--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For life is the best thing we have in…" description: "\"For life is the best thing we have in this existence. And if we should desire to believe in something, it should be a beacon within. This beacon being ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/155/patti-smith-394_beacons_for-life-is-the-best-thing-we-have-in-th_673568.jpg" --- # For life is the best thing we have in this existence. And… ![“For life is the best thing we have in this existence. And if we should desire to believe in something, it should be a beacon within. This beacon being the sun, sea, and sky, our children, our work, our companions and, most simply put, the embodiment of love.” quote by Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/155/patti-smith-394_beacons_for-life-is-the-best-thing-we-have-in-th_673568.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/155/patti-smith-394_beacons_for-life-is-the-best-thing-we-have-in-th_673568.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/155/patti-smith-394_beacons_for-life-is-the-best-thing-we-have-in-th_673568.jpg) > “For life is the best thing we have in this existence. And if we should desire to believe in something, it should be a beacon within. This beacon being the sun, sea, and sky, our children, our work, our companions and, most simply put, the embodiment of love.” [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is precious; love and meaningful connections act as guiding lights that give purpose. **In simple terms:** Love and purpose make life valuable. Key Takeaway Cultivate love and purpose daily. Themes purpose love meaning existence gratitude Mood hopeful inspirational reflective Type statement philosophical motivational When to use this quote - relationships - career choices - parenting - creative pursuits Key Concepts philosophy human connection spirituality Questions to Reflect On - What does your personal beacon look like? - How can you nurture love in daily life? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on external achievements can neglect inner fulfillment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beacons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beacons/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Companion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/companion/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea/) [Sea and sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea-and-sky/) [Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) ## Related quotes > [I wonder what it feels like to have no desires left because you have satisfied them all, smothered them with money even before they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikas-swarup/i-wonder-what-it-feels-like-to-have-no-desires-left-because-you-have/) [Vikas Swarup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikas-swarup/) > [Sometimes the heart's desire to believe someone when they tell you they love you overrides the mind's ability to recognize that their actions are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shipp/sometimes-the-heart-s-desire-to-believe-someone-when-they-tell-you/) Bill Shipp > [A real desire to believe all the good you can of others and to make others as comfortable as you can will solve most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-real-desire-to-believe-all-the-good-you-can-of-others-and-to-make/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Whatever you desire, believe that you have received it, and you will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-goddard/whatever-you-desire-believe-that-you-have-received-it-and-you-will/) [Neville Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-goddard/) > [ \[I\]t is rather the case that we desire something because we believe it to be good than that we believe a thing to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/i-t-is-rather-the-case-that-we-desire-something-because-we-believe-it/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [“Sang Ly, the desire to believe, to look forward to better days, to want them, to expect them-it seems to be ingrained in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camron-wright/sang-ly-the-desire-to-believe-to-look-forward-to-better-days-to-want/) [Camron Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camron-wright/) > [“ 27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints/27-but-behold-if-ye-will-awake-and-arouse-your-faculties-even-to-an/) [The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints/) > [All people desire what they believe will make them happy. If a person is not full of desire for God, we can only conclude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-law/all-people-desire-what-they-believe-will-make-them-happy-if-a-person/) [William Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-law/) > [“Nancy waded out to her own rocks and searched her own pools and let that couple look after themselves. She crouched low down and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/nancy-waded-out-to-her-own-rocks-and-searched-her-own-pools-and-let/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [She stood upon a continent of ice, which sparkled between sea and sky, endless and dazzling, as though the world kept all its treasure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-ann-duffy/she-stood-upon-a-continent-of-ice-which-sparkled-between-sea-and-sky/) [Carol Ann Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-ann-duffy/) > [Limitless and immortal, the waters are the beginning and end of all things on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-zimmer/limitless-and-immortal-the-waters-are-the-beginning-and-end-of-all/) [Heinrich Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-zimmer/) > [I could never stay long enough on the shore; the tang of the untainted, fresh, and free sea air was like a cool, quieting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/i-could-never-stay-long-enough-on-the-shore-the-tang-of-the-untainted/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [Certainly it was no design of the atoms to place themselves in a particular order, nor did they decide what motions each should have.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/certainly-it-was-no-design-of-the-atoms-to-place-themselves-in-a/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [“The Future is an illusion because, at the most fundamental level, Choice is an illusion. I am a believer in the theory, popular among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-gough/the-future-is-an-illusion-because-at-the-most-fundamental-level/) [Julian Gough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-gough/) > [We Americans tend to be a prodigal lot. We are as careless with our personal resources as we are with the resources of nature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-crook-de-camp/we-americans-tend-to-be-a-prodigal-lot-we-are-as-careless-with-our/) [Catherine Crook de Camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-crook-de-camp/) ## More by Patti Smith > [I had a really happy childhood - my siblings were great, my mother was very fanciful, and I loved to read. But there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-had-a-really-happy-childhood-my-siblings-were-great-my-mother-was/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [As a citizen, hopefully I'm humanist. As an artist, I'm free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/as-a-citizen-hopefully-i-m-humanist-as-an-artist-i-m-free/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [ Sometimes \[people\] seem to think I came out of the womb, you know, cursing, with an electric guitar. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/sometimes-people-seem-to-think-i-came-out-of-the-womb-you-know/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“Inside it he inscribed a few lines of poetry, portraying us as the gypsy and the fool, one creating silence; one listening closely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/inside-it-he-inscribed-a-few-lines-of-poetry-portraying-us-as-the/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Who can know the heart of youth but youth itself?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/who-can-know-the-heart-of-youth-but-youth-itself/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“I clawed through a thick web of the culture’s consciousness that I hadn’t known existed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-clawed-through-a-thick-web-of-the-culture-s-consciousness-that-i/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Ultimately, we are not seeking others to bow to, but to reinforce our individual natures, to help us suffer our own choices, to guide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/ultimately-we-are-not-seeking-others-to-bow-to-but-to-reinforce-our/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [If I'm taking a picture of Brancusi's grave, I know that there's something of him, of his mortal remains, beneath my feet, and there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/if-i-m-taking-a-picture-of-brancusi-s-grave-i-know-that-there-s/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I'm certain, as we filled down the great staircase, that I appeared the same as ever, a moping twelve years-old, all arms and legs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-m-certain-as-we-filled-down-the-great-staircase-that-i-appeared-the/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [In art and dream may you proceed with abandon. In life may you proceed with balance and stealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/in-art-and-dream-may-you-proceed-with-abandon-in-life-may-you-proceed/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [New York is the thing that seduced me. New York is the thing that formed me. New York is the thing that deformed me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/new-york-is-the-thing-that-seduced-me-new-york-is-the-thing-that/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I don't wanna be equal with anybody. I wanna be above equal. I don't think most people are equal to me. I'd like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-don-t-wanna-be-equal-with-anybody-i-wanna-be-above-equal-i-don-t/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I think I'm constantly in a state of adjustment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-think-i-m-constantly-in-a-state-of-adjustment/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Somehow I started introducing writing into my drawings, and after a time, the language took over and I started getting very involved with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/somehow-i-started-introducing-writing-into-my-drawings-and-after-a/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I'm okay with roaming around the world in my bunk for days on end. Maybe every third day I'll get a shower or stumble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-m-okay-with-roaming-around-the-world-in-my-bunk-for-days-on-end/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) [Explore all 595 Patti Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) ## More Beacons quotes > [Laughter is one of the great beacons in life because we don't refract it by gunning it through our intellectual prism. What makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-miller/laughter-is-one-of-the-great-beacons-in-life-because-we-don-t-refract/) [Dennis Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-miller/) > [The family remains the basic unit of society and the first school in which children learn the human, spiritual and moral values which enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-family-remains-the-basic-unit-of-society-and-the-first-school-in/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [The wound of peace is surety, Surety secure; but modest doubt is called The beacon of the wise, the tent that searches To th'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-wound-of-peace-is-surety-surety-secure-but-modest-doubt-is-called/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [South Africa, so utterly improbably, is a beacon of hope in a dark and troubled world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/south-africa-so-utterly-improbably-is-a-beacon-of-hope-in-a-dark-and/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [There's more attention paid to entertainers than ever and less that they have to say. Not that entertainers were ever a great beacon of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/there-s-more-attention-paid-to-entertainers-than-ever-and-less-that/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I headed towards the mountain, which was an almost irresistible beacon to my storm self. It glowed with heat, pressure, and turbulence—everything a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-headed-towards-the-mountain-which-was-an-almost-irresistible-beacon/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [A great philosopher in the wrong is like a beacon on the reefs which says to seamen: steer clear of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/a-great-philosopher-in-the-wrong-is-like-a-beacon-on-the-reefs-which/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [Today, the United States stands as a beacon of liberty and democratic strength before the community of nations. We are resolved to stand firm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-united-states-stands-as-a-beacon-of-liberty-and-democratic/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [When Franklin drew the lightning from the clouds, he little dreamed that in the evolution of science his discovery would illuminate the torch of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chauncey-depew/when-franklin-drew-the-lightning-from-the-clouds-he-little-dreamed/) [Chauncey Depew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chauncey-depew/) > [Once freedom lights its beacon in man's heart, the gods are powerless against him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/once-freedom-lights-its-beacon-in-man-s-heart-the-gods-are-powerless/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [Maybe." I shrug. "But what I meant was, can't you use the makeup to cover it?" Miles rolls his eyes and scowls. "Oh, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-noel/maybe-i-shrug-but-what-i-meant-was-can-t-you-use-the-makeup-to-cover/) [Alyson Noel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyson-noel/) > [“I live in the space between chaos and shape. I walk the line that continually threatens to lose its tautness under me, dropping me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-live-in-the-space-between-chaos-and-shape-i-walk-the-line-that/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [England was full of words I'd never heard before - streaky bacon, short back and sides, Belisha beacon, serviettes, high tea, ice-cream cornet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/england-was-full-of-words-i-d-never-heard-before-streaky-bacon-short/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [To-morrow is that lamp upon the marsh, which a traveller never reacheth; To-morrow, the rainbow's cup, coveted prize of ignorance; To-morrow, the shifting anchorage,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-farquhar-tupper/to-morrow-is-that-lamp-upon-the-marsh-which-a-traveller-never/) [Martin Farquhar Tupper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-farquhar-tupper/) > [And thou hast stolen a jewel, Death! Shall light thy dark up like a Star. A Beacon kindling from afar Our light of love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-massey/and-thou-hast-stolen-a-jewel-death-shall-light-thy-dark-up-like-a/) [Gerald Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-massey/) [Browse all 154 Beacons quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beacons/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For life is the best thing we have in this existence. And if we should desire to believe in something, it should be a beacon within. 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