--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Just by observing the adults around me I…" description: "\"“Just by observing the adults around me I understood very early on that life goes by in no time at all, yet they're always in such a hurry, so stressed..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/454/muriel-barbery-1092_life_just-by-observing-the-adults-around-me-i_2429484.jpg" --- # Just by observing the adults around me I understood very… ![“Just by observing the adults around me I understood very early on that life goes by in no time at all, yet they're always in such a hurry, so stressed out by deadlines, so eager for now that they needn't think about tomorrow...But if you dread tomorrow, it's because you don't know how to build the…” quote by Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/454/muriel-barbery-1092_life_just-by-observing-the-adults-around-me-i_2429484.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/454/muriel-barbery-1092_life_just-by-observing-the-adults-around-me-i_2429484.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/454/muriel-barbery-1092_life_just-by-observing-the-adults-around-me-i_2429484.jpg) > ““Just by observing the adults around me I understood very early on that life goes by in no time at all, yet they're always in such a hurry, so stressed out by deadlines, so eager for now that they needn't think about tomorrow...But if you dread tomorrow, it's because you don't know how to build the present, and when you don't know how to build the present, you tell yourself you can deal with it tomorrow, and it's a lost cause anyway because tomorrow always ends up becoming today, don't you see?”” [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People rush through life without building a present, leading to anxiety about tomorrow. **In simple terms:** Live now, don’t postpone. Key Takeaway Focus on present actions. Themes time anxiety mindfulness future present stress Mood contemplative thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily planning - goal setting - stress management - mindfulness practice Key Concepts existentialism psychology habit formation Questions to Reflect On - What present actions can you start today? - How does rushing affect your wellbeing? A Different Perspective Ignoring present needs can cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adults Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults-understood-262845/) [Dread Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dread-tomorrow-262842/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lost cause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost-cause/) [Stressed Deadlines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stressed-deadlines-262843/) [Think Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-tomorrow/) [Tomorrow Dread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow-dread-262844/) ## Related quotes > [..if you dread tomorrow, it's because you don't know how to build the present, you tell yourself you can deal with it tomorrow, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/if-you-dread-tomorrow-it-s-because-you-don-t-know-how-to-build-the-2/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [“If you dread tomorrow it's because you don't know how to build the present, and when you don't know how to build the present,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/if-you-dread-tomorrow-it-s-because-you-don-t-know-how-to-build-the/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [“We mustn't forget old people with their rotten bodies, old people who are so close to death, something that young people don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/we-mustn-t-forget-old-people-with-their-rotten-bodies-old-people-who/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [The new concept of the child as equal and the new integration of children into adult life has helped bring about a gradual but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-winn/the-new-concept-of-the-child-as-equal-and-the-new-integration-of/) [Marie Winn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-winn/) > [Adults have not understood children or adolescents and they are, as a consequence, in continual conflict with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/adults-have-not-understood-children-or-adolescents-and-they-are-as-a/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [It isn't the experience of today that drives men mad. It is the remorse for something that happened yesterday, and the dread of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jones-burdette/it-isn-t-the-experience-of-today-that-drives-men-mad-it-is-the/) [Robert Jones Burdette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jones-burdette/) > [It is not the experience of today that drives us mad; it is remorse or bitterness for something which happened yesterday and the dread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/it-is-not-the-experience-of-today-that-drives-us-mad-it-is-remorse-or/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [“If you want to be happy think about tomorrow but not the day after tomorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hossmith/if-you-want-to-be-happy-think-about-tomorrow-but-not-the-day-after/) [Hossmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hossmith/) > [I don't think about tomorrow because I want to enjoy today and practice being the best me today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-le/i-don-t-think-about-tomorrow-because-i-want-to-enjoy-today-and/) [Michel'le](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-le/) > [Think for tomorrow but act for today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/think-for-tomorrow-but-act-for-today/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Wait for tomorrow To think tomorrow's thoughts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/wait-for-tomorrow-to-think-tomorrow-s-thoughts/) [Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/) > [The moment is everything. Don't think about tomorrow; don't think about yesterday: think about exactly what you're doing right now and live it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-whelan/the-moment-is-everything-don-t-think-about-tomorrow-don-t-think-about/) [Wendy Whelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-whelan/) > [“You always think there will be a tomorrow. More time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-marie-brown/you-always-think-there-will-be-a-tomorrow-more-time/) [Stacey Marie Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-marie-brown/) > [I'll be like Scarlett O'Hara-I'll think about it tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ll-be-like-scarlett-o-hara-i-ll-think-about-it-tomorrow/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lm-montgomery/isn-t-it-nice-to-think-that-tomorrow-is-a-new-day-with-no-mistakes-in/) [LM Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lm-montgomery/) ## More by Muriel Barbery > [“Those who can, do; those who can't, teach; those who can't teach, teach the teachers; and those who can't teach the teachers go into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/those-who-can-do-those-who-can-t-teach-those-who-can-t-teach-teach/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [What is writing, no matter how lavish the pieces, if it says nothing of the truth, cares little for the heart, and is merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/what-is-writing-no-matter-how-lavish-the-pieces-if-it-says-nothing-of/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [Live or die: mere consequences of what you have built. What matters is building well. So here we are I've assigned myself a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/live-or-die-mere-consequences-of-what-you-have-built-what-matters-is/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [“A terroir only exists by virtue of one's childhood mythology . . . we have invented these words of tradition rooted deep in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/a-terroir-only-exists-by-virtue-of-one-s-childhood-mythology-we-have/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [“The tea ritual: such a precise repetition of the same gestures and the same tastes; accession to simple,authentic and refined sensations, a license given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/the-tea-ritual-such-a-precise-repetition-of-the-same-gestures-and-the/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [As always, I am saved by the inability of living creatures to believe anything that might cause the walls of their little mental assumptions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/as-always-i-am-saved-by-the-inability-of-living-creatures-to-believe/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [“I wonder if I am not turning into a contemplative . . . But those roses . They were something else. I was having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/i-wonder-if-i-am-not-turning-into-a-contemplative-but-those-roses/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [Personally I think that grammar is a way to attain beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/personally-i-think-that-grammar-is-a-way-to-attain-beauty/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [To be poor, ugly and, moreover, intelligent condemns one in our society to a dark and disillusioned life...to beauty all is forgiven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/to-be-poor-ugly-and-moreover-intelligent-condemns-one-in-our-society/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [Beautiful things should belong to beautiful souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/beautiful-things-should-belong-to-beautiful-souls/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [I know that they're all unhappy because nobody loves the right person the way they should and because they don't understand that it's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/i-know-that-they-re-all-unhappy-because-nobody-loves-the-right-person/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [We never look beyond our assumptions and what's worse, we have given up trying to meet others; we just meet ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/we-never-look-beyond-our-assumptions-and-what-s-worse-we-have-given/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [“To rich people it must seem that the ordinary little people..experience human emotions with less intensity and greater indifference...The fact that we might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/to-rich-people-it-must-seem-that-the-ordinary-little-people/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [I may know that the world is an ugly place, I still don't want to see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/i-may-know-that-the-world-is-an-ugly-place-i-still-don-t-want-to-see/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [“Personally I think that grammar is a way to attain Beauty. When you speak, or read, or write, you can tell if you’ve said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/personally-i-think-that-grammar-is-a-way-to-attain-beauty-when-you/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) [Explore all 250 Muriel Barbery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) ## More Life 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. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/) [Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/) > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) [Deanna L. Lawlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-l-lawlis/) > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Just by observing the adults around me I understood very early on that life goes by in no time at all, yet they're always in such a hurry, so stressed out by deadlines, so eager for now that they needn't think about tomorrow...But if you dread tomorrow, it's because you don't know how to build the present, and when you don't know how to build the present, you tell yourself you can deal with it tomorrow, and it's a lost cause anyway because tomorrow always ends up becoming today, don't you see?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Muriel Barbery" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/just-by-observing-the-adults-around-me-i-understood-very-early-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/just-by-observing-the-adults-around-me-i-understood-very-early-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/454/muriel-barbery-1092_life_just-by-observing-the-adults-around-me-i_2429484.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/454/muriel-barbery-1092_life_just-by-observing-the-adults-around-me-i_2429484.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/454/muriel-barbery-1092_life_just-by-observing-the-adults-around-me-i_2429484.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Just by observing the adults around me I understood very early on that life goes by in no time at all, yet…” — Muriel Barbery", "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": "Muriel Barbery", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Just by observing the adults around...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/just-by-observing-the-adults-around-me-i-understood-very-early-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/just-by-observing-the-adults-around-me-i-understood-very-early-on/#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 } } ] } ```