--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life flows on over death as water closes…" description: "\"Life flows on over death as water closes over a stone dropped into a pool. ... Fate is certain; death is certain; but the courage and nobility of men a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fff/winifred-holtby-10595_certain_life-flows-on-over-death-as-water-closes_1436529.png" --- # Life flows on over death as water closes over a stone… ![“Life flows on over death as water closes over a stone dropped into a pool. ... Fate is certain; death is certain; but the courage and nobility of men and women matter more than these.” quote by Winifred Holtby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fff/winifred-holtby-10595_certain_life-flows-on-over-death-as-water-closes_1436529.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fff/winifred-holtby-10595_certain_life-flows-on-over-death-as-water-closes_1436529.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fff/winifred-holtby-10595_certain_life-flows-on-over-death-as-water-closes_1436529.png) > “Life flows on over death as water closes over a stone dropped into a pool. ... Fate is certain; death is certain; but the courage and nobility of men and women matter more than these.” [Winifred Holtby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winifred-holtby/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life continues after death, like water covering a stone, yet human courage and nobility matter most. **In simple terms:** Life goes on; courage matters. Key Takeaway Value bravery over fate. Themes mortality courage legacy Mood reflective determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - grieving - leadership - war - personal loss - community building Key Concepts existentialism human dignity Questions to Reflect On - What acts of nobility can you perform now? - How do you confront mortality? A Different Perspective Courage may not change inevitable outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Certain death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain-death/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Death Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-certain-393448/) [Death Is Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-is-certain/) [Fate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fate/) [Fate Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fate-certain-1783970/) [Flow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flow/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life and death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-and-death/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men and women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-and-women/) [Nobility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nobility/) [Pool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pool/) [Pool Fate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pool-fate-5129602/) [Stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stones/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [Since death is certain and the time of death is uncertain, what is the most important thing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/since-death-is-certain-and-the-time-of-death-is-uncertain-what-is-the/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [To that which is born, death is certain; to that which is dead, birth is certain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/to-that-which-is-born-death-is-certain-to-that-which-is-dead-birth-is/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [Death is certain. Life is uncertain. Be AWARE. Be good. Be Kind Hearted. Be Grateful. Be Compassionate. Be Loving. Be Gentle. Be Helpful. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-certain-life-is-uncertain-be-aware-be-good-be-kind-hearted/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you fight with all your might, there is a chance of life; where as death is certain if you cling to your corner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/if-you-fight-with-all-your-might-there-is-a-chance-of-life-where-as/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Death is certain of that which is born. Birth is certain of that which is dead. Therefore, you should not lament over the inevitable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murali-iyengar/death-is-certain-of-that-which-is-born-birth-is-certain-of-that-which/) [Murali Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murali-iyengar/) > [Life is uncertain; death is certain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/life-is-uncertain-death-is-certain/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Because, death is certain for the one who is born, and birth is certain for the one who dies. Therefore, you should not lament…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhagavad-gita/because-death-is-certain-for-the-one-who-is-born-and-birth-is-certain/) [Bhagavad Gita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhagavad-gita/) > [We never stop reading, although every book comes to an end, just as we never stop living, although death is certain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/we-never-stop-reading-although-every-book-comes-to-an-end-just-as-we/) [Roberto Bolano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/) > [Everything is possible but death is certain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hqlinesme/everything-is-possible-but-death-is-certain/) [HQLinesme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hqlinesme/) > [“Change is automatic, but progress is not. Death is certain, but LIVING a good life is a CHOICE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sesan-kareem/change-is-automatic-but-progress-is-not-death-is-certain-but-living-a/) [Sesan Kareem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sesan-kareem/) > [Before you turn 40 you think, 'everyone else is going to die, but not me,' then you realize death is certain for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ol-parker/before-you-turn-40-you-think-everyone-else-is-going-to-die-but-not-me/) [Ol Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ol-parker/) > [“Living is uncertain and death is certain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-price-billy/living-is-uncertain-and-death-is-certain/) [Ray Price Billy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-price-billy/) > [“Shiro says, “So certain death if we do, and almost certain death if we don’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-chase/shiro-says-so-certain-death-if-we-do-and-almost-certain-death-if-we/) [B.C. Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-chase/) > [“There isn't any questioning the fact that some people enter your life, at the exact point of need, want or desire - it's sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-rowe/there-isn-t-any-questioning-the-fact-that-some-people-enter-your-life/) [Nikki Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-rowe/) > [I don't know yet whether I fully believe in fate, but certain things do happen in a man's life that he cannot explain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/i-don-t-know-yet-whether-i-fully-believe-in-fate-but-certain-things/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) ## More by Winifred Holtby > [it is the brevity of life which makes it tolerable; its experiences have value because they have an end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winifred-holtby/it-is-the-brevity-of-life-which-makes-it-tolerable-its-experiences/) [Winifred Holtby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winifred-holtby/) > [You are quite, quite wrong if you think that ... 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