22 Quotes by Annie Dillard

Annie Dillard is an American author and poet known for her lyrical and deeply contemplative writing. Her works often explore themes of nature, spirituality, and the human condition, and are highly regarded for their poetic language and vivid imagery. Dillard has won numerous awards for her writing, including the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction for her book “Pilgrim at Tinker Creek.” She has also taught writing at various universities and is considered one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. (Bio)

Annie Dillard Quotes


How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.

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No one escapes the wilderness on the way to the promised land. (Meaning)

At a certain point, you say to the woods, to the sea, to the mountains, the world, Now I am ready. Now I will stop and be wholly attentive. You empty yourself and wait, listening.

The dedicated life is worth living. You must give with your whole heart.

We live in all we seek.

There is no shortage of good days. It is good lives that are hard to come by.

The life of sensation is the life of greed; it requires more and more. The life of the spirit requires less and less.

We are here on the planet only once, and might as well get a feel for the place.

Spend the afternoon. You can’t take it with you. (Meaning)

You can’t test courage cautiously.

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I wake expectant, hoping to see a new thing.

We are most deeply asleep at the switch when we fancy we control any switches at all.

Our life is a faint tracing on the surface of mystery.

Make connections; let rip; and dance where you can.

Art is like an ill-trained Labrador retriever that drags you out into traffic.

I cannot cause light; the most I can do is try to put myself in the path of its beam.

The extravagant gesture is the very stuff of creation.

We are here to bring to consciousness the beauty and power that are around us and to praise the people who are here with us.

We wake, if ever at all, to mystery.

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The world knew you before you knew the world.

I breathed the air of history all unaware, and walked oblivious through its littered layers.

Push it. examine all things intensely and relentlessly.

― Annie Dillard Quotes

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Tal Gur is an impact-driven creator at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 life goals around the globe. Tal's journey and recent book, The Art of Fully Living, inspired him to found Elevate Society.

 
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