--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being certain one is alive isn't…" description: "\"“Being certain one is alive isn't something to which one pays mind. If you could ask the question, you were fine. If you could not, hopefully you had a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bc/thomm-quackenbush-2029_alive_being-certain-one-is-alive-isn-t-somethi_2183750.jpg" --- # Being certain one is alive isn't something to which one… ![“Being certain one is alive isn't something to which one pays mind. If you could ask the question, you were fine. If you could not, hopefully you had a cozy coffin.” quote by Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bc/thomm-quackenbush-2029_alive_being-certain-one-is-alive-isn-t-somethi_2183750.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bc/thomm-quackenbush-2029_alive_being-certain-one-is-alive-isn-t-somethi_2183750.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bc/thomm-quackenbush-2029_alive_being-certain-one-is-alive-isn-t-somethi_2183750.jpg) > ““Being certain one is alive isn't something to which one pays mind. If you could ask the question, you were fine. If you could not, hopefully you had a cozy coffin.”” [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Awareness of being alive isn’t essential; if you can question existence you’re fine, otherwise you may end up in a coffin. **In simple terms:** Being alive isn’t a concern; questioning it matters. Key Takeaway Focus on living, not overthinking. Themes existential mindfulness acceptance Mood contemplative serene somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily meditation - confronting health - dealing with anxiety - end‑of‑life planning Key Concepts Mortality self-awareness philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What does “coffin” represent in your life? - How can you balance curiosity with peace? A Different Perspective Over‑analysis can cause unnecessary anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Alive Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive-isn-1589156/) [Certain Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain-alive-4728505/) [Coffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coffin/) [Cozy Coffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cozy-coffin-4728504/) [Dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Question Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-fine-1895503/) ## Related quotes > [Are you okay? Always the same question. I'm fine. Always the same lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/are-you-okay-always-the-same-question-i-m-fine-always-the-same-lie/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“Being alive isn't the same thing as living”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/being-alive-isn-t-the-same-thing-as-living/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [Here is a test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished: If you're alive, it isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/here-is-a-test-to-find-whether-your-mission-on-earth-is-finished-if/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [“This is a test to see if your mission in this life is complete, if you are alive, it isn't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/this-is-a-test-to-see-if-your-mission-in-this-life-is-complete-if-you/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [“It's great to be alive, isn't it? Especially when you consider the alternative.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ross/it-s-great-to-be-alive-isn-t-it-especially-when-you-consider-the/) [Jonathan Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ross/) > [“Here is a test to find out whether your mission in life is complete. If you’re alive, it isn’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/here-is-a-test-to-find-out-whether-your-mission-in-life-is-complete/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished: if you're alive, it isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/here-is-the-test-to-find-whether-your-mission-on-earth-is-finished-if/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [“Most human beings would have never been pained by the death of a human being if they had never seen a human being or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/most-human-beings-would-have-never-been-pained-by-the-death-of-a/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“A premature death does not only rob one of the countless instances where one would have experienced pleasure, it also saves one from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-premature-death-does-not-only-rob-one-of-the-countless-instances/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“An expensive coffin does not decrease the deceased’s chances of going to hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/an-expensive-coffin-does-not-decrease-the-deceased-s-chances-of-going/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [His smile is like the silver plate on a coffin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-philpot-curran/his-smile-is-like-the-silver-plate-on-a-coffin/) [John Philpot Curran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-philpot-curran/) > [“Lies made it arduous to find a coffin that fit”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carl-evans/lies-made-it-arduous-to-find-a-coffin-that-fit/) [Richard Carl Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carl-evans/) > [“Like King, we need to put on our cemetery clothes and be coffin-ready for the next great democratic battle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/like-king-we-need-to-put-on-our-cemetery-clothes-and-be-coffin-ready/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Marriage is like a coffin and each kid is like another nail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer-simpson/marriage-is-like-a-coffin-and-each-kid-is-like-another-nail/) [Homer Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer-simpson/) > [“I decided to get my butt up out of the coffin, just like Jesus Christ, and come and chitchat with all my beautiful and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-o-neill/i-decided-to-get-my-butt-up-out-of-the-coffin-just-like-jesus-christ/) [Heather O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-o-neill/) ## More by Thomm Quackenbush > [“Which God is the forgiving one, exactly? Old Testament, where He got His rocks off by smiting? Or New Testament, once Our Heavenly Father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/which-god-is-the-forgiving-one-exactly-old-testament-where-he-got-his/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) > [“As a man, I was a failure. A pathetic teacher lusting after Catholic school girls in short skirts. As a monster, I'm superb. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/as-a-man-i-was-a-failure-a-pathetic-teacher-lusting-after-catholic/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) > [“The whole concept of some stranger making his way down our chimney - not that we had one - suggested burglary more readily than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/the-whole-concept-of-some-stranger-making-his-way-down-our-chimney/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) > [ “Maybe \[aliens\] have been in our lives a lot longer than we want to admit. People have always seen strange things—elves and fairies—and now… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/maybe-aliens-have-been-in-our-lives-a-lot-longer-than-we-want-to/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) > [“The seed of an urban legend finding fertile soil at the corner of tragedy and imagination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/the-seed-of-an-urban-legend-finding-fertile-soil-at-the-corner-of/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) > [“There was a charm in being reborn into the world when one was old enough to appreciate it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/there-was-a-charm-in-being-reborn-into-the-world-when-one-was-old/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) > [“She hated anyone who clung to the supernatural when the natural was perfectly serviceable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/she-hated-anyone-who-clung-to-the-supernatural-when-the-natural-was/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) > [“Do you want me because you love me or because I provide you normality drag?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/do-you-want-me-because-you-love-me-or-because-i-provide-you-normality/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) > [“You got a vicious animal inside you. It wants to snap, it wants to attack, but it's harmless because some woman fitted a muzzle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/you-got-a-vicious-animal-inside-you-it-wants-to-snap-it-wants-to/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) > [“He had not even done the fledgling courtesy of shredding open a major artery, anointing himself in the viscous gore, and desecrating her body.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/he-had-not-even-done-the-fledgling-courtesy-of-shredding-open-a-major/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) > [ “\[T\]hese friends were of the female persuasion, and while by and large they were bi and large, they still represented potential threats on \[her\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/t-hese-friends-were-of-the-female-persuasion-and-while-by-and-large/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) > [“She kissed him… long enough he could almost hear her thoughts. Long enough that he began to know her story, know what she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/she-kissed-him-long-enough-he-could-almost-hear-her-thoughts-long/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) > [“Shane never knew how to address her friends' parents. She wanted to call her Mrs. Eliot's Mom, but knew that the cutesiness would not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/shane-never-knew-how-to-address-her-friends-parents-she-wanted-to/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) > [“It’s hard to stay upset over someone else’s happy ending.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/it-s-hard-to-stay-upset-over-someone-else-s-happy-ending/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) > [“I don't think I'm being harassed by little green stalkers. I don't know what's really going on, but I'd rather try to eliminate all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/i-don-t-think-i-m-being-harassed-by-little-green-stalkers-i-don-t/) [Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) [Explore all 190 Thomm Quackenbush quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Being certain one is alive isn't something to which one pays mind. If you could ask the question, you were fine. 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