--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The sun has long since set and the thief…" description: "\"“The sun has long since set and the thief is about to come, and there is nothing I can do to stop it. So I stare at her and wait and live a lifetime in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/nicholas-sparks-93_sun_the-sun-has-long-since-set-and-the-thief_1599055.jpg" --- # The sun has long since set and the thief is about to come… ![“The sun has long since set and the thief is about to come, and there is nothing I can do to stop it. So I stare at her and wait and live a lifetime in these last remaining moments.” quote by Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/nicholas-sparks-93_sun_the-sun-has-long-since-set-and-the-thief_1599055.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/nicholas-sparks-93_sun_the-sun-has-long-since-set-and-the-thief_1599055.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b18/nicholas-sparks-93_sun_the-sun-has-long-since-set-and-the-thief_1599055.jpg) > ““The sun has long since set and the thief is about to come, and there is nothing I can do to stop it. So I stare at her and wait and live a lifetime in these last remaining moments.”” [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 watches the inevitable passage of time, feeling powerless yet choosing to savor each remaining instant. **In simple terms:** Time passes, love endures, we watch and wait. Key Takeaway Cherish each moment despite uncertainty. Themes love time acceptance Mood melancholic hopeful Type romantic reflective When to use this quote - watching a sunset - waiting for a loved one - reflecting on loss Key Concepts mortality longing presence Questions to Reflect On - How do you find agency in inevitable change? - What does “waiting” teach you about patience? A Different Perspective May romanticize fatalism, ignoring agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) [Thief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thief/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“After dinner, I become afraid despite myself. I know I should be joyous, for this reunion is the proof that love can still be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/after-dinner-i-become-afraid-despite-myself-i-know-i-should-be-joyous/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Some people live a lifetime every second, others only a second in a life time with little happiness to find. Learn to seize each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/some-people-live-a-lifetime-every-second-others-only-a-second-in-a/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [“I want to live at least one lifetime in this world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janie-chang/i-want-to-live-at-least-one-lifetime-in-this-world/) [Janie Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janie-chang/) > [You live more in five minutes on a bike like this going flat out than some people live in a lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-munro/you-live-more-in-five-minutes-on-a-bike-like-this-going-flat-out-than/) Burt Munro > [I am working as a co-host on a show called, 'Lifetime Live.' It's on the Lifetime cable network. My co-host is Deborah Roberts. She's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-reeve/i-am-working-as-a-co-host-on-a-show-called-lifetime-live-it-s-on-the/) [Dana Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-reeve/) > [You can live an entire lifetime in Chicago and not hear a gunshot, but if you go in a certain neighborhood then you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/you-can-live-an-entire-lifetime-in-chicago-and-not-hear-a-gunshot-but/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [Despite all the doom and gloom that constantly assaults our senses, there is a way for us to ransom our lives and reclaim our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/despite-all-the-doom-and-gloom-that-constantly-assaults-our-senses/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [It takes 9 months to live a Lifetime, and a Lifetime to live Eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-9-months-to-live-a-lifetime-and-a-lifetime-to-live-eternity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can live a lifetime in two years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/you-can-live-a-lifetime-in-two-years/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“I could live a lifetime in just a few heartbeats of time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-calmes/i-could-live-a-lifetime-in-just-a-few-heartbeats-of-time/) [Mary Calmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-calmes/) > [I could write a million songs about the way you say my name. 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I could live a lifetime with you and then do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanie-myprecious/i-could-write-a-million-songs-about-the-way-you-say-my-name-i-could/) YANIE-MyPrecious > [In a dream thou mayst live a lifetime, and all be forgotten in the morning: Even such is life, and so soon perisheth its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-farquhar-tupper/in-a-dream-thou-mayst-live-a-lifetime-and-all-be-forgotten-in-the/) [Martin Farquhar Tupper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-farquhar-tupper/) ## 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 Sun quotes > [“I needed to stop staring at his bicep...and chest...and tattoo. Never thought the sun could be so...sexy. Wow. This was awkward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/i-needed-to-stop-staring-at-his-bicep-and-chest-and-tattoo-never/) [Jennifer L. 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Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [... War on the destiny of man! Doom on the sun! Before death takes you, O take back this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-on-the-destiny-of-man-doom-on-the-sun-before-death-takes-you-o/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You felt a deep sorrow, the kind of melancholy you feel when you're in a beautiful place and the sun is going down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thrity-umrigar/you-felt-a-deep-sorrow-the-kind-of-melancholy-you-feel-when-you-re-in/) [Thrity Umrigar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thrity-umrigar/) > [Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. 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