--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Happiness was like a green vine spreading…" description: "\"“Happiness was like a green vine spreading through her, stretching fine tendrils, bearing flowers through her flesh. She had a vision of a pale-white f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20f/patricia-highsmith-3982_happiness_happiness-was-like-a-green-vine-spreadin_2706892.jpg" --- # Happiness was like a green vine spreading through her… ![“Happiness was like a green vine spreading through her, stretching fine tendrils, bearing flowers through her flesh. She had a vision of a pale-white flower, shimmering as if seen in darkness, or through water. Why did people talk of heaven, she wondered.” quote by Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20f/patricia-highsmith-3982_happiness_happiness-was-like-a-green-vine-spreadin_2706892.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20f/patricia-highsmith-3982_happiness_happiness-was-like-a-green-vine-spreadin_2706892.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20f/patricia-highsmith-3982_happiness_happiness-was-like-a-green-vine-spreadin_2706892.jpg) > ““Happiness was like a green vine spreading through her, stretching fine tendrils, bearing flowers through her flesh. She had a vision of a pale-white flower, shimmering as if seen in darkness, or through water. Why did people talk of heaven, she wondered.”” [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Happiness is portrayed as an organic, spreading force that intertwines with one's being, suggesting that joy is an internal, living growth rather than an external gift. **In simple terms:** Joy spreads within like a vine. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner joy. Themes happiness growth perception Mood reflective poetic Type literary descriptive When to use this quote - personal reflection - creative writing - psychological analysis Key Concepts organic metaphor inner experience Questions to Reflect On - How do you nurture inner happiness? - What symbols represent your joy? A Different Perspective Joy may be fleeting and dependent on external validation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) ## Related quotes > [Then Carol slipped her arm under her neck, and all the length of their bodies touched fitting as if something had prearranged it. Happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/then-carol-slipped-her-arm-under-her-neck-and-all-the-length-of-their/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [“Happiness was like a green vine spreading through her, stretching fine tendrils, bearing flowers through her flesh. She had a vision of a pale-white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/happiness-was-like-a-green-vine-spreading-through-her-stretching-fine/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [“Happiness was like a green vine spreading through her, stretching fine tendrils, bearing flowers through her flesh.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/happiness-was-like-a-green-vine-spreading-through-her-stretching-fine-2/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [“As a matter of fact, despite your obstinacy, your infernal prying, and the fact that you invariably blurt out whatever comes into your head,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-tallman/as-a-matter-of-fact-despite-your-obstinacy-your-infernal-prying-and/) Shirley Tallman > [So they talk about heaven, and I don't know what is waiting for me up there. But I can tell you this: Nothing will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-sabol/so-they-talk-about-heaven-and-i-don-t-know-what-is-waiting-for-me-up/) [Steve Sabol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-sabol/) > [Men talk of heaven, - there is no heaven but here; Men talk of hell, - there is no hell but here; Men of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-khayy-m/men-talk-of-heaven-there-is-no-heaven-but-here-men-talk-of-hell-there/) [Omar Khayyam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-khayy-m/) > [To all of us the thought of heaven is dear -Why not be sure of it and make it here?No doubt there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-le-gallienne/to-all-of-us-the-thought-of-heaven-is-dear-why-not-be-sure-of-it-and/) [Richard Le Gallienne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-le-gallienne/) > [It certainly seems like a good idea to talk about Heaven, meditate about Heaven and read about Heaven, because, after all, that's where we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berg/it-certainly-seems-like-a-good-idea-to-talk-about-heaven-meditate/) [David Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berg/) > [One reason I like to talk about Heaven, think about Heaven and read about Heaven is because, after all, that's where we're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berg/one-reason-i-like-to-talk-about-heaven-think-about-heaven-and-read/) [David Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berg/) > [“Mr. Vesey, though, he didn't like any kind of talk about heaven. He said that was the coward’s way, pining for life in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/mr-vesey-though-he-didn-t-like-any-kind-of-talk-about-heaven-he-said/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“Why do I love this place so much? Is it because here human nature hasn't time to disguise itself? Nobody here could talk about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/why-do-i-love-this-place-so-much-is-it-because-here-human-nature-hasn/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [It often appears that those who talk the most about going to heaven when you die talk the least about bringing heaven to earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/it-often-appears-that-those-who-talk-the-most-about-going-to-heaven/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [“Nobody here could ever talk about a heaven on earth. Heaven remained rigidly in its proper place on the other side of death, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/nobody-here-could-ever-talk-about-a-heaven-on-earth-heaven-remained/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [Improvisation is the essence of good talk. Heaven defend us from the talker who doles out things prepared for us; but let heaven not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-beerbohm/improvisation-is-the-essence-of-good-talk-heaven-defend-us-from-the/) [Max Beerbohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-beerbohm/) > [“Don't talk about heaven if you've never been to Bali.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/don-t-talk-about-heaven-if-you-ve-never-been-to-bali/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) ## More by Patricia Highsmith > [“Thinking no more about it, he stepped off into that cool space, that fast descent to her, with nothing in his mind but a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/thinking-no-more-about-it-he-stepped-off-into-that-cool-space-that/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [I didn't hang around films. I don't know if I'd ever seen Hitchcock's The Lady Vanishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/i-didn-t-hang-around-films-i-don-t-know-if-i-d-ever-seen-hitchcock-s/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [“I feel I stand in a desert with my hands outstretched, and you are raining down upon me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/i-feel-i-stand-in-a-desert-with-my-hands-outstretched-and-you-are/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [One situation – maybe one alone – could drive me to murder: family life, togetherness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/one-situation-maybe-one-alone-could-drive-me-to-murder-family-life/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [“He felt he was about to experience again some ancient, delicious childhood moment that the steam calliope's sour hollowness, the stitching hurdy-gurdy accompaniment, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/he-felt-he-was-about-to-experience-again-some-ancient-delicious/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [“It was a kind of arrogance, perhaps, to believe so in one's destiny. But, on the other hand, who could be more genuinely humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/it-was-a-kind-of-arrogance-perhaps-to-believe-so-in-one-s-destiny-but/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [I should love to do a novel, about one abnormal character seeing present-day life, very ordinary life, yet arresting through it, abnormality, until at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/i-should-love-to-do-a-novel-about-one-abnormal-character-seeing/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [I don't set the alarm to get up. I get up when I feel like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/i-don-t-set-the-alarm-to-get-up-i-get-up-when-i-feel-like-it/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [“Dusk was falling quickly. It was just after 7 P.M., and the month was October.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/dusk-was-falling-quickly-it-was-just-after-7-p-m-and-the-month-was/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [“What chance combination of shadow and sound and his own thoughts had created it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/what-chance-combination-of-shadow-and-sound-and-his-own-thoughts-had/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [“Happiness was like a green vine spreading through her, stretching fine tendrils, bearing flowers through her flesh. She had a vision of a pale-white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/happiness-was-like-a-green-vine-spreading-through-her-stretching-fine/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [“That's exactly where you're wrong! Any kind of person can murder. Purely circumstances and not a thing to do with temperament! People get so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/that-s-exactly-where-you-re-wrong-any-kind-of-person-can-murder/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [What was it to love someone, what was love exactly, and why did it end or not end? Those were the real questions, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/what-was-it-to-love-someone-what-was-love-exactly-and-why-did-it-end/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [It always gets late with you. - Is that a compliment?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/it-always-gets-late-with-you-is-that-a-compliment/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) > [“Writing is a craft and needs constant practice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/writing-is-a-craft-and-needs-constant-practice/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) [Explore all 115 Patricia Highsmith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) ## More Happiness quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Remember that your natural state is joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/remember-that-your-natural-state-is-joy/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I've got nothing to do today but smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-got-nothing-to-do-today-but-smile/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Positive thinking evokes more energy, more initiative, more happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/positive-thinking-evokes-more-energy-more-initiative-more-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes [Browse all 40,288 Happiness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Happiness was like a green vine spreading through her, stretching fine tendrils, bearing flowers through her flesh. 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