--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The lively is always more contemplative…" description: "\"“The lively is always more contemplative than what is dead and sad.”\" — Robert Walser" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/robert-walser-6307_contemplative_the-lively-is-always-more-contemplative_2569325.jpg" --- # The lively is always more contemplative than what is dead… ![“The lively is always more contemplative than what is dead and sad.” quote by Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/robert-walser-6307_contemplative_the-lively-is-always-more-contemplative_2569325.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/robert-walser-6307_contemplative_the-lively-is-always-more-contemplative_2569325.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/robert-walser-6307_contemplative_the-lively-is-always-more-contemplative_2569325.jpg) > ““The lively is always more contemplative than what is dead and sad.”” [Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living things that are alive are more thoughtful than those that are dead and sad, suggesting vitality fuels contemplation. **In simple terms:** Life encourages deeper thought. Key Takeaway Value vitality for reflection. Themes life contemplation vitality sadness Mood reflective thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - nature walks - creative brainstorming - mindfulness practice - healthcare settings Key Concepts philosophy literature psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does being alive affect your thinking? - Can sadness lead to insight? A Different Perspective Deadness may also inspire reflection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contemplative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contemplative/) [Contemplative Dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contemplative-dead-1676702/) [Dead Sad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-sad-229316/) [Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lively/) [Lively Contemplative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lively-contemplative-1676701/) [Sad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sad/) ## Related quotes > [Gandalf! I thought you were dead! But then I thought I was dead myself. Is everything sad going to come untrue? What's happened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/gandalf-i-thought-you-were-dead-but-then-i-thought-i-was-dead-myself/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Nobody cares unless you're good looking or dead, sad thing..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nobody-cares-unless-you-re-good-looking-or-dead-sad-thing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Contemplative love seeks a heroic deed that can be accomplished without delay and in full view of everyone. Indeed, some people are even ready…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/contemplative-love-seeks-a-heroic-deed-that-can-be-accomplished/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [ It is to this silence \[contemplative prayer\] that we all are called. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/it-is-to-this-silence-contemplative-prayer-that-we-all-are-called/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [From about 5 years old on, I was very contemplative and started to become constantly filled with nostalgia for the present moment and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-ebert/from-about-5-years-old-on-i-was-very-contemplative-and-started-to/) [Alex Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-ebert/) > [Since I was introduced to the practice of God's presence, which in turn led me into the contemplative way, I have nearly always felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/since-i-was-introduced-to-the-practice-of-god-s-presence-which-in/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [Each person comes to have this musical experience, this moment with us, where they get to sink into our world for a little while.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-welch/each-person-comes-to-have-this-musical-experience-this-moment-with-us/) [Gillian Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-welch/) > [“Oak gave up his room so they could sleep there, and although the bed is small, Cardan cannot mind when he takes Jude in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/oak-gave-up-his-room-so-they-could-sleep-there-and-although-the-bed/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [Fish slowly and thoroughly. Haste never paid dividends. Never wory about the fellow ahead of you. If you start racing to get ahaead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bergman/fish-slowly-and-thoroughly-haste-never-paid-dividends-never-wory/) [Ray Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bergman/) > [A lot of people do their practice. They meditate on compassion. Then they yell at people afterwards. That is not quite working. One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sakyong-mipham/a-lot-of-people-do-their-practice-they-meditate-on-compassion-then/) [Sakyong Mipham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sakyong-mipham/) > [“I wonder if I am not turning into a contemplative . . . But those roses . They were something else. I was having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/i-wonder-if-i-am-not-turning-into-a-contemplative-but-those-roses/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [You cannot grow in the integrative dance of action and contemplation without a strong tolerance for ambiguity, an ability to allow, forgive, and contain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/you-cannot-grow-in-the-integrative-dance-of-action-and-contemplation/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [“everything kills everything else in some way. Fishing kills me exactly as it keeps me alive. The boy keeps me alive, he thought. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/everything-kills-everything-else-in-some-way-fishing-kills-me-exactly/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Composing a piece of music is very feminine. It is sensitive, emotional, contemplative. By comparison, doing housework is positively masculine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kolb/composing-a-piece-of-music-is-very-feminine-it-is-sensitive-emotional/) [Barbara Kolb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kolb/) > [“Let no one hope to find in contemplation an escape from conflict, from anguish or from doubt. On the contrary, the deep, inexpressible certitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/let-no-one-hope-to-find-in-contemplation-an-escape-from-conflict-from/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) ## More by Robert Walser > [“My cheeks are red hot, my lip still trembles, because I sent my heart to speak; every word of it delusional and awkward, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/my-cheeks-are-red-hot-my-lip-still-trembles-because-i-sent-my-heart/) [Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) > [“That's what's so miraculous about the city: each person's bearing and behavior vanish among these thousand sorts, observations are fleeting, judgements swift, and forgetting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/that-s-what-s-so-miraculous-about-the-city-each-person-s-bearing-and/) [Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) > [“What honest man was never in his life without sustenance? And what human being has ever seen as the years pass his hopes, plans,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/what-honest-man-was-never-in-his-life-without-sustenance-and-what/) [Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) > [“Siento que la vida exige emociones, no reflexiones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/siento-que-la-vida-exige-emociones-no-reflexiones/) [Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) > [“Wherever poesie can be felt, all poetic touches are superfluous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/wherever-poesie-can-be-felt-all-poetic-touches-are-superfluous/) [Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) > [“Perhaps there were a few repetitions here and there. But I would like to confess that I consider nature and human life to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/perhaps-there-were-a-few-repetitions-here-and-there-but-i-would-like/) [Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) > [Questions are usually more beautiful, more significant than their resolutions, which in fact never resolve them, are never sufficient to satisfy us, whereas from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/questions-are-usually-more-beautiful-more-significant-than-their/) [Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) > [How uninteresting interesting things can become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/how-uninteresting-interesting-things-can-become/) [Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) > [Your very eyes. How they have always been for me the command to obey, the inviolable and beautiful commandment. No, no, I'm not telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/your-very-eyes-how-they-have-always-been-for-me-the-command-to-obey/) [Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) > [I don't want a future, I want a present. To me this appears of greater value. You have a future only when you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/i-don-t-want-a-future-i-want-a-present-to-me-this-appears-of-greater/) [Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) > [“They should not clench their fists, it’s my longing that’s drawing me near to them; they should not stand there full of rage, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/they-should-not-clench-their-fists-it-s-my-longing-that-s-drawing-me/) [Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) > [ I am not here \[in the sanitarium\] to write, but to be mad. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/i-am-not-here-in-the-sanitarium-to-write-but-to-be-mad/) [Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) > [“Is it our calling to understand each other, or are we not, rather, called upon to misjudge one another, to prevent there being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/is-it-our-calling-to-understand-each-other-or-are-we-not-rather/) [Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) > [“A park like this resembles a large, silent, isolated room. In fact it's always Sunday in a park, by the way, for it's always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/a-park-like-this-resembles-a-large-silent-isolated-room-in-fact-it-s/) [Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) > [“Money rules the world, and doubtless also, here and there, the bit of love within it, and when love turns to hate, one remembers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/money-rules-the-world-and-doubtless-also-here-and-there-the-bit-of/) [Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) [Explore all 83 Robert Walser quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) ## More Contemplative quotes > [“Let no one hope to find in contemplation an escape from conflict, from anguish or from doubt. On the contrary, the deep, inexpressible certitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/let-no-one-hope-to-find-in-contemplation-an-escape-from-conflict-from/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Composing a piece of music is very feminine. It is sensitive, emotional, contemplative. By comparison, doing housework is positively masculine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kolb/composing-a-piece-of-music-is-very-feminine-it-is-sensitive-emotional/) [Barbara Kolb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kolb/) > [“everything kills everything else in some way. Fishing kills me exactly as it keeps me alive. The boy keeps me alive, he thought. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/everything-kills-everything-else-in-some-way-fishing-kills-me-exactly/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [You cannot grow in the integrative dance of action and contemplation without a strong tolerance for ambiguity, an ability to allow, forgive, and contain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/you-cannot-grow-in-the-integrative-dance-of-action-and-contemplation/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [“I wonder if I am not turning into a contemplative . . . But those roses . They were something else. I was having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/i-wonder-if-i-am-not-turning-into-a-contemplative-but-those-roses/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [A lot of people do their practice. They meditate on compassion. Then they yell at people afterwards. That is not quite working. One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sakyong-mipham/a-lot-of-people-do-their-practice-they-meditate-on-compassion-then/) [Sakyong Mipham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sakyong-mipham/) > [Fish slowly and thoroughly. Haste never paid dividends. Never wory about the fellow ahead of you. If you start racing to get ahaead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bergman/fish-slowly-and-thoroughly-haste-never-paid-dividends-never-wory/) [Ray Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bergman/) > [“Oak gave up his room so they could sleep there, and although the bed is small, Cardan cannot mind when he takes Jude in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/oak-gave-up-his-room-so-they-could-sleep-there-and-although-the-bed/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [Each person comes to have this musical experience, this moment with us, where they get to sink into our world for a little while.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-welch/each-person-comes-to-have-this-musical-experience-this-moment-with-us/) [Gillian Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-welch/) > [Since I was introduced to the practice of God's presence, which in turn led me into the contemplative way, I have nearly always felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/since-i-was-introduced-to-the-practice-of-god-s-presence-which-in/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [From about 5 years old on, I was very contemplative and started to become constantly filled with nostalgia for the present moment and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-ebert/from-about-5-years-old-on-i-was-very-contemplative-and-started-to/) [Alex Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-ebert/) > [ It is to this silence \[contemplative prayer\] that we all are called. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/it-is-to-this-silence-contemplative-prayer-that-we-all-are-called/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [“Contemplative love seeks a heroic deed that can be accomplished without delay and in full view of everyone. Indeed, some people are even ready…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/contemplative-love-seeks-a-heroic-deed-that-can-be-accomplished/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [We become, after the arrival of the printing press in general, more attentive more attuned to contemplative ways of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-g-carr/we-become-after-the-arrival-of-the-printing-press-in-general-more/) [Nicholas G. Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-g-carr/) > [I just think of interesting roles to play. I guess that I have matured, I guess growing up and becoming a man, your taste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-hartnett/i-just-think-of-interesting-roles-to-play-i-guess-that-i-have-matured/) [Josh Hartnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-hartnett/) [Browse all 237 Contemplative quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contemplative/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The lively is always more contemplative than what is dead and sad.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Walser" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/the-lively-is-always-more-contemplative-than-what-is-dead-and-sad/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Contemplative" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/the-lively-is-always-more-contemplative-than-what-is-dead-and-sad/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/robert-walser-6307_contemplative_the-lively-is-always-more-contemplative_2569325.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/robert-walser-6307_contemplative_the-lively-is-always-more-contemplative_2569325.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/robert-walser-6307_contemplative_the-lively-is-always-more-contemplative_2569325.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The lively is always more contemplative than what is dead and sad.” — Robert Walser", "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": "Robert Walser", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The lively is always more contemplative...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/the-lively-is-always-more-contemplative-than-what-is-dead-and-sad/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/the-lively-is-always-more-contemplative-than-what-is-dead-and-sad/#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 } } ] } ```