Quote: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away

[Garson O'Toole]

According to the Internet Movie Database the 2005 romantic comedy
"Hitch" contained the following line. (Not yet verified. The precise
wording in IMDB quotes is sometimes inaccurate.)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386588/quotes
Hitch: Life is not the amount of breaths you take, it's the moments
that take your breath away.

Nigel Rees discussed this popular saying in his recently released July
2012 Newsletter "Quote. . . Unquote".

The earliest solid evidence I have seen is dated 1989.

Cite: 1989, Tahitian Choreographies by Vicki Corona, Volume 11, Book
18, Page 36,  Dance Fantasy Productions, Printed by Dennis Bolton
Enterprises, North Hollywood, California. (Google Books Preview)
http://books.google.com/books?id=bWl8eE9np_AC&q=breaths#v=snippet&q=breaths&f=false
[Begin excerpt]
Remember that life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away! Dancing can do that for
you!
[End excerpt]

The cite above was sent to me on April 17, 2012 by an author named
Phil Bolsta who has developed an interest in tracing quotations.
Specifically, he has been trying to trace all the quotations that he
references in his books. Bolsta thinks the quote was probably created
by Vicki Corona.

[Begin remark from Phil Bolsta]
I was shocked to find this popular quote in a 1989 thirty-two-page
booklet on Tahitian dance. I called Vicki Corona on April 17, 2012,
and she said that, to the best of her knowledge, the quote was hers
because she always wrote original material for the series of dance
booklets she produced. This book is by far the earliest publication of
this quote that I could find. Conclusion: Credit Vicki Corona.
[End remark from Phil Bolsta]


Someone using the handle MissManners at forum.quoteland.com claimed
that the saying was created for a greeting card company in the 1970s.
No supporting evidence was provided. The message contained an
incorrect spelling: "Carleton Cards" should be spelled "Carlton
Cards".

http://forum.quoteland.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/99191541/m/4951968576

[Begin excerpt]
Posted 04-05-10 01:55 AM

The quote is . "Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take
but moreover by the number of breaths that take your life away" is the
CORRECT quote.

The Author wrote this in the mid to late 1970's for Carleton Cards, a
Canadian card company. Back in the day, Carleton employed
"contractors", were paid a pittance to write a ditty for a greeting
card. The author sold it away for under a dollar, copyright included.
It has been attributed as anon because Carleton never had a clue that
millions would find this quote so important and... the university
student who wrote it was just another kid trying to make some dollars.

Today , the author is well aware of the irony of his words....
thousands of dollars have been made off of this quote. He made a
quarter.
[End excerpt]

An anonymous internet commentator at wiki.answers.com wrote the
following. I have not tried to contact Carlton Cards:

[Begin excerpt]
Edit: Carlton Cards / American Greetings denied that this was created
by them. One would be justified in being suspicious of the "Carleton"
Cards rumor, because the name is misspelled.
[End excerpt]

If someone can locate evidence before 1989 and share it that would be
great. Evidence supporting Vicki Corona's claim of authorship would be
interesting. Evidence that the phrase was used by Carlton Cards would
be interesting.

Thanks, Garson

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