--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How joyful to be together, alone as when…" description: "\"How joyful to be together, alone as when we first were joined in our little house by the river long ago, except that now we know each other, as we did ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/wendell-berry-236_death_how-joyful-to-be-together-alone-as-when_2043491.jpg" --- # How joyful to be together, alone as when we first were… ![“How joyful to be together, alone as when we first were joined in our little house by the river long ago, except that now we know each other, as we did not then; and now instead of two stories fumbling to meet, we belong to one story that the two, joining, made. And now we touch each other with the…” quote by Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/wendell-berry-236_death_how-joyful-to-be-together-alone-as-when_2043491.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/wendell-berry-236_death_how-joyful-to-be-together-alone-as-when_2043491.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/wendell-berry-236_death_how-joyful-to-be-together-alone-as-when_2043491.jpg) > “How joyful to be together, alone as when we first were joined in our little house by the river long ago, except that now we know each other, as we did not then; and now instead of two stories fumbling to meet, we belong to one story that the two, joining, made. And now we touch each other with the tenderness of mortals, who know themselves” [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Two individuals merge, creating a shared narrative that deepens intimacy and mutual understanding. **In simple terms:** Together we become one story. Key Takeaway Cultivate shared experiences to strengthen bonds. Themes relationships unity storytelling intimacy Mood reflective warm Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - marriage - friendship - collaborative projects - family gatherings Key Concepts philosophy literature psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal identity with shared life? - What rituals nurture your shared story? A Different Perspective Idealizing unity may overlook individual needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belong/) [Belong Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belong-story-1799931/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [Joining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joining/) [Joyful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joyful/) [Joyful Joined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joyful-joined-3815558/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lives/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-ago/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Meet Belong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meet-belong-3815557/) [Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivers/) [Soulmate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soulmate/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Tenderness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tenderness/) [Tenderness Mortals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tenderness-mortals-3815556/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) ## Related quotes > [“Even if the story relating to some of them may not belong to literary history, it certainly does belong in the story of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schnitzler/even-if-the-story-relating-to-some-of-them-may-not-belong-to-literary/) [Arthur Schnitzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schnitzler/) > [“Belong to me, Story. 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I minded. After all, she’d tried to kill me. A girl in a novel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/i-hope-you-don-t-mind-my-joining-you-said-leanne-i-minded-after-all/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [A new survey found that 12 percent of parents punish their kids by banning social networking sites. The other 88 percent punish their kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/a-new-survey-found-that-12-percent-of-parents-punish-their-kids-by/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) ## More by Wendell Berry > [During the last 17 years... I have been working at the restoration of a once exhausted hillside. Its scars are now healed over, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/during-the-last-17-years-i-have-been-working-at-the-restoration-of-a/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. 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He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/i-knew-a-man-who-in-the-age-of-chain-saws-went-right-on-cutting-his/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The concept of country, homeland, dwelling place becomes simplified as "the environment" -- that is, what surrounds us, we have already made a profound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-concept-of-country-homeland-dwelling-place-becomes-simplified-as/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [A community is the mental and spiritual condition of knowing that the place is shared, and that the people who share the place define…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/a-community-is-the-mental-and-spiritual-condition-of-knowing-that-the/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“That we can prescribe the terms of our own success, that we can live outside or in ignorance of the Great Economy are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/that-we-can-prescribe-the-terms-of-our-own-success-that-we-can-live/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The mind that comes to rest is tended In ways that it cannot intend: Is borne, preserved, and comprehended By what it cannot comprehend.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-mind-that-comes-to-rest-is-tended-in-ways-that-it-cannot-intend/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The mercy of the world is time. Time does not stop for love, but it does not stop for death and grief, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-mercy-of-the-world-is-time-time-does-not-stop-for-love-but-it/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The soil is the great connector of our lives, the source and destination of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-soil-is-the-great-connector-of-our-lives-the-source-and/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [I dislike the thought that some animal has been made miserable to feed me. If I am going to eat meat, I want it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/i-dislike-the-thought-that-some-animal-has-been-made-miserable-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/laughter-is-immeasurable-be-joyful/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [These are people who are capable of devotion, public devotion, to justice. They meant what they said and every day that passes, they mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/these-are-people-who-are-capable-of-devotion-public-devotion-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) [Explore all 847 Wendell Berry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## More Belong quotes > [How come I end up where I started How come I end up where I belong... You used to be alright What happened?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/how-come-i-end-up-where-i-started-how-come-i-end-up-where-i-belong/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [Each of us is precious to God because each of us has their name written on the palms of God's hands. And God says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/each-of-us-is-precious-to-god-because-each-of-us-has-their-name/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Never belong to a crowd; Never belong to a nation; Never belong to a religion; Never belong to a race. Belong to the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/never-belong-to-a-crowd-never-belong-to-a-nation-never-belong-to-a/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I hate this feeling. Like Im here. But, Im not. Like someone cares. But, they dont. Like I belong somewhere else, anywhere but here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-this-feeling-like-im-here-but-im-not-like-someone-cares-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As you know, in America there's no rights for the artist, so whatever films I've made kind of belong to the studio, so if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-jewison/as-you-know-in-america-there-s-no-rights-for-the-artist-so-whatever/) [Norman Jewison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-jewison/) > [“When the time comes, everybody’s got to end up where they belong. Only me, I didn’t have a place to call my own. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-the-time-comes-everybody-s-got-to-end-up-where-they-belong-only/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [God has a purpose for us. If he didn't we wouldn't be alive in the first place. We have a calling. We are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-janssen/god-has-a-purpose-for-us-if-he-didn-t-we-wouldn-t-be-alive-in-the/) [Kenny Janssen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-janssen/) > [I thought of how many places there are in the world that belong in this way to someone, who has it in his blood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/i-thought-of-how-many-places-there-are-in-the-world-that-belong-in/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [I belong to a Bohri Muslim family, and for us, food is our biggest celebration. We are used to elaborate five- to six-course meals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nushrat-bharucha/i-belong-to-a-bohri-muslim-family-and-for-us-food-is-our-biggest/) [Nushrat Bharucha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nushrat-bharucha/) > [“You need to belong to yourself, and let others belong to themselves too. 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My career didn't go like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-warner/there-s-a-compelling-reason-why-i-belong-in-the-hall-of-fame-but-i/) [Kurt Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-warner/) [Browse all 1,571 Belong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belong/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "How joyful to be together, alone as when we first were joined in our little house by the river long ago, except that now we know each other, as we did not then; and now instead of two stories fumbling to meet, we belong to one story that the two, joining, made. 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