--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The ocean is a large drop; a drop is a…" description: "\"The ocean is a large drop; a drop is a small ocean.\" — Ralph Waldo Emerson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_drop_the-ocean-is-a-large-drop-a-drop-is-a-sm_2815534.png" --- # The ocean is a large drop; a drop is a small ocean. ![“The ocean is a large drop; a drop is a small ocean.” quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_drop_the-ocean-is-a-large-drop-a-drop-is-a-sm_2815534.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_drop_the-ocean-is-a-large-drop-a-drop-is-a-sm_2815534.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_drop_the-ocean-is-a-large-drop-a-drop-is-a-sm_2815534.png) > “The ocean is a large drop; a drop is a small ocean.” [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The macro and micro are reflections of each other; the vast contains the tiny, and vice versa. **In simple terms:** The whole and part mirror each other. Key Takeaway Recognize the significance of small things within the larger whole. Themes nature scale interconnectedness philosophy reflection Mood thoughtful inspirational Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - environmental stewardship - personal growth - scientific observation - artistic inspiration Key Concepts transcendentalism ecology metaphysics Questions to Reflect On - How does seeing the small in the large affect your worldview? - Can you find unity in diverse scales? A Different Perspective Interpretation varies across cultures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drop/) [Large Drop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/large-drop-3550497/) [Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocean/) [Ocean Large](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocean-large-3550496/) [River](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/river/) [Small Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-ocean-3550495/) ## Related quotes > [When we are on the beach we only see a small part of the ocean. However, we know that there is much more beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corrie-ten-boom/when-we-are-on-the-beach-we-only-see-a-small-part-of-the-ocean/) [Corrie Ten Boom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corrie-ten-boom/) > [“Individually we are just a drop. Together we are an ocean”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryunosuke-satoro/individually-we-are-just-a-drop-together-we-are-an-ocean/) [Ryunosuke Satoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryunosuke-satoro/) > [You are not the drop in the ocean, but the ocean in the drop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/you-are-not-the-drop-in-the-ocean-but-the-ocean-in-the-drop/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The Sea Will be the Sea Whatever the drop's philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farid-al-din-attar/the-sea-will-be-the-sea-whatever-the-drop-s-philosophy/) [Farid al-Din Attar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farid-al-din-attar/) > [YOu are not a drop in ocean,You're a whole ocean in a drop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zarnab/you-are-not-a-drop-in-ocean-you-re-a-whole-ocean-in-a-drop/) [Zarnab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zarnab/) > [The voyage of the best ship is a zigzag line of a hundred tacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-voyage-of-the-best-ship-is-a-zigzag-line-of-a-hundred-tacks/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Every ship is a romantic object, except that we sail in. Embark, and the romance quits our vessel, and hangs on every other sail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/every-ship-is-a-romantic-object-except-that-we-sail-in-embark-and-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [We pass for what we are. Character teaches above our wills. Men imagine that they communicate thier virtue or vice by overt actions, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/we-pass-for-what-we-are-character-teaches-above-our-wills-men-imagine/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Life is like an ocean. It can be calm or still and rough or rigid. But in the end, it's always beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justice-cabral/life-is-like-an-ocean-it-can-be-calm-or-still-and-rough-or-rigid-but/) [Justice Cabral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justice-cabral/) > [Life is like the ocean. It can be calm and still or rough and rigid but in the end, it is always beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-like-the-ocean-it-can-be-calm-and-still-or-rough-and-rigid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Mungu akikubariki kipaji chako watu watasema ni laana. Maisha yako ni sawa na mto. Unakoelekea ni baharini. Lakini sasa umefika kwenye mlango wa bahari.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/mungu-akikubariki-kipaji-chako-watu-watasema-ni-laana-maisha-yako-ni/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [Swells, Marina? we ocean, depths, Marina? we sky!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/swells-marina-we-ocean-depths-marina-we-sky/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [“An aquarium is just an echo of the ocean.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-caldwell/an-aquarium-is-just-an-echo-of-the-ocean/) [Ben Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-caldwell/) > [You can never cross the ocean, with the stillness of your emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishnat-grover/you-can-never-cross-the-ocean-with-the-stillness-of-your-emotion/) [Nishnat Grover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishnat-grover/) > [“It’s a big ocean crossed by busy ships. I went slowly, observing much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/it-s-a-big-ocean-crossed-by-busy-ships-i-went-slowly-observing-much/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) ## More by Ralph Waldo Emerson > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/consideration-is-the-soil-in-which-wisdom-may-be-expected-to-grow-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“There is then creative reading as well as creative writing. When the mind is braced by labor and invention, the page of whatever book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/there-is-then-creative-reading-as-well-as-creative-writing-when-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The order of things consents to virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-order-of-things-consents-to-virtue/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Life only avails, not the having lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/life-only-avails-not-the-having-lived/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Another success is the post-office, with its educating energy augmented by cheapness and guarded by a certain religious sentimentin mankind; so that the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/another-success-is-the-post-office-with-its-educating-energy/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A child reminds us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-child-reminds-us-that-playtime-is-an-essential-part-of-our-daily/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Coal lay in ledges under the ground since the Flood, until a laborer with pick and windlass brings it to the surface. We may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/coal-lay-in-ledges-under-the-ground-since-the-flood-until-a-laborer/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I am; therefore, I had nothing better to do than to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-am-therefore-i-had-nothing-better-to-do-than-to-think/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In a library we are surrounded by many hundreds of dear friends, but they are imprisoned by an enchanter in these paper and leathern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/in-a-library-we-are-surrounded-by-many-hundreds-of-dear-friends-but/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-compensations-of-calamity-are-made-apparent-to-the-understanding/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Explore all 4,802 Ralph Waldo Emerson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More Drop quotes > [Every drop of rain hits its appointed target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/every-drop-of-rain-hits-its-appointed-target/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [Girls are not toys. You can't just pick them up and drop them whenever you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/girls-are-not-toys-you-can-t-just-pick-them-up-and-drop-them-whenever/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) > [At the drop of a hat, people will say there are no roles for women after 40. It's there with a bunch of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-nicol/at-the-drop-of-a-hat-people-will-say-there-are-no-roles-for-women/) [Lesley Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-nicol/) > [I'ma pick the world up and I'ma drop it on your fucking head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/i-ma-pick-the-world-up-and-i-ma-drop-it-on-your-fucking-head/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [While cares will drop off like autumn leaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/while-cares-will-drop-off-like-autumn-leaves/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [You do not want to talk to me on the phone. How do I know? Because I don't want to talk to you on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/you-do-not-want-to-talk-to-me-on-the-phone-how-do-i-know-because-i/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [I'll run against the grain till the day I drop?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-claypool/i-ll-run-against-the-grain-till-the-day-i-drop/) [Les Claypool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-claypool/) > [Boys. Why do they treat me that way? Why do they always play me? Why do they always lead me on and then drop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/boys-why-do-they-treat-me-that-way-why-do-they-always-play-me-why-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Will.i.am drop the beat now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergie/will-i-am-drop-the-beat-now/) [Fergie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergie/) > [Tune in, turn on, and drop out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/tune-in-turn-on-and-drop-out/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [I'll continue making films because I love being able to drop into other people's worlds. My goal is to be constantly learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jehane-noujaim/i-ll-continue-making-films-because-i-love-being-able-to-drop-into/) [Jehane Noujaim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jehane-noujaim/) > [You are not the drop in the ocean, but the ocean in the drop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/you-are-not-the-drop-in-the-ocean-but-the-ocean-in-the-drop/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [A first principle not formally recognized by scientific methodologists: when you run into something interesting, drop everything else and study it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner/a-first-principle-not-formally-recognized-by-scientific/) [B. F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner/) > [Drop Pants, Not Bombs. Break Dance, Not Hearts. Draft Beer, Not People. Make LOVE, Not WAR.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-purdy/drop-pants-not-bombs-break-dance-not-hearts-draft-beer-not-people/) [Ashley Purdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-purdy/) > [“Individually we are just a drop. Together we are an ocean”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryunosuke-satoro/individually-we-are-just-a-drop-together-we-are-an-ocean/) [Ryunosuke Satoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryunosuke-satoro/) [Browse all 603 Drop quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drop/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The ocean is a large drop; a drop is a small ocean.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ralph Waldo Emerson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-ocean-is-a-large-drop-a-drop-is-a-small-ocean/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Drop" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-ocean-is-a-large-drop-a-drop-is-a-small-ocean/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_drop_the-ocean-is-a-large-drop-a-drop-is-a-sm_2815534.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_drop_the-ocean-is-a-large-drop-a-drop-is-a-sm_2815534.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_drop_the-ocean-is-a-large-drop-a-drop-is-a-sm_2815534.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The ocean is a large drop; a drop is a small ocean.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson", "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": "Ralph Waldo Emerson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The ocean is a large drop;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-ocean-is-a-large-drop-a-drop-is-a-small-ocean/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-ocean-is-a-large-drop-a-drop-is-a-small-ocean/#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 } } ] } ```