---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Viola blows out a thoughtful air. \"My dad…"
description: "\"Viola blows out a thoughtful air. \"My dad used to say, 'There's only forward, Vi, only outward and up.'\" \"There's only forward,\" I repeat. \"Outward and..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/patrick-ness-449_air_viola-blows-out-a-thoughtful-air-my-dad_3127948.jpg"
---

#  Viola blows out a thoughtful air. "My dad used to say…

![“Viola blows out a thoughtful air. &quot;My dad used to say, 'There's only forward, Vi, only outward and up.'&quot; &quot;There's only forward,&quot; I repeat. &quot;Outward and up,&quot; she says.” quote by Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/patrick-ness-449_air_viola-blows-out-a-thoughtful-air-my-dad_3127948.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/patrick-ness-449_air_viola-blows-out-a-thoughtful-air-my-dad_3127948.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/patrick-ness-449_air_viola-blows-out-a-thoughtful-air-my-dad_3127948.jpg)

> “Viola blows out a thoughtful air. "My dad used to say, 'There's only forward, Vi, only outward and up.'" "There's only forward," I repeat. "Outward and up," she says.”

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote reflects a mantra of continual progress and aspiration, urging movement forward and upward despite challenges.

**In simple terms:** Keep moving forward and upward.

Key Takeaway

Embrace forward motion and growth.

Themes

progress aspiration resilience

Mood

inspirational reflective

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- personal challenges
- career advancement
- creative projects

Key Concepts

mindset motivation growth mindset

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you apply "forward and up" in daily life?
- What obstacles prevent you from moving upward?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Air](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air/) [Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blow/) [Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad/) [My dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-dad/) [Outward Says](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outward-says-5520161/) [Say Forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-forward-2513801/) [Thoughtful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughtful/) [Thoughtful Air](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughtful-air-5520160/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Viola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/viola/) [Viola Blows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/viola-blows-5520159/)

## Related quotes

> [The best I can say is that you move forward in your life. After every step you take, you can't go backward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desean-jackson/the-best-i-can-say-is-that-you-move-forward-in-your-life-after-every/)

[DeSean Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desean-jackson/)

> [I can say, "I don't have anything I regret!" But I can also say, "I can go forward in my life the way it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-fox/i-can-say-i-don-t-have-anything-i-regret-but-i-can-also-say-i-can-go/)

[Michael J. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-fox/)

> [Moving forward, the best way is going to be something that is going to be a collective decision, that is made, of course, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reince-priebus/moving-forward-the-best-way-is-going-to-be-something-that-is-going-to/)

[Reince Priebus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reince-priebus/)

> [“I wouldn’t say I was forward, but I made a move when I was interested.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-neill/i-wouldn-t-say-i-was-forward-but-i-made-a-move-when-i-was-interested/)

[Chloe Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-neill/)

> [“He looks up and the loss in his Noise is so great it feels like I'm standing on the edge of an abyss, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/he-looks-up-and-the-loss-in-his-noise-is-so-great-it-feels-like-i-m-2/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“There's always a choice," Viola says by my side. "Oh, people like to say that," the Mayor says. "It makes them feel better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/there-s-always-a-choice-viola-says-by-my-side-oh-people-like-to-say/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [Viola? Keep calling for me– And I’ll keep searching for you– And I’ll find you– You bet yer life on it– I’ll find you–…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/viola-keep-calling-for-me-and-i-ll-keep-searching-for-you-and-i-ll/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“You said war should never be personal, but that’s all it’s ever been for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/you-said-war-should-never-be-personal-but-that-s-all-it-s-ever-been/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [And I know I’ve lost. Everything is lost. Everything is over. “As the newly appointed President of this fair planet of ours,” the Mayor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/and-i-know-i-ve-lost-everything-is-lost-everything-is-over-as-the/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“Or perhaps we should just ask Todd." I pound the glass right at his face. He doesn't even flinch. And then she says, "Todd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/or-perhaps-we-should-just-ask-todd-i-pound-the-glass-right-at-his/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“Who told you that?" I say. "Davy Prentiss?" He blinks. "What?" "What do you mean what ?" My voice is harder now. "Your new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/who-told-you-that-i-say-davy-prentiss-he-blinks-what-what-do-you-mean/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“His noise is getting quieter, but I can still see it there still- See how he feels the skin of my hand against his,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/his-noise-is-getting-quieter-but-i-can-still-see-it-there-still-see/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [We run down the right fork, Manchee at our heels, the night and a dusty road stretching out in front of us, an army…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/we-run-down-the-right-fork-manchee-at-our-heels-the-night-and-a-dusty/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“He's a woman. He's a grown woman He's a old woman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/he-s-a-woman-he-s-a-grown-woman-he-s-a-old-woman/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“And I feel her against me - And I think Viola - I think VIOLA! - I think VIOLA!!!! ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/and-i-feel-her-against-me-and-i-think-viola-i-think-viola-i-think/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

## More by Patrick Ness

> [“I rub the ears of my dog, my stupid goddam ruddy great dog that I never wanted but who hung around anyway and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/i-rub-the-ears-of-my-dog-my-stupid-goddam-ruddy-great-dog-that-i/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“The Prince had fallen in love. She was only a farmer's daughter, but she was was beautiful, and also smart, as the daughters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/the-prince-had-fallen-in-love-she-was-only-a-farmer-s-daughter-but/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [Time goes on, even when yer not looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/time-goes-on-even-when-yer-not-looking/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [Here is the boy, drowning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/here-is-the-boy-drowning/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“This is it. This is goodbye. A goodbye I wasn't even looking for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/this-is-it-this-is-goodbye-a-goodbye-i-wasn-t-even-looking-for/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“ But what is a dream, Conor O'Malley? the monster said, bending down so it's face was close to Conor's. Who is to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/but-what-is-a-dream-conor-o-malley-the-monster-said-bending-down-so/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“And I feel her against me - And I think Viola - I think VIOLA! - I think VIOLA!!!! ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/and-i-feel-her-against-me-and-i-think-viola-i-think-viola-i-think/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“But I'm still thinking about being born on a spaceship, an honest to badness spaceship. Growing up while flying along the stars, able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/but-i-m-still-thinking-about-being-born-on-a-spaceship-an-honest-to/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“When luck ain't with you, it's against you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/when-luck-ain-t-with-you-it-s-against-you/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“You starting to feel hope yet?" Viola asks, her voice curious. "No," I say, fuddling my noise. "You?" Her eyebrows are up but she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/you-starting-to-feel-hope-yet-viola-asks-her-voice-curious-no-i-say/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“I have two maxims that I believe, dear girl. One, if you can control yourself, you can control others. Two, if you can control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/i-have-two-maxims-that-i-believe-dear-girl-one-if-you-can-control/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [To live is to fight, to preserve life is to fight everything that man stands for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/to-live-is-to-fight-to-preserve-life-is-to-fight-everything-that-man/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [Because he KNEW he was doing wrong. He felt the PAIN of his actions'-- 'But he did not amen them,' shows the Sky. 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/because-he-knew-he-was-doing-wrong-he-felt-the-pain-of-his-actions/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [“This was a kingdom. (“What?” Conor said, looking around his backyard. “Here?”) (The monster cocked its head at him curiously. You have not heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/this-was-a-kingdom-what-conor-said-looking-around-his-backyard-here/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [If you ever see a war," she says, not looking up from her clipboard, "you'll learn that war only destroys. No one escapes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/if-you-ever-see-a-war-she-says-not-looking-up-from-her-clipboard-you/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

[Explore all 527 Patrick Ness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

## More Air quotes

> [I will be a tireless advocate for our District's defense priorities including Sheppard Air Force Base, Pantex, Bell Helicopter, universities conducting important research, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/i-will-be-a-tireless-advocate-for-our-district-s-defense-priorities/)

[Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/)

> [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/)

[Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/)

> [If U.S. air, naval, missile, and ground forces were not in and around Korea, and if we were not treaty-bound to fight alongside South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/if-u-s-air-naval-missile-and-ground-forces-were-not-in-and-around/)

[Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/)

> [The cooler days have brought a wistful mood upon him. The smell of coalsmoke in the air at night. Old times, dead years. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/the-cooler-days-have-brought-a-wistful-mood-upon-him-the-smell-of/)

[Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/)

> [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/)

[Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/)

> [I'm a candle flame that sways in currents of air you can't see. You need to be the one who steadies me to burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/i-m-a-candle-flame-that-sways-in-currents-of-air-you-can-t-see-you/)

[Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/)

> [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/)

[Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/)

> [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/)

[Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/)

> [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/)

[N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/)

> [There was a little nook on Air Force Two that contained the vice presidential seal, and I would sort of wedge myself in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-biden/there-was-a-little-nook-on-air-force-two-that-contained-the-vice/)

[Jill Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-biden/)

> [Words are substance strange. Speak one and the air ripples into another's ears. Write one and the eye laps it up. But the sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-beachy-quick/words-are-substance-strange-speak-one-and-the-air-ripples-into/)

[Dan Beachy-Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-beachy-quick/)

> [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/)

[Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/)

> [...As the disparity between the rich and the poor grows, the fight to corner resources is intensifying. To push through their "sweetheart deals," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/as-the-disparity-between-the-rich-and-the-poor-grows-the-fight-to/)

[Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/)

> [Washington bureaucrats have classified the very air we exhale as a pollutant and have gone unchallenged in this incredible assertion. The logical consequence is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/washington-bureaucrats-have-classified-the-very-air-we-exhale-as-a/)

[Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/)

> [“It is unnatural to fear something natural.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/it-is-unnatural-to-fear-something-natural/)

[Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/)

[Browse all 6,278 Air quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Viola blows out a thoughtful air. \"My dad used to say, 'There's only forward, Vi, only outward and up.'\" \"There's only forward,\" I repeat. \"Outward and up,\" she says.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Patrick Ness"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/viola-blows-out-a-thoughtful-air-my-dad-used-to-say-there-s-only/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Air"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/viola-blows-out-a-thoughtful-air-my-dad-used-to-say-there-s-only/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/patrick-ness-449_air_viola-blows-out-a-thoughtful-air-my-dad_3127948.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/patrick-ness-449_air_viola-blows-out-a-thoughtful-air-my-dad_3127948.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/patrick-ness-449_air_viola-blows-out-a-thoughtful-air-my-dad_3127948.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Viola blows out a thoughtful air. \"My dad used to say, 'There's only forward, Vi, only outward and up.'\"…” — Patrick Ness",
                "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": "Patrick Ness",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Viola blows out a thoughtful air....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/viola-blows-out-a-thoughtful-air-my-dad-used-to-say-there-s-only/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/viola-blows-out-a-thoughtful-air-my-dad-used-to-say-there-s-only/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
