--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The universe now appeared to me as a void…" description: "\"The universe now appeared to me as a void wherein floated rare flakes of snow, each flake a universe.\" — Olaf Stapledon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/olaf-stapledon-9950_flakes_the-universe-now-appeared-to-me-as-a-voi_1351633.jpg" --- # The universe now appeared to me as a void wherein floated… ![“The universe now appeared to me as a void wherein floated rare flakes of snow, each flake a universe.” quote by Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/olaf-stapledon-9950_flakes_the-universe-now-appeared-to-me-as-a-voi_1351633.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/olaf-stapledon-9950_flakes_the-universe-now-appeared-to-me-as-a-voi_1351633.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/olaf-stapledon-9950_flakes_the-universe-now-appeared-to-me-as-a-voi_1351633.jpg) > “The universe now appeared to me as a void wherein floated rare flakes of snow, each flake a universe.” [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes the universe as a vast emptiness dotted with countless unique worlds. **In simple terms:** The cosmos is a void filled with many worlds. Key Takeaway Appreciate the universe’s infinite variety. Themes cosmology wonder infinity Mood awe curious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - science - art - spiritual contemplation Key Concepts astronomy philosophical reflection Questions to Reflect On - How does this view affect your sense of purpose? - What responsibilities arise from recognizing vastness? A Different Perspective Human perspective can feel insignificant. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Olaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olaf/) [Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snow/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [Void](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/void/) ## Related quotes > [The expansion of the whole cosmos was but the shrinkage of all its physical units and of the wavelengths of light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/the-expansion-of-the-whole-cosmos-was-but-the-shrinkage-of-all-its/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [In you, humanity is precarious; and so, in dread and in shame, you kill the animal in you. And its slaughter poisons you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/in-you-humanity-is-precarious-and-so-in-dread-and-in-shame-you-kill/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [“The universe, it appeared, had never been kind to Captain Bortrek, conspiring against him in a fashion that Threepio privately considered unlikely given the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-hambly/the-universe-it-appeared-had-never-been-kind-to-captain-bortrek/) [Barbara Hambly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-hambly/) > [I perceived that I was on a little round grain of rock and metal, filmed with water and with air, whirling in sunlight and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/i-perceived-that-i-was-on-a-little-round-grain-of-rock-and-metal/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [Myriads of individuals, each one unique, live out their lives in rapt intercourse with one another, contribute their heart's pulses to the universal music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/myriads-of-individuals-each-one-unique-live-out-their-lives-in-rapt/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [A scenario is suggested by which the universe and its laws could have arisen naturally from nothing. Current cosmology suggests that no laws of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-j-stenger/a-scenario-is-suggested-by-which-the-universe-and-its-laws-could-have/) [Victor J. Stenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-j-stenger/) > [That strange blend of the commercial traveller, the missionary and the barbarian conqueror, which was the American abroad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/that-strange-blend-of-the-commercial-traveller-the-missionary-and-the/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [Individuals of the earlier species had suffered from an almost insurmountable spiritual isolation from one another. Not even lovers, and scarcely even the geniuses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/individuals-of-the-earlier-species-had-suffered-from-an-almost/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [As to the pretty girls who went past, from the day on which I had first known that their cheeks could be kissed, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/as-to-the-pretty-girls-who-went-past-from-the-day-on-which-i-had/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [Even when all the worlds have frozen or exploded, and all the suns gone dead and cold, there'll still be time. Oh, God, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/even-when-all-the-worlds-have-frozen-or-exploded-and-all-the-suns/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [ No visiting angel, or explorer from another planet, could have guessed that this bland orb \[Earth\] teemed with vermin, with world-mastering, self-torturing, incipiently angelic… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/no-visiting-angel-or-explorer-from-another-planet-could-have-guessed/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [It is better to be destroyed than to triumph in slaying the spirit... We die praising the universe in which at least such an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/it-is-better-to-be-destroyed-than-to-triumph-in-slaying-the-spirit-we/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [“I didn't know till then the stars, in flakes of snow come down to fuck the earth, the lake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-m-thomas/i-didn-t-know-till-then-the-stars-in-flakes-of-snow-come-down-to-fuck/) D.M. Thomas > [There are as many pillows of illusion as flakes in a snow-storm. We wake from one dream into another dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/there-are-as-many-pillows-of-illusion-as-flakes-in-a-snow-storm-we/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“Flakes of snow swirled and danced across the porch. The Overlook faced it as it had for nearly three-quarters of a century, its darkened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/flakes-of-snow-swirled-and-danced-across-the-porch-the-overlook-faced/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) ## More by Olaf Stapledon > [ No visiting angel, or explorer from another planet, could have guessed that this bland orb \[Earth\] teemed with vermin, with world-mastering, self-torturing, incipiently angelic… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/no-visiting-angel-or-explorer-from-another-planet-could-have-guessed/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [In fact man's career has been less like a mountain torrent hurtling from rock to rock, than a great sluggish river, broken very seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/in-fact-man-s-career-has-been-less-like-a-mountain-torrent-hurtling/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [I loathe the urchin's cruelty to the cat, but I will not loathe the urchin. 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But man is a fair spirit, whom a star conceived and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/great-are-the-stars-and-man-is-of-no-account-to-them-but-man-is-a/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [Without Satan, with God only, how poor a universe, how trite a music!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/without-satan-with-god-only-how-poor-a-universe-how-trite-a-music/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [I see, indeed I know, that in some sense God is love, and God is wisdom, and God is creative action, yes and God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/i-see-indeed-i-know-that-in-some-sense-god-is-love-and-god-is-wisdom/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [“With characteristic lack of false modesty, John once said to me, "My looks are a rough test of people. If they don't begin to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/with-characteristic-lack-of-false-modesty-john-once-said-to-me-my/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [ \[S\]ervants of darkness had no lasting joy in their service. In all of them the will for darkness was a perversion of the will… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/s-ervants-of-darkness-had-no-lasting-joy-in-their-service-in-all-of/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [“The truth of the matter was something much more subtle and tremendous than any plain physical miracle could ever be. But never mind that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/the-truth-of-the-matter-was-something-much-more-subtle-and-tremendous/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [Even when all the worlds have frozen or exploded, and all the suns gone dead and cold, there'll still be time. Oh, God, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/even-when-all-the-worlds-have-frozen-or-exploded-and-all-the-suns/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [The Tibetan missionaries in their mood of bright confidence disconcerted the imperial governments by laughing the new movement into frustration. For a sham faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/the-tibetan-missionaries-in-their-mood-of-bright-confidence/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [“For the former, activity, any kind of activity, was an end in itself; for the latter, activity was but a progress toward the true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/for-the-former-activity-any-kind-of-activity-was-an-end-in-itself-for/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [We have no government and no laws, if by law is meant a stereotyped convention supported by force, and not to be altered without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/we-have-no-government-and-no-laws-if-by-law-is-meant-a-stereotyped/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [“In the tide of these wild thoughts we checked our fancy, remembering that only on the rare grains called planets can life gain foothold,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/in-the-tide-of-these-wild-thoughts-we-checked-our-fancy-remembering/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) [Explore all 69 Olaf Stapledon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) ## More Flakes quotes > [Girl, he wants to dip you in Frosted Flakes and have you for breakfast. That's his favorite cereal, by the way." I...had no words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-showalter/girl-he-wants-to-dip-you-in-frosted-flakes-and-have-you-for-breakfast/) [Gena Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-showalter/) > [“The snow was coming down so hard. It looked like the flakes were hurrying to get out of the sky so the next ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/the-snow-was-coming-down-so-hard-it-looked-like-the-flakes-were/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [Is it OK for Amazon to know every word of every book you've read? Are you comfortable with that? Maybe you are. Is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-schell/is-it-ok-for-amazon-to-know-every-word-of-every-book-you-ve-read-are/) [Jesse Schell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-schell/) > [Real isn't what they try to tell you. Time isn't. Grown-ups hammer down all these markers, bells, schedules, coffee-breaks, to stake down time so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tana-french/real-isn-t-what-they-try-to-tell-you-time-isn-t-grown-ups-hammer-down/) [Tana French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tana-french/) > [Come, ye cold winds, at January's call, On whistling wings, and with white flakes bestrew The earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/come-ye-cold-winds-at-january-s-call-on-whistling-wings-and-with/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Lo! while we are gazing, in swifter haste Stream down the snows, till the air is white, As, myriads by myriads madly chased, They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-c-bryant/lo-while-we-are-gazing-in-swifter-haste-stream-down-the-snows-till/) [William C. Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-c-bryant/) > [You may think I'm a loser, but to my goldfish I am "THE GOD OF FLAKES."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-may-think-i-m-a-loser-but-to-my-goldfish-i-am-the-god-of-flakes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Fritz Mondale is not some synthetic Masked Marvel or Mystery Man. He is not made of silicon and micro-chip flakes. He is made of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lane-kirkland/fritz-mondale-is-not-some-synthetic-masked-marvel-or-mystery-man-he/) [Lane Kirkland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lane-kirkland/) > [I saw myself. . . in the time I watched, I saw strength and frailty, pride and vanity, courage and fear. Of wisdom, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/i-saw-myself-in-the-time-i-watched-i-saw-strength-and-frailty-pride/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [I'm a simple man, and I use simple materials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-s-lowry/i-m-a-simple-man-and-i-use-simple-materials/) [L. S. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-s-lowry/) > [Slowly, quietly, like snow-flakes—like the small flakes that come when it is going to snow all night —little flakes of me, my impressions, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/slowly-quietly-like-snow-flakes-like-the-small-flakes-that-come-when/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I endorse only products I actually use. Like Wheaties keeps offering me money, but I don't eat Wheaties, so I can't do it. 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The snow drifts into our zombie mouths crawling with grease and curses and tobacco flakes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/we-tilt-our-heads-back-and-open-wide-the-snow-drifts-into-our-zombie/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) Browse all 101 Flakes quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The universe now appeared to me as a void wherein floated rare flakes of snow, each flake a universe.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Olaf Stapledon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/the-universe-now-appeared-to-me-as-a-void-wherein-floated-rare-flakes/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Flakes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/the-universe-now-appeared-to-me-as-a-void-wherein-floated-rare-flakes/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/olaf-stapledon-9950_flakes_the-universe-now-appeared-to-me-as-a-voi_1351633.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/olaf-stapledon-9950_flakes_the-universe-now-appeared-to-me-as-a-voi_1351633.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/olaf-stapledon-9950_flakes_the-universe-now-appeared-to-me-as-a-voi_1351633.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The universe now appeared to me as a void wherein floated rare flakes of snow, each flake a universe.” — Olaf Stapledon", "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": "Olaf Stapledon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The universe now appeared to me...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/the-universe-now-appeared-to-me-as-a-void-wherein-floated-rare-flakes/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/the-universe-now-appeared-to-me-as-a-void-wherein-floated-rare-flakes/#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 } } ] } ```