Ruskin Bond is one of India’s most beloved authors, whose stories and writings have shaped the values and life lessons of generations of readers.
Loved for his gentle storytelling, Bond’s quotes often celebrate nature, simple joys, love, and the quiet wisdom found in solitude. His words consistently remind readers to slow down and appreciate life’s beauty through lived experiences rather than achievements.
Today’s quote highlights the importance of moving at one’s own pace, even when the world seems to be racing ahead.
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“I have never been a fast walker, or a conqueror of mountain peaks, but I can plod along for miles. And that’s what I’ve been doing all my life—plodding along, singing my song, telling my tales in my own unhurried way. I have lived life at my own gentle pace, and if as a result I have failed to get to the top of the mountain (or of anything else), it doesn’t matter. The long walk has brought its own sweet rewards—buttercups and butterflies along the way.”
Ruskin Bond’s reflections are deeply relatable and profoundly human, resonating with anyone who has felt out of step with society’s relentless push for speed and success.
Meaning Behind Ruskin Bond’s Quote
In this quote, Bond reflects on his personal philosophy of life, emphasizing that he has never been driven by competition or the urge to “conquer” success as defined by society. Instead, he chooses to live and create at a slow, steady pace, staying true to himself. Even if this unhurried journey has kept him from reaching conventional markers of success, he does not consider it a failure. For Bond, the true reward lies in the journey itself—the small, quiet joys and moments of beauty symbolised by “buttercups and butterflies.” Ultimately, the quote suggests that fulfillment comes not from recognition or status, but from authenticity and mindful living.
Ruskin Bond’s Early Life
Ruskin Bond was born in Kasauli, in the Punjab States Agency of British India. His father, Aubrey Alexander Bond, was British and born in a military camp in Shahjahanpur, a small town in north India, while his mother, Edith Clarke, was Anglo-Indian.
His father worked as an English tutor to the princesses of the Jamnagar Palace, where Bond lived with his sister Ellen until the age of six. In 1939, his father joined the Royal Air Force, after which Bond moved with his mother and sister to his maternal family home in Dehradun. Soon after, he was sent to a boarding school in Mussoorie.
When Bond was eight, his mother separated from his father and later married a Punjabi Hindu man named Hari. Bond then moved to New Delhi to live with his father, a period he often described as one of the happiest times of his life. However, tragedy struck when his father died of malaria in Calcutta when Bond was just ten years old.
Despite these early hardships, Ruskin Bond went on to build a literary legacy that has touched millions, with his writing continuing to offer comfort, wisdom, and a gentle reminder to find joy in the ordinary.
