--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This busyness was not about…" description: "\"“This busyness was not about money--despite the chic catalogs piled on the kitchen table. It was only marginally about good-heartedness or politics. I ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a6/mary-sojourner-260988_busyness_this-busyness-was-not-about-money-despit_2609343.jpg" --- # This busyness was not about money--despite the chic… ![“This busyness was not about money--despite the chic catalogs piled on the kitchen table. It was only marginally about good-heartedness or politics. I was a woman disconnecting from my moments alone, when the world seemed to shatter into terror, into madness coming toward me at the speed of loss…” quote by Mary Sojourner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a6/mary-sojourner-260988_busyness_this-busyness-was-not-about-money-despit_2609343.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a6/mary-sojourner-260988_busyness_this-busyness-was-not-about-money-despit_2609343.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a6/mary-sojourner-260988_busyness_this-busyness-was-not-about-money-despit_2609343.jpg) > ““This busyness was not about money--despite the chic catalogs piled on the kitchen table. It was only marginally about good-heartedness or politics. I was a woman disconnecting from my moments alone, when the world seemed to shatter into terror, into madness coming toward me at the speed of loss. The moment for which--I could not have guessed--my spirit and writing longed.”” [Mary Sojourner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-sojourner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Busyness masks deeper issues like fear and loss; the writer seeks authentic connection beyond material concerns. **In simple terms:** Surface busyness hides deeper emotional needs. Key Takeaway Seek authentic connection over distraction. Themes busyness materialism emotion Mood melancholic introspective Type Literature Psychology Reflective When to use this quote - creative practice - therapy - mindfulness exercises Key Concepts writing mental health spiritual seeking Questions to Reflect On - What does busyness conceal for you? - How can you balance productivity with emotional health? A Different Perspective Focusing on busyness can ignore underlying trauma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Busyness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busyness/) [Disconnecting Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disconnecting-moments-2013831/) [Kitchen table](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kitchen-table/) [Loss Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss-moment-2013833/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Spirit Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit-writing-1203644/) [Writing Longed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-longed-2013832/) ## Related quotes > [The books the Holy Spirit is writing are living, and every soul a volume in which the divine author makes a true revelation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-pierre-de-caussade/the-books-the-holy-spirit-is-writing-are-living-and-every-soul-a/) [Jean-Pierre de Caussade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-pierre-de-caussade/) > [Now that mine is almost over, I can say that the one thing that struck me most about life is the capacity for change.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/now-that-mine-is-almost-over-i-can-say-that-the-one-thing-that-struck/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“Learn the difference between busyness and accomplishments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kim/learn-the-difference-between-busyness-and-accomplishments/) [John Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kim/) > [“So don’t ignore the physical danger of busyness. Just remember the most serious threats are spiritual. When we are crazy busy, we put our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/so-don-t-ignore-the-physical-danger-of-busyness-just-remember-the/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [Extreme busyness is a symptom of deficient vitality, and a faculty for idleness implies a catholic appetite and a strong sense of personal identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/extreme-busyness-is-a-symptom-of-deficient-vitality-and-a-faculty-for/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Busyness has become such a social value that we will even create it, we will create that sense of breathlessness because we think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/busyness-has-become-such-a-social-value-that-we-will-even-create-it/) [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) > [“A step you'll need to take is to stop buying into the notion that busyness equates to importance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-step-you-ll-need-to-take-is-to-stop-buying-into-the-notion-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A person can hurry through or sleep walk through life, but whenever they stop to catch their breath or awaken from a long nap,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/a-person-can-hurry-through-or-sleep-walk-through-life-but-whenever/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [Today we live in a world that judges its achievements by speed and busyness. Â… We are so busy making things happen that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/today-we-live-in-a-world-that-judges-its-achievements-by-speed-and/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [We become so caught up in the busyness of our lives. Were we to step back, however, and take a good look at what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/we-become-so-caught-up-in-the-busyness-of-our-lives-were-we-to-step/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [“I don't have any talent for vacations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/i-don-t-have-any-talent-for-vacations/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [Busyness is a common cure of lonliness but it's like trying to heal a toothache by taking your mind off it. Busyness is only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/busyness-is-a-common-cure-of-lonliness-but-it-s-like-trying-to-heal-a/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [Busyness kills more Christians than bullets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/busyness-kills-more-christians-than-bullets/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [“The worst fear of the race yes, the world suddenly transformed into a senseless nightmare, horrible dissolution of things. Nothing compares, even oblivion is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ligotti/the-worst-fear-of-the-race-yes-the-world-suddenly-transformed-into-a/) [Thomas Ligotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ligotti/) > [One response was given by the innkeeper when Mary and Joseph wanted to find a room where the Child could be born. The innkeeper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/one-response-was-given-by-the-innkeeper-when-mary-and-joseph-wanted/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) ## More Busyness quotes > [One response was given by the innkeeper when Mary and Joseph wanted to find a room where the Child could be born. The innkeeper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/one-response-was-given-by-the-innkeeper-when-mary-and-joseph-wanted/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“The worst fear of the race yes, the world suddenly transformed into a senseless nightmare, horrible dissolution of things. Nothing compares, even oblivion is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ligotti/the-worst-fear-of-the-race-yes-the-world-suddenly-transformed-into-a/) [Thomas Ligotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ligotti/) > [Busyness kills more Christians than bullets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/busyness-kills-more-christians-than-bullets/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [Busyness is a common cure of lonliness but it's like trying to heal a toothache by taking your mind off it. Busyness is only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/busyness-is-a-common-cure-of-lonliness-but-it-s-like-trying-to-heal-a/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [“I don't have any talent for vacations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/i-don-t-have-any-talent-for-vacations/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [We become so caught up in the busyness of our lives. 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Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“A step you'll need to take is to stop buying into the notion that busyness equates to importance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-step-you-ll-need-to-take-is-to-stop-buying-into-the-notion-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Busyness has become such a social value that we will even create it, we will create that sense of breathlessness because we think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/busyness-has-become-such-a-social-value-that-we-will-even-create-it/) [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) > [Extreme busyness is a symptom of deficient vitality, and a faculty for idleness implies a catholic appetite and a strong sense of personal identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/extreme-busyness-is-a-symptom-of-deficient-vitality-and-a-faculty-for/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“So don’t ignore the physical danger of busyness. Just remember the most serious threats are spiritual. When we are crazy busy, we put our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/so-don-t-ignore-the-physical-danger-of-busyness-just-remember-the/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [“Learn the difference between busyness and accomplishments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kim/learn-the-difference-between-busyness-and-accomplishments/) [John Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kim/) > [How small we humans are. All our scrambling around, trying to buttress ourselves against death. All our efforts to insulate ourselves against uncertainty with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-horan/how-small-we-humans-are-all-our-scrambling-around-trying-to-buttress/) [Nancy Horan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-horan/) > [Extreme busyness, whether at school or college, kirk or market, is a symptom of deficient vitality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/extreme-busyness-whether-at-school-or-college-kirk-or-market-is-a/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) [Browse all 108 Busyness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busyness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This busyness was not about money--despite the chic catalogs piled on the kitchen table. It was only marginally about good-heartedness or politics. 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