--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Are we not wasps who spend all day in a…" description: "\"Are we not wasps who spend all day in a fruitless attempt to traverse a window-pane - while the other half of the window is wide open?\" — Wei Wu Wei" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd4/wei-wu-wei-15520_half_are-we-not-wasps-who-spend-all-day-in-a_1853779.png" --- # Are we not wasps who spend all day in a fruitless attempt… ![“Are we not wasps who spend all day in a fruitless attempt to traverse a window-pane - while the other half of the window is wide open?” quote by Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd4/wei-wu-wei-15520_half_are-we-not-wasps-who-spend-all-day-in-a_1853779.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd4/wei-wu-wei-15520_half_are-we-not-wasps-who-spend-all-day-in-a_1853779.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd4/wei-wu-wei-15520_half_are-we-not-wasps-who-spend-all-day-in-a_1853779.png) > “Are we not wasps who spend all day in a fruitless attempt to traverse a window-pane - while the other half of the window is wide open?” [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often chase futile goals while ignoring obvious opportunities. **In simple terms:** Chasing hard tasks, missing easy paths. Key Takeaway Recognize and use open opportunities. Themes perseverance awareness choice efficiency Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical strategic When to use this quote - career decisions - problem solving - time management - goal setting Key Concepts tactical thinking mindfulness opportunity cost Questions to Reflect On - What “window” are you overlooking? - How can you simplify goals? A Different Perspective Risk of over‑analysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Half Window](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half-window-2449647/) [Other half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/other-half/) [Traverse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traverse/) [Traverse Window](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traverse-window-2449648/) [Wasps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wasps/) [Wide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wide/) [Window](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/window/) [Window Pane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/window-pane-792146/) [Window panes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/window-panes/) [Window Wide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/window-wide-2449646/) ## Related quotes > [The roaring of the wind is my wife and the stars through the window pane are my children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/the-roaring-of-the-wind-is-my-wife-and-the-stars-through-the-window-2/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [Keep at least one window pane clean to check the weather. Once when I didn't do this I sent the kids off with umbrellas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/keep-at-least-one-window-pane-clean-to-check-the-weather-once-when-i/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [“She remembered perching on the sill of her bedroom window with the pane opened a crack so she could let the winter in, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meagan-spooner/she-remembered-perching-on-the-sill-of-her-bedroom-window-with-the/) [Meagan Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meagan-spooner/) > [“Outside, even through the shut window-pane, the world looked cold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/outside-even-through-the-shut-window-pane-the-world-looked-cold/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [One must write poetry in such as way that if one threw the poem in a window, the pane would break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniil-kharms/one-must-write-poetry-in-such-as-way-that-if-one-threw-the-poem-in-a/) [Daniil Kharms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniil-kharms/) > [But you lied again. Now you get to watch her leave out the window. Guess that's why they call it 'window pane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eminem/but-you-lied-again-now-you-get-to-watch-her-leave-out-the-window/) [Eminem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eminem/) > [“She's well acquainted with the touch of the velvet hand like a lizard on the window-pane.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/she-s-well-acquainted-with-the-touch-of-the-velvet-hand-like-a-lizard/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Even through the shut window pane, the world looked cold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/even-through-the-shut-window-pane-the-world-looked-cold/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Water hitting on my window like Ike, I am not Tina buddy do not give my window pane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-the-creator/water-hitting-on-my-window-like-ike-i-am-not-tina-buddy-do-not-give/) [Tyler The Creator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-the-creator/) > [It is the Harvest Moon! On gilded vanes and roofs of villages, on woodland crests and their aerial neighborhoods of nests deserted, on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/it-is-the-harvest-moon-on-gilded-vanes-and-roofs-of-villages-on/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Our dream dashes itself against the great mystery like a wasp against a window pane. Less merciful than man, God never opens the window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/our-dream-dashes-itself-against-the-great-mystery-like-a-wasp-against/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [The roaring of the wind is my wife and the stars through the window pane are my children. The mighty abstract idea I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/the-roaring-of-the-wind-is-my-wife-and-the-stars-through-the-window/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [When the snow is still blowing against the window-pane in January and February and the wild winds are howling without, what pleasure it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celia-thaxter/when-the-snow-is-still-blowing-against-the-window-pane-in-january-and/) [Celia Thaxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celia-thaxter/) > [The snow has left the cottage top; The thatch moss grows in brighter green; And eaves in quick succession drop, Where grinning icicles have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-clare/the-snow-has-left-the-cottage-top-the-thatch-moss-grows-in-brighter/) [John Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-clare/) > [No one has ever laughed at a pun who did not see in the one word a twofold meaning. To materialists this world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/no-one-has-ever-laughed-at-a-pun-who-did-not-see-in-the-one-word-a/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) ## More by Wei Wu Wei > [The Saint is a man who disciplines his ego. The Sage is a man who rids himself of his ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/the-saint-is-a-man-who-disciplines-his-ego-the-sage-is-a-man-who-rids/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [Disciples and devotees…what are most of them doing? Worshipping the teapot instead of drinking the tea!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/disciples-and-devotees-what-are-most-of-them-doing-worshipping-the/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [Realisation is a matter of becoming conscious of that which is already realised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/realisation-is-a-matter-of-becoming-conscious-of-that-which-is/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [“It is only the artificial ego that suffers. The man who has transcended his false “me” no longer identifies himself with his suffering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/it-is-only-the-artificial-ego-that-suffers-the-man-who-has/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [We ourselves are not an illusory part of Reality; rather are we Reality itself illusorily conceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/we-ourselves-are-not-an-illusory-part-of-reality-rather-are-we/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [What do you have to do? Pack your bags, Go to the station without them, Catch the train, And leave your self behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/what-do-you-have-to-do-pack-your-bags-go-to-the-station-without-them/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [THIS which is seeking is THAT which is sought, and THAT which is sought is THIS which is seeking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/this-which-is-seeking-is-that-which-is-sought-and-that-which-is/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [As long as there is a 'you' doing or not-doing, thinking or not-thinking, 'meditating' or 'not-meditating' you are no closer to home than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/as-long-as-there-is-a-you-doing-or-not-doing-thinking-or-not-thinking/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [Doctrines, scriptures, sutras, essays, are not to be regarded as systems to be followed. They merely contribute to understanding. They should be for us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/doctrines-scriptures-sutras-essays-are-not-to-be-regarded-as-systems/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [As long as one accepts 'time' tacitly as such he is dreaming a drea, not living a life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/as-long-as-one-accepts-time-tacitly-as-such-he-is-dreaming-a-drea-not/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [Are you still thinking, looking, living, as from an imaginary phenomenal centre? As long as you do that you can never recognise your freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/are-you-still-thinking-looking-living-as-from-an-imaginary-phenomenal/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [In order to be effective truth must penetrate like an arrow - and that is likely to hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/in-order-to-be-effective-truth-must-penetrate-like-an-arrow-and-that/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [It is less what one is that should matter, than what one is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/it-is-less-what-one-is-that-should-matter-than-what-one-is-not/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [We imagine that waking-life is real and that dream-life is unreal, but there does not seem to be any evidence for this belief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/we-imagine-that-waking-life-is-real-and-that-dream-life-is-unreal-but/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) > [The seeing of Truth cannot be dualistic (a 'thing' seen). It cannot be seen by a see-er, or via a see-er. There can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wei-wu-wei/the-seeing-of-truth-cannot-be-dualistic-a-thing-seen-it-cannot-be/) [Wei Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) [Explore all 43 Wei Wu Wei quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wei-wu-wei/) ## More Half quotes > [When you listen to someone improvise, the notes that are played are only half the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-laws/when-you-listen-to-someone-improvise-the-notes-that-are-played-are/) [Hubert Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-laws/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. 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Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/but-the-effect-of-her-being-on-those-around-her-was-incalculably/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [I with borrow'd silver shine, What you see is none of mine. First I show you but a quarter, Like the bow that guards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-with-borrow-d-silver-shine-what-you-see-is-none-of-mine-first-i/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [If you want to change something by Tuesday, theater is no good. Journalism is what does that. But, if you want to just alter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-you-want-to-change-something-by-tuesday-theater-is-no-good/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I spend a lot of time loathing the sentences that I put down on the page. Once I'm past that phase, it doesn't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-loathing-the-sentences-that-i-put-down-on-the/) [Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/) > [I usually write from the rhythm section...If a drummer got a funky beat on some things - like a half-shuffle or a shuffle or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/i-usually-write-from-the-rhythm-section-if-a-drummer-got-a-funky-beat/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [The wisdom of our actions in the first three years of peace will determine the course of world history for half a century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-wallace/the-wisdom-of-our-actions-in-the-first-three-years-of-peace-will/) [Henry A. Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-wallace/) > [The thing about living alone is that it gives you a lot of time to think. 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