--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Seek goodness everywhere, and when it is…" description: "\"Seek goodness everywhere, and when it is found, bring it out of its hiding-place and let it be free and unashamed. Place in matter and in flesh the lea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d6/william-saroyan-1743_all-things_seek-goodness-everywhere-and-when-it-is_1865356.jpg" --- # Seek goodness everywhere, and when it is found, bring it… ![“Seek goodness everywhere, and when it is found, bring it out of its hiding-place and let it be free and unashamed. Place in matter and in flesh the least of the values, for these are things that hold death and must pass away. Discover in all things that which shines and is beyond corruption…” quote by William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d6/william-saroyan-1743_all-things_seek-goodness-everywhere-and-when-it-is_1865356.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d6/william-saroyan-1743_all-things_seek-goodness-everywhere-and-when-it-is_1865356.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d6/william-saroyan-1743_all-things_seek-goodness-everywhere-and-when-it-is_1865356.jpg) > “Seek goodness everywhere, and when it is found, bring it out of its hiding-place and let it be free and unashamed. Place in matter and in flesh the least of the values, for these are things that hold death and must pass away. Discover in all things that which shines and is beyond corruption. Encourage virtue in whatever heart it may have been driven into secrecy and sorrow by the shame and terror of the world.” [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True goodness should be uncovered, expressed openly, and shared, despite fear or societal pressure. **In simple terms:** Share discovered goodness boldly. Key Takeaway Act on discovered virtues without shame. Themes goodness courage virtue expression Mood hopeful determined Type inspirational ethical When to use this quote - community service - personal relationships - creative work Key Concepts Moral philosophy ethical behavior social courage Questions to Reflect On - What virtues are you hiding? - How can you reveal them safely? A Different Perspective Fear of judgment may suppress expression of virtue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [All things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-things/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Corruption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Driven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driven/) [Encourage Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encourage-virtue-797997/) [Flesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flesh/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Hiding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hiding/) [Hiding place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hiding-place/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Passing away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passing-away/) [Secrecy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrecy/) [Seek Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seek-goodness-947580/) [Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/) [Shining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shining/) [Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow/) [Terror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terror/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Values Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values-things-699006/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtue Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-heart-2538538/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“In the time of your life, live—so that in that good time there shall be no ugliness or death for yourself or for any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/in-the-time-of-your-life-live-so-that-in-that-good-time-there-shall-3/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [In the time of your life, live - so that in that good time there shall be no ugliness or death for yourself or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/in-the-time-of-your-life-live-so-that-in-that-good-time-there-shall/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Seek goodness everywhere, and when it is found, bring it out of its hiding place and let be free and unashamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/seek-goodness-everywhere-and-when-it-is-found-bring-it-out-of-its/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Encourage virtue in whatever heart it may have been driven into secrecy and sorrow by the shame and terror of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/encourage-virtue-in-whatever-heart-it-may-have-been-driven-into/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Men of authority and influence may promote good morals. Let them in their several stations encourage virtue. Let them favor and take part in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilberforce/men-of-authority-and-influence-may-promote-good-morals-let-them-in/) [William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/) > [Love is the greatest virtue of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/love-is-the-greatest-virtue-of-the-heart/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [“Knowledge in the head and virtue in the heart, time devoted to study or business, instead of show and pleasure, are the way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/knowledge-in-the-head-and-virtue-in-the-heart-time-devoted-to-study/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Charity is a virtue of the heart, and not of the hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/charity-is-a-virtue-of-the-heart-and-not-of-the-hands/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Science is no substitute for virtue; the heart is as necessary for a good life as the head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/science-is-no-substitute-for-virtue-the-heart-is-as-necessary-for-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [When you don't respect yourself, things add value to you. When you respect the self, you add values to the things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-don-t-respect-yourself-things-add-value-to-you-when-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All of us assign different values to things, and not all of those values are going to line up with others'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-hax/all-of-us-assign-different-values-to-things-and-not-all-of-those/) [Carolyn Hax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-hax/) > [Labour once spent has no influence on the future value of any article; it isgone and lost for ever. In commerce bygones are forever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/labour-once-spent-has-no-influence-on-the-future-value-of-any-article/) [William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) > [“Experience has taught me that people only give values to things if they have, at some point, been uncertain as to whether or not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/experience-has-taught-me-that-people-only-give-values-to-things-if/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Rather than worrying about what others are doing, live your values. Put first things first. Spend more time with your loved ones and away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-p-hardy/rather-than-worrying-about-what-others-are-doing-live-your-values-put/) [Benjamin P. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-p-hardy/) > [“When nothing is valued for what it is, everything is destined to be wasted. Once the values of things refer only to their future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/when-nothing-is-valued-for-what-it-is-everything-is-destined-to-be/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## More by William Saroyan > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [The basic truth of all things, as nearly as we may ever dream of determining and knowing this truth, is form, that which is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/the-basic-truth-of-all-things-as-nearly-as-we-may-ever-dream-of/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [“This is a hell of a night. 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I believe it is the biggest thing in the human race, and the most constant. How do you take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/i-am-interested-in-madness-i-believe-it-is-the-biggest-thing-in-the/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Two years ago your father died, Ulysses. But as long as we are alive, as long as we are together, as long as two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/two-years-ago-your-father-died-ulysses-but-as-long-as-we-are-alive-as/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Cowards are nice, they're interesting, they're gentle, they wouldn't think of shooting down people in a parade from a tower. They want to live,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/cowards-are-nice-they-re-interesting-they-re-gentle-they-wouldn-t/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [In the time of your life, live - so that in that good time there shall be no ugliness or death for yourself or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/in-the-time-of-your-life-live-so-that-in-that-good-time-there-shall/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [San Francisco is a world to explore. It is a place where the heart can go on a delightful adventure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/san-francisco-is-a-world-to-explore-it-is-a-place-where-the-heart-can/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Even after you've won fame and fortune, every time you write you've got to write, there's no shortcut, you have to start your career…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/even-after-you-ve-won-fame-and-fortune-every-time-you-write-you-ve/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose history is ended, whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/i-should-like-to-see-any-power-of-the-world-destroy-this-race-this/) [WILLIAM SAROYAN](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [There could be no extreme vanity in my recognition of myself, if in fact there could be any at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/there-could-be-no-extreme-vanity-in-my-recognition-of-myself-if-in/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [“This sense of being out of time has driven thousands of people from their homes into moving-picture theaters where new universes appear before them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/this-sense-of-being-out-of-time-has-driven-thousands-of-people-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) [Explore all 207 William Saroyan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) ## More All things quotes > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/) [Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/) > [A tree is a self: it is 'unseen shaping' more than it is leaves or bark, roots or cellulose or fruit ... What this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-swimme/a-tree-is-a-self-it-is-unseen-shaping-more-than-it-is-leaves-or-bark/) [Brian Swimme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-swimme/) > [Dear God, I trust that no matter what happens in my life, it is for my highest good. And no matter what happens in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/dear-god-i-trust-that-no-matter-what-happens-in-my-life-it-is-for-my/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [Moderation, honey, in all things but love and chocolate. That's my motto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-bretton/moderation-honey-in-all-things-but-love-and-chocolate-that-s-my-motto/) [Barbara Bretton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-bretton/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) [James Nayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nayler/) > [What greater weakness can there be than not to know what is the source of one's being, of one's life, of one's senses, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/what-greater-weakness-can-there-be-than-not-to-know-what-is-the/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [When I was in my teens I had a series of intensely religious experiences. They deepened my sense of God as the creator of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/when-i-was-in-my-teens-i-had-a-series-of-intensely-religious/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [It is more than a little ironic that "capital accumulation" once a rather tendentious Marxian view of a supposed capitalist obsession, should have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/it-is-more-than-a-little-ironic-that-capital-accumulation-once-a/) [Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Time, which wears down and diminishes all things, augments and increases good deeds, because a good turn liberally offered to a reasonable man grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/time-which-wears-down-and-diminishes-all-things-augments-and/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Standing as a witness in all things means being kind in all things, being the first to say hello, being the first to smile,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-nadauld/standing-as-a-witness-in-all-things-means-being-kind-in-all-things/) [Margaret D. 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The universal Cause, by knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-dionysius/god-does-not-possess-a-private-knowledge-of-himself-and-a-separate/) [Pope Dionysius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-dionysius/) [Browse all 2,486 All things quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-things/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Seek goodness everywhere, and when it is found, bring it out of its hiding-place and let it be free and unashamed. Place in matter and in flesh the least of the values, for these are things that hold death and must pass away. Discover in all things that which shines and is beyond corruption. 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