There are many things which we can afford to forget which it is yet well to learn.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.Read
The riders in a race do not stop when they reach the goal. There is a little finishing canter before coming to a standstill. There is time to hear the kind voices of friends and say to oneself, The work is done.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Achieving a goal is just a part of the journey; it's essential to take a moment to appreciate your accomplishment.
This quote emphasizes that reaching a goal doesn't mean the journey is over; instead, it's important to take a moment to reflect on our achievements and appreciate the support of those around us. The imagery of a 'finishing canter' suggests a graceful transition from the hustle of competition to a more relaxed state of acknowledgment, encouraging individuals to savor their accomplishments before coming to a complete stop.
Themes
GoalAchievementReflectionFriendsSupport
In practice
Example use cases
In a graduation speech, one might say this quote to inspire graduates to appreciate their journey and the support they've received.
More from Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
All quotes →On the whole, I am on the side of the unregenerate who affirms the worth of life as an end in itself, as against the saints who deny it.
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If you don't know what you want, you will probably never get it.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.Read
Why should you row a boat race? Why endure the long months of pain in preparation for a fierce half hour that will leave you all but dead? Does anyone ask the question? Is there anyone who would not go through all the costs, and more, for the moment when anguish breaks into triumph or even for the glory of having nobly lost? Is life less than a boat race? If a man will give the blood in his body to win the one, will he spend all the might of his soul to prevail in the other?
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.Read
The main part of intellectual education is not the acquisition of facts, but learning how to make facts live.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.Read
Beware how you take away hope from another human being.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.Read
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