--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: it is a valuable lesson that should often…" description: "\"“it is a valuable lesson that should often be reinforced—that many who are faced with impending death, a disease that will likely take them in a year’s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/r-a-salvatore-4145_death_it-is-a-valuable-lesson-that-should-ofte_731491.png" --- # it is a valuable lesson that should often be… ![“it is a valuable lesson that should often be reinforced—that many who are faced with impending death, a disease that will likely take them in a year’s time, for example, quite often insist that their affliction is the best thing that ever happened to them. It takes the immediacy of mortality to…” quote by R.A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/r-a-salvatore-4145_death_it-is-a-valuable-lesson-that-should-ofte_731491.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/r-a-salvatore-4145_death_it-is-a-valuable-lesson-that-should-ofte_731491.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/r-a-salvatore-4145_death_it-is-a-valuable-lesson-that-should-ofte_731491.png) > ““it is a valuable lesson that should often be reinforced—that many who are faced with impending death, a disease that will likely take them in a year’s time, for example, quite often insist that their affliction is the best thing that ever happened to them. It takes the immediacy of mortality to remind them to watch the sunrise and the sunset, to note the solitary flower among the rocks, to appreciate those loved ones around them, to taste their food, and revel in the feel of a cool breeze.”” [R.A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing imminent death sharpens appreciation for simple, everyday moments. **In simple terms:** Death makes us notice small joys. Key Takeaway Cherish daily experiences. Themes mortality appreciation mindfulness Mood contemplative hopeful Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - hospital stays - terminal illness - retirement planning - travel - nature walks Key Concepts existentialism presence gratitude Questions to Reflect On - What small joy have you ignored? - How can you embed gratitude daily? A Different Perspective Not everyone embraces this perspective; denial is common. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Impending Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impending-death-364676/) [Insist Affliction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insist-affliction-5728458/) [Loved ones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved-ones/) [Mortality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortality/) [Mortality Remind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortality-remind-5728457/) [Sunrise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunrise/) [Sunsets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunsets/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Valuable Lesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/valuable-lesson/) ## Related quotes > [He emphasised basic truths: you are not dying yet, you have to live your life until you are. Underpinning them was the belief that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/he-emphasised-basic-truths-you-are-not-dying-yet-you-have-to-live/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [“Impending death makes one run faster. I think that's probably why they fire a gun before track meets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-doucette/impending-death-makes-one-run-faster-i-think-that-s-probably-why-they/) [Gene Doucette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-doucette/) > [“Every mundanity of life grows infinitely more precious in the face of impending death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/every-mundanity-of-life-grows-infinitely-more-precious-in-the-face-of/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [“You may be dying, but I’m going to have a picnic and enjoy this glorious day. I won’t let your impending death spoil my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/you-may-be-dying-but-i-m-going-to-have-a-picnic-and-enjoy-this/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [There were times when the fact of impending death seemed as palpable as the bed they lay on, and they would cling together with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/there-were-times-when-the-fact-of-impending-death-seemed-as-palpable-2/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“Great— just what he needed, to discover that he had a submissive streak at the moment of his possible impending death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-j-lawless/great-just-what-he-needed-to-discover-that-he-had-a-submissive-streak/) [M.J. Lawless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-j-lawless/) > [There's nothing like impending death to rouse you from existential boredom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/there-s-nothing-like-impending-death-to-rouse-you-from-existential/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [“People used to think if crows followed someone, it was an omen of impending death. Could these things indicate my impending death?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-claflin/people-used-to-think-if-crows-followed-someone-it-was-an-omen-of/) [Stacy Claflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-claflin/) > [“The true test of a soldier’s mettle is whether or not they will cling to what they believe in, even in the face of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-s-williams/the-true-test-of-a-soldier-s-mettle-is-whether-or-not-they-will-cling/) [Matthew S. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-s-williams/) > [“The old people say when you see your fylgja, it's an omen of your impending death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritz-nordengren/the-old-people-say-when-you-see-your-fylgja-it-s-an-omen-of-your/) [Fritz Nordengren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fritz-nordengren/) > [“There were times when the fact of impending death seemed as palpable as the bed they lay on, and they would cling together with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/there-were-times-when-the-fact-of-impending-death-seemed-as-palpable/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner to the soundtrack of our own impending death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-summers/we-eat-breakfast-lunch-and-dinner-to-the-soundtrack-of-our-own/) [Courtney Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-summers/) > [Nothing quite brings out the zest for life in a person like the thought of their impending death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhonen-vasquez/nothing-quite-brings-out-the-zest-for-life-in-a-person-like-the/) [Jhonen Vasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhonen-vasquez/) > [“Apparently, when faced with impending death, I completely lose my shit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/apparently-when-faced-with-impending-death-i-completely-lose-my-shit/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [“Impending death had a way of unexpectedly unearthing the past so that it came together with the present in an unholy coupling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/impending-death-had-a-way-of-unexpectedly-unearthing-the-past-so-that/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) ## More by R.A. Salvatore > [“The halfling was still standing, trying to straighten his dishevelled hat and fix the broken orange feather. "You know," he said nonchalantly, "sometimes is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/the-halfling-was-still-standing-trying-to-straighten-his-dishevelled/) [R.A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore/) > [“Where, I wonder and I fear, does hubris end and reality overwhelm? Is this the danger of reaching too high, or am I bounded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/where-i-wonder-and-i-fear-does-hubris-end-and-reality-overwhelm-is/) [R.A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore/) > [“Catti-brie didn't blink, barely drew breath. She was thinking how noble this drow had been. So many other men would not have asked questions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/catti-brie-didn-t-blink-barely-drew-breath-she-was-thinking-how-noble/) [R.A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore/) > [“Loss of empathy might well be the most enduring and deep cutting scar of all, the silent blade of an unseen enemy, cutting at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/loss-of-empathy-might-well-be-the-most-enduring-and-deep-cutting-scar/) [R.A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore/) > [“Catti-brie continued to stare at the drow as the wizards walked up. The woman did not know what to make of Drizzt's cryptic answers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/catti-brie-continued-to-stare-at-the-drow-as-the-wizards-walked-up/) [R.A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore/) > [“the true warrior understands that while one is learning how to use a sword,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/the-true-warrior-understands-that-while-one-is-learning-how-to-use-a/) [R.A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore/) > [“Drizzt looked long and hard at the young woman, tje dedicated warrior, and he understood that Danica, too, had been forced into a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/drizzt-looked-long-and-hard-at-the-young-woman-tje-dedicated-warrior/) [R.A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore/) > [“without empathy he will find no purpose. Without purpose, he will find no satisfaction. Without satisfaction, he will find no contentment, and without contentment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/without-empathy-he-will-find-no-purpose-without-purpose-he-will-find/) [R.A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore/) > [“Nothing burns in your heart like the emptiness of losing something, someone, before you truly have learned of its value.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/nothing-burns-in-your-heart-like-the-emptiness-of-losing-something/) [R.A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore/) > [“Matron Malice, her belly swollen in the final hours of pregnancy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/matron-malice-her-belly-swollen-in-the-final-hours-of-pregnancy/) [R.A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore/) > [“one should also be learning why and when to use a sword. To grant the power of a weapon master to anyone at all,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/one-should-also-be-learning-why-and-when-to-use-a-sword-to-grant-the/) [R.A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore/) > [“I pray that the world never runs out of dragons. I say that in all sincerity, though I have played a part in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/i-pray-that-the-world-never-runs-out-of-dragons-i-say-that-in-all/) [R.A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore/) > [“Fortunate circumstances do not equate to high principles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/fortunate-circumstances-do-not-equate-to-high-principles/) [R.A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore/) > [“Damn you to Lolth's web!" he said. "Don't you dare pretend if doesn't matter to you!" "Why do you care?" Drizzt growled back at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/damn-you-to-lolth-s-web-he-said-don-t-you-dare-pretend-if-doesn-t/) [R.A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore/) > [“We - at least we of sincere character - always judge ourselves by stricter standards than we expect others to abide by.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/we-at-least-we-of-sincere-character-always-judge-ourselves-by/) [R.A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore/) [Explore all 110 R.A. Salvatore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) [J. Anthony Torino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-anthony-torino/) > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) [Alan W. Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-powers/) > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“it is a valuable lesson that should often be reinforced—that many who are faced with impending death, a disease that will likely take them in a year’s time, for example, quite often insist that their affliction is the best thing that ever happened to them. It takes the immediacy of mortality to remind them to watch the sunrise and the sunset, to note the solitary flower among the rocks, to appreciate those loved ones around them, to taste their food, and revel in the feel of a cool breeze.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R.A. Salvatore" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/it-is-a-valuable-lesson-that-should-often-be-reinforced-that-many-who/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/it-is-a-valuable-lesson-that-should-often-be-reinforced-that-many-who/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/r-a-salvatore-4145_death_it-is-a-valuable-lesson-that-should-ofte_731491.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/r-a-salvatore-4145_death_it-is-a-valuable-lesson-that-should-ofte_731491.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/r-a-salvatore-4145_death_it-is-a-valuable-lesson-that-should-ofte_731491.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“it is a valuable lesson that should often be reinforced—that many who are faced with impending death, a…” — R.A. Salvatore", "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": "R.A. Salvatore", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“it is a valuable lesson that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/it-is-a-valuable-lesson-that-should-often-be-reinforced-that-many-who/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore/it-is-a-valuable-lesson-that-should-often-be-reinforced-that-many-who/#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 } } ] } ```