“It is not uncommon for people to spend their whole life waiting to start living.”

Source: The Clowns of God (1981), Ch. II (ellipses in original) <!-- p. 35 -->
This statement begins with a quotation from Horace, Odes, Book I, Ode ix, line 13.
Context: "Forbear to ask what tomorrow may bring" … If you spend your whole life waiting for the storm, you'll never enjoy the sunshine.

Source: Beautiful Ruins

Source: Twenties Girl

Source: Vorkosigan Saga, Falling Free (1988), Chapter 14 (p. 254)

Rolling Stone #1078 (14 May 2009), p. 45
Context: It's peculiar and unnerving in a way to see so many young people walking around with cellphones and iPods in their ears and so wrapped up in media and video games. It robs them of their self-identity. It's a shame to see them so tuned out to real life. Of course they are free to do that, as if that's got anything to do with freedom. The cost of liberty is high, and young people should understand that before they start spending their life with all those gadgets.

Source: Marley and Me: Life and Love With the World's Worst Dog

Variant: Zero wasnt worried, " When you spend your whole life living in a shole", he said, "the only way you can go is up.
Source: Holes

Source: Entwined with You