--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If there be a skeptical star I was born…" description: "\"If there be a skeptical star I was born under it. Yet I have lived all my days in complete astonishment.\" — William Macneile Dixon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d36/william-macneile-dixon-44780_astonishment_if-there-be-a-skeptical-star-i-was-born_81483.jpg" --- # If there be a skeptical star I was born under it. Yet I… ![“If there be a skeptical star I was born under it. Yet I have lived all my days in complete astonishment.” quote by William Macneile Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d36/william-macneile-dixon-44780_astonishment_if-there-be-a-skeptical-star-i-was-born_81483.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d36/william-macneile-dixon-44780_astonishment_if-there-be-a-skeptical-star-i-was-born_81483.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d36/william-macneile-dixon-44780_astonishment_if-there-be-a-skeptical-star-i-was-born_81483.jpg) > “If there be a skeptical star I was born under it. Yet I have lived all my days in complete astonishment.” [William Macneile Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-macneile-dixon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker acknowledges a naturally skeptical disposition but remains perpetually amazed by life's wonders. **In simple terms:** Skepticism coexists with awe. Key Takeaway Even skeptics can be astonished. Themes skepticism wonder humility paradox self-awareness Mood curiosity humility wonder Type aphorism personal reflection When to use this quote - reflecting on personal worldview - encountering unexpected beauty - navigating doubt - appreciating everyday miracles Key Concepts cognitive dissonance personal growth Practical Applications - philosophical writing - motivational speaking Questions to Reflect On - How does doubt shape your perception of the world? - What experiences have surprised you despite skepticism? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astonishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astonishment/) [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born/) [Complete Astonishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complete-astonishment-1035820/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Skeptical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skeptical/) [Skeptical Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skeptical-star-1035819/) [Star Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/star-born-258934/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) ## Related quotes > [I'm track 3 with fabulous French dialogue on the 'Star Is Born' album. I'm track 3 'NASA' on Ariana Grande's album. From 'All Stars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shangela/i-m-track-3-with-fabulous-french-dialogue-on-the-star-is-born-album-i/) [Shangela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shangela/) > [New York critics - I hear when one of them watched "A Star Is Born", he talked back to the screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbra-streisand/new-york-critics-i-hear-when-one-of-them-watched-a-star-is-born-he/) [Barbra Streisand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbra-streisand/) > [I wanted to be a politician and a movie star. But I was born a writer. If you're born that, you can't change it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-wanted-to-be-a-politician-and-a-movie-star-but-i-was-born-a-writer/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [“A new star has been born and Vera’s performance brings alive the desolate life of O’Neil’s young heroine in a natural talent that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajiv-kapoor/a-new-star-has-been-born-and-vera-s-performance-brings-alive-the/) [Rajiv Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajiv-kapoor/) > [The idea of a star being born is bushwa. A star is created, carefully and cold-bloodily, built up from nothing, from nobody. Age, beauty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-b-mayer/the-idea-of-a-star-being-born-is-bushwa-a-star-is-created-carefully/) [Louis B. Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-b-mayer/) > [It is unlikely that we will ever see a star being born. Stars are like animals in the wild. We may see the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-pagels/it-is-unlikely-that-we-will-ever-see-a-star-being-born-stars-are-like/) [Heinz Pagels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-pagels/) > [The first album I ever owned was 'A Star is Born.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idina-menzel/the-first-album-i-ever-owned-was-a-star-is-born/) [Idina Menzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idina-menzel/) > [The press was all over to get a picture of me. It got to the point where they were all over my house, following…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fawn-hall/the-press-was-all-over-to-get-a-picture-of-me-it-got-to-the-point/) [Fawn Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fawn-hall/) > [You do not become a star, you are born a star. A star is born with that indefinable extra something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-loren/you-do-not-become-a-star-you-are-born-a-star-a-star-is-born-with-that/) [Sophia Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-loren/) > [I want to keep 'A Star Is Born' with the greatest reverence ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willam-belli/i-want-to-keep-a-star-is-born-with-the-greatest-reverence-ever/) [Willam Belli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willam-belli/) > [“That is, I could either see myself as a nonentity, or I could see myself as whatever I wished to be, like a star,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-aaron-goodman/that-is-i-could-either-see-myself-as-a-nonentity-or-i-could-see/) [Matthew Aaron Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-aaron-goodman/) > [Taimur is a star... a born star... superstar!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-grover/taimur-is-a-star-a-born-star-superstar/) [Sunil Grover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-grover/) > [A Star Is Born' was everything. Gaga and Bradley, and having people you look up to laugh at your jokes, felt really good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willam-belli/a-star-is-born-was-everything-gaga-and-bradley-and-having-people-you/) [Willam Belli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willam-belli/) > [“For a star to be born, there is one thing that must happen: a gaseous nebula must collapse. So collapse. Crumble. This is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-l/for-a-star-to-be-born-there-is-one-thing-that-must-happen-a-gaseous/) [N.l](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-l/) > [I'm not complaining at all but 'A Star Is Born' hasn't helped my career in like, opportunity terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willam-belli/i-m-not-complaining-at-all-but-a-star-is-born-hasn-t-helped-my-career/) [Willam Belli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willam-belli/) ## More by William Macneile Dixon > [All finite things have their roots in the infinite, and if you wish to understand life at all, you cannot tear out its context.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-macneile-dixon/all-finite-things-have-their-roots-in-the-infinite-and-if-you-wish-to/) [William Macneile Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-macneile-dixon/) > [There is more than a morsel of truth in the saying, "He who hates vice hates mankind."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-macneile-dixon/there-is-more-than-a-morsel-of-truth-in-the-saying-he-who-hates-vice/) [William Macneile Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-macneile-dixon/) > [Men ardently pursue truth, assuming it will be angels' bread when found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-macneile-dixon/men-ardently-pursue-truth-assuming-it-will-be-angels-bread-when-found/) [William Macneile Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-macneile-dixon/) > [Ideas, like individuals, live and die. They flourish, according to their nature, in one soil or climate and droop in another. They are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-macneile-dixon/ideas-like-individuals-live-and-die-they-flourish-according-to-their/) [William MacNeile Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-macneile-dixon/) > [Our desires attract supporting reasons as a magnet the iron fillings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-macneile-dixon/our-desires-attract-supporting-reasons-as-a-magnet-the-iron-fillings/) [William Macneile Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-macneile-dixon/) > [The facts of the present won't sit still for a portrait. They are constantly vibrating, full of clutter and confusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-macneile-dixon/the-facts-of-the-present-won-t-sit-still-for-a-portrait-they-are/) [William Macneile Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-macneile-dixon/) > [Our business is not to solve problems beyond our mortal powers, but to see to it that our thoughts are not unworthy of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-macneile-dixon/our-business-is-not-to-solve-problems-beyond-our-mortal-powers-but-to/) [William Macneile Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-macneile-dixon/) > [To understand any living thing, you must, so to say, creep within and feel the beating of its heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-macneile-dixon/to-understand-any-living-thing-you-must-so-to-say-creep-within-and/) [William Macneile Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-macneile-dixon/) [Explore all 9 William Macneile Dixon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-macneile-dixon/) ## More Astonishment quotes > [“A writer lives, at least, in a state of astonishment. Beneath any feeling he has of the good or evil of the world lies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sansom/a-writer-lives-at-least-in-a-state-of-astonishment-beneath-any/) [William Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sansom/) > [Rich men are resolved to be astonished at nothing. When they see a masterpiece, they must needs at one glance recognize some flaw to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/rich-men-are-resolved-to-be-astonished-at-nothing-when-they-see-a/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [A lot of what I am looking for is a moment of astonishment, he says. Those moments of pure consciousness when you involuntarily inhale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-meyerowitz/a-lot-of-what-i-am-looking-for-is-a-moment-of-astonishment-he-says/) [Joel Meyerowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-meyerowitz/) > [If you aren't constantly astonished at God's grace in your solitude, there's no way it can happen in public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-aren-t-constantly-astonished-at-god-s-grace-in-your-solitude/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Witness each moment in astounded jubilation. Take every holy breath in gratitude. Rejoice in life!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/witness-each-moment-in-astounded-jubilation-take-every-holy-breath-in/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [Those who have past much of their lives in this great city, look upon its opulence and its multitudes, its extent and variety, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/those-who-have-past-much-of-their-lives-in-this-great-city-look-upon/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“See? Nothing to it." "I see all right," Carly said, her tone full of awe. She gaped at him. "What?" "Um..." "Jesus, Carly, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lissa-bryan/see-nothing-to-it-i-see-all-right-carly-said-her-tone-full-of-awe-she/) [Lissa Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lissa-bryan/) > [For a moment Clary thought she might fall; she felt as if something essential had been torn away from her, an arm or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/for-a-moment-clary-thought-she-might-fall-she-felt-as-if-something/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Both of you’ll just have to believe me. Emma’s one of those women who was born with… The thing is, the minute a heterosexual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/both-of-you-ll-just-have-to-believe-me-emma-s-one-of-those-women-who/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [“For the analyst it is a source of never-ending astonishment how comparatively well a person can function with the core of himself not participating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-horney/for-the-analyst-it-is-a-source-of-never-ending-astonishment-how/) [Karen Horney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-horney/) > [It was only when I lay there on the rotting prison straw that I sensed within myself the first stirrings of good. Gradually it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/it-was-only-when-i-lay-there-on-the-rotting-prison-straw-that-i/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [Sometimes, people trying to commit suicide manage it in a manner that leaves them breathless with astonishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/sometimes-people-trying-to-commit-suicide-manage-it-in-a-manner-that/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [When I wake up, I wake to something worse. It’s the astonishment of being myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/when-i-wake-up-i-wake-to-something-worse-it-s-the-astonishment-of/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [What shall I say! And how shall I describe this Birth to you? For this wonder fills me with astonishment. The Ancient of Days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/what-shall-i-say-and-how-shall-i-describe-this-birth-to-you-for-this/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [What does it mean to grow rich? Is it to have red-blooded adventures and to make a ‘fortune,’ which is what brought the whalers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-l-pez/what-does-it-mean-to-grow-rich-is-it-to-have-red-blooded-adventures/) [Barry Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-l-pez/) [Browse all 227 Astonishment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astonishment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If there be a skeptical star I was born under it. Yet I have lived all my days in complete astonishment.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Macneile Dixon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-macneile-dixon/if-there-be-a-skeptical-star-i-was-born-under-it-yet-i-have-lived-all/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Astonishment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-macneile-dixon/if-there-be-a-skeptical-star-i-was-born-under-it-yet-i-have-lived-all/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d36/william-macneile-dixon-44780_astonishment_if-there-be-a-skeptical-star-i-was-born_81483.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d36/william-macneile-dixon-44780_astonishment_if-there-be-a-skeptical-star-i-was-born_81483.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d36/william-macneile-dixon-44780_astonishment_if-there-be-a-skeptical-star-i-was-born_81483.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If there be a skeptical star I was born under it. Yet I have lived all my days in complete astonishment.” — William Macneile Dixon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Macneile Dixon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-macneile-dixon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If there be a skeptical star...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-macneile-dixon/if-there-be-a-skeptical-star-i-was-born-under-it-yet-i-have-lived-all/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-macneile-dixon/if-there-be-a-skeptical-star-i-was-born-under-it-yet-i-have-lived-all/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```