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [A great photograph needs no explanation; it functions by suggestion. 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It's not really photography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/nowadays-shots-are-created-in-post-production-on-computers-it-s-not/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [ To touch on people's lives \[ in a way they \] haven't been touched on before, it´s fascianting. You know, it's one thing if… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/to-touch-on-people-s-lives-in-a-way-they-haven-t-been-touched-on/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [What you look for in a picture is a metaphor, something that means something more, that makes you think about things you've seen or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/what-you-look-for-in-a-picture-is-a-metaphor-something-that-means/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [It's just a matter of who you are and how you talk to people. Your subjects will trust you only if you're confident about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/it-s-just-a-matter-of-who-you-are-and-how-you-talk-to-people-your/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [If I hadn't become a photographer, I would have loved to become a doctor. I would have loved to have done something that actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/if-i-hadn-t-become-a-photographer-i-would-have-loved-to-become-a/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [I'm not much for cats. I'm terrified of mice. I've worked a lot with elephants, and they are extremely intelligent and sensitive, and thankfully,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/i-m-not-much-for-cats-i-m-terrified-of-mice-i-ve-worked-a-lot-with/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [I'm not against digital photography. It's great for newspapers. And there are photographers doing great work digitally. When they use Photoshop as a darkroom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/i-m-not-against-digital-photography-it-s-great-for-newspapers-and/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [Im just interested in what makes a photograph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/im-just-interested-in-what-makes-a-photograph/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) [Explore all 82 Mary Ellen Mark quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) ## More Choices 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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I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was thinking about how fleeting and precious life is. 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