--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You see,” he continued, beginning to feel…" description: "\"“You see,” he continued, beginning to feel better, “once there was no time at all, and people found it very inconvenient. They never knew whether they ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/norton-juster-2113_eating-lunch_you-see-he-continued-beginning-to-feel-b_2264817.png" --- # You see,” he continued, beginning to feel better, “once… ![“You see,” he continued, beginning to feel better, “once there was no time at all, and people found it very inconvenient. They never knew whether they were eating lunch or dinner, and they were always missing trains. So time was invented to help them keep track of the day and get places when they…” quote by Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/norton-juster-2113_eating-lunch_you-see-he-continued-beginning-to-feel-b_2264817.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/norton-juster-2113_eating-lunch_you-see-he-continued-beginning-to-feel-b_2264817.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/norton-juster-2113_eating-lunch_you-see-he-continued-beginning-to-feel-b_2264817.png) > ““You see,” he continued, beginning to feel better, “once there was no time at all, and people found it very inconvenient. They never knew whether they were eating lunch or dinner, and they were always missing trains. So time was invented to help them keep track of the day and get places when they should. When they began to count all the time that was available, what with 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour and 24 hours in a day and 365 days in a year, it seemed as if there was much more than could ever be used. ‘If there’s so much of it, it couldn’t be very valuable,’ was the general opinion, and it soon fell into disrepute. People wasted it and even gave it away. Then we were given the job of seeing that no one wasted time again,” he said, sitting up proudly.”” [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. Time was created as a tool, but when quantified it seemed abundant, leading people to undervalue and waste it; the narrative warns against treating time as limitless. **In simple terms:** Time was invented, but we waste it when we think it’s endless. Key Takeaway Treat time as scarce and protect it. Themes time value productivity perception scarcity Mood reflective thoughtful cautionary Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal planning - project management - daily routines - goal setting - work-life balance Key Concepts economics psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do you measure the true worth of your time? - What habits can prevent time waste? A Different Perspective If you view time as infinite, you may still overcommit and burn out. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eating lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating-lunch/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“You see," he continued, beginning to feel better, "once there was no time at all, and people found it very inconvenient. They never knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/you-see-he-continued-beginning-to-feel-better-once-there-was-no-time-2/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“Respect Joy. Joy is not something that happens instead of something else important; It isn't a waste of time; It is, really, what time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sosnowski/respect-joy-joy-is-not-something-that-happens-instead-of-something/) David Sosnowski > [Surely it was time someone invented a new plot, or that the author came out from the bushes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/surely-it-was-time-someone-invented-a-new-plot-or-that-the-author/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Time was invented by the Almighty God in order to give ideas a chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-murray-butler/time-was-invented-by-the-almighty-god-in-order-to-give-ideas-a-chance/) [Nicholas Murray Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-murray-butler/) > [“Nothing is predetermined, it is determined, or was determined, or will be determined. 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I was the child that sat in the corner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jolene-blalock/i-didn-t-have-a-good-childhood-because-i-never-could-get-along-with/) [Jolene Blalock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jolene-blalock/) > [I have many memories of waking up to eat breakfast that my mother carefully prepared for us and her saying, what do y'all want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-loeb/i-have-many-memories-of-waking-up-to-eat-breakfast-that-my-mother/) [Lisa Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-loeb/) > [“10- We went walking along the footpaths that snaked through vineyards and barley fields, looking down at our own shadows each preoccupied with our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/10-we-went-walking-along-the-footpaths-that-snaked-through-vineyards/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [I think in times of bizarre strangeness, what you can and should do is spend time with your family eating lunch or dinner. 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You're not going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-price/in-tech-land-no-one-cares-what-kind-of-car-you-drive-and-frankly-they/) [Roy Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-price/) > [Whats the point in eating when you just end up crapping it all out anyway? heard that the other day while eating lunch…lost my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/someone-at-school/whats-the-point-in-eating-when-you-just-end-up-crapping-it-all-out/) Someone At School > [“Take time for yourself. If you feel guilty eating lunch away from your desk or lingering in a bath, let the deprogramming begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-greenlee/take-time-for-yourself-if-you-feel-guilty-eating-lunch-away-from-your/) [Gina Greenlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-greenlee/) > [I would like to see more pictures of what athletes are doing, like in People. Show athletes hanging out with each other, eating lunch,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/i-would-like-to-see-more-pictures-of-what-athletes-are-doing-like-in/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) > [“You never told me your name," he says, his voice so hauntingly familiar it causes a rush of heat to blanket my skin. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-noel/you-never-told-me-your-name-he-says-his-voice-so-hauntingly-familiar/) [Alyson Noel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyson-noel/) ## 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. 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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 Eating lunch quotes > [“You never told me your name," he says, his voice so hauntingly familiar it causes a rush of heat to blanket my skin. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-noel/you-never-told-me-your-name-he-says-his-voice-so-hauntingly-familiar/) [Alyson Noel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyson-noel/) > [I would like to see more pictures of what athletes are doing, like in People. Show athletes hanging out with each other, eating lunch,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leinart/i-would-like-to-see-more-pictures-of-what-athletes-are-doing-like-in/) [Matt Leinart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leinart/) > [“Take time for yourself. If you feel guilty eating lunch away from your desk or lingering in a bath, let the deprogramming begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-greenlee/take-time-for-yourself-if-you-feel-guilty-eating-lunch-away-from-your/) [Gina Greenlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-greenlee/) > [Whats the point in eating when you just end up crapping it all out anyway? heard that the other day while eating lunch…lost my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/someone-at-school/whats-the-point-in-eating-when-you-just-end-up-crapping-it-all-out/) Someone At School > [In tech-land, no one cares what kind of car you drive, and frankly, they're not going to find out anyway. You're not going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-price/in-tech-land-no-one-cares-what-kind-of-car-you-drive-and-frankly-they/) [Roy Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-price/) > [Planning my food a bit helps me. Knowing what I'm going to be eating for lunch helps, instead of getting hungry and then looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-alexander/planning-my-food-a-bit-helps-me-knowing-what-i-m-going-to-be-eating/) [Sasha Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-alexander/) > [I think in times of bizarre strangeness, what you can and should do is spend time with your family eating lunch or dinner. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/i-think-in-times-of-bizarre-strangeness-what-you-can-and-should-do-is/) [Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/) > [“10- We went walking along the footpaths that snaked through vineyards and barley fields, looking down at our own shadows each preoccupied with our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/10-we-went-walking-along-the-footpaths-that-snaked-through-vineyards/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [I have many memories of waking up to eat breakfast that my mother carefully prepared for us and her saying, what do y'all want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-loeb/i-have-many-memories-of-waking-up-to-eat-breakfast-that-my-mother/) [Lisa Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-loeb/) > [I didn't have a good childhood because I never could get along with other kids. I was the child that sat in the corner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jolene-blalock/i-didn-t-have-a-good-childhood-because-i-never-could-get-along-with/) [Jolene Blalock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jolene-blalock/) > [I do know this: other countries are eating our lunch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-do-know-this-other-countries-are-eating-our-lunch/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [China is eating our lunch with regard to renewable energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raja-krishnamoorthi/china-is-eating-our-lunch-with-regard-to-renewable-energy/) [Raja Krishnamoorthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raja-krishnamoorthi/) > [I think you need to be intentional at times about your leadership - where you're eating lunch, who you're interacting with, making guys feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rodgers/i-think-you-need-to-be-intentional-at-times-about-your-leadership/) [Aaron Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rodgers/) > [Those dreams I have at night are going to drive me crazy. 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