--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a magnificent intensity in life…" description: "\"There is a magnificent intensity in life that comes when we are not in control but are only reacting, living, surviving. I am not a religious man per s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/637/steven-callahan-36730_faces_there-is-a-magnificent-intensity-in-life_68399.png" --- # There is a magnificent intensity in life that comes when… ![“There is a magnificent intensity in life that comes when we are not in control but are only reacting, living, surviving. I am not a religious man per se...but for me, to go to sea is to get a glimpse of the face of God. At sea I am reminded of my insignificance-of all men's insignificance. It is a…” quote by Steven Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/637/steven-callahan-36730_faces_there-is-a-magnificent-intensity-in-life_68399.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/637/steven-callahan-36730_faces_there-is-a-magnificent-intensity-in-life_68399.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/637/steven-callahan-36730_faces_there-is-a-magnificent-intensity-in-life_68399.png) > “There is a magnificent intensity in life that comes when we are not in control but are only reacting, living, surviving. I am not a religious man per se...but for me, to go to sea is to get a glimpse of the face of God. At sea I am reminded of my insignificance-of all men's insignificance. It is a wonderful feeling to be so humbled.” [Steven Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-callahan/) ## 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 reflects on how surrendering control and confronting nature's vastness can evoke a profound sense of humility and spiritual awe, revealing humanity's smallness in the universe. **In simple terms:** Humility through nature's power Key Takeaway Nature's scale triggers existential humility Themes humility spirituality nature existentialism human insignificance Mood awe humble reflective Type philosophical spiritual nature When to use this quote - solo sailing - stormy sea - lonely voyages - confronting danger - deep contemplation Key Concepts surrender perspective awe Practical Applications - personal growth - mindful reflection Questions to Reflect On - How does confronting the unknown reshape your self‑view? - What role does humility play in personal resilience? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Feeling Humbled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-humbled-905301/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Glimpse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glimpse/) [Humbled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humbled/) [Insignificance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insignificance/) [Insignificance Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insignificance-wonderful-905302/) [Intensity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intensity/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Magnificent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magnificent/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Reacting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reacting/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea/) [Sea Reminded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea-reminded-905300/) [Surviving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surviving/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) [Wonderful feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful-feeling/) ## Related quotes > [“I wish I could describe the feeling of being at sea, the anguish, frustration, and fear, the beauty that accompanies threatening spectacles, the spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-callahan/i-wish-i-could-describe-the-feeling-of-being-at-sea-the-anguish/) [Steve Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-callahan/) > [“Mostly I live in this moment, right now, and I'm grateful for it. I know that most of this life lies behind me, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-curtis/mostly-i-live-in-this-moment-right-now-and-i-m-grateful-for-it-i-know/) [Tony Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-curtis/) > [Seeing all the people smiling and laughing and clapping for me... it's such a wonderful feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-gonzalez/seeing-all-the-people-smiling-and-laughing-and-clapping-for-me-it-s/) [Anthony Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-gonzalez/) > [Since my dimples only appear whenever I smile, facing everything in life with that smile is a wonderful feeling. Eyes are also the window…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-wen/since-my-dimples-only-appear-whenever-i-smile-facing-everything-in/) [Liu Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-wen/) > [“Being in love with someone is truly a wonderful feeling but being loved by that same someone is a heavily experience”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-basu/being-in-love-with-someone-is-truly-a-wonderful-feeling-but-being/) [Ayaan Basu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-basu/) > [“But this is something that you have to figure out on your own. Nobody can help you. That's what love's all about, Kafka. You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/but-this-is-something-that-you-have-to-figure-out-on-your-own-nobody/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“Isn’t that wonderful? That feeling of not knowing too much about something… Incomplete information… Endless possibilities… When you don’t know much about something, it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erol-ozan/isn-t-that-wonderful-that-feeling-of-not-knowing-too-much-about/) [Erol Ozan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erol-ozan/) > [My work is nice, natural, it's never "been there done that," my work remains very interesting without losing my soul - because it's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-demeulemeester/my-work-is-nice-natural-it-s-never-been-there-done-that-my-work/) [Ann Demeulemeester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-demeulemeester/) > [Think. In a minute from now you could be saying, I risked death. I threw for life, and I won life. It is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/think-in-a-minute-from-now-you-could-be-saying-i-risked-death-i-threw/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [When your son is huging and kissing you everyday…it's just a wonderful feeling right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-your-son-is-huging-and-kissing-you-everyday-it-s-just-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One of my biggest lessons has been to be easier on myself and not make things such a big deal. It's a wonderful feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-marino/one-of-my-biggest-lessons-has-been-to-be-easier-on-myself-and-not/) [Renee Marino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-marino/) > [Indra Kumar made Madhuri Dixit famous as the 'dhak dhak' girl. It's a wonderful feeling to know that he thinks I have potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urvashi-rautela/indra-kumar-made-madhuri-dixit-famous-as-the-dhak-dhak-girl-it-s-a/) [Urvashi Rautela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urvashi-rautela/) > [I loved repetition. Every time I turned on a light I knew what would happen. When I flipped the switch, the light went on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-barron/i-loved-repetition-every-time-i-turned-on-a-light-i-knew-what-would/) [Sean Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-barron/) > [It's a strange thing, but you get this click in your brain; the wonderful feeling that the entirety of a character is suddenly available…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/it-s-a-strange-thing-but-you-get-this-click-in-your-brain-the/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [It's not often talked about what a wonderful feeling it is to see someone that you care about love and be loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-sturridge/it-s-not-often-talked-about-what-a-wonderful-feeling-it-is-to-see/) [Tom Sturridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-sturridge/) ## More by Steven Callahan > [This life is full of trials and tribulations, so you have to capture humor whenever and wherever you can find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-callahan/this-life-is-full-of-trials-and-tribulations-so-you-have-to-capture/) [Steven Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-callahan/) > [“To my mind, voyaging through wildernesses, be they full of woods or waves, is essential to the growth and maturity of the human spirit.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-callahan/to-my-mind-voyaging-through-wildernesses-be-they-full-of-woods-or/) [Steven Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-callahan/) > [Avoiding risk is not much of a goal...whether you crawl into a hole or walk a high wire, nobody gets out of here alive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-callahan/avoiding-risk-is-not-much-of-a-goal-whether-you-crawl-into-a-hole-or/) [Steven Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-callahan/) > [“There is a magnificent intensity in life that comes when we are not in control but are only reacting, living, surviving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-callahan/there-is-a-magnificent-intensity-in-life-that-comes-when-we-are-not-2/) [Steven Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-callahan/) > [“In addition to the little ecosystem developing around my raft, I am constantly surrounded by a display of natural wonders. The acrobatic dorados perform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-callahan/in-addition-to-the-little-ecosystem-developing-around-my-raft-i-am/) [Steven Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-callahan/) > [“Ooh ho!” he says. “In such a small boat? Tonto!” Fool. “It’s not so small, it’s my whole house.” The old man gestures toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-callahan/ooh-ho-he-says-in-such-a-small-boat-tonto-fool-it-s-not-so-small-it-s/) [Steven Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-callahan/) > [My plight has given me a strange kind of wealth, the most important kind. I value each moment that is not spent in pain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-callahan/my-plight-has-given-me-a-strange-kind-of-wealth-the-most-important/) [Steven Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-callahan/) > [“I write in my log that it is a view of heaven from a seat in hell. My”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-callahan/i-write-in-my-log-that-it-is-a-view-of-heaven-from-a-seat-in-hell-my/) [Steven Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-callahan/) > [“The heartfelt realization of one's insignificance yields a calming sense of being completely connected to the greater whole. As a tiny part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-callahan/the-heartfelt-realization-of-one-s-insignificance-yields-a-calming/) [Steven Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-callahan/) > [A view of heaven from a seat in hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-callahan/a-view-of-heaven-from-a-seat-in-hell/) [Steven Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-callahan/) > [The sea remains the greatest wilderness. To my mind, voyaging through wildernesses, be they full of woods or waves, is essential to the growth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-callahan/the-sea-remains-the-greatest-wilderness-to-my-mind-voyaging-through/) [Steven Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-callahan/) [Explore all 12 Steven Callahan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-callahan/) ## More Faces quotes > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [Because the truth is that gossip is as good as gospel in this town. You can save face but you won't ever save your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/because-the-truth-is-that-gossip-is-as-good-as-gospel-in-this-town/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [His fingertips slid down from my face, lightly stroking the line of my neck, down toward my shoulder. Everywhere he touched, a trail of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/his-fingertips-slid-down-from-my-face-lightly-stroking-the-line-of-my/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I've seen every one, from Motley Crue to John Denver, with tears running down my face. I had no idea everyone had such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-nicks/i-ve-seen-every-one-from-motley-crue-to-john-denver-with-tears/) [Stevie Nicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-nicks/) > [So," I said. "Seems you're going to be stuck with me for a while." He smiled. A real smile that lit up his whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/so-i-said-seems-you-re-going-to-be-stuck-with-me-for-a-while-he/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [If enough money is involved and enough people believe that two plus two equals five the media will report the story with a straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/if-enough-money-is-involved-and-enough-people-believe-that-two-plus/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [Here comes old Rosie she's looking mighty fine, here comes hot Nancy she's steppin' right on time. There go the street lights bringing on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/here-comes-old-rosie-she-s-looking-mighty-fine-here-comes-hot-nancy/) [Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/) > [A face is too slight a foundation for happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wortley-montagu/a-face-is-too-slight-a-foundation-for-happiness/) [Mary Wortley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wortley-montagu/) > [ That's probably why my face was looking so crazy when I was crying \[in "Hardball"\] because it was some real. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/that-s-probably-why-my-face-was-looking-so-crazy-when-i-was-crying-in/) [Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/) > [Are we fighting?" I asked Morelli. "No. Were discussing." "Are you sure?" "Am I yelling?" Morelli asked. "Is my face purple? Are the cords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/are-we-fighting-i-asked-morelli-no-were-discussing-are-you-sure-am-i/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) [Browse all 13,128 Faces quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is a magnificent intensity in life that comes when we are not in control but are only reacting, living, surviving. I am not a religious man per se...but for me, to go to sea is to get a glimpse of the face of God. At sea I am reminded of my insignificance-of all men's insignificance. It is a wonderful feeling to be so humbled.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steven Callahan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-callahan/there-is-a-magnificent-intensity-in-life-that-comes-when-we-are-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Faces" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-callahan/there-is-a-magnificent-intensity-in-life-that-comes-when-we-are-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/637/steven-callahan-36730_faces_there-is-a-magnificent-intensity-in-life_68399.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/637/steven-callahan-36730_faces_there-is-a-magnificent-intensity-in-life_68399.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/637/steven-callahan-36730_faces_there-is-a-magnificent-intensity-in-life_68399.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is a magnificent intensity in life that comes when we are not in control but are only reacting…” — Steven Callahan", "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": "Steven Callahan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-callahan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is a magnificent intensity in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-callahan/there-is-a-magnificent-intensity-in-life-that-comes-when-we-are-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-callahan/there-is-a-magnificent-intensity-in-life-that-comes-when-we-are-not/#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 } } ] } ```