--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: as St Augustine put it, was man a mere…" description: "\"“as St Augustine put it, was man a mere child playing in the rock pools of a beach ignoring the great ocean whispering beside him?”\" — Paul Doherty" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81d/paul-doherty-48813_augustine_as-st-augustine-put-it-was-man-a-mere-ch_2884451.jpg" --- # as St Augustine put it, was man a mere child playing in… ![“as St Augustine put it, was man a mere child playing in the rock pools of a beach ignoring the great ocean whispering beside him?” quote by Paul Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81d/paul-doherty-48813_augustine_as-st-augustine-put-it-was-man-a-mere-ch_2884451.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81d/paul-doherty-48813_augustine_as-st-augustine-put-it-was-man-a-mere-ch_2884451.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81d/paul-doherty-48813_augustine_as-st-augustine-put-it-was-man-a-mere-ch_2884451.jpg) > ““as St Augustine put it, was man a mere child playing in the rock pools of a beach ignoring the great ocean whispering beside him?”” [Paul Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-doherty/) ## 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 likens human awareness to a child unaware of the vast ocean, urging recognition of deeper truths beyond immediate surroundings. **In simple terms:** People often ignore larger realities while focusing on trivialities. Key Takeaway Broaden perspective beyond the obvious. Themes awareness humility knowledge Mood contemplative inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - education - spiritual reflection Key Concepts philosophy metaphor Questions to Reflect On - How can you become more aware of the larger context? - What “ocean” are you overlooking? A Different Perspective The metaphor may oversimplify complex existential ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/augustine/) [Augustine Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/augustine-man-4016670/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Mere Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mere-child-1459951/) [Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocean/) [Ocean Whispering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocean-whispering-4016671/) [St Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/st-augustine/) ## Related quotes > [“God loves each of us as if there is only one of us. 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It generally does at the phrase "mere child.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-dundy/i-felt-my-attention-wandering-off-it-generally-does-at-the-phrase/) [Elaine Dundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-dundy/) > [These things you're gonna onto and, you're just a mere child who growing so wild you need protection, some love and direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-minott/these-things-you-re-gonna-onto-and-you-re-just-a-mere-child-who/) [Sugar Minott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-minott/) > [“All kisses before this have been mere child’s play. I drink him in and know my fate is sealed: I am his.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willow-aster/all-kisses-before-this-have-been-mere-child-s-play-i-drink-him-in-and/) [Willow Aster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willow-aster/) > [“When I am completely united to you, there will be no more sorrow or trials; entirely full of you, my life will be complete”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-catholic-church/when-i-am-completely-united-to-you-there-will-be-no-more-sorrow-or/) [The Catholic Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-catholic-church/) ## More by Paul Doherty > [“The King’s blond hair, bound by a silver coronet, fell down to his shoulders to frame a white face, narrow eyes, a beak of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-doherty/the-king-s-blond-hair-bound-by-a-silver-coronet-fell-down-to-his/) [Paul Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-doherty/) > [“They treat me like some sort of pet cat but claws I have, and claws I will use”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-doherty/they-treat-me-like-some-sort-of-pet-cat-but-claws-i-have-and-claws-i/) [Paul Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-doherty/) > [“Jonah being delivered from the whale.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-doherty/jonah-being-delivered-from-the-whale/) [Paul Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-doherty/) > [“Believe me, Athelstan, you can wrap a dog's turd in a cloth of gold but it remains a dog's turd.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-doherty/believe-me-athelstan-you-can-wrap-a-dog-s-turd-in-a-cloth-of-gold-but/) [Paul Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-doherty/) > [“Philip, whom men nicknamed ‘Beautiful’,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-doherty/philip-whom-men-nicknamed-beautiful/) [Paul Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-doherty/) > [“honey-hunting bees.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-doherty/honey-hunting-bees/) [Paul Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-doherty/) > [“To you this is a great mystery, but for me death holds no mystery: just three corpses, the ka of which are already travelling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-doherty/to-you-this-is-a-great-mystery-but-for-me-death-holds-no-mystery-just/) [Paul Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-doherty/) [Explore all 8 Paul Doherty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-doherty/) ## More Augustine quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [ Again, I hear almost everyday from atheists who write off religion as primitive, premodern nonsense. 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Gays and lesbians stood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coretta-scott-king/for-many-years-now-i-have-been-an-outspoken-supporter-of-civil-and/) [Coretta Scott King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coretta-scott-king/) > [St. Augustine explicitly warns against a very narrow perspective that will put our faith at risk of looking ridiculous. If you step back from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/st-augustine-explicitly-warns-against-a-very-narrow-perspective-that/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The fact is that philosophy has been a decisive source of inspiration in all the great crises that Europe has faced. 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