Finding Life’s Treasures in Andersen’s Quotes: Gemlike Words from the Fairy-Tale Author
Hans Christian Andersen, who stayed close to children’s hearts and continued to convey life’s truths through the world of fairy tales.
The words of the man who created numerous masterpieces such as “The Little Mermaid” and “The Little Match Girl” possess a mysterious charm woven from gentleness and sorrow.
His famous sayings—embracing love and hope, and at times cruelty—are filled with profound insights that resonate with those of us living today.
In this article, we present a selection of Andersen’s treasured words.
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Discover life's treasures through Andersen's famous quotes: the children's author's gems (1–10)
The farther you move away from a mountain, the more you can see its true form. It’s the same with friends.Hans Christian Andersen
From the saying, “The farther you move away from a mountain, the more you can see its true shape—so it is with friends,” we can learn a hint for understanding the essence of things.
In relationships, when we get too close, we may see only the strengths, or conversely, become fixated on the flaws.
However, by creating a little distance, we can see the whole picture and understand the other person better.
Still, if we become too distant, some parts will become invisible, so we need to be careful.
This message can serve as a prompt to be mindful of maintaining an appropriate distance.
We cannot expect to be happy all the time; experiencing evil, like good, makes us wise.Hans Christian Andersen
The saying, “We cannot always expect to be happy; experiencing evil, like good, makes us wise,” speaks to the realities of life.
It’s natural for people to want to be happy and to be filled with events that are positive for them.
However, when bad things happen, learning from them and resolving not to repeat the same mistakes is also an important experience.
This quote teaches us what is necessary for human growth, but be careful—this does not mean that doing bad things yourself is important.
It is not enough merely to live; everyone needs sunlight, freedom, and small flowers.Hans Christian Andersen
The quote, “It is not enough to be alive; everyone needs sunshine, freedom, and a little flower,” offers a hint for living a fulfilling life.
Human beings are valuable simply by being alive, but when we imagine a happy life, each of us probably has dreams and ideals that come to mind.
It may be difficult to obtain everything, but this quote reminds us that what truly matters is thinking about how we can feel fulfilled and living our lives accordingly.
Finding Life’s Treasures in Andersen’s Quotations: Gemlike Words from the Fairy-Tale Author (11–20)
Eyes cannot see themselves; fingers cannot point to themselves. Anyone finds it surprisingly hard to truly know oneself.Hans Christian Andersen
From the saying, “Eyes cannot see the eyes; fingers cannot point to the fingers; no one truly understands themselves,” we are reminded that, as the words suggest, it is impossible to view ourselves with complete objectivity.
Even if we can analyze ourselves in our own way, we can never fully gauge how we appear from the outside.
It teaches us that no one can know whether the self-image we hold is the same as the one reflected in other people’s eyes.
The most wonderful thing in the world is to be liked by someone you admire.Hans Christian Andersen
Many people may find themselves agreeing with the saying, “The most wonderful thing in the world is to be liked by someone you respect.” Being acknowledged by someone you admire is a situation where you can feel your own worth more than anything else.
Even if it’s not admiration, there may be nothing happier than being liked by someone you like.
And it also conveys the message that, to achieve that, we need to refine ourselves and cultivate our character.
Helping others is the greatest happiness.Hans Christian Andersen
The saying “The greatest happiness lies in being of service to others” might feel like a message that suggests a kind of enlightenment.
When we ourselves are not fulfilled, we tend to narrow our focus to pursuing our own happiness.
However, it teaches us that by giving rather than seeking, we can also find happiness for ourselves.
It’s a quote that reminds us of the importance and dignity of not thinking only about ourselves, but always showing consideration for others.
I felt glad that I had experienced sadness and hardship, because they allow me to enjoy happy and joyful things more than ever.Hans Christian Andersen
That quote—“I felt it was good to have grieved and suffered through hardship, because it allows me to enjoy happy and joyful things more than ever”—really captures the full range of life, doesn’t it? Of course, it’s best if painful experiences don’t happen at all.
But even if you do go through them, if the happiness that follows feels many times greater, then those memories won’t be only painful ones anymore.
It’s a saying we especially want to share with those who are suffering right now.