Mattered Quote by William Faulkner
““I was wrong. I admit it. I believed that there were things which still mattered just because they had mattered once. But I was wrong. Nothing matters but breath, breathing, to know and to be alive.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Sound and the Fury, 1929
Life's only certainty is breath; all else is transient.
In simple terms: Only breathing matters; everything else fades.
Key Takeaway
Live fully in the present moment.
Themes
mortality
existence
impermanence
meaning
Mood
reflective
contemplative
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- meditation
- health
- creative work
- relationships
Key Concepts
existentialism
human condition
mindfulness
Questions to Reflect On
- What does being alive mean to you?
- How do you honor each breath?
A Different Perspective
Emphasizing breath may overlook other values like love or duty.
![“All I cared about was the music, like hearing Townes [ Van Zandt] talking about "For the sake of the song"; it's all that mattered. In spite of me a couple of things happened, mainly the Eagles and Seven Bridges Road. That certainly helped me survive. Joan Baez, Rita Coolidge, and Ian Matthews did…” quote by Steve Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/053/steve-young-2710_bridges_all-i-cared-about-was-the-music-like-hea_124821.jpg)