--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Terrestrial happiness is of short…" description: "\"Terrestrial happiness is of short duration. The brightness of the flame is wasting its fuel; the fragrant flower is passing away in its own odors.\" — S..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/samuel-johnson-50_brightness_terrestrial-happiness-is-of-short-durati_1692985.png" --- # Terrestrial happiness is of short duration. The brightness… ![“Terrestrial happiness is of short duration. The brightness of the flame is wasting its fuel; the fragrant flower is passing away in its own odors.” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/samuel-johnson-50_brightness_terrestrial-happiness-is-of-short-durati_1692985.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/samuel-johnson-50_brightness_terrestrial-happiness-is-of-short-durati_1692985.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/samuel-johnson-50_brightness_terrestrial-happiness-is-of-short-durati_1692985.png) > “Terrestrial happiness is of short duration. The brightness of the flame is wasting its fuel; the fragrant flower is passing away in its own odors.” [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ephemeral pleasures fade quickly; bright flames consume fuel and fragrant flowers wilt. **In simple terms:** Short‑lived joys fade fast. Key Takeaway Cherish lasting values over fleeting delights. Themes impermanence pleasure transience Mood melancholic contemplative Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - daily life - personal reflection - mindfulness Key Concepts philosophy poetry nature Questions to Reflect On - How can we find lasting fulfillment? - What practices sustain deeper happiness? A Different Perspective It ignores the possibility of enduring joy in simple moments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brightness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brightness/) [Duration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duration/) [Flame Wasting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flame-wasting-1075102/) [Flames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flames/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Fragrant Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fragrant-flower-1075100/) [Fragrant flowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fragrant-flowers/) [Fuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fuel/) [Fuel Fragrant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fuel-fragrant-1075101/) [Gardening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gardening/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-short/) [Odor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/odor/) [Passing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passing/) [Passing away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passing-away/) [Passings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passings/) [Terrestrial Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrestrial-happiness-1075099/) ## Related quotes > [Honesty that can be trusted and respected is a very fragrant flower in the life of a Christian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/honesty-that-can-be-trusted-and-respected-is-a-very-fragrant-flower/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Look after the root of the tree, and the fragrant flower and luscious fruits will grow by themselves. Look after the health of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-k-s-iyengar/look-after-the-root-of-the-tree-and-the-fragrant-flower-and-luscious/) [B.K.S. Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-k-s-iyengar/) > [“A man who wears a fragrant flower on his collar spreads a perfume wherever he goes. (141)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prem-prakash/a-man-who-wears-a-fragrant-flower-on-his-collar-spreads-a-perfume/) [Prem Prakash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prem-prakash/) > [Humoring them costs nothing and adds to happiness in a world in which happiness is always in short supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/humoring-them-costs-nothing-and-adds-to-happiness-in-a-world-in-which/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [The secret to happiness is short-term, stupid self-interest!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/the-secret-to-happiness-is-short-term-stupid-self-interest/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [“Happiness is a short lived emotion which problems kill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nailixa-lambert/happiness-is-a-short-lived-emotion-which-problems-kill/) [Nailixa Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nailixa-lambert/) > [We know that happiness is short-lived, that we fail to cherish it when it is within our grasp and value it only when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/we-know-that-happiness-is-short-lived-that-we-fail-to-cherish-it-when/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [Happiness has a very short half-life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/happiness-has-a-very-short-half-life/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [Most successful people find out that the attainment of their goals doesn't necessarily bring them the happiness and joy they assumed; their happiness is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/most-successful-people-find-out-that-the-attainment-of-their-goals/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Never begrudge others their happiness. Who knows when happiness will be short lived?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-b-brewer/never-begrudge-others-their-happiness-who-knows-when-happiness-will/) [Nancy B. Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-b-brewer/) > [“Isn’t’ it better to give up a fraction of your freedom to gain tenfold in happiness, even for a short time?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-c-dao/isn-t-it-better-to-give-up-a-fraction-of-your-freedom-to-gain-tenfold/) [Julie C. Dao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-c-dao/) > [Moments of happiness are too short , time of sadness is age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadenss/moments-of-happiness-are-too-short-time-of-sadness-is-age/) [Sadenss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadenss/) > [“More important than success is the individual who strives towards his goal. It is the effort which counts. The goal is just a finish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-amit-abraham/more-important-than-success-is-the-individual-who-strives-towards-his/) [Dr. Amit Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-amit-abraham/) > [“Happiness is only for a short time then comes sadness which proceeds on overtime”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-n-knight/happiness-is-only-for-a-short-time-then-comes-sadness-which-proceeds/) [A.N. Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-n-knight/) > [So behave that the odor of your actions may enhance the general sweetness of the atmosphere, that when we behold or scent a flower,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/so-behave-that-the-odor-of-your-actions-may-enhance-the-general/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More by Samuel Johnson > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Had I learned to fiddle, I should have done nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/had-i-learned-to-fiddle-i-should-have-done-nothing-else/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness; it certainly destroys liberty, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/resolve-not-to-be-poor-whatever-you-have-spend-less-poverty-is-a/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-basis-of-all-excellence-is-truth-he-that-professes-love-ought-to/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Words are daughters of earth but ideas are sons of heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/words-are-daughters-of-earth-but-ideas-are-sons-of-heaven/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The composition of Shakespeare is a forest, in which oaks extend in the air, interspersed sometimes with weeds and brambles, and sometimes giving shelting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-composition-of-shakespeare-is-a-forest-in-which-oaks-extend-in/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The cherubim were never intended as an object of worship, because they were only the appendices to another thing. But a thing is then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-cherubim-were-never-intended-as-an-object-of-worship-because-they/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-has-the-right-to-put-another-under-such-a-difficulty-that-he/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [That kind of life is most happy which affords us most opportunities of gaining our own self-esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-kind-of-life-is-most-happy-which-affords-us-most-opportunities/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The time will come to every human being when it must be known how well he can bear to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-time-will-come-to-every-human-being-when-it-must-be-known-how/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Explore all 1,998 Samuel Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More Brightness quotes > [God's glory is the created brightness that surrounds God’s revelation of himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-grudem/god-s-glory-is-the-created-brightness-that-surrounds-god-s-revelation/) [Wayne Grudem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-grudem/) > [Only an empowered personality can distribute the holy name of the Lord and enjoin all fallen souls to worship Krishna. By distributing the holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhaktisiddhanta-sarasvati/only-an-empowered-personality-can-distribute-the-holy-name-of-the/) [Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhaktisiddhanta-sarasvati/) > [The studious silence of the library ... Thought is the thought of thought. Tranquil brightness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/the-studious-silence-of-the-library-thought-is-the-thought-of-thought/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [Daily simple, sincere, and mighty prayers lift our lives to a higher spiritual altitude. In our prayers we praise God, give thanks to Him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/daily-simple-sincere-and-mighty-prayers-lift-our-lives-to-a-higher/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [But woe to him, who left to moan, Reviews the hours of brightness gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/but-woe-to-him-who-left-to-moan-reviews-the-hours-of-brightness-gone/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [A joyful life isn’t about others; it’s about the brightness that is associated with being alive. Your path to it is through anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/a-joyful-life-isn-t-about-others-it-s-about-the-brightness-that-is/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [Without good humour, learning and bravery can only confer that superiority which swells the heart of the lion in the desert, where he roars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/without-good-humour-learning-and-bravery-can-only-confer-that/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [For pain is perhaps but a violent pleasure? Who could determine the point where pleasure becomes pain, where pain is still a pleasure? Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/for-pain-is-perhaps-but-a-violent-pleasure-who-could-determine-the/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [His form had yet not lost All her original brightness, nor appear'd Less than archangel ruin'd, and th' excess Of glory obscur'd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/his-form-had-yet-not-lost-all-her-original-brightness-nor-appear-d/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [More than anything, one is struck by the light. Light everywhere. Brightness everywhere. Everywhere, the sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryszard-kapuscinski/more-than-anything-one-is-struck-by-the-light-light-everywhere/) [Ryszard Kapuscinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryszard-kapuscinski/) > [Squeeze your eyes closed, as tight as you can, and think of all your favorite autumns, crisp and perfect, all bound up together like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/squeeze-your-eyes-closed-as-tight-as-you-can-and-think-of-all-your/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Writing is to descend like a miner to the depths of the mine with a lamp on your forehead, a light whose dubious brightness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-cendrars/writing-is-to-descend-like-a-miner-to-the-depths-of-the-mine-with-a/) [Blaise Cendrars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-cendrars/) > [What a view, i said again. The river was blank and mindless with beauty. It was the most glorious thing I have ever seen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dickey/what-a-view-i-said-again-the-river-was-blank-and-mindless-with-beauty/) [James Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dickey/) > [It is no secret that the moon has no light of her own, but is, as it were, a mirror, receiving brightness from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/it-is-no-secret-that-the-moon-has-no-light-of-her-own-but-is-as-it/) [Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/) > [Christ is already in that place of peace, which is all in all. He is on the right hand of God. He is hidden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/christ-is-already-in-that-place-of-peace-which-is-all-in-all-he-is-on/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) [Browse all 287 Brightness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brightness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Terrestrial happiness is of short duration. 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