--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Looking up and out, how can we not…" description: "\"Looking up and out, how can we not respect this ever-vigilant cognizance that distinguishes us: the capability to envision, to dream, and to invent? th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fc/vanna-bonta-2261_ability_looking-up-and-out-how-can-we-not-respec_1741826.jpg" --- # Looking up and out, how can we not respect this… ![“Looking up and out, how can we not respect this ever-vigilant cognizance that distinguishes us: the capability to envision, to dream, and to invent? the ability to ponder ourselves? and be aware of our existence on the outer arm of a spiral galaxy in an immeasurable ocean of stars? Cognizance is…” quote by Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fc/vanna-bonta-2261_ability_looking-up-and-out-how-can-we-not-respec_1741826.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fc/vanna-bonta-2261_ability_looking-up-and-out-how-can-we-not-respec_1741826.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fc/vanna-bonta-2261_ability_looking-up-and-out-how-can-we-not-respec_1741826.jpg) > “Looking up and out, how can we not respect this ever-vigilant cognizance that distinguishes us: the capability to envision, to dream, and to invent? the ability to ponder ourselves? and be aware of our existence on the outer arm of a spiral galaxy in an immeasurable ocean of stars? Cognizance is our crest.” [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human consciousness lets us imagine, dream, create, and recognize our place in the vast universe, giving us a unique sense of purpose and identity. **In simple terms:** Our awareness lets us imagine and feel our place in the cosmos. Key Takeaway Cultivate curiosity and humility about our existence. Themes consciousness purpose humility existence creativity Mood wonderful humble inspired Type philosophical existential When to use this quote - personal reflection - education - public speaking - creative writing Key Concepts philosophy cosmic perspective self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing our smallness affect your actions? - What practices keep you grounded? A Different Perspective Our awareness can be overwhelmed by existential anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) [Capability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capability/) [Cognizance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cognizance-1526947/) [Cognizance Crest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cognizance-crest-1526950/) [Cognizance Distinguishes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cognizance-distinguishes-1526948/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Galaxy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/galaxy/) [Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocean/) [Pondering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pondering/) [Spirals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirals/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Stars Cognizance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars-cognizance-1526951/) [Vigilant Cognizance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vigilant-cognizance-1526949/) ## Related quotes > [“Between you and me, the words, like mortar, separating, holding together those pieces of the structure ourselves. 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It is immoral because it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/and-violence-is-impractical-because-the-old-eye-for-an-eye-philosophy/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [When you’re stuck in a spiral, to change all aspects of the spin you need only to change one thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baldwin/when-you-re-stuck-in-a-spiral-to-change-all-aspects-of-the-spin-you/) [Christina Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baldwin/) > [Things don't spiral out of control when we surrender them; they spiral out of control when we try to control them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/things-don-t-spiral-out-of-control-when-we-surrender-them-they-spiral/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I always figured I myself would never be lucky enough to die, I'd just live on and on in this increasingly dreary spiral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-stahl/i-always-figured-i-myself-would-never-be-lucky-enough-to-die-i-d-just/) [Jerry Stahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-stahl/) > [Progress has not followed a straight ascending line, but a spiral with rhythms of progress and retrogression, of evolution and dissolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/progress-has-not-followed-a-straight-ascending-line-but-a-spiral-with/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/far-out-in-the-uncharted-backwaters-of-the-unfashionable-end-of-the/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [People are tired of wasteful government programs and welfare chiselers, and they are angry about the constant spiral of taxes and government regulations, arrogant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/people-are-tired-of-wasteful-government-programs-and-welfare/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [For in grief nothing 'stays put.' One keeps on emerging from a phase, but it always recurs. Round and round. Everything repeats. Am I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-in-grief-nothing-stays-put-one-keeps-on-emerging-from-a-phase-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somebody-must-have-sense-enough-and-morality-enough-to-cut-off-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More by Vanna Bonta > [The stars are not the limit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/the-stars-are-not-the-limit/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [People at large are becoming more aware that there is much more to reality and to themselves than what meets the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/people-at-large-are-becoming-more-aware-that-there-is-much-more-to/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Corporately contrived art product replaces inspired intellectual property with ineffectual poperty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/corporately-contrived-art-product-replaces-inspired-intellectual/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Our lives are fictions, a work we leave behind, signed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/our-lives-are-fictions-a-work-we-leave-behind-signed/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [The real story is not the plot, but how the characters unfold by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/the-real-story-is-not-the-plot-but-how-the-characters-unfold-by-it/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [You are not going to find yourself anywhere except right where you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/you-are-not-going-to-find-yourself-anywhere-except-right-where-you-are/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Popularity is not an indication of quality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/popularity-is-not-an-indication-of-quality/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Unfortunately, in our society, power means the ability to dominate and oppress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/unfortunately-in-our-society-power-means-the-ability-to-dominate-and/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Slander reveals the greatest truth about the coward implementing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/slander-reveals-the-greatest-truth-about-the-coward-implementing-it/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Sex in space is not just a good idea, it's survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/sex-in-space-is-not-just-a-good-idea-it-s-survival/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Ideals do exist, the rest is just temporary interruption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/ideals-do-exist-the-rest-is-just-temporary-interruption/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Patience is being friends with Time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/patience-is-being-friends-with-time/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [I didn't have a Barbie doll, so I played with eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/i-didn-t-have-a-barbie-doll-so-i-played-with-eternity/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Style of the future is the convergence of function and fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/style-of-the-future-is-the-convergence-of-function-and-fashion/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [Any time a body goes outside the environmental conditions for which it developed it has to acclimate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/any-time-a-body-goes-outside-the-environmental-conditions-for-which/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) [Explore all 175 Vanna Bonta quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Looking up and out, how can we not respect this ever-vigilant cognizance that distinguishes us: the capability to envision, to dream, and to invent? the ability to ponder ourselves? and be aware of our existence on the outer arm of a spiral galaxy in an immeasurable ocean of stars? 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