--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is glorious, but it can be counted…" description: "\"“Life is glorious, but it can be counted on to be cruel.”\" — Noah Gordon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/noah-gordon-13298_cruel_life-is-glorious-but-it-can-be-counted-o_2518049.jpg" --- # Life is glorious, but it can be counted on to be cruel. ![“Life is glorious, but it can be counted on to be cruel.” quote by Noah Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/noah-gordon-13298_cruel_life-is-glorious-but-it-can-be-counted-o_2518049.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/noah-gordon-13298_cruel_life-is-glorious-but-it-can-be-counted-o_2518049.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/noah-gordon-13298_cruel_life-is-glorious-but-it-can-be-counted-o_2518049.jpg) > ““Life is glorious, but it can be counted on to be cruel.”” [Noah Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-gordon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life offers beauty yet inevitably brings suffering. **In simple terms:** Life is both wonderful and harsh. Key Takeaway Accept both joy and pain. Themes philosophy existence duality Mood thoughtful somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - grieving loss - celebrating milestones - mindfulness practice Key Concepts suffering beauty Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance optimism? - What brings you hope during hardship? A Different Perspective Focusing on cruelty can breed pessimism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Counted Cruel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/counted-cruel-1222657/) [Cruel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruel/) [Glorious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glorious/) [Glorious Counted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glorious-counted-1222658/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Glorious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-glorious-1061623/) ## Related quotes > [Of course I believe in marriage. Commitment to one other person in life is glorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/of-course-i-believe-in-marriage-commitment-to-one-other-person-in/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [Though life is very glorious, it is difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/though-life-is-very-glorious-it-is-difficult/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Of human life, the most glorious or humble prospects are alike and soon bounded by the sepulchre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/of-human-life-the-most-glorious-or-humble-prospects-are-alike-and/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [A ballerina's life can be glorious. But it does not get any easier. I don't think anyone must ever think about it getting easier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-markova/a-ballerina-s-life-can-be-glorious-but-it-does-not-get-any-easier-i/) [Alicia Markova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-markova/) > [Since love is quintessentially unspeakably glorious, all that remains at the end of one's life is the glorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lars-zwerenz/since-love-is-quintessentially-unspeakably-glorious-all-that-remains/) [John Lars Zwerenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lars-zwerenz/) > [Life is glorious when it is happy; days are carefree when they are happy; the interplay of thought and imagination is far superior to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/life-is-glorious-when-it-is-happy-days-are-carefree-when-they-are/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [“It was sex, it was fucking, and it was making love. It was life in glorious technicolour, full of promise and joy. The best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-french/it-was-sex-it-was-fucking-and-it-was-making-love-it-was-life-in/) [Kitty French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-french/) > [My life is a glorious tornado of musical projects!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/my-life-is-a-glorious-tornado-of-musical-projects/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [“The wonderful, beautiful thing that happens when you rid yourself of the things that don’t see your worth? You make space in your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-page-mcgroarty/the-wonderful-beautiful-thing-that-happens-when-you-rid-yourself-of-2/) [Kent Page McGroarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-page-mcgroarty/) > [Life is such a glorious trauma, is it not?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/life-is-such-a-glorious-trauma-is-it-not/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [Look around at the azaleas making fuchsia star bursts in spring; look at a full moon hanging silver in a black sky on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/look-around-at-the-azaleas-making-fuchsia-star-bursts-in-spring-look/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [“The wonderful, beautiful thing that happens when you rid yourself of the things that don’t see your worth? You make space in your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-hale/the-wonderful-beautiful-thing-that-happens-when-you-rid-yourself-of/) [Mandy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-hale/) > [Life is glorious, but life is also wretched. It is both...Life is glorious, but life is also wretched. It is both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/life-is-glorious-but-life-is-also-wretched-it-is-both-life-is/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song, A medley of extemporanea; And love is a thing that can never go wrong; And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/oh-life-is-a-glorious-cycle-of-song-a-medley-of-extemporanea-and-love/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [The beauty is forever there before us, forever piping to us, and we are forever failing to dance. We could not help but dance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-prescott-montague/the-beauty-is-forever-there-before-us-forever-piping-to-us-and-we-are/) [Margaret Prescott Montague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-prescott-montague/) ## More by Noah Gordon > [“There was a good Constitution in America, and he had read it carefully. It gave liberty, but he recognized that it worked only for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-gordon/there-was-a-good-constitution-in-america-and-he-had-read-it-carefully/) [Noah Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-gordon/) > [“Where else was I to go? My family had no desire to apprentice me to a physician, for though the admission grieves me, over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-gordon/where-else-was-i-to-go-my-family-had-no-desire-to-apprentice-me-to-a/) [Noah Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-gordon/) > [“Native-born Protestants loathed and oppressed Catholics and immigrants, and Catholics and immigrants scorned and murdered Negroes, as if each group fed off its hate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-gordon/native-born-protestants-loathed-and-oppressed-catholics-and/) [Noah Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-gordon/) > [“Despite his failings she couldn’t shun Nathanael, she was too fond of fleshly delight. He kept her belly large, pumping her full of child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-gordon/despite-his-failings-she-couldn-t-shun-nathanael-she-was-too-fond-of/) [Noah Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-gordon/) > [“Have you considered,” Rob said slowly, “how each faith claims that it alone has God’s heart and ear? We, you, and Islam—each vows it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-gordon/have-you-considered-rob-said-slowly-how-each-faith-claims-that-it/) [Noah Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-gordon/) > [“There are forty-eight physicians and surgeons, but not all are lecturers. Including yourself, there are twenty-seven students of medicine. 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But we must give Him permission to come out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-gordon/god-is-in-each-of-us-but-we-must-give-him-permission-to-come-out/) [Noah Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-gordon/) > [“most of the students were aware of their place in time and society, sensitive to the fact that an exploding technology hadn’t obliterated the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-gordon/most-of-the-students-were-aware-of-their-place-in-time-and-society/) [Noah Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-gordon/) > [“The late fall weather was perfect for the picking of herbs, and they scoured the woods and moors. Barber especially wanted purslane; steeped in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-gordon/the-late-fall-weather-was-perfect-for-the-picking-of-herbs-and-they/) [Noah Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-gordon/) > [“There are thirty-seven million people in the United States without any form of medical insurance. Every other leading industrial nation in the world—Germany, Italy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-gordon/there-are-thirty-seven-million-people-in-the-united-states-without/) [Noah Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-gordon/) > [“They say some are born healers. Selected.” The Jew smiled at him. “Of course, others are simply lucky,” he said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-gordon/they-say-some-are-born-healers-selected-the-jew-smiled-at-him-of/) [Noah Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-gordon/) > [“They thirsted to fight because the war existed, and because it had been officially declared admirable and patriotic to kill. That was enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-gordon/they-thirsted-to-fight-because-the-war-existed-and-because-it-had/) [Noah Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-gordon/) [Explore all 36 Noah Gordon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-gordon/) ## More Cruel quotes > [“History has a cruel way of disappointing optimists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-thompson/history-has-a-cruel-way-of-disappointing-optimists/) [Keith Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-thompson/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [“Don't be so cruel to me. Don't promise me anything. I've got everything that i need. I need love in a good way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tegan-quin/don-t-be-so-cruel-to-me-don-t-promise-me-anything-i-ve-got-everything/) [Tegan Quin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tegan-quin/) > [Pity is cruel. Pity destroys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/pity-is-cruel-pity-destroys/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [“Even the cruel feel pain. And even the cruel can change. I hope this changes him. He could do so much, if only he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/even-the-cruel-feel-pain-and-even-the-cruel-can-change-i-hope-this/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [You must learn that to endure cruelty is to become cruel yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bleach/you-must-learn-that-to-endure-cruelty-is-to-become-cruel-yourself/) [Bleach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bleach/) > [“my power is as cruel a joke as it can get? That’s”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-d-anderson/my-power-is-as-cruel-a-joke-as-it-can-get-that-s/) [Katie D. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-d-anderson/) > [I must be cruel only to be kind; Thus bad begins, and worse remains behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-must-be-cruel-only-to-be-kind-thus-bad-begins-and-worse-remains/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Huamns, uregulated, are cruel and capricious; violet and selfish; miserable and quarrelsome. It is only after their instincts and basic emotions have been controlled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/huamns-uregulated-are-cruel-and-capricious-violet-and-selfish/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“You would think those who have endured unkindness would be kinder as a result, intent on sparing others the awful suffering they abhorred firsthand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/you-would-think-those-who-have-endured-unkindness-would-be-kinder-as/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [how cruel, your veins are full of ice-water and mine are boiling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/how-cruel-your-veins-are-full-of-ice-water-and-mine-are-boiling/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [There is no kindness more cruel than the kindness which consigns another person to their sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-is-no-kindness-more-cruel-than-the-kindness-which-consigns/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Vanity can create a very cruel space for you if you don't know how to manage it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/vanity-can-create-a-very-cruel-space-for-you-if-you-don-t-know-how-to/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [Life is cruel and we do terrible things to each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-pym/life-is-cruel-and-we-do-terrible-things-to-each-other/) [Barbara Pym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-pym/) > [What people loathe the most is to be orphaned, desolate, unworthy. But this is what princes and kings call themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-people-loathe-the-most-is-to-be-orphaned-desolate-unworthy-but/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) [Browse all 1,069 Cruel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruel/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Life is glorious, but it can be counted on to be cruel.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noah Gordon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-gordon/life-is-glorious-but-it-can-be-counted-on-to-be-cruel/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cruel" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-gordon/life-is-glorious-but-it-can-be-counted-on-to-be-cruel/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/noah-gordon-13298_cruel_life-is-glorious-but-it-can-be-counted-o_2518049.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/noah-gordon-13298_cruel_life-is-glorious-but-it-can-be-counted-o_2518049.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/noah-gordon-13298_cruel_life-is-glorious-but-it-can-be-counted-o_2518049.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Life is glorious, but it can be counted on to be cruel.” — Noah Gordon", "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": "Noah Gordon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-gordon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Life is glorious, but it can...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-gordon/life-is-glorious-but-it-can-be-counted-on-to-be-cruel/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-gordon/life-is-glorious-but-it-can-be-counted-on-to-be-cruel/#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 } } ] } ```