"I despise making the most of one's time. Half of the pleasures of life consist of the opportunities one has neglected"
- Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.
About this Quote
In this quote, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. is expressing his ridicule for the idea of making the most of one's time. He thinks that life needs to not have to do with optimizing every chance, but rather about delighting in the minutes that are often neglected. He suggests that half of the delights of life come from the chances that we have actually ignored. This might imply that we must require time to value the little minutes in life, such as spending quality time with family and friends, or merely taking a walk in nature. It could likewise indicate that we ought to take dangers and attempt new things, even if they may not be the most effective usage of our time. Eventually, Holmes is recommending that life must have to do with more than simply performance and efficiency, however rather about putting in the time to value the charm of life.
"Life is life - whether in a cat, or dog or man. There is no difference there between a cat or a man. The idea of difference is a human conception for man's own advantage"