--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those we love can but walk down to the…" description: "\"Those we love can but walk down to the pier with us - the voyage we must make alone.\" — William Makepeace Thackeray" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_pier_those-we-love-can-but-walk-down-to-the-p_386354.jpg" --- # Those we love can but walk down to the pier with us - the… ![“Those we love can but walk down to the pier with us - the voyage we must make alone.” quote by William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_pier_those-we-love-can-but-walk-down-to-the-p_386354.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_pier_those-we-love-can-but-walk-down-to-the-p_386354.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_pier_those-we-love-can-but-walk-down-to-the-p_386354.jpg) > “Those we love can but walk down to the pier with us - the voyage we must make alone.” [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Loved ones may accompany us partway, but ultimately each must face life's solitary journey alone. **In simple terms:** We travel alone despite companionship. Key Takeaway Accept solitary aspects of life. Themes loneliness love independence Mood melancholic thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - grief - personal growth - self‑reliance Key Concepts existentialism literature Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance togetherness and independence? - What solitary moments have taught you? A Different Perspective Isolation can feel painful and frightening. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Pier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pier/) [Those we love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/those-we-love/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/) [Voyage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voyage/) [Voyages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voyages/) ## Related quotes > [If anyone ever asks me about different places, I always say I'd rather be in Howth. Any time I'm home, I just walk the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vogue-williams/if-anyone-ever-asks-me-about-different-places-i-always-say-i-d-rather/) [Vogue Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vogue-williams/) > [People tend to read books about a guy who goes back in time or a guy who is living under a pier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-andrews/people-tend-to-read-books-about-a-guy-who-goes-back-in-time-or-a-guy/) [Andy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-andrews/) > [I haven't been down to Navy Pier in such a long time. I know that's probably the touristy thing to do, but it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/i-haven-t-been-down-to-navy-pier-in-such-a-long-time-i-know-that-s/) [Michael B. 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Daily the steamers sidle up to meet The effusive welcome of the pier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/august-for-the-people-and-their-favourite-islands-daily-the-steamers/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [If you get made fun of working at Pier One Imports, you can't pelt them with poop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/if-you-get-made-fun-of-working-at-pier-one-imports-you-can-t-pelt/) [Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/) > [I remember my grandmother taking me and my sisters to the Steel Pier in Atlantic City. 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And if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-clendening/i-d-much-rather-spend-all-day-on-the-santa-monica-pier-playing/) [Anne Clendening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-clendening/) > [“She walked down the pier and carefully stepped into the boat, taking up her seat”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-james/she-walked-down-the-pier-and-carefully-stepped-into-the-boat-taking/) [Nicole James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-james/) > [One of the things I always tell people like if they've never been to L.A., especially if the weather's nice, I love going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scheana-shay/one-of-the-things-i-always-tell-people-like-if-they-ve-never-been-to/) [Scheana Shay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scheana-shay/) > [“There was a pier filled with thousands of people, men and women, fathers and mothers and children--so many children--children from the past and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/there-was-a-pier-filled-with-thousands-of-people-men-and-women/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“Cal stepped forward, hopefully to come to my rescue. "I could toss her off the pier, Ms. Vanderlyden." Or not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/cal-stepped-forward-hopefully-to-come-to-my-rescue-i-could-toss-her/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) ## More by William Makepeace Thackeray > [“To those great geniuses now in petticoats, who shall write novels for the beloved reader's children, these men and things will be as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/to-those-great-geniuses-now-in-petticoats-who-shall-write-novels-for/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Let a man who has to make his fortune in life remember this maxim: Attacking is the only secret. Dare and the world yields,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/let-a-man-who-has-to-make-his-fortune-in-life-remember-this-maxim/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [As nature made every man with a nose and eyes of his own, she gave him a character of his own, too; and yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/as-nature-made-every-man-with-a-nose-and-eyes-of-his-own-she-gave-him/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [It is best to love wisely, no doubt; but to love foolishly is better than not to be able to love at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/it-is-best-to-love-wisely-no-doubt-but-to-love-foolishly-is-better/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Diffidence is a sort of false modesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/diffidence-is-a-sort-of-false-modesty/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Our great thoughts, our great affections, the truths of our life, never leave us. 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"I could toss her off the pier, Ms. Vanderlyden." Or not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/cal-stepped-forward-hopefully-to-come-to-my-rescue-i-could-toss-her/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [“There was a pier filled with thousands of people, men and women, fathers and mothers and children--so many children--children from the past and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/there-was-a-pier-filled-with-thousands-of-people-men-and-women/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [One of the things I always tell people like if they've never been to L.A., especially if the weather's nice, I love going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scheana-shay/one-of-the-things-i-always-tell-people-like-if-they-ve-never-been-to/) [Scheana Shay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scheana-shay/) > [“She walked down the pier and carefully stepped into the boat, taking up her seat”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-james/she-walked-down-the-pier-and-carefully-stepped-into-the-boat-taking/) [Nicole James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-james/) > [If you get made fun of working at Pier One Imports, you can't pelt them with poop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/if-you-get-made-fun-of-working-at-pier-one-imports-you-can-t-pelt/) [Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/) > [August for the people and their favourite islands. Daily the steamers sidle up to meet The effusive welcome of the pier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/august-for-the-people-and-their-favourite-islands-daily-the-steamers/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [I remember my grandmother taking me and my sisters to the Steel Pier in Atlantic City. We would watch the diving bell and see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-biden/i-remember-my-grandmother-taking-me-and-my-sisters-to-the-steel-pier/) [Jill Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-biden/) > [If anyone ever asks me about different places, I always say I'd rather be in Howth. Any time I'm home, I just walk the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vogue-williams/if-anyone-ever-asks-me-about-different-places-i-always-say-i-d-rather/) [Vogue Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vogue-williams/) > [“I am a degenerate modern semi-intellectual who would die if I did not get my early morning cup of tea and my New Statesman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/i-am-a-degenerate-modern-semi-intellectual-who-would-die-if-i-did-not/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“I'd much rather spend all day on the Santa Monica pier playing Asteroids than delve into the murk and analyze myself. And if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-clendening/i-d-much-rather-spend-all-day-on-the-santa-monica-pier-playing/) [Anne Clendening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-clendening/) > [Some people wait so long for their ship to come in, their pier collapses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goddard/some-people-wait-so-long-for-their-ship-to-come-in-their-pier/) [John Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goddard/) > [A pier is a disappointed bridge; yet stare at it for long enough and you can dream it to the other side of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/a-pier-is-a-disappointed-bridge-yet-stare-at-it-for-long-enough-and/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [I haven't been down to Navy Pier in such a long time. I know that's probably the touristy thing to do, but it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/i-haven-t-been-down-to-navy-pier-in-such-a-long-time-i-know-that-s/) [Michael B. 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