--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is no easy task to walk this earth and…" description: "\"It is no easy task to walk this earth and find peace. Inside of us, it would seem, something is at odds with the very rhythm of things and we are forev..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/ronald-rolheiser-23361_desire_it-is-no-easy-task-to-walk-this-earth-an_47302.png" --- # It is no easy task to walk this earth and find peace… ![“It is no easy task to walk this earth and find peace. Inside of us, it would seem, something is at odds with the very rhythm of things and we are forever restless, dissatisfied, frustrated, and aching. We are so overcharged with desire that it is hard to come to simple rest. Desire is always…” quote by Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/ronald-rolheiser-23361_desire_it-is-no-easy-task-to-walk-this-earth-an_47302.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/ronald-rolheiser-23361_desire_it-is-no-easy-task-to-walk-this-earth-an_47302.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/ronald-rolheiser-23361_desire_it-is-no-easy-task-to-walk-this-earth-an_47302.png) > “It is no easy task to walk this earth and find peace. Inside of us, it would seem, something is at odds with the very rhythm of things and we are forever restless, dissatisfied, frustrated, and aching. We are so overcharged with desire that it is hard to come to simple rest. Desire is always stronger than satisfaction.” [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human longing for peace clashes with inherent restless desire, making true contentment elusive. **In simple terms:** Desire outweighs satisfaction, preventing simple rest. Key Takeaway Restlessness stems from insatiable desire. Themes existential tension desire vs. contentment inner conflict search for peace human condition Mood reflective melancholic thoughtful Type philosophical spiritual motivational When to use this quote - meditation practice - therapy sessions - creative burnout - spiritual retreat - high‑stress work environment Key Concepts desire satisfaction restlessness inner peace Practical Applications - mindfulness training - coaching for desire management Questions to Reflect On - How can one balance desire with contentment? - What practices help transform restless energy into constructive focus? A Different Perspective Some argue that disciplined desire can be channeled into purposeful action rather than seen as purely obstructive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Easy tasks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy-tasks/) [Finding peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding-peace/) [Frustrated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frustrated/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Odds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/odds/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Peace inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace-inside/) [Restless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restless/) [Rhythm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rhythm/) [Satisfaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfaction/) ## Related quotes > [...I remain restless and dissatisfied; what I knot with my right hand, I undo with my left, what my left hand creates, my right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunter-grass/i-remain-restless-and-dissatisfied-what-i-knot-with-my-right-hand-i/) [Gunter Grass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gunter-grass/) > [He was full of the restless, dissatisfied energy that always seemed to move into his heart after he visited home these days. It had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/he-was-full-of-the-restless-dissatisfied-energy-that-always-seemed-to/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“For the mystery of human being does not solely rest in the desire to live, but in the problem—for what should one live at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevssky/for-the-mystery-of-human-being-does-not-solely-rest-in-the-desire-to/) Fyodor Dostoevssky > [...till we are uneasy in Rest, we can have no Desire to move, and without Desire of moving there can be no voluntary Motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/till-we-are-uneasy-in-rest-we-can-have-no-desire-to-move-and-without/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“the world has become man's right and everything in it has become a right: the desire for love the right to love, the desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-world-has-become-man-s-right-and-everything-in-it-has-become-a/) [milan kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Well, I once lived in a town full of ambitious people, people who aspired to having, be it wealth or power. It was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-scheinmann/well-i-once-lived-in-a-town-full-of-ambitious-people-people-who/) [Danny Scheinmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-scheinmann/) > [“Heroes rarely get to rest when they desire to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-brightley/heroes-rarely-get-to-rest-when-they-desire-to/) C.J. Brightley > [For as long as I am alive, I will not rest in my desire to lead my people out of an abyss of corruption…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fawzia-koofi/for-as-long-as-i-am-alive-i-will-not-rest-in-my-desire-to-lead-my/) Fawzia Koofi > [Peace in your mind, peace on earth, peace at work, peace at home, peace in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/peace-in-your-mind-peace-on-earth-peace-at-work-peace-at-home-peace/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [When man turns his back on the Creator's plan, he provokes a disorder which has inevitable repercussions on the rest of the created order.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/when-man-turns-his-back-on-the-creator-s-plan-he-provokes-a-disorder/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Lord, bid war's trumpet cease; Fold the whole earth in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/lord-bid-war-s-trumpet-cease-fold-the-whole-earth-in-peace/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [As fits the holy Christmas birth, Be this, good friends, our carol still Be peace on earth, be peace on earth, To men of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/as-fits-the-holy-christmas-birth-be-this-good-friends-our-carol-still/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [ “...\[F\]or there are times when bed is the only place on earth where peace is to be had, and that was one of them.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-llewellyn/f-or-there-are-times-when-bed-is-the-only-place-on-earth-where-peace/) [Richard Llewellyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-llewellyn/) > [Be at peace with your own soul, then heaven and earth will be at peace with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-at-peace-with-your-own-soul-then-heaven-and-earth-will-be-at-peace/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There will be peace on earth when there is peace among the world religions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-kung/there-will-be-peace-on-earth-when-there-is-peace-among-the-world/) [Hans Kung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-kung/) ## More by Ronald Rolheiser > [Without making any moral judgements whatsoever, one can say that self-indulgence and excessive self-preoccupation are the antithesis of genuine awareness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/without-making-any-moral-judgements-whatsoever-one-can-say-that-self/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [“The Church is always God hung between two thieves. Thus, no one should be surprised or shocked at how badly the church has betrayed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/the-church-is-always-god-hung-between-two-thieves-thus-no-one-should/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [This is perhaps the greatest moral challenge Jesus left us: We all do pretty well in love when the persons we are loving are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/this-is-perhaps-the-greatest-moral-challenge-jesus-left-us-we-all-do/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [“Near the end of our lives, many of us struggle to move beyond the death of our dreams, beyond how we have been wounded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/near-the-end-of-our-lives-many-of-us-struggle-to-move-beyond-the/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [“There is within us a fundamental dis-ease, an unquenchable fire that renders us incapable, in this life, of ever coming to full peace. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/there-is-within-us-a-fundamental-dis-ease-an-unquenchable-fire-that/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [You feel your own life - your heart, your mind, your body, your sexuality, the people and things you are connected to - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/you-feel-your-own-life-your-heart-your-mind-your-body-your-sexuality/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [“The resurrection tells us it is never too late. Every so often we will be surprised. We must believe that the stone will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/the-resurrection-tells-us-it-is-never-too-late-every-so-often-we-will/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [“If a child or a brother or a sister or a loved one of yours strays from the church in terms of faith practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/if-a-child-or-a-brother-or-a-sister-or-a-loved-one-of-yours-strays/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [“Our Shame and”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/our-shame-and/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [The highest compliment we can give to God, our Creator, is to thoroughly enjoy the gift of life. One should never look a gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/the-highest-compliment-we-can-give-to-god-our-creator-is-to/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [We prepare to die by pushing ourselves to love less narrowly. In that sense, readying ourselves for death is really an ever-widening entry into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/we-prepare-to-die-by-pushing-ourselves-to-love-less-narrowly-in-that/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [The word baptism means derailment. Christ baptizes Peter on the rock when he tells him: "Because you confessed your love for me, your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/the-word-baptism-means-derailment-christ-baptizes-peter-on-the-rock/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [To be connected with the church is to be associated with scoundrels, warmongers, fakes, child-molesters, murderers, adulterers, and hypocrites of every description. It also,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/to-be-connected-with-the-church-is-to-be-associated-with-scoundrels/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [Every choice is a thousand renunciations. To choose one thing is to turn one's back on many others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/every-choice-is-a-thousand-renunciations-to-choose-one-thing-is-to/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) > [We get ready for death by beginning to live life as we should have been living it all along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-rolheiser/we-get-ready-for-death-by-beginning-to-live-life-as-we-should-have/) [Ronald Rolheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) [Explore all 26 Ronald Rolheiser quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-rolheiser/) ## More Desire quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [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/) > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) > [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/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [“from THE DEVIL YOU KNOW : She wanted him too. He could see it in the rapid rise of her breasts. He could smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emery-lee/from-the-devil-you-know-she-wanted-him-too-he-could-see-it-in-the/) [Emery Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emery-lee/) [Browse all 15,155 Desire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is no easy task to walk this earth and find peace. Inside of us, it would seem, something is at odds with the very rhythm of things and we are forever restless, dissatisfied, frustrated, and aching. We are so overcharged with desire that it is hard to come to simple rest. 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