--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And I learned what is obvious to a child…" description: "\"And I learned what is obvious to a child. That life is simply a collection of little lives, each lived one day at a time. That each day should be spent..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e38/nicholas-sparks-93_ancient_and-i-learned-what-is-obvious-to-a-child_215890.jpg" --- # And I learned what is obvious to a child. That life is… ![“And I learned what is obvious to a child. That life is simply a collection of little lives, each lived one day at a time. That each day should be spent finding beauty in flowers and poetry and talking to animals. That a day spent with dreaming and sunsets and refreshing breezes cannot be bettered…” quote by Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e38/nicholas-sparks-93_ancient_and-i-learned-what-is-obvious-to-a-child_215890.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e38/nicholas-sparks-93_ancient_and-i-learned-what-is-obvious-to-a-child_215890.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e38/nicholas-sparks-93_ancient_and-i-learned-what-is-obvious-to-a-child_215890.jpg) > “And I learned what is obvious to a child. That life is simply a collection of little lives, each lived one day at a time. That each day should be spent finding beauty in flowers and poetry and talking to animals. That a day spent with dreaming and sunsets and refreshing breezes cannot be bettered. But most of all, I learned that life is about sitting on benches next to ancient creeks with my hand on her knee and sometimes, on good days, for falling in love.” [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. Life is a series of small moments, each day offering simple joys like nature, art, and love. **In simple terms:** Life is made of daily simple joys. Key Takeaway Cherish each day’s small beauties. Themes love nature mindfulness daily joy romance Mood gentle reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - walking in nature - reading poetry - watching sunsets - spending time with loved ones - contemplating life Key Concepts presence appreciation connection Questions to Reflect On - How do you notice beauty daily? - What small moments bring you peace? A Different Perspective May overlook deeper purpose beyond fleeting pleasures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Benches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benches/) [Breeze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breeze/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Each day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/each-day/) [Falling in love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falling-in-love/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Good days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-days/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [One day at a time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-day-at-a-time/) [Sunset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunset/) ## Related quotes > [“That life is simply a collection of little lives, each lived one day at a time. That each day should be spent finding beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/that-life-is-simply-a-collection-of-little-lives-each-lived-one-day/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“And I learned what is obvious to a child. That life is simply a collection of little lives, each lived one day at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/and-i-learned-what-is-obvious-to-a-child-that-life-is-simply-a-2/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [One of the things I've learned in my life is that sometimes you've got to take a chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/one-of-the-things-i-ve-learned-in-my-life-is-that-sometimes-you-ve/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“There's more to life than sitting there interfacing, it might be a newsflash to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/there-s-more-to-life-than-sitting-there-interfacing-it-might-be-a/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [I often think to myself, at the end of an interesting life it's maybe not such a bad thing to spend your last days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baz-luhrmann/i-often-think-to-myself-at-the-end-of-an-interesting-life-it-s-maybe/) [Baz Luhrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baz-luhrmann/) > [Yes, I love my homes, I love to travel, I love my family, and I love doting on my new grandchildren. But you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-brown/yes-i-love-my-homes-i-love-to-travel-i-love-my-family-and-i-love/) [Sandra Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-brown/) > [My kids are my life. Sitting on the sidelines watching my son play rugby, helping them with their homework or getting them ready for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karren-brady/my-kids-are-my-life-sitting-on-the-sidelines-watching-my-son-play/) [Karren Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karren-brady/) > [The life you create from doing something that moves you is far better than the life you get from sitting around wishing you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/the-life-you-create-from-doing-something-that-moves-you-is-far-better/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [“Life was not to be sitting in hot amorphic leisure in my backyard idly writing or not-writing, as the spirit moved me. It was,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/life-was-not-to-be-sitting-in-hot-amorphic-leisure-in-my-backyard/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“Oh, how I've envied the lives of those who could spend life sitting down. A place to sit, a place to sit! I'd lament,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-hilbig/oh-how-i-ve-envied-the-lives-of-those-who-could-spend-life-sitting/) Wolfgang Hilbig > [What's really important in life? Sitting on a beach? Looking at television eight hours a day? I think we have to appreciate that we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-kiam/what-s-really-important-in-life-sitting-on-a-beach-looking-at/) [Victor Kiam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-kiam/) > [“It seems to me just as imbecile, just as infernal, to have to go to the office on Monday," said Jonathan, "as it always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-mansfield/it-seems-to-me-just-as-imbecile-just-as-infernal-to-have-to-go-to-the/) [Katherine Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-mansfield/) > [“His whole life was sitting there in front of him. Day after day from dawn till dark until he was dead. All of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/his-whole-life-was-sitting-there-in-front-of-him-day-after-day-from/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [One of the cooler moments of my life was sitting front row at Helmut Lang!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-cosentino/one-of-the-cooler-moments-of-my-life-was-sitting-front-row-at-helmut/) [Bethany Cosentino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-cosentino/) > [Your every breath of life is so precious, so don't waste any moment of life while sitting idol.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/your-every-breath-of-life-is-so-precious-so-don-t-waste-any-moment-of/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) ## 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 Ancient quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I don't know if I've come of age, but I'm certainly older now. I feel shrunken, as if there's a tiny ancient Oliver Tate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-don-t-know-if-i-ve-come-of-age-but-i-m-certainly-older-now-i-feel/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [Men must speak English who can write Sanskrit; they must speak a modern language who write, perchance, an ancient and universal one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-must-speak-english-who-can-write-sanskrit-they-must-speak-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Ancient societies had anthropomorphic gods: a huge pantheon expanding into centuries of dynastic drama; fathers and sons, martyred heroes, star-crossed lovers, the deaths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/ancient-societies-had-anthropomorphic-gods-a-huge-pantheon-expanding/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [Those of us with this ancient compulsion to tell stories sometimes start with a single kernel of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/those-of-us-with-this-ancient-compulsion-to-tell-stories-sometimes/) [Edward P. 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