--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Waves of hands, hesitations at street…" description: "\"Waves of hands, hesitations at street corners, someone dropping a cigarette into the gutter-all are stories. But which is the true story? That I do not..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/virginia-woolf-49_bees_waves-of-hands-hesitations-at-street-cor_2291568.jpg" --- # Waves of hands, hesitations at street corners, someone… ![“Waves of hands, hesitations at street corners, someone dropping a cigarette into the gutter-all are stories. But which is the true story? That I do not know. Hence I keep my phrases hung like clothes in a cupboard, waiting for some one to wear them. Thus waiting, thus speculating, making this note…” quote by Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/virginia-woolf-49_bees_waves-of-hands-hesitations-at-street-cor_2291568.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/virginia-woolf-49_bees_waves-of-hands-hesitations-at-street-cor_2291568.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/175/virginia-woolf-49_bees_waves-of-hands-hesitations-at-street-cor_2291568.jpg) > “Waves of hands, hesitations at street corners, someone dropping a cigarette into the gutter-all are stories. But which is the true story? That I do not know. Hence I keep my phrases hung like clothes in a cupboard, waiting for some one to wear them. Thus waiting, thus speculating, making this note and then an· other I do not cling to life. I shall be brushed like a bee from a sunflower. My philosophy, always accumulating, welling up moment by moment, runs like quicksilver a dozen ways at once.” [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator sees everyday moments as stories, doubts a single truth, and keeps thoughts suspended, reflecting a fluid, ever‑changing philosophy. **In simple terms:** Every small scene is a story; truth is uncertain; thoughts linger. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty and let ideas flow. Themes uncertainty storytelling philosophy fluidity Mood introspective poetic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing - observing daily life - creative brainstorming Key Concepts existentialism modernism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What stories do you overlook daily? - How can you capture fleeting thoughts? A Different Perspective Over‑analysis may lead to indecision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bees/) [Cigarette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cigarette/) [Clothes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothes/) [Cupboards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cupboards/) [Dozen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dozen/) [Dropping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dropping/) [Gutters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gutters/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Hesitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hesitation/) [Hesitations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hesitations-316354/) [Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hung/) [Like Clothes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-clothes/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Notes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notes/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Phrases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phrases/) [Phrases Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phrases-hung-5386052/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) [Sunflower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunflower/) [True story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-story/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) [Waiting Speculating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting-speculating-5386053/) [Wave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wave/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [I prefer my hesitations, my false paths, my stammering, to a preconceived idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-doisneau/i-prefer-my-hesitations-my-false-paths-my-stammering-to-a/) [Robert Doisneau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-doisneau/) > [You who are on the inside, don't condemn my lack of faith too quickly; you who are on the outside, don't be too quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-latour/you-who-are-on-the-inside-don-t-condemn-my-lack-of-faith-too-quickly/) [Bruno Latour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-latour/) > [“The hesitations and doubts that are present at many points (in contemporary theology) do not in themselves indicate a deep final uncertainty, an alienation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer-2/the-hesitations-and-doubts-that-are-present-at-many-points-in/) [G.C. Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer-2/) > [Don't expect ambiguities, hesitations or palace intrigues from me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-cavaco-silva/don-t-expect-ambiguities-hesitations-or-palace-intrigues-from-me/) [Anibal Cavaco Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-cavaco-silva/) > [The chief difference between good writing and better writing may be measured by the number of imperceptible hesitations the reader experiences as he goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-j-kilpatrick/the-chief-difference-between-good-writing-and-better-writing-may-be/) [James J. Kilpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-j-kilpatrick/) > [“Strange, how complications melt away in the face of disaster. How all the fear and shame and tangled knots of logic suddenly dissolve in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/issac-marion/strange-how-complications-melt-away-in-the-face-of-disaster-how-all/) [Issac Marion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/issac-marion/) > [“Where he saw a page of words, his friend saw the field of hesitations, black holes, and possibilities between the words. Where his friend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/where-he-saw-a-page-of-words-his-friend-saw-the-field-of-hesitations/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“The hesitations and doubts that are present at many points in modern theology do not in themselves indicate a deep and final uncertainty ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer/the-hesitations-and-doubts-that-are-present-at-many-points-in-modern/) [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) > [“For it is the role of the parent to express his concerns and then take three steps back. Not one, mind you, not two,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amor-towles/for-it-is-the-role-of-the-parent-to-express-his-concerns-and-then/) [Amor Towles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amor-towles/) > [I don't think fashion has to change every five minutes. I'd like these to be clothes you can wear for a long time -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ford/i-don-t-think-fashion-has-to-change-every-five-minutes-i-d-like-these/) [Tom Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ford/) > [I used to be obsessed about how I presented myself. I didn't want other people dressing me because I didn't want to be treated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lennox/i-used-to-be-obsessed-about-how-i-presented-myself-i-didn-t-want/) [Annie Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lennox/) > [“I don't have to wear a three-piece suit to be a good person, but I would like everything about me-even my clothes-to reflect a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/i-don-t-have-to-wear-a-three-piece-suit-to-be-a-good-person-but-i/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [I wear jeans and a T-shirt sometimes. I just like clothes - since the first time I can remember, like age ten or eleven;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-weller/i-wear-jeans-and-a-t-shirt-sometimes-i-just-like-clothes-since-the/) [Paul Weller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-weller/) > [In Europe, where human relations like clothes are supposed to last, one's got to be wearable. In France one has to be interesting, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sybille-bedford/in-europe-where-human-relations-like-clothes-are-supposed-to-last-one/) [Sybille Bedford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sybille-bedford/) > [If you look at the brands that I like, there are brands I like because of the clothes; then, there are brands I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/if-you-look-at-the-brands-that-i-like-there-are-brands-i-like-because/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) ## More by Virginia Woolf > [Fatigue is the safest sleeping draught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/fatigue-is-the-safest-sleeping-draught/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“The train slows and lengthens, as we approach London, the centre, and my heart draws out too, in fear, in exaltation. I am about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-train-slows-and-lengthens-as-we-approach-london-the-centre-and-my/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Across the broad continent of a woman's life falls the shadow of a sword. On one side all is correct, definite, orderly; the paths…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/across-the-broad-continent-of-a-woman-s-life-falls-the-shadow-of-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Other worshipful objects were content with worship; men, women, God, all let one kneel prostrate; but this form, were it only the shape of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/other-worshipful-objects-were-content-with-worship-men-women-god-all/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Why does Samuel Butler say, 'Wise men never say what they think of women'? Wise men never say anything else apparently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/why-does-samuel-butler-say-wise-men-never-say-what-they-think-of/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Sometimes he woke with a brain like lead; at others it was as if a thousand wax tapers were alight and people were throwing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/sometimes-he-woke-with-a-brain-like-lead-at-others-it-was-as-if-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [The extraordinary woman depends on the ordinary woman. It is only when we know what were the conditions of the average woman's life -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-extraordinary-woman-depends-on-the-ordinary-woman-it-is-only-when/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [A veil of insanity everywhere: Oh why I was born in this age? It is a terrible age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/a-veil-of-insanity-everywhere-oh-why-i-was-born-in-this-age-it-is-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Love ought to stop on both sides, don’t you think, simultaneously?’ He spoke without any stress on the words, so as not to wake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/love-ought-to-stop-on-both-sides-don-t-you-think-simultaneously-he/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“It is so vast an alleviation to be able to point for another to look at. And then not to talk. To follow the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/it-is-so-vast-an-alleviation-to-be-able-to-point-for-another-to-look/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“What a vast fertility of pleasure books hold for me! (...) I think I could happily live here & read forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-a-vast-fertility-of-pleasure-books-hold-for-me-i-think-i-could/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“what a luxury to be alone once more,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-a-luxury-to-be-alone-once-more/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“...a woman writing thinks back through her mothers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/a-woman-writing-thinks-back-through-her-mothers/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“For one's children so often gave one's own perceptions a little thrust forwards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/for-one-s-children-so-often-gave-one-s-own-perceptions-a-little/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“She would not say of anyone in the world now that they were this or were that. She felt very young; at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/she-would-not-say-of-anyone-in-the-world-now-that-they-were-this-or/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) [Explore all 1,872 Virginia Woolf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## More Bees quotes > [Those who have not been stung will hardly fear a bee the same as those who have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/those-who-have-not-been-stung-will-hardly-fear-a-bee-the-same-as/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Arouse a bee and it will come at you with the force of a dragon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takeda-shingen/arouse-a-bee-and-it-will-come-at-you-with-the-force-of-a-dragon/) [Takeda Shingen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takeda-shingen/) > [Pray look upon the plants and birds, the ants, spiders, and bees, and you will see them all exerting their nature, and busy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/pray-look-upon-the-plants-and-birds-the-ants-spiders-and-bees-and-you/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [You see, years ago I was just an ordinary bee minding my own business, smelling flowers all day, and occasionally picking up part-time work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/you-see-years-ago-i-was-just-an-ordinary-bee-minding-my-own-business/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [As the bee collecteth honey with great zest, so the fool collecteth wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir/as-the-bee-collecteth-honey-with-great-zest-so-the-fool-collecteth/) [Kabir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir/) > [It is hard to imagine a world without bees. It would be even harder to live in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-gardiner/it-is-hard-to-imagine-a-world-without-bees-it-would-be-even-harder-to/) [Barry Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-gardiner/) > [When I heard that the bees were in trouble, the fact that they're disappearing and not coming back to the hive, which is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-schwartzberg/when-i-heard-that-the-bees-were-in-trouble-the-fact-that-they-re/) [Louie Schwartzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-schwartzberg/) > [Precise, graceful, and generous, the poems in SuperLoop, seem to be born out of a deep, careful attention and a profound compassion. Sometimes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ada-limon/precise-graceful-and-generous-the-poems-in-superloop-seem-to-be-born/) [Ada Limon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ada-limon/) > [The little bee returns with evening's gloom, To join her comrades in the braided hive, Where, housed beside their might honey-comb, They dream their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-tennyson-turner/the-little-bee-returns-with-evening-s-gloom-to-join-her-comrades-in/) [Charles Tennyson Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-tennyson-turner/) > [“This time of year, the purple blooms were busy with life- not just the bees, but butterflies and ladybugs, skippers and emerald-toned beetles, flitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-wiggs/this-time-of-year-the-purple-blooms-were-busy-with-life-not-just-the/) [Susan Wiggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-wiggs/) > [“Bees chase flowers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-l-shreve/bees-chase-flowers/) [Tracy L. Shreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-l-shreve/) > [My banks they are furnish'd with bees, Whose murmur invites one to sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shenstone/my-banks-they-are-furnish-d-with-bees-whose-murmur-invites-one-to/) [William Shenstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shenstone/) > [There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/there-are-certain-pursuits-which-if-not-wholly-poetic-and-true-do-at/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The Bee Gees are a fly-by-night sort of group.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-gibb/the-bee-gees-are-a-fly-by-night-sort-of-group/) [Barry Gibb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-gibb/) > [“I don't like to hear cut and dried sermons. No—when I hear a man preach, I like to see him act as if he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-don-t-like-to-hear-cut-and-dried-sermons-no-when-i-hear-a-man/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) [Browse all 770 Bees quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bees/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Waves of hands, hesitations at street corners, someone dropping a cigarette into the gutter-all are stories. But which is the true story? That I do not know. Hence I keep my phrases hung like clothes in a cupboard, waiting for some one to wear them. Thus waiting, thus speculating, making this note and then an· other I do not cling to life. I shall be brushed like a bee from a sunflower. 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