--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They walked for a while, all silent in…" description: "\"They walked for a while, all silent in their thoughts, until they reached the car and Alec drew a fine telescope from his shirt and handed it to Milo. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1e/norton-juster-2113_astronomy_they-walked-for-a-while-all-silent-in-th_852279.png" --- # They walked for a while, all silent in their thoughts… ![“They walked for a while, all silent in their thoughts, until they reached the car and Alec drew a fine telescope from his shirt and handed it to Milo. "Carry this with you on your journey," he said softly, "for there is much worth noticing that often escapes the eye. Through it you can see…” quote by Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1e/norton-juster-2113_astronomy_they-walked-for-a-while-all-silent-in-th_852279.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1e/norton-juster-2113_astronomy_they-walked-for-a-while-all-silent-in-th_852279.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1e/norton-juster-2113_astronomy_they-walked-for-a-while-all-silent-in-th_852279.png) > “They walked for a while, all silent in their thoughts, until they reached the car and Alec drew a fine telescope from his shirt and handed it to Milo. "Carry this with you on your journey," he said softly, "for there is much worth noticing that often escapes the eye. Through it you can see everything from the tender moss in a sidewalk crack to the glow of the farthest star — and, most important of all, you can see things as they really are, not just as they seem to be. It's my gift to you.” [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A magical telescope symbolizes heightened perception, encouraging noticing hidden details and truth beyond appearances. **In simple terms:** Seeing deeper reveals truth. Key Takeaway Cultivate curiosity and look beyond surface. Themes perception curiosity truth Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - travel - education - creative problem solving - art appreciation Key Concepts symbolism mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - When have you noticed something others missed? - How does deeper observation change decisions? A Different Perspective The metaphor may oversimplify complex realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Telescopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telescopes/) ## Related quotes > [There is much worth noticing that often escapes the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/there-is-much-worth-noticing-that-often-escapes-the-eye/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [With correction, and given the chance, 'Terra Nova' can and will deliver seasons of transcendent images and story-telling. Failing to renew 'Terra Nova' is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-lang/with-correction-and-given-the-chance-terra-nova-can-and-will-deliver/) [Stephen Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-lang/) > [As the telescope is not a substitute for, but an aid to, our sight, so revelation is not designed to supersede the use of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/as-the-telescope-is-not-a-substitute-for-but-an-aid-to-our-sight-so/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [For some reason most critics have a hard time fixing their minds directly under their noses, and before they see the object that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-tate/for-some-reason-most-critics-have-a-hard-time-fixing-their-minds/) [Allen Tate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-tate/) > [The best thing we're put here for's to see; The strongest thing that's given us to see with's a telescope. Someone in every town,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/the-best-thing-we-re-put-here-for-s-to-see-the-strongest-thing-that-s/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [We have all kinds of limitations as human beings. I mean we can't see the whole electromagnetic spectrum, we can't see the very small,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-silva/we-have-all-kinds-of-limitations-as-human-beings-i-mean-we-can-t-see/) [Jason Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-silva/) > [The one way to discover about aliens is to tune your radio telescope and listen to the signals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garik-israelian/the-one-way-to-discover-about-aliens-is-to-tune-your-radio-telescope/) [Garik Israelian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garik-israelian/) > [My parents gave me a small telescope, then I built my own, and one thing led to another. So that's how I ended up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimitar-sasselov/my-parents-gave-me-a-small-telescope-then-i-built-my-own-and-one/) [Dimitar Sasselov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimitar-sasselov/) > [The telescope... is a conduit to the cosmos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-telescope-is-a-conduit-to-the-cosmos/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [What can be more soul shaking than peering through a 100-inch telescope at a distant galaxy, holding a 100-million-year-old fossil or a 500,000-year-old stone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/what-can-be-more-soul-shaking-than-peering-through-a-100-inch/) [Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/) > [Look at life through the wrong end of the telescope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/look-at-life-through-the-wrong-end-of-the-telescope/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [She avoids mirrors, and lifts a powerful telescope to find herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/she-avoids-mirrors-and-lifts-a-powerful-telescope-to-find-herself/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [Our eyes see very little and very badly – so people dreamed up the microscope to let them see invisible phenomena; they invented the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dziga-vertov/our-eyes-see-very-little-and-very-badly-so-people-dreamed-up-the/) [Dziga Vertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dziga-vertov/) > [It happens to be one of those days when I see everybody in the family, including myself, through the wrong end of a telescope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-happens-to-be-one-of-those-days-when-i-see-everybody-in-the-family/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The reason we have the stars twinkle at night is because the light is being kind of blurred by the atmosphere around the Earth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-massimino/the-reason-we-have-the-stars-twinkle-at-night-is-because-the-light-is/) [Michael J. Massimino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-massimino/) ## More by Norton Juster > [You see, years ago I was just an ordinary bee minding my own business, smelling flowers all day, and occasionally picking up part-time work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/you-see-years-ago-i-was-just-an-ordinary-bee-minding-my-own-business/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“How are you going to make it move? It doesn't have a – " "Be very quiet," advised the duke, "for it goes without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/how-are-you-going-to-make-it-move-it-doesn-t-have-a-be-very-quiet/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [It was really written as most, I think, books are by writers - for themselves. There was something that just had to be written,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/it-was-really-written-as-most-i-think-books-are-by-writers-for/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“What kind of a place is Expectations?" inquired Milo, unable to see the humor and feeling very doubtful of the little man's sanity. "Good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/what-kind-of-a-place-is-expectations-inquired-milo-unable-to-see-the/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [There is much worth noticing that often escapes the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/there-is-much-worth-noticing-that-often-escapes-the-eye/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“The most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what's in between.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/the-most-important-reason-for-going-from-one-place-to-another-is-to/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“As the cheering continued, Rhyme leaned forward and touched Milo gently on the shoulder. "They're cheering for you," she said with a smile. "But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/as-the-cheering-continued-rhyme-leaned-forward-and-touched-milo/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [He paused again as a tear of longing rolled from cheek to lip with the sweet-salty taste of an old memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/he-paused-again-as-a-tear-of-longing-rolled-from-cheek-to-lip-with/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“Kad god se nasmiješiš, radost se oko tebe širi poput kolobara u bari, i kad god si tužan, nitko nigdje ne može biti stvarno…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/kad-god-se-nasmije-i-radost-se-oko-tebe-iri-poput-kolobara-u-bari-i/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“Why not take a few pounds of ‘happys’?” advised the salesman. “They’re much more practical—and very useful for Happy Birthday, Happy New Year, happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/why-not-take-a-few-pounds-of-happys-advised-the-salesman-they-re-much/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [...it's not just learning that's important. It's learning what to do with what you learn and learning why you learn things that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/it-s-not-just-learning-that-s-important-it-s-learning-what-to-do-with/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [Sometimes I find the best way of getting from one place to another is simply to erase everything and begin again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/sometimes-i-find-the-best-way-of-getting-from-one-place-to-another-is/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [Have you ever heard the wonderful silence just before the dawn? Or the quiet and calm just as a storm ends? Or perhaps you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/have-you-ever-heard-the-wonderful-silence-just-before-the-dawn-or-the/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [How can you see something that isn't there?" yawned the Humbug, who wasn't fully awake yet. "Sometimes, it's much simpler than seeing things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/how-can-you-see-something-that-isn-t-there-yawned-the-humbug-who-wasn/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“I wonder where I am," said Milo in a very worried tone. "You're . . . in . . . the . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/i-wonder-where-i-am-said-milo-in-a-very-worried-tone-you-re-in-the/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) [Explore all 185 Norton Juster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) ## More Astronomy quotes > [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [Wen daylight turns to a darkened hue, D lovely stars hinting at u, ur heart beat tells u something true, That some 1 badly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butterfly-kisses/wen-daylight-turns-to-a-darkened-hue-d-lovely-stars-hinting-at-u-ur/) Butterfly\_Kisses > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [From the grasses in the field to the stars in the sky, each one is doing just that; and there is such profound peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/from-the-grasses-in-the-field-to-the-stars-in-the-sky-each-one-is/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [“Sentinels of trees breathe life into bodies of earthly flesh As their mighty arms reach to the stars we join in their quest for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramon-ravenswood/sentinels-of-trees-breathe-life-into-bodies-of-earthly-flesh-as-their/) [Ramon Ravenswood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramon-ravenswood/) > [“If there are no stars on the sky, you must try to be happy with the shining streetlights!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-there-are-no-stars-on-the-sky-you-must-try-to-be-happy-with-the/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) Nicole Gentile > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars." ... quote has been credited to Les Brown.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylviek/shoot-for-the-moon-even-if-you-miss-it-you-will-land-among-the-stars/) Sylviek > [When certain stars take you under their wing, it does help as they gauge your potential and are willing to work with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-bhatt/when-certain-stars-take-you-under-their-wing-it-does-help-as-they/) [Vikram Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-bhatt/) > [We were put here as witnesses to the miracle of life. We see the stars, and we want them. We are beholden to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-were-put-here-as-witnesses-to-the-miracle-of-life-we-see-the-stars/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The reason so many of us are obsessed with becoming stars is because we are not yet starring in our own lives. The cosmic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-reason-so-many-of-us-are-obsessed-with-becoming-stars-is-because/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) [Browse all 6,190 Astronomy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They walked for a while, all silent in their thoughts, until they reached the car and Alec drew a fine telescope from his shirt and handed it to Milo. \"Carry this with you on your journey,\" he said softly, \"for there is much worth noticing that often escapes the eye. Through it you can see everything from the tender moss in a sidewalk crack to the glow of the farthest star — and, most important of all, you can see things as they really are, not just as they seem to be. It's my gift to you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Norton Juster" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/they-walked-for-a-while-all-silent-in-their-thoughts-until-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Astronomy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/they-walked-for-a-while-all-silent-in-their-thoughts-until-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1e/norton-juster-2113_astronomy_they-walked-for-a-while-all-silent-in-th_852279.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1e/norton-juster-2113_astronomy_they-walked-for-a-while-all-silent-in-th_852279.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1e/norton-juster-2113_astronomy_they-walked-for-a-while-all-silent-in-th_852279.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They walked for a while, all silent in their thoughts, until they reached the car and Alec drew a fine…” — Norton Juster", "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": "Norton Juster", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "They walked for a while, all...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/they-walked-for-a-while-all-silent-in-their-thoughts-until-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/they-walked-for-a-while-all-silent-in-their-thoughts-until-they/#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 } } ] } ```