--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On his back, Robert must have had time to…" description: "\"“On his back, Robert must have had time to see something beautiful, and not just the ugliness of a city street at the end of life. Even with the tremen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff9/oscar-hijuelos-24619_end-of-life_on-his-back-robert-must-have-had-time-to_1549403.jpg" --- # On his back, Robert must have had time to see something… ![“On his back, Robert must have had time to see something beautiful, and not just the ugliness of a city street at the end of life. Even with the tremendous pain in his badly gutted belly he would have looked up beyond the fire escapes and the windows with their glittery trees and television glows…” quote by Oscar Hijuelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff9/oscar-hijuelos-24619_end-of-life_on-his-back-robert-must-have-had-time-to_1549403.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff9/oscar-hijuelos-24619_end-of-life_on-his-back-robert-must-have-had-time-to_1549403.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff9/oscar-hijuelos-24619_end-of-life_on-his-back-robert-must-have-had-time-to_1549403.jpg) > ““On his back, Robert must have had time to see something beautiful, and not just the ugliness of a city street at the end of life. Even with the tremendous pain in his badly gutted belly he would have looked up beyond the fire escapes and the windows with their glittery trees and television glows, to the sky about the rooftops. A sky shimmery with the possibilities of the death; lights exaggerated, the heavens peeled back- a swirling haze of nebulae and comets - in some distant place, intimations of the new beginning into which he would soon journey”” [Oscar Hijuelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hijuelos/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even in extreme suffering, the mind can find beauty and hope beyond immediate pain, imagining a transcendent future. **In simple terms:** Pain can coexist with hope and imagination. Key Takeaway Seek beauty even in hardship. Themes suffering hope imagination Mood reflective poignant Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - hospital recovery - end‑of‑life care - creative writing - grief counseling Key Concepts existentialism transcendence Questions to Reflect On - How can we cultivate hope without denying pain? - What role does imagination play in coping with suffering? A Different Perspective Hope may be fragile and can feel escapist when confronting real trauma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [End of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-of-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [New beginning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-beginning/) [Possibilities Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibilities-death-5787425/) [Robert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robert/) [Rooftops Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooftops-sky-5787423/) [Sky Rooftops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky-rooftops-5787424/) [Sky Shimmery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky-shimmery-5787426/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [We call death as death because we know not what after that, but none can deny the possibilities that death can be the begining,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/we-call-death-as-death-because-we-know-not-what-after-that-but-none/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [“What is the use of beauty in woman? Provided a woman is physically well made and capable of bearing children, she will always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theophile-gautier/what-is-the-use-of-beauty-in-woman-provided-a-woman-is-physically/) [Théophile Gautier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theophile-gautier/) > [Death is not the end of life, but a birth of the better life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rmkatta/death-is-not-the-end-of-life-but-a-birth-of-the-better-life/) [RMKATTA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rmkatta/) > [And what is true education? It is awakening a love for truth; giving a just sense of duty; opening the eyes of the soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/and-what-is-true-education-it-is-awakening-a-love-for-truth-giving-a/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [Having the choice at the end of my life has become incredibly important. It has given me a sense of peace during a time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-maynard/having-the-choice-at-the-end-of-my-life-has-become-incredibly/) [Brittany Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-maynard/) > [Be driven by excellence.To be driven by excellence so at the end of each day,each month,each year,and indeed at the end of life itself,we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-huseman/be-driven-by-excellence-to-be-driven-by-excellence-so-at-the-end-of/) [Richard Huseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-huseman/) > [“When I reflect on the stories of death supported by hospice care and contrast it with our story depicting an absence of support, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/when-i-reflect-on-the-stories-of-death-supported-by-hospice-care-and/) [Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/) > [Someday your life will be over, no matter how much attention you give to your health. Will you look back with regret, because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/someday-your-life-will-be-over-no-matter-how-much-attention-you-give/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [Are all ends of life so sad?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-of-romania/are-all-ends-of-life-so-sad/) [Marie of Romania](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-of-romania/) > [Through a grandmother's voice and hands the end of life is known at the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/through-a-grandmother-s-voice-and-hands-the-end-of-life-is-known-at/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [The end of life is to be like unto God; and the soul following God, will be like unto Him; He being the beginning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-end-of-life-is-to-be-like-unto-god-and-the-soul-following-god/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [It will not bother me in the hour of death to reflect that I have been "had for a sucker" by any number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/it-will-not-bother-me-in-the-hour-of-death-to-reflect-that-i-have/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“What I really fear is time. That's the devil: whipping us on when we'd rather loll, so the present sprints by, impossible to grasp,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/what-i-really-fear-is-time-that-s-the-devil-whipping-us-on-when-we-d/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [You're already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/you-re-already-naked-there-is-no-reason-not-to-follow-your-heart/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“What matters is at the end of life, when you're about to pass into oblivion, that you've at least scratched 'Kilroy was here,' on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/what-matters-is-at-the-end-of-life-when-you-re-about-to-pass-into/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) ## More by Oscar Hijuelos > [“Glorious life ending. There must have been a moment when his son had gasped for air, the last time, as Jesus must. But as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-hijuelos/glorious-life-ending-there-must-have-been-a-moment-when-his-son-had/) [Oscar Hijuelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hijuelos/) > [Music infuses your spirit with a certain energy that I try to convey in my work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-hijuelos/music-infuses-your-spirit-with-a-certain-energy-that-i-try-to-convey/) [Oscar Hijuelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hijuelos/) > [People in their forties, fifties, and onward enjoy the whole world of books in a different way than the Internet-age kids do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-hijuelos/people-in-their-forties-fifties-and-onward-enjoy-the-whole-world-of/) [Oscar Hijuelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hijuelos/) > [Nightclubs are the equivalent of a Catholic Church in a poor country. You hear a lot of stuff about churches filled with gold while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-hijuelos/nightclubs-are-the-equivalent-of-a-catholic-church-in-a-poor-country/) [Oscar Hijuelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hijuelos/) > [“The house in which the fourteen sisters of Emilio Montez O'brien lived, radiated femininity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-hijuelos/the-house-in-which-the-fourteen-sisters-of-emilio-montez-o-brien/) [Oscar Hijuelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hijuelos/) > [If you start believing all that press about you, you're in trouble. I don't even read my reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-hijuelos/if-you-start-believing-all-that-press-about-you-you-re-in-trouble-i/) [Oscar Hijuelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hijuelos/) > [It's true that immigrant novels have to do with people going from one country to another, but there isn't a single novel that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-hijuelos/it-s-true-that-immigrant-novels-have-to-do-with-people-going-from-one/) [Oscar Hijuelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hijuelos/) > [A lot of people consider my books to be straightforward, but I think that I write from atmosphere to atmosphere rather than from event…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-hijuelos/a-lot-of-people-consider-my-books-to-be-straightforward-but-i-think/) [Oscar Hijuelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hijuelos/) > [Latins are predisposed to thinking about the past. Catholicism has a lot to do with it because Catholicism is a contemplation of the past,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-hijuelos/latins-are-predisposed-to-thinking-about-the-past-catholicism-has-a/) [Oscar Hijuelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hijuelos/) > [Oh yes!...The sweet summons of God to man. That's when He calls you up to His arms. And it's the most beautiful thing, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-hijuelos/oh-yes-the-sweet-summons-of-god-to-man-that-s-when-he-calls-you-up-to/) [Oscar Hijuelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hijuelos/) > [As a fiction writer you train yourself to think about situations subjectively. I don't really care for narratives that are just A, B, C,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-hijuelos/as-a-fiction-writer-you-train-yourself-to-think-about-situations/) [Oscar Hijuelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hijuelos/) > [I grew up with the idealistic notion that writing and literature were noble causes. I had no inkling, no sense of what I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-hijuelos/i-grew-up-with-the-idealistic-notion-that-writing-and-literature-were/) [Oscar Hijuelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hijuelos/) > [As a kid I had all kinds of questions about how I fit it with my neighborhood and friends and other Latinos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-hijuelos/as-a-kid-i-had-all-kinds-of-questions-about-how-i-fit-it-with-my/) [Oscar Hijuelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hijuelos/) > [When you write fiction, you can sort of invent more but also pack it with emotions that are very pertinent to you. Whereas with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-hijuelos/when-you-write-fiction-you-can-sort-of-invent-more-but-also-pack-it/) [Oscar Hijuelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hijuelos/) > [I have never - I have never let go of my childhood contacts. My best friends from childhood are still my best friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-hijuelos/i-have-never-i-have-never-let-go-of-my-childhood-contacts-my-best/) [Oscar Hijuelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hijuelos/) [Explore all 23 Oscar Hijuelos quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hijuelos/) ## More End of life quotes > [“What matters is at the end of life, when you're about to pass into oblivion, that you've at least scratched 'Kilroy was here,' on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/what-matters-is-at-the-end-of-life-when-you-re-about-to-pass-into/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [You're already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/you-re-already-naked-there-is-no-reason-not-to-follow-your-heart/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“What I really fear is time. That's the devil: whipping us on when we'd rather loll, so the present sprints by, impossible to grasp,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/what-i-really-fear-is-time-that-s-the-devil-whipping-us-on-when-we-d/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [It will not bother me in the hour of death to reflect that I have been "had for a sucker" by any number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/it-will-not-bother-me-in-the-hour-of-death-to-reflect-that-i-have/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The end of life is to be like unto God; and the soul following God, will be like unto Him; He being the beginning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-end-of-life-is-to-be-like-unto-god-and-the-soul-following-god/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Through a grandmother's voice and hands the end of life is known at the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/through-a-grandmother-s-voice-and-hands-the-end-of-life-is-known-at/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Are all ends of life so sad?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-of-romania/are-all-ends-of-life-so-sad/) [Marie of Romania](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-of-romania/) > [Someday your life will be over, no matter how much attention you give to your health. Will you look back with regret, because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/someday-your-life-will-be-over-no-matter-how-much-attention-you-give/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“When I reflect on the stories of death supported by hospice care and contrast it with our story depicting an absence of support, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/when-i-reflect-on-the-stories-of-death-supported-by-hospice-care-and/) [Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/) > [Be driven by excellence.To be driven by excellence so at the end of each day,each month,each year,and indeed at the end of life itself,we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-huseman/be-driven-by-excellence-to-be-driven-by-excellence-so-at-the-end-of/) [Richard Huseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-huseman/) > [Having the choice at the end of my life has become incredibly important. It has given me a sense of peace during a time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-maynard/having-the-choice-at-the-end-of-my-life-has-become-incredibly/) [Brittany Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-maynard/) > [And what is true education? It is awakening a love for truth; giving a just sense of duty; opening the eyes of the soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/and-what-is-true-education-it-is-awakening-a-love-for-truth-giving-a/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [Death is not the end of life, but a birth of the better life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rmkatta/death-is-not-the-end-of-life-but-a-birth-of-the-better-life/) [RMKATTA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rmkatta/) > [“What is the use of beauty in woman? Provided a woman is physically well made and capable of bearing children, she will always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theophile-gautier/what-is-the-use-of-beauty-in-woman-provided-a-woman-is-physically/) [Théophile Gautier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theophile-gautier/) > [Sometimes we have just to let go of someone who matters to us not because we want to but because we have to, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-we-have-just-to-let-go-of-someone-who-matters-to-us-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 251 End of life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-of-life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“On his back, Robert must have had time to see something beautiful, and not just the ugliness of a city street at the end of life. 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