--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At first I was exhilarated by my freedom…" description: "\"“At first I was exhilarated by my freedom from the responsibility of the kingship. This lasted about seven minutes. I was also depressed by my freedom ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1d/piers-anthony-8252_freedom_at-first-i-was-exhilarated-by-my-freedom_39651.jpg" --- # At first I was exhilarated by my freedom from the… ![“At first I was exhilarated by my freedom from the responsibility of the kingship. This lasted about seven minutes. I was also depressed by my freedom from marriage, for I had become accustomed to the attentions of a woman. This lasted about nine minutes. Then I was bored.” quote by Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1d/piers-anthony-8252_freedom_at-first-i-was-exhilarated-by-my-freedom_39651.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1d/piers-anthony-8252_freedom_at-first-i-was-exhilarated-by-my-freedom_39651.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1d/piers-anthony-8252_freedom_at-first-i-was-exhilarated-by-my-freedom_39651.jpg) > ““At first I was exhilarated by my freedom from the responsibility of the kingship. This lasted about seven minutes. I was also depressed by my freedom from marriage, for I had become accustomed to the attentions of a woman. This lasted about nine minutes. Then I was bored.”” [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker experiences fleeting exhilaration from escaping royal duties, then quickly feels loss of personal intimacy, culminating in boredom, highlighting the emptiness of superficial freedoms. **In simple terms:** Freedom without purpose leads to emptiness. Key Takeaway True liberty requires meaning. Themes Freedom Responsibility Loneliness Boredom Existentialism Mood Reflective Melancholic Contemplative Type Philosophical Anecdotal When to use this quote - After leaving a high‑status job - Post‑divorce adjustment - Retirement without hobbies - Sudden loss of routine Key Concepts Personal fulfillment Social roles Emotional needs Practical Applications - Designing purpose‑driven life plans - Counseling for identity crises Questions to Reflect On - What gives lasting satisfaction beyond external status? - How can one cultivate meaning when traditional roles disappear? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) ## Related quotes > [All you need to do is turn on the news, and in five minutes, you're depressed with the state of the world. 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Or not bored, but you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-boyle/you-can-have-great-sequences-with-music-but-if-you-don-t-have-the/) [Danny Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-boyle/) > [I would rather be confused for 10 minutes than bored for 5 seconds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-t-davies/i-would-rather-be-confused-for-10-minutes-than-bored-for-5-seconds/) [Russell T Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-t-davies/) > [I log off because I'm bored.. I log back on again in 5 minutes because I'm bored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farahjayne809/i-log-off-because-i-m-bored-i-log-back-on-again-in-5-minutes-because/) Farahjayne809 > [I log off because I'm bored but then I log back on after 5 minutes because I'm bored!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-log-off-because-i-m-bored-but-then-i-log-back-on-after-5-minutes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) ## More by Piers Anthony > [I did not know at first that it would be a series; I discovered after the first novel that I had more to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/i-did-not-know-at-first-that-it-would-be-a-series-i-discovered-after/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [For our stories are not yet finished, and perhaps will never be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/for-our-stories-are-not-yet-finished-and-perhaps-will-never-be/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [I hope to read a Harry Potter novel soon, to see what it's all about. I admit to being annoyed that many good light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/i-hope-to-read-a-harry-potter-novel-soon-to-see-what-it-s-all-about-i/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [“I have, as may be apparent, not much respect for editors as a class.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/i-have-as-may-be-apparent-not-much-respect-for-editors-as-a-class/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [Obviously it could be, because it was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/obviously-it-could-be-because-it-was/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [Princess Rose should indeed be a TV movie, assuming something doesn't go wrong. I don't know how good a movie it will be, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/princess-rose-should-indeed-be-a-tv-movie-assuming-something-doesn-t/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [Have a working spouse, because you won't earn a living from writing - not at first, if ever. My wife worked for years to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/have-a-working-spouse-because-you-won-t-earn-a-living-from-writing/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [Being terrified but going ahead and doing what must be done—that's courage. The one who feels no fear is a fool, and the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/being-terrified-but-going-ahead-and-doing-what-must-be-done-that-s/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [Happy children do not seem to grow up to be writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/happy-children-do-not-seem-to-grow-up-to-be-writers/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [I maintain an ongoing survey of Internet Publishing and self publishing, so that it is now possible for any writer with a book to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/i-maintain-an-ongoing-survey-of-internet-publishing-and-self/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [One thing you who had secure or happy childhoods should understand about those of us who did not. We who control our feelings, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/one-thing-you-who-had-secure-or-happy-childhoods-should-understand/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [Barbarian --A Code of Conduct honored by all true barbarian warriors, requiring excellent coordination with weapons, closeness to nature, awkwardness with women, common sense,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/barbarian-a-code-of-conduct-honored-by-all-true-barbarian-warriors/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [But one must go where one's road leads, even when it's a distressing road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/but-one-must-go-where-one-s-road-leads-even-when-it-s-a-distressing/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [“What is life, except an ongoing instinct for survival? Nature uses that instinct to make us perform; otherwise we would all relax, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/what-is-life-except-an-ongoing-instinct-for-survival-nature-uses-that/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) > [“Latia returned, coming around the curve and stepping through the glass. "Yes, it's our path," she reported. "And it seems to be near the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/latia-returned-coming-around-the-curve-and-stepping-through-the-glass/) [Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) [Explore all 82 Piers Anthony quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/) ## More Freedom quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“No one was more surprised than I to realize that my newfound freedom had been purchased by giving up on eternity and settling for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jessop/no-one-was-more-surprised-than-i-to-realize-that-my-newfound-freedom/) [Carolyn Jessop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jessop/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“In any case, white people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-any-case-white-people-who-had-robbed-black-people-of-their-liberty/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [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 have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [“It breaks my heart. 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