--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those who have compared our life to a…" description: "\"Those who have compared our life to a dream were right... we were sleeping wake, and waking sleep.\" — Michel de Montaigne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd7/michel-de-montaigne-142_dream_those-who-have-compared-our-life-to-a-dr_1953440.jpg" --- # Those who have compared our life to a dream were right… ![“Those who have compared our life to a dream were right... we were sleeping wake, and waking sleep.” quote by Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd7/michel-de-montaigne-142_dream_those-who-have-compared-our-life-to-a-dr_1953440.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd7/michel-de-montaigne-142_dream_those-who-have-compared-our-life-to-a-dr_1953440.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd7/michel-de-montaigne-142_dream_those-who-have-compared-our-life-to-a-dr_1953440.jpg) > “Those who have compared our life to a dream were right... we were sleeping wake, and waking sleep.” [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life resembles a dream within a dream, blurring reality and illusion. **In simple terms:** Life is a dream within a dream. Key Takeaway Question reality’s layers. Themes existence perception philosophy Mood contemplative melancholic Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - meditation - creative writing - spiritual practice Key Concepts metaphysics epistemology Questions to Reflect On - How do you distinguish waking from dreaming? - What does this perspective change for you? A Different Perspective Dream metaphor may oversimplify experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compared Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compared-life-817121/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dream Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream-right-726519/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) [Wake Waking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wake-waking-862973/) [Waking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waking/) [Waking Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waking-sleep-1200114/) ## Related quotes > [Those who have compared our life to a dream were right... We sleeping wake, and waking sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/those-who-have-compared-our-life-to-a-dream-were-right-we-sleeping/) [Michel De Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [“You are not only waking up sleep deprived, but now you are also sleep deprived and in charge of another human being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/you-are-not-only-waking-up-sleep-deprived-but-now-you-are-also-sleep/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [Out of sleeping a waking, Out of waking a sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/out-of-sleeping-a-waking-out-of-waking-a-sleep/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [You wake up each day from the dream; but to be free, you must also wake up from the waking state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mooji/you-wake-up-each-day-from-the-dream-but-to-be-free-you-must-also-wake/) [Mooji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mooji/) > [“Wake up! Keep waking up! Wake up more and more often!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-see/wake-up-keep-waking-up-wake-up-more-and-more-often/) [Carolyn See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-see/) > [“I want more sleep. It won’t happen, but I can dream, right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-want-more-sleep-it-won-t-happen-but-i-can-dream-right/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Compared with my life Cinderella was a spoiled brat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bradley/compared-with-my-life-cinderella-was-a-spoiled-brat/) [Alan Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bradley/) > [“No life can be compared to another Life unless both refer to Death! Even if a Life is different from another Life, it exists,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/no-life-can-be-compared-to-another-life-unless-both-refer-to-death/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [Mother can never be compared with anyone in life for her sacrifice, love and care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmine/mother-can-never-be-compared-with-anyone-in-life-for-her-sacrifice/) [Jazmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmine/) > [Nothing can be compared with life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-can-be-compared-with-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How strange it is... We wish to earn loads of money, but we have the best of times only wen we hav jst 10…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-strange-it-is-we-wish-to-earn-loads-of-money-but-we-have-the-best/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No theory of life seemed to him to be of any importance compared with life itself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/no-theory-of-life-seemed-to-him-to-be-of-any-importance-compared-with/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Grief at the absence of a loved one is happiness compared to life with a person one hates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/grief-at-the-absence-of-a-loved-one-is-happiness-compared-to-life/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [There are those, I know, who will reply that the liberation of humanity, the freedom of man and mind, is nothing but a dream.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-macleish/there-are-those-i-know-who-will-reply-that-the-liberation-of-humanity/) [Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-macleish/) > [Who would have ever thought we would find each other again? I did. I always did. It used to be a dream, but now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/who-would-have-ever-thought-we-would-find-each-other-again-i-did-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Michel de Montaigne > [No man is exempt from saying silly things; the mischief is to say them deliberately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/no-man-is-exempt-from-saying-silly-things-the-mischief-is-to-say-them/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The laws keep up their credit, not by being just, but because they are laws; 'tis the mystic foundation of their authority; they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-laws-keep-up-their-credit-not-by-being-just-but-because-they-are/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Every one rushes elsewhere and into the future, because no one wants to face one's own inner self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/every-one-rushes-elsewhere-and-into-the-future-because-no-one-wants/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Beauty is the true prerogative of women, and so peculiarly their own, that our sex, though naturally requiring another sort of feature, is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/beauty-is-the-true-prerogative-of-women-and-so-peculiarly-their-own/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The height and value of true virtue consists in the facility, utility, and pleasure of its exercise; so far from difficulty, that boys, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-height-and-value-of-true-virtue-consists-in-the-facility-utility/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Fie on the eloquence that leaves us craving itself, not things!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/fie-on-the-eloquence-that-leaves-us-craving-itself-not-things/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The plainest sign of wisdom is a continual cheerfulness: her state is like that of things in the regions above the moon, always clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-plainest-sign-of-wisdom-is-a-continual-cheerfulness-her-state-is/) [Michel De Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The corruption of the age is made up by the particular contribution of every individual man; some contribute treachery, others injustice, atheism, tyranny, avarice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-corruption-of-the-age-is-made-up-by-the-particular-contribution/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [If people must be talking about me, I would have it to be truthfully and justly. I would willingly return from the next world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/if-people-must-be-talking-about-me-i-would-have-it-to-be-truthfully/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Most pleasures embrace us but to strangle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/most-pleasures-embrace-us-but-to-strangle/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [In true friendship, in which I am expert, I give myself to my friend more than I draw him to me. I not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/in-true-friendship-in-which-i-am-expert-i-give-myself-to-my-friend/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [There are as many and innumerable degrees of wit, as there are cubits between this and heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/there-are-as-many-and-innumerable-degrees-of-wit-as-there-are-cubits/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [A man has need of tough ears to hear himself fairly judged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/a-man-has-need-of-tough-ears-to-hear-himself-fairly-judged/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Lucius Arruntius killed himself, he said, to escape both the future and the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/lucius-arruntius-killed-himself-he-said-to-escape-both-the-future-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [I have a vocabulary all my own. I pass the time when itis wet and disagreeable. Whenit is fine I do not wish to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/i-have-a-vocabulary-all-my-own-i-pass-the-time-when-itis-wet-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) [Explore all 1,131 Michel de Montaigne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## More Dream quotes > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Browse all 26,527 Dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Those who have compared our life to a dream were right... we were sleeping wake, and waking sleep.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michel de Montaigne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/those-who-have-compared-our-life-to-a-dream-were-right-we-were/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dream" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/those-who-have-compared-our-life-to-a-dream-were-right-we-were/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd7/michel-de-montaigne-142_dream_those-who-have-compared-our-life-to-a-dr_1953440.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd7/michel-de-montaigne-142_dream_those-who-have-compared-our-life-to-a-dr_1953440.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd7/michel-de-montaigne-142_dream_those-who-have-compared-our-life-to-a-dr_1953440.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Those who have compared our life to a dream were right... we were sleeping wake, and waking sleep.” — Michel de Montaigne", "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": "Michel de Montaigne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Those who have compared our life...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/those-who-have-compared-our-life-to-a-dream-were-right-we-were/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/those-who-have-compared-our-life-to-a-dream-were-right-we-were/#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 } } ] } ```