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'I am but as others: I am but what I was born to be.' 'Do you recognize what you were born to be? Not only a nobleman, but a gentleman; not only a gentleman, but a man - man, made in the image of God. How can you, how dare you, give the lie to your Creator?' 'What has He given me? What have I to thank Him for?' 'First, manhood; the manhood His Son disdained not to wear; worldly gifts, such as rank, riches, influence, things which others have to spend half an existence in earning; life in its best prime, with much of youth yet remaining - with grief endured, wisdom learnt, experience won. Would to Heaven, that by any poor word of mine I could make you feel all that you are - all that you might be!' A gleam, bright as a boy's hope, wild as a boy's daring, flashed from those listless eyes - then faded. 'You mean, Mr. Halifax, what I might have been. Now it is too late.' 'There is no such word as 'too late,' in the wide world - nay, not in the universe. What! shall we, whose atom of time is but a fragment out of an ever-present eternity - shall we, so long as we live, or even at our life's ending, dare to cry out to the Eternal One, 'It is too late!''

Dinah Craik#16

FaithLifeChangeGraceRedemptionRegretSelf worthWorth

About this quote

What does it mean?
The speaker argues that recognizing one's inherent worth and gifts is a duty to the Creator, but the listener feels it is too late to change.
In plain terms
You have value and gifts given to you, but you feel too past to use them now.
What can you take from it?
Recognize your inherent worth before it feels too late to act.

Where it applies

  • personal crisis
  • spiritual reflection
  • life transitions

Putting it to work

  • self-affirmation
  • gratitude practice
  • life review

Questions to consider

  • What gifts have you received that you have not used?
  • Is it ever too late to start over?

Another view

Assuming it is too late to change can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

More from Dinah Craik

  1. 'Get out o' Mr. Fletcher's road, ye idle, lounging, little - ' 'Vagabond,' I think the woman (Sally Walkins, once my nurse,) was going to say, but she changed …

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  2. These 'Thoughts,' a portion of which originally appeared in 'Chambers' Journal,' are, I wish distinctly to state, only Thoughts. They do not pretend to solve a…

    Permalink to quote #17
  3. Oh, if I could live four weeks longer! but no matter, no matter!

    Permalink to quote #14

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