"When men are not regretting that life is so short, they are doing something to kill time"

This quote by Edgar Watson Howe talks to the concept that people are constantly attempting to fill the void of life's brevity. We are continuously trying to take advantage of our time, however at the very same time, we are aware of the fact that life is brief which we will never have enough time to do all the things we want to do. Howe suggests that when we are not regretting the shortness of life, we are searching for ways to kill time. This might be anything from watching television, playing video games, or taking part in pastimes. Howe's quote talks to the idea that people are always searching for ways to maximize their time, even if it is just to kill time. We are constantly trying to fill the void of life's brevity, and Howe's quote talks to this idea.