“Happiness is a myth we seek , If manifested surely irks; Like river speeding to the plain, On its arrival slows and murks . For man is happy only in His aspiration to the heights ; When he attains his goal, he cools And longs for other distant flights.”
What this quote means
Gibran compares happiness to a river that, upon reaching the plain, loses its momentum and becomes muddy. Man is only happy in pursuit, in aspiring toward a higher ideal. Once he attains his goal, boredom and longing for something else set in. This vision invites us to embrace the journey rather than the destination, to find joy in continuous effort and self-transcendence.
How to apply it daily
Pick an ambitious goal and focus on the daily process, savoring each small improvement instead of waiting for the final outcome.
Reading guide
Which book should you read to discover Kahlil Gibran?
Our starting point
A poetic, universal first encounter
The Prophet
Its short chapters on love, work, children, and freedom naturally extend the experience of the quotations.
- Level
- Accessible
- Reading time
- 2–3 hours
- Formats to compare
- Print · Ebook · Audio
Merchant links help compare editions. Recommendations are editorially independent.
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