---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Existence was bigger than just life. It…"
description: "\"Existence was bigger than just life. It was everyone's life all together, and even if you lived in Buffalo, New York and had never been more than ten m..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/paul-auster-351_bigger_existence-was-bigger-than-just-life-it-w_1838636.jpg"
---

#  Existence was bigger than just life. It was everyone's…

![“Existence was bigger than just life. It was everyone's life all together, and even if you lived in Buffalo, New York and had never been more than ten miles from home, you were part of the puzzle, too. It didn't matter how small your life was.” quote by Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/paul-auster-351_bigger_existence-was-bigger-than-just-life-it-w_1838636.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/paul-auster-351_bigger_existence-was-bigger-than-just-life-it-w_1838636.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc4/paul-auster-351_bigger_existence-was-bigger-than-just-life-it-w_1838636.jpg)

> “Existence was bigger than just life. It was everyone's life all together, and even if you lived in Buffalo, New York and had never been more than ten miles from home, you were part of the puzzle, too. It didn't matter how small your life was.”

[Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/)

## About This Quote

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

Every individual's life is part of a larger whole; even distant lives matter in the collective human experience.

**In simple terms:** Each life contributes to a shared puzzle.

Key Takeaway

Recognize your role in the broader community.

Themes

interconnectedness humanity collective meaning purpose

Mood

thoughtful hopeful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- community projects
- global issues
- personal relationships

Key Concepts

systems thinking empathy shared destiny

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you impact others daily?
- What does being part of a larger whole mean to you?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on connection may overlook individual agency.

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[Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [Puzzles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puzzles/)

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