None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
Every day a new picture is painted and framed, held up for half an hour, in such lights as the Great Artist chooses, and then withdrawn, and the curtain falls. And then the sun goes down, and long the afterglow gives light.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Life is transient and constantly changing, much like the scenes of a painting that are temporary yet beautiful.
This quote by Henry David Thoreau suggests that each day presents us with a unique and fleeting experience, metaphorically illustrated as a picture painted by a Great Artist. It emphasizes the beauty and impermanence of life, reminding us that moments are crafted and showcased in different lights, ultimately fading away, yet leaving behind an afterglow that lingers in our memories.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about embracing change, one might say, 'As Thoreau reminds us, every day a new picture is painted, urging us to appreciate the beauty of the moment.'
More from Henry David Thoreau
All quotes →Through want of enterprise and faith men are where they are, buying and selling and spending their lives like servants.
An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.
Have no mean hours, but be grateful for every hour, and accept what it brings. The reality will make any sincere record respectable.
As every season seems best to us in its turn, so the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.
That grand old poem called Winter
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