--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The longest lives are short; our work…" description: "\"The longest lives are short; our work lasts longer.\" — Rose Wilder Lane" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e78/rose-wilder-lane-11326_funny_the-longest-lives-are-short-our-work-las_160234.jpg" --- # The longest lives are short; our work lasts longer. ![“The longest lives are short; our work lasts longer.” quote by Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e78/rose-wilder-lane-11326_funny_the-longest-lives-are-short-our-work-las_160234.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e78/rose-wilder-lane-11326_funny_the-longest-lives-are-short-our-work-las_160234.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e78/rose-wilder-lane-11326_funny_the-longest-lives-are-short-our-work-las_160234.jpg) > “The longest lives are short; our work lasts longer.” [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts the brevity of human life with the enduring impact of one's work, suggesting legacy outlives lifespan. **In simple terms:** Life is short but work can endure. Key Takeaway Create lasting contributions. Themes legacy time work mortality Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - creative projects - philanthropy Key Concepts legacy building impact philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What legacy do you wish to leave? - How can you ensure your work endures? A Different Perspective Work may not outlive the creator without preservation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lives Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lives-short-938692/) [Longer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longer/) [Longest Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longest-lives-1758357/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Short Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-work/) [Work Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-lasts-1758356/) ## Related quotes > [As he that lives longest lives but a little while, every man may be certain that he has no time to waste. The duties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/as-he-that-lives-longest-lives-but-a-little-while-every-man-may-be/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [A good solid bit of work lasts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/a-good-solid-bit-of-work-lasts/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [The work that lasts over time is the work which still speaks to us when all contemporary interest in that work is extinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/the-work-that-lasts-over-time-is-the-work-which-still-speaks-to-us/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [I'm used to being the background. I'm used to having work that only lasts for a little while. I'm used to being - working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-m-used-to-being-the-background-i-m-used-to-having-work-that-only/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [Our lives are so short. And our time on this planet is so precious. All we have is each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-novogratz/our-lives-are-so-short-and-our-time-on-this-planet-is-so-precious-all/) [Jacqueline Novogratz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-novogratz/) > [Lives to short , u never knoe when its gona end so just do wat u gotta do before its to late ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rossana/lives-to-short-u-never-knoe-when-its-gona-end-so-just-do-wat-u-gotta/) [Rossana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rossana/) > [Our lives are short and everything sort of regresses to the mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-chang/our-lives-are-short-and-everything-sort-of-regresses-to-the-mean/) [Victoria Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-chang/) > [“Lives to short so get on with it before its to late and you look back and wonder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-strouthos/lives-to-short-so-get-on-with-it-before-its-to-late-and-you-look-back/) [David Strouthos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-strouthos/) > [One who contends with immortals lives a very short life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/one-who-contends-with-immortals-lives-a-very-short-life/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“Our lives are nothing but a short span of time. And if we spend tons of time earning money that we simply throw away,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shmuley-boteach/our-lives-are-nothing-but-a-short-span-of-time-and-if-we-spend-tons/) [Shmuley Boteach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shmuley-boteach/) > [“Our lives were short, brutal, and would never have enough music.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-meadows/our-lives-were-short-brutal-and-would-never-have-enough-music/) [Jodi Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-meadows/) > [“Are not our lives too short for that full utterance which through all our stammerings is of course our only and abiding intention?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/are-not-our-lives-too-short-for-that-full-utterance-which-through-all-2/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [Human lives are too short to waste in trivialities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/human-lives-are-too-short-to-waste-in-trivialities/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-sligh-turnbull/dogs-lives-are-too-short-their-only-fault-really/) [Agnes Sligh Turnbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-sligh-turnbull/) > [“In life, time can't stand still and it's unrealistic to attempt to create a state where it does. There again, time passes all too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-north/in-life-time-can-t-stand-still-and-it-s-unrealistic-to-attempt-to/) [Freya North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-north/) ## More by Rose Wilder Lane > [As an American I am of course fundamentally opposed to democracy and to anyone advocating or defending democracy, which in theory and practice is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/as-an-american-i-am-of-course-fundamentally-opposed-to-democracy-and/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [“The only way to make me stand in line for half an hour to buy a spool of thread, or to make me spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/the-only-way-to-make-me-stand-in-line-for-half-an-hour-to-buy-a-spool/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [I somehow always have this idea that as soon as I can get through this work that's piled up ahead of me, I'll really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/i-somehow-always-have-this-idea-that-as-soon-as-i-can-get-through/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [Anyone who says that economic security is a human right, has been to much babied. While he babbles, other men are risking and losing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/anyone-who-says-that-economic-security-is-a-human-right-has-been-to/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [It was not seen that woman's place was in the home until she began to go out of it; the statement was a reply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/it-was-not-seen-that-woman-s-place-was-in-the-home-until-she-began-to/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [Our quilts were more than useful, they had the faint sentimentality of a pressed flower. And no more beauty. We did not value them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/our-quilts-were-more-than-useful-they-had-the-faint-sentimentality-of/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [Nothing whatever but the constitutional law, the political structure, of these United States protects any American from arbitrary seizure of his property and his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/nothing-whatever-but-the-constitutional-law-the-political-structure/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [The need for Government is the need for force; where force is unnecessary, there is no need for Government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/the-need-for-government-is-the-need-for-force-where-force-is/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [Plants and animals repeat routine, but men who are not restrained will go into the future like explorers into a new country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/plants-and-animals-repeat-routine-but-men-who-are-not-restrained-will/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [Houses are the abiding joys; they are the most emotion-stirring of all things. An automobile is regarded with fond affection, a typewriter becomes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/houses-are-the-abiding-joys-they-are-the-most-emotion-stirring-of-all/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [“To know the everlasting majority attitude toward new uses of productive energy, remember that your great-grandfather did not believe that railroads were possible. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/to-know-the-everlasting-majority-attitude-toward-new-uses-of/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [“Certainly they would have planted more grapes, produced more wine, lowered the price of wine. They would have needed more casks, more boats, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/certainly-they-would-have-planted-more-grapes-produced-more-wine/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [“Ask why you can’t lift an innocent finger without permission, and your lack of the simplest reasoning power baffles them. One must always have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/ask-why-you-can-t-lift-an-innocent-finger-without-permission-and-your/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [“Being absolute, and maintained by police force, a Government monopoly need not please its customers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/being-absolute-and-maintained-by-police-force-a-government-monopoly/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [“The Old World belief is this: Individuals are cells in a greater organism. All men are naturally dependent, obedient, controlled by Authority. (Communists, Fascists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/the-old-world-belief-is-this-individuals-are-cells-in-a-greater/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) [Explore all 60 Rose Wilder Lane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) ## More Funny quotes > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. 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This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [Penis goes in , sperms cums out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/penis-goes-in-sperms-cums-out/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/) [Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [If you can connect people, you can create the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-heiferman/if-you-can-connect-people-you-can-create-the-future/) [Scott Heiferman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-heiferman/) > [Don't think OF the market. Think AS the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-fishman/don-t-think-of-the-market-think-as-the-market/) [Michael Fishman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-fishman/) [Browse all 39,858 Funny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The longest lives are short; our work lasts longer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rose Wilder Lane" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/the-longest-lives-are-short-our-work-lasts-longer/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Funny" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/the-longest-lives-are-short-our-work-lasts-longer/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e78/rose-wilder-lane-11326_funny_the-longest-lives-are-short-our-work-las_160234.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e78/rose-wilder-lane-11326_funny_the-longest-lives-are-short-our-work-las_160234.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e78/rose-wilder-lane-11326_funny_the-longest-lives-are-short-our-work-las_160234.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The longest lives are short; our work lasts longer.” — Rose Wilder Lane", "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": "Rose Wilder Lane", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The longest lives are short; our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/the-longest-lives-are-short-our-work-lasts-longer/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/the-longest-lives-are-short-our-work-lasts-longer/#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 } } ] } ```