--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being alive is a common road. It's what…" description: "\"Being alive is a common road. It's what we notice makes us different.\" — Naomi Shihab Nye" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a74/naomi-shihab-nye-4185_alive_being-alive-is-a-common-road-it-s-what-w_2005321.png" --- # Being alive is a common road. It's what we notice makes us… ![“Being alive is a common road. It's what we notice makes us different.” quote by Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a74/naomi-shihab-nye-4185_alive_being-alive-is-a-common-road-it-s-what-w_2005321.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a74/naomi-shihab-nye-4185_alive_being-alive-is-a-common-road-it-s-what-w_2005321.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a74/naomi-shihab-nye-4185_alive_being-alive-is-a-common-road-it-s-what-w_2005321.png) > “Being alive is a common road. It's what we notice makes us different.” [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s ordinary moments reveal our unique identities and perspectives. **In simple terms:** Every day shows what makes us distinct. Key Takeaway Observe and cherish daily differences. Themes identity mindfulness gratitude Mood reflective thoughtful Type poetic inspirational When to use this quote - daily routines - relationships - creative work - travel Key Concepts existentialism personal awareness Questions to Reflect On - How do everyday details shape your sense of self? - What small moments have taught you about your uniqueness? A Different Perspective May overlook subtle nuances in routine. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Alive Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive-common-3550031/) [Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awareness/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Common Road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-road-3550032/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) ## Related quotes > [We are learning that a standard of social ethics is not attained by travelling a sequestered byway, but by mixing on the thronged and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/we-are-learning-that-a-standard-of-social-ethics-is-not-attained-by/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [Only the Christian religion, which in its essence is communicated by the eternal child of God, keeps alive in its believers the lifelong awareness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/only-the-christian-religion-which-in-its-essence-is-communicated-by/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [I do this work for the common people and part of that work is creating a general awareness of such problems as they exist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdul-sattar-edhi/i-do-this-work-for-the-common-people-and-part-of-that-work-is/) [Abdul Sattar Edhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdul-sattar-edhi/) > [I do interview senior candidates at the home office or many of our hotel or restaurant General Manager candidates. 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Listening, as far as I'm concerned, is certainly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/listening-is-a-very-active-awareness-of-the-coming-together-of-at/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. This enlightened awareness is truly unborn and marvellously illuminating; and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bankei-yotaku/an-enlightened-awareness-is-within-each-one-of-us-right-at-this/) [Bankei Yotaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bankei-yotaku/) ## More by Naomi Shihab Nye > [“No test can measure anything important.   On”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/no-test-can-measure-anything-important-on/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [“But I know we need to keep warm here on earth And when your shawl is as thin as mine is, you tell stories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/but-i-know-we-need-to-keep-warm-here-on-earth-and-when-your-shawl-is/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [I support all people on earth who have bodies like and unlike my body, skins and moles and old scars, secret and public hair,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/i-support-all-people-on-earth-who-have-bodies-like-and-unlike-my-body/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [“We walked where the ancient pier juts into the sea. Stood on the rim of the pool, by the circle of black boulders. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/we-walked-where-the-ancient-pier-juts-into-the-sea-stood-on-the-rim/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [“rounded shoulders, the shoulders of women no one has touched for a long time. Men”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/rounded-shoulders-the-shoulders-of-women-no-one-has-touched-for-a/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [I can never see fashion models, lean angular cheeks, strutting hips and blooming hair, without thinking of the skulls at the catacombs in Lima,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/i-can-never-see-fashion-models-lean-angular-cheeks-strutting-hips-and/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [I am looking for the human who admits his flaws Who shocks the adversary By being kinder not stronger What would that be like?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/i-am-looking-for-the-human-who-admits-his-flaws-who-shocks-the/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [“Remembering your mistakes more acutely than any minor success. This was the worst. The things that kept you up at night. Tip a waiter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/remembering-your-mistakes-more-acutely-than-any-minor-success-this/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [“Grief is an ambush. You’re walking along feeling fine, look down, see a leaf, and begin to weep. —Jack”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/grief-is-an-ambush-you-re-walking-along-feeling-fine-look-down-see-a/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [“Every day is a poetry day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/every-day-is-a-poetry-day/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [Teaching and writing are separate, but serve/feed one another in so many ways. Writing travels the road inward, teaching, the road out - helping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/teaching-and-writing-are-separate-but-serve-feed-one-another-in-so/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [What did exclusivity ever have to offer but a distorted, unrealistic view of the world? People who stuck only to their own kind were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/what-did-exclusivity-ever-have-to-offer-but-a-distorted-unrealistic/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [The thousands small birds of January in their smooth soaring cloud finding the trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/the-thousands-small-birds-of-january-in-their-smooth-soaring-cloud/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [When allowed to return to the class, your feelings of humility and lonesomeness will render you a much finer student and person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/when-allowed-to-return-to-the-class-your-feelings-of-humility-and/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [You know, those of us who leave our homes in the morning and expect to find them there when we go back - it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/you-know-those-of-us-who-leave-our-homes-in-the-morning-and-expect-to/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) [Explore all 115 Naomi Shihab Nye quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) ## More Alive quotes > [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/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being alive is a common road. 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