--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One must live as if it would be forever…" description: "\"One must live as if it would be forever, and as if one might die each moment. Always both at once.\" — Mary Renault" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c7/mary-renault-7614_forever_one-must-live-as-if-it-would-be-forever_1934730.jpg" --- # One must live as if it would be forever, and as if one… ![“One must live as if it would be forever, and as if one might die each moment. Always both at once.” quote by Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c7/mary-renault-7614_forever_one-must-live-as-if-it-would-be-forever_1934730.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c7/mary-renault-7614_forever_one-must-live-as-if-it-would-be-forever_1934730.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c7/mary-renault-7614_forever_one-must-live-as-if-it-would-be-forever_1934730.jpg) > “One must live as if it would be forever, and as if one might die each moment. Always both at once.” [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Live fully with both permanence and impermanence, embracing each moment as lasting and fleeting. **In simple terms:** Balance lasting commitment with present urgency. Key Takeaway Embrace both stability and change. Themes philosophy existence balance Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - relationships - career decisions - creative projects Key Concepts impermanence eternity mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile long‑term goals with daily urgency? - What practices help you stay present? A Different Perspective Maintaining both mind can be psychologically taxing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Live forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-forever/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [Never say never,coz ever live forever to die faithfully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmad-nuhu-2/never-say-never-coz-ever-live-forever-to-die-faithfully/) Ahmad Nuhu > [I'll live forever or die trying...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/i-ll-live-forever-or-die-trying/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Men cannot live forever But they must die forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-tate/men-cannot-live-forever-but-they-must-die-forever/) [Allen Tate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-tate/) > [I'm gonna live forever, or die trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-heller/i-m-gonna-live-forever-or-die-trying/) [Joseph Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-heller/) > [Please don't keep until your desire expired, you are in short time to live and forever to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tivea/please-don-t-keep-until-your-desire-expired-you-are-in-short-time-to/) [Tivea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tivea/) > [“He and Sully dared each other to go on the Wild Mouse and finally went together, howling deliriously as their car plunged into each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/he-and-sully-dared-each-other-to-go-on-the-wild-mouse-and-finally/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [First of all, I'ma live forever, but if I do die I'ma smack God upside the head and tell him to get me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riley-freeman/first-of-all-i-ma-live-forever-but-if-i-do-die-i-ma-smack-god-upside/) [Riley Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riley-freeman/) > [Live every day like it is your last and learn everyday like you will live forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/live-every-day-like-it-is-your-last-and-learn-everyday-like-you-will/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Why live once when you can live forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerardo-delgado/why-live-once-when-you-can-live-forever/) Gerardo Delgado > [“And in your smile, I will live forever”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/and-in-your-smile-i-will-live-forever/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Its just a awesome moment when your life partner with tears in his eyes and looking into your eyes & says that I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puravi/its-just-a-awesome-moment-when-your-life-partner-with-tears-in-his/) Puravi > [“Most people don't die until the last moment; others start twenty years in advance, sometimes more. Those are the unfortunates.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/most-people-don-t-die-until-the-last-moment-others-start-twenty-years/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“I believe that poems die the moment they are outwardly expressed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-maeterlinck/i-believe-that-poems-die-the-moment-they-are-outwardly-expressed/) [Maurice Maeterlinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-maeterlinck/) > [“Not yet," he said. "You're beautiful, and it's killing me and I want to die a moment longer. Please.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/not-yet-he-said-you-re-beautiful-and-it-s-killing-me-and-i-want-to/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) ## More by Mary Renault > [You can make an audience see nearly anything, if you yourself believe in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/you-can-make-an-audience-see-nearly-anything-if-you-yourself-believe/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“I looked at him, tipping down the coarse wine like a man who expects to put up with worse. I felt I was looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/i-looked-at-him-tipping-down-the-coarse-wine-like-a-man-who-expects/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“For I had felt too much and reasoned too little, hearing what I was ready to hear, not what had been said. There”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/for-i-had-felt-too-much-and-reasoned-too-little-hearing-what-i-was/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“Go in peace," I said to him; "bear no ill-will to me, for Necessity yields to no man: and do not complain of me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/go-in-peace-i-said-to-him-bear-no-ill-will-to-me-for-necessity-yields/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [There is only one kind of shock worse than the totally unexpected: the expected for which one has refused to prepare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/there-is-only-one-kind-of-shock-worse-than-the-totally-unexpected-the/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [Longing performs all things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/longing-performs-all-things/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [A man is at his youngest when he thinks he is a man, not yet realizing that his actions must show it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/a-man-is-at-his-youngest-when-he-thinks-he-is-a-man-not-yet-realizing/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“You mustn't get so upset about what you feel, Spud. No one's a hundred per cent consistent all the time. We might like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/you-mustn-t-get-so-upset-about-what-you-feel-spud-no-one-s-a-hundred/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“It is better to believe in men too rashly, and regret, than believe too meanly. Men could be more than they are, if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/it-is-better-to-believe-in-men-too-rashly-and-regret-than-believe-too/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“Hephaistion had known for many ages that if a god should offer him one gift in all his lifetime, he would choose this. Joy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/hephaistion-had-known-for-many-ages-that-if-a-god-should-offer-him/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“It is the mark of little men to like only what they know; one step beyond, and they feel the black cold of chaos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/it-is-the-mark-of-little-men-to-like-only-what-they-know-one-step/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“His mouth felt cold to mine ; he neither opened his eyes, nor spoke, nor moved. I said in my heart, "Too late I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/his-mouth-felt-cold-to-mine-he-neither-opened-his-eyes-nor-spoke-nor/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“Is he weeping?" said the one with the softest heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/is-he-weeping-said-the-one-with-the-softest-heart/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [Love is a boaster at heart, who cannot hide the stolen horse without giving a glimpse of the bridle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/love-is-a-boaster-at-heart-who-cannot-hide-the-stolen-horse-without/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [At the stair-foot Hephaistion was waiting. He happened to be there, as he happened to have a ball handy if Alexander wanted a game,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/at-the-stair-foot-hephaistion-was-waiting-he-happened-to-be-there-as/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) [Explore all 89 Mary Renault quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) ## 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": "One must live as if it would be forever, and as if one might die each moment. 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