--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A month has passed since I’ve written…" description: "\"“A month has passed since I’ve written, but it has seemed to pass much more slowly. Life passes by now like the scenery outside a car window. I breathe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/923/nicholas-sparks-93_active-participation_a-month-has-passed-since-i-ve-written-bu_1307513.jpg" --- # A month has passed since I’ve written, but it has seemed… ![“A month has passed since I’ve written, but it has seemed to pass much more slowly. Life passes by now like the scenery outside a car window. I breathe and eat and sleep as I always did, but there seems to be no great purpose in my life that requires active participation on my part. I simply drift…” quote by Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/923/nicholas-sparks-93_active-participation_a-month-has-passed-since-i-ve-written-bu_1307513.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/923/nicholas-sparks-93_active-participation_a-month-has-passed-since-i-ve-written-bu_1307513.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/923/nicholas-sparks-93_active-participation_a-month-has-passed-since-i-ve-written-bu_1307513.jpg) > ““A month has passed since I’ve written, but it has seemed to pass much more slowly. Life passes by now like the scenery outside a car window. I breathe and eat and sleep as I always did, but there seems to be no great purpose in my life that requires active participation on my part. I simply drift along like the messages I write you. I do not know where I am going or when I will get there. Even work does not take the pain away. I may be diving for my own pleasure or showing others how to do so, but when I return to the shop, it seems empty without you. I stock and order as I always did, but even now, I sometimes glance over my shoulder without thinking and call for you. As I write this note to you, I wonder when, or if, things like that will ever stop. Without you in my arms, I feel an emptiness in my soul. I find myself searching the crowds for your face—I know it is an impossibility, but I cannot help myself. My search for you is a never-ending quest that is doomed to fail. You and I had talked about what would happen if we were forced apart by circumstance, but I cannot keep the promise I made to you that night. I am sorry, my darling, but there will never be another to replace you. The words I whispered to you were folly, and I should have realized it then. You—and you alone—have always been the only thing I wanted, and now that you are gone, I have no desire to find another. Till death do us part, we whispered, and I’ve come to believe that the words will ring true until the day finally comes when I, too, am taken from this world.”” [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A lover mourns profound loss, feeling life is empty without the beloved, and doubts purpose without them. **In simple terms:** Grief makes life feel meaningless without a loved one. Key Takeaway Seek meaning beyond the lost love. Themes grief loneliness love purpose longing Mood sad reflective longing Type emotional personal When to use this quote - daily routine - writing - shopping - searching for solace - reflecting on promises Key Concepts existential emptiness attachment memory Questions to Reflect On - Can you find purpose beyond this loss? - How might you honor the memory while moving forward? 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I find myself searching the crowds for your face - I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/without-you-in-my-arms-i-feel-an-emptiness-in-my-soul-i-find-myself-2/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“If we feel emptiness in our soul, all we have to do is visit to a blessed sacrament...the moment we soak to the blessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earlkirk/if-we-feel-emptiness-in-our-soul-all-we-have-to-do-is-visit-to-a/) [Earlkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earlkirk/) > [Without you in my arms, I feel an emptiness in my soul, I find myself searching the crowds for your face. I know it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/without-you-in-my-arms-i-feel-an-emptiness-in-my-soul-i-find-myself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Books are not about messages. I write to understand my soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/books-are-not-about-messages-i-write-to-understand-my-soul/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“My Darling, It is late at night and though the words are coming hard to me, I can’t escape the feeling that it’s time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/my-darling-it-is-late-at-night-and-though-the-words-are-coming-hard/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [I gave you the best of me, he'd told her once, and with every beat of her son's heart, she knew he'd exactly done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/i-gave-you-the-best-of-me-he-d-told-her-once-and-with-every-beat-of-2/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“Only those who are comfortable with each other can sit without speaking. This is the great paradox.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/only-those-who-are-comfortable-with-each-other-can-sit-without/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“There isn't an hour of my life without you in it. I mend the boats, test them and all the while the memories come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/there-isn-t-an-hour-of-my-life-without-you-in-it-i-mend-the-boats/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“My Dearest, Can you forgive me? In a world that I seldom understand, there are winds of destiny that blow when we least expect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/my-dearest-can-you-forgive-me-in-a-world-that-i-seldom-understand/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“My Dearest, I miss you, my darling, as I always do, but today is especially hard because the ocean has been singing to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/my-dearest-i-miss-you-my-darling-as-i-always-do-but-today-is/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“That in the end, people should be judged by their actions, since in the end, it was actions that defined everyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/that-in-the-end-people-should-be-judged-by-their-actions-since-in-the/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES, EVEN THE PERSONS WE LOVE.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/everyone-makes-mistakes-even-the-persons-we-love/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“It's the possibility that keeps me going, not the guarantee, a sort of wager on my part.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/it-s-the-possibility-that-keeps-me-going-not-the-guarantee-a-sort-of/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“In her eyes and in her touch I felt the echoes of my words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/in-her-eyes-and-in-her-touch-i-felt-the-echoes-of-my-words/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“Noah, wherever you are and whenever you read this, I love you. I love you deeply, my husband. You are, and always have been,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/noah-wherever-you-are-and-whenever-you-read-this-i-love-you-i-love/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) ## More by Nicholas Sparks > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“Nothing is ever lost nor can be lost; the body aged, sluggish,cold… the embers left from earlier fires shall dully flame again”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/nothing-is-ever-lost-nor-can-be-lost-the-body-aged-sluggish-cold-the/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [I'm sure you think that I don't understand what you're going through, but I do. It's just that sometimes, our future is dictated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/i-m-sure-you-think-that-i-don-t-understand-what-you-re-going-through/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“You weren't out there that long, were you? I can't bear to think that no one found you right away." Noah shook his head.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/you-weren-t-out-there-that-long-were-you-i-can-t-bear-to-think-that/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“And in your smile, I will live forever”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/and-in-your-smile-i-will-live-forever/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [When we first met, I didn't want to get involved with anyone. I didn't have the time or energy, and I wasn't sure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/when-we-first-met-i-didn-t-want-to-get-involved-with-anyone-i-didn-t/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“There is something terrible in the moments after waking up, when the subconscious knows that something terrible has happened but before all the memories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/there-is-something-terrible-in-the-moments-after-waking-up-when-the/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [There is nothing like love. You should try it.” Thibault shrugged. “Maybe one day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/there-is-nothing-like-love-you-should-try-it-thibault-shrugged-maybe/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“more time she’d spent with him, the more convinced she became that he was by far the sexiest guy she’d ever met. Who else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/more-time-she-d-spent-with-him-the-more-convinced-she-became-that-he/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Dear John, tell me everything. Write it all down, that way, we’ll be with each other all the time, even if we’re not with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/dear-john-tell-me-everything-write-it-all-down-that-way-we-ll-be-with/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [You were spying on us?" "It was kind of hard not to. You were right there by the workshop with Will. it looked like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/you-were-spying-on-us-it-was-kind-of-hard-not-to-you-were-right-there/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [There are lots of real men out there - men who could fall in love with you at the drop of a hat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/there-are-lots-of-real-men-out-there-men-who-could-fall-in-love-with/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [...nothing wonderful lasted forever. Joy was as fleeting as a shooting star that crossed the evening sky, ready to blink out at any moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/nothing-wonderful-lasted-forever-joy-was-as-fleeting-as-a-shooting/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [He put his arms around her. “Well, in my defense, then, whatever I did seemed to work, didn't it?” She sighed. “I suppose.” “You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/he-put-his-arms-around-her-well-in-my-defense-then-whatever-i-did/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [I don't know. I really don't. While I was in the living room, I kept asking myself what I really wanted in life." She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/i-don-t-know-i-really-don-t-while-i-was-in-the-living-room-i-kept/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) [Explore all 1,309 Nicholas Sparks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) ## More Active participation quotes > [We can learn that reward comes in creation and re-creation, no just in the consumption of the world around us. Active participation in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-brown/we-can-learn-that-reward-comes-in-creation-and-re-creation-no-just-in/) [Tim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-brown/) > [Women in the Arab world have a rich history in their active participation in political change from the Algeria revolution against the French occupation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zainab-salbi/women-in-the-arab-world-have-a-rich-history-in-their-active/) [Zainab Salbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zainab-salbi/) > [Life passes by now like the scenery outside a car window. I breathe and eat and sleep as I always did, but there seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/life-passes-by-now-like-the-scenery-outside-a-car-window-i-breathe/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [We wish for a broad-based government with the active participation of women, which will promote freedom and equal rights for women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sima-samar/we-wish-for-a-broad-based-government-with-the-active-participation-of/) [Sima Samar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sima-samar/) > [I have formulated several levels of protest in my 'Sarabjit Bachao Andolan.' The first level is to get the active participation of the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raza-murad/i-have-formulated-several-levels-of-protest-in-my-sarabjit-bachao/) [Raza Murad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raza-murad/) > [“Moving toward a more harmonious way of life and greater resilience requires our active participation. This means finding ways to become more aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandor-ellix-katz/moving-toward-a-more-harmonious-way-of-life-and-greater-resilience/) [Sandor Ellix Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandor-ellix-katz/) > [“Your obligation is that of active participation. You should not act as knowledge-absorbing sponges, but as whetstones on which we can all sharpen our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-w-dijkstra/your-obligation-is-that-of-active-participation-you-should-not-act-as/) [Edsger W. Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-w-dijkstra/) > [“The faithful of Shiva or Dionysus seek contact with those forces which...lead to a refusal of the politics, ambitions and limitations of ordinary social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-dani-lou/the-faithful-of-shiva-or-dionysus-seek-contact-with-those-forces/) [Alain Daniélou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-dani-lou/) > [The more we increase the active participation and partnership with young people, the better we serve them. ... And the more comprehensively we work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-del-carmen-martinez-bordiu-y-franco/the-more-we-increase-the-active-participation-and-partnership-with/) [Maria del Carmen Martinez-Bordiu y Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-del-carmen-martinez-bordiu-y-franco/) > [As South Korea shows, active participation in international trade does not require free trade. Indeed, had South Korea pursued free trade and not promoted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/as-south-korea-shows-active-participation-in-international-trade-does/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [We do not understand democracy in its bourgeois meaning--of babbling, lack of discipline, anarchy. We understand democracy as the active participation of the citizens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolae-ceausescu/we-do-not-understand-democracy-in-its-bourgeois-meaning-of-babbling/) [Nicolae Ceausescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolae-ceausescu/) > [I'm an active participation guy. No matter how much money you make, no matter how famous you are, you're not above going outside and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-goldberg/i-m-an-active-participation-guy-no-matter-how-much-money-you-make-no/) [Bill Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-goldberg/) > [Though government has an important role to play in meeting the many challenges that remain before us, we are coming to understand that no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/though-government-has-an-important-role-to-play-in-meeting-the-many/) [William J. 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I breathe and eat and sleep as I always did, but there seems to be no great purpose in my life that requires active participation on my part. I simply drift along like the messages I write you. I do not know where I am going or when I will get there. Even work does not take the pain away. I may be diving for my own pleasure or showing others how to do so, but when I return to the shop, it seems empty without you. I stock and order as I always did, but even now, I sometimes glance over my shoulder without thinking and call for you. As I write this note to you, I wonder when, or if, things like that will ever stop. Without you in my arms, I feel an emptiness in my soul. I find myself searching the crowds for your face—I know it is an impossibility, but I cannot help myself. My search for you is a never-ending quest that is doomed to fail. You and I had talked about what would happen if we were forced apart by circumstance, but I cannot keep the promise I made to you that night. I am sorry, my darling, but there will never be another to replace you. The words I whispered to you were folly, and I should have realized it then. You—and you alone—have always been the only thing I wanted, and now that you are gone, I have no desire to find another. Till death do us part, we whispered, and I’ve come to believe that the words will ring true until the day finally comes when I, too, am taken from this world.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nicholas Sparks" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/a-month-has-passed-since-i-ve-written-but-it-has-seemed-to-pass-much/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Active participation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/a-month-has-passed-since-i-ve-written-but-it-has-seemed-to-pass-much/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/923/nicholas-sparks-93_active-participation_a-month-has-passed-since-i-ve-written-bu_1307513.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/923/nicholas-sparks-93_active-participation_a-month-has-passed-since-i-ve-written-bu_1307513.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/923/nicholas-sparks-93_active-participation_a-month-has-passed-since-i-ve-written-bu_1307513.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A month has passed since I’ve written, but it has seemed to pass much more slowly. 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