“I did take away something that I had not fully possessed before: appreciation of the sheer beauty and miracle of being alive, and a humble set of values.”
Source: Alone (1938), Ch. 12
Context: Part of me remained forever at Latitude 80 degrees 08 minutes South: what survived of my youth, my vanity, perhaps, and certainly my skepticism. On the other hand, I did take away something that I had not fully possessed before: appreciation of the sheer beauty and miracle of being alive, and a humble set of values. All this happened four years ago. Civilization has not altered my ideas. I live more simply now, and with more peace.
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Richard Evelyn Byrd 21
Medal of Honor recipient and United States Navy officer 1888–1957Related quotes

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