--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We live our lives, do whatever we do, and…" description: "\"“We live our lives, do whatever we do, and then we sleep - it's as simple and ordinary as that. A few jump out of windows or drown themselves or take p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/michael-cunningham-1120_hour_we-live-our-lives-do-whatever-we-do-and_2027826.jpg" --- # We live our lives, do whatever we do, and then we sleep… ![“We live our lives, do whatever we do, and then we sleep - it's as simple and ordinary as that. A few jump out of windows or drown themselves or take pills; more die by accident; and most of us, the vast majority, are slowly devoured by some disease or, if we're very fortunate, by time itself…” quote by Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/michael-cunningham-1120_hour_we-live-our-lives-do-whatever-we-do-and_2027826.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/michael-cunningham-1120_hour_we-live-our-lives-do-whatever-we-do-and_2027826.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/michael-cunningham-1120_hour_we-live-our-lives-do-whatever-we-do-and_2027826.jpg) > ““We live our lives, do whatever we do, and then we sleep - it's as simple and ordinary as that. A few jump out of windows or drown themselves or take pills; more die by accident; and most of us, the vast majority, are slowly devoured by some disease or, if we're very fortunate, by time itself. There's just this for consolation: an hour here or there when our lives seem, against all odds and expectations, to burst open and give us everything we've ever imagined, though everyone but children (and perhaps even they) knows these hours will inevitably be followed by others, far darker and more difficult. Still, we cherish the city, the morning; we hope, more than anything, for more.”” [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is a mix of ordinary routine and occasional profound moments that give meaning, yet it is bounded by mortality and inevitable hardships. **In simple terms:** Ordinary life meets rare, meaningful moments, but all end. Key Takeaway Value the fleeting extraordinary moments. Themes mortality hope ordinary life meaning transience Mood reflective melancholic hopeful Type philosophical literary inspirational When to use this quote - daily routine - creative work - relationships - health crises - personal reflection Key Concepts existentialism human condition joy Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize and cherish ordinary moments? - What gives you hope during hardship? A Different Perspective The quote may romanticize rare moments, overlooking everyday resilience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [“We live our lives, do whatever we do, and then we sleep. It's as simple and ordinary as that. A few jump out windows,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/we-live-our-lives-do-whatever-we-do-and-then-we-sleep-it-s-as-simple-3/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“We live our lives, do whatever we do, and then we sleep. It’s as simple and ordinary as that. A few jump out windows,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/we-live-our-lives-do-whatever-we-do-and-then-we-sleep-it-s-as-simple/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“There's just this for consolation: an hour here or there when our lives seem, against all odds and expectations, to burst open and give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/there-s-just-this-for-consolation-an-hour-here-or-there-when-our-3/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“There's just this for consolation: an hour here or there when our lived seem, against all odds and expectations, to burst open and give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/there-s-just-this-for-consolation-an-hour-here-or-there-when-our/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“We throw our parties; we abandon our families to live alone in Canada; we struggle to write books that do not change the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/we-throw-our-parties-we-abandon-our-families-to-live-alone-in-canada-2/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [There is just this for consolation: an hour here or there, when our lives seem, against all odds and expectations, to burst open and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/there-is-just-this-for-consolation-an-hour-here-or-there-when-our/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [There's just this for consolation: an hour here or there when our lives seem, against all odds and expectations, to burst open and give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/there-s-just-this-for-consolation-an-hour-here-or-there-when-our-2/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [Every hour spent on the Caine was a great hour in all our lives-if you don't think so now you will later on, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-wouk/every-hour-spent-on-the-caine-was-a-great-hour-in-all-our-lives-if/) [Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) > [You may be sure that of all the moments of your life, the time you spend before the divine Sacrament will be that which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonsus-liguori/you-may-be-sure-that-of-all-the-moments-of-your-life-the-time-you/) [Alphonsus Liguori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonsus-liguori/) > [We throw our parties; we abandon our families to live alone in Canada; we struggle to write books that do not change the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/we-throw-our-parties-we-abandon-our-families-to-live-alone-in-canada/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [You wonder, 'How could it possibly be me?' Well, of course it could happen to you. You have it. Then, of course, you wake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/you-wonder-how-could-it-possibly-be-me-well-of-course-it-could-happen/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [“It was a sunrise, a kid’s sight of snowfall on a school morning. Hope. That all this can turn out okay, that somehow a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wong/it-was-a-sunrise-a-kid-s-sight-of-snowfall-on-a-school-morning-hope/) [David Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wong/) > [Morning awakes, my arm reaching out, nothing it finds, but another lonely night, Tired I am, of this feeling alone, I long for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tackett/morning-awakes-my-arm-reaching-out-nothing-it-finds-but-another/) [Ryan Tackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tackett/) > [Did anyone tell you that your are Gorgeous for the morning as yet? I hope I am the lucky one !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/did-anyone-tell-you-that-your-are-gorgeous-for-the-morning-as-yet-i/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [In the middle of the night, there is always less hope; in the dawn of the morning, there is always more hope!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/in-the-middle-of-the-night-there-is-always-less-hope-in-the-dawn-of/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) ## More by Michael Cunningham > [“Mizzy has wandered into the garden. Carole looks contemplatively at him, says, "Lovely boy." "My wife's insanely younger brother. He's one of those kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/mizzy-has-wandered-into-the-garden-carole-looks-contemplatively-at/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“Zoe loved Trancas's mother. She respected her exhausted and ironic hope for rebirth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/zoe-loved-trancas-s-mother-she-respected-her-exhausted-and-ironic/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [The lives great artists live and the books they write are two very different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/the-lives-great-artists-live-and-the-books-they-write-are-two-very/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“How often since then has she wondered what might have happened if she'd tried to remain with him; if she’d returned Richard's kiss on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/how-often-since-then-has-she-wondered-what-might-have-happened-if-she/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“...a full week of their mother's quiet fury over the fun they don't seem to be having and their father's dogged attempts to provide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/a-full-week-of-their-mother-s-quiet-fury-over-the-fun-they-don-t-seem/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [Oh, all you immigrants and visionaries, what do you hope to find here, who do you hope to become?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/oh-all-you-immigrants-and-visionaries-what-do-you-hope-to-find-here/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“She wants to have baked a cake that banishes sorrow, even if only for a little while.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/she-wants-to-have-baked-a-cake-that-banishes-sorrow-even-if-only-for/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“And yet, it gives Peter nothing. Not now. Not today. Not when he needs... more. More than this well-executed idea. More than the shark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/and-yet-it-gives-peter-nothing-not-now-not-today-not-when-he-needs/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [He insists on a version of you that is funnier, stranger, more eccentric and prfound thatn you suspect yourself to be--capable of doing more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/he-insists-on-a-version-of-you-that-is-funnier-stranger-more/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [The worst are full of passionate intensity while the best lack all conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/the-worst-are-full-of-passionate-intensity-while-the-best-lack-all/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“And here he is, letting the massive steel street door click shut behind him, standing at the top of the three iron steps that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/and-here-he-is-letting-the-massive-steel-street-door-click-shut/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [It's the world, you live in it, even if some boy has made a fool of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/it-s-the-world-you-live-in-it-even-if-some-boy-has-made-a-fool-of-you/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“She's had a long life. Now she's going to the Lord." "Frankly it creeps me out a little when you say things like that,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/she-s-had-a-long-life-now-she-s-going-to-the-lord-frankly-it-creeps/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [Any other vexations to report?" he asks. "I love the word 'vexations.'" "It's the 'x.' Nice to jump off a 'v' and bite into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/any-other-vexations-to-report-he-asks-i-love-the-word-vexations-it-s/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [Dead, we are revealed in our true dimensions, and they are surprisingly modest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/dead-we-are-revealed-in-our-true-dimensions-and-they-are-surprisingly/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) [Explore all 277 Michael Cunningham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) ## More Hour quotes > [I was painfully shy, so my aunt suggested to my mum that me and my brother go to Stage 84, a performing arts school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-cooke/i-was-painfully-shy-so-my-aunt-suggested-to-my-mum-that-me-and-my/) [Christian Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-cooke/) > [Some wee short hour ayont the twal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/some-wee-short-hour-ayont-the-twal/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [When it comes down to music, I have no balance. I am 100 percent. It is like full throttle. Five hundred miles an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanni/when-it-comes-down-to-music-i-have-no-balance-i-am-100-percent-it-is/) [Yanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanni/) > [I swam with my first shark in the 1980s. I was 20 miles off the coast of Rhode Island, working with a group of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-skerry/i-swam-with-my-first-shark-in-the-1980s-i-was-20-miles-off-the-coast/) [Brian Skerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-skerry/) > [Truth is, I miss you. all the time, every second, every minute, every hour, every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/truth-is-i-miss-you-all-the-time-every-second-every-minute-every-hour/) Patience > [I wish there were more minutes in an hour, more hours in a day, more days in a week, more weeks in a month,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wish-there-were-more-minutes-in-an-hour-more-hours-in-a-day-more/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm always exhausted after a show, even if it's just half an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-lo/i-m-always-exhausted-after-a-show-even-if-it-s-just-half-an-hour/) [Tove Lo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-lo/) > [We're half an hour from Toronto, which offers everything you could want from a city, and a couple of hours from beautiful vacation country.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linwood-barclay/we-re-half-an-hour-from-toronto-which-offers-everything-you-could/) [Linwood Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linwood-barclay/) > [“My favorite unit of time is the hour, because I collect them and store as many as 10 new and unused ones each night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/my-favorite-unit-of-time-is-the-hour-because-i-collect-them-and-store/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I like Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, as it's great for soothing dry skin and adding shine. I use it instead of balm, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-madekwe/i-like-elizabeth-arden-eight-hour-cream-as-it-s-great-for-soothing/) [Ashley Madekwe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-madekwe/) > [Give me but one hour of Scotland, Let me see it ere I die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edmondstoune-aytoun/give-me-but-one-hour-of-scotland-let-me-see-it-ere-i-die/) [William Edmondstoune Aytoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edmondstoune-aytoun/) > [If Nature put not forth her power About the opening of the flower, Who is it that could live an hour?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/if-nature-put-not-forth-her-power-about-the-opening-of-the-flower-who/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [There is no place on earth, no day or night, no hour or minute, when one is not a Jew or a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-dworkin/there-is-no-place-on-earth-no-day-or-night-no-hour-or-minute-when-one/) [Andrea Dworkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-dworkin/) > [These Americans are among the working poor with full-time jobs earning $5.15 an hour. Millions fall into this boat, even more when you consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcy-kaptur/these-americans-are-among-the-working-poor-with-full-time-jobs/) [Marcy Kaptur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcy-kaptur/) > [Brandon McCaw can run 687,852 miles an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-mccaw/brandon-mccaw-can-run-687-852-miles-an-hour/) [Brandon Mccaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-mccaw/) Browse all 779 Hour quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We live our lives, do whatever we do, and then we sleep - it's as simple and ordinary as that. A few jump out of windows or drown themselves or take pills; more die by accident; and most of us, the vast majority, are slowly devoured by some disease or, if we're very fortunate, by time itself. There's just this for consolation: an hour here or there when our lives seem, against all odds and expectations, to burst open and give us everything we've ever imagined, though everyone but children (and perhaps even they) knows these hours will inevitably be followed by others, far darker and more difficult. Still, we cherish the city, the morning; we hope, more than anything, for more.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Cunningham" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/we-live-our-lives-do-whatever-we-do-and-then-we-sleep-it-s-as-simple-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hour" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/we-live-our-lives-do-whatever-we-do-and-then-we-sleep-it-s-as-simple-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/michael-cunningham-1120_hour_we-live-our-lives-do-whatever-we-do-and_2027826.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/michael-cunningham-1120_hour_we-live-our-lives-do-whatever-we-do-and_2027826.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/michael-cunningham-1120_hour_we-live-our-lives-do-whatever-we-do-and_2027826.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We live our lives, do whatever we do, and then we sleep - it's as simple and ordinary as that. A few jump…” — Michael Cunningham", "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": "Michael Cunningham", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We live our lives, do whatever...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/we-live-our-lives-do-whatever-we-do-and-then-we-sleep-it-s-as-simple-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/we-live-our-lives-do-whatever-we-do-and-then-we-sleep-it-s-as-simple-2/#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 } } ] } ```