---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once upon a time, when women were birds…"
description: "\"Once upon a time, when women were birds, there was the simple understanding that to sing at dawn, and to sing at dusk, was to heal the world through jo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/468/terry-tempest-williams-835_bird_once-upon-a-time-when-women-were-birds-t_411059.png"
---

#  Once upon a time, when women were birds, there was the…

![“Once upon a time, when women were birds, there was the simple understanding that to sing at dawn, and to sing at dusk, was to heal the world through joy. The birds still remember what we have forgotten, that the world is meant to be celebrated.” quote by Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/468/terry-tempest-williams-835_bird_once-upon-a-time-when-women-were-birds-t_411059.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/468/terry-tempest-williams-835_bird_once-upon-a-time-when-women-were-birds-t_411059.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/468/terry-tempest-williams-835_bird_once-upon-a-time-when-women-were-birds-t_411059.png)

> “Once upon a time, when women were birds, there was the simple understanding that to sing at dawn, and to sing at dusk, was to heal the world through joy. The birds still remember what we have forgotten, that the world is meant to be celebrated.”

[Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The mythic image of women as birds illustrates how joy and song can heal and celebrate life, urging remembrance of forgotten wisdom.

**In simple terms:** Joyful singing heals and celebrates the world.

Key Takeaway

Celebrate life through joy and song.

Themes

mythic nature healing celebration feminine

Mood

uplifting reflective inspirational

Type

poetic spiritual

When to use this quote

- community gatherings
- rituals
- personal reflection

Key Concepts

mythology ecopsychology collective memory

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we keep joy alive in hardship?
- What rituals sustain communal healing?

A Different Perspective

Joy can be fleeting and may not address deeper suffering.

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[Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird/) [Birds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birds/) [Dawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dawn/) [Dusk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dusk/) [Heal the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heal-the-world/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Once upon a time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/once-upon-a-time/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

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