Some of your hurts you have cured, And the sharpest you still have survived, But what torments of grief you endured From evils which never arrived!
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- People often suffer more from worrying about imagined future tragedies than from real hardships they have already endured.
- In plain terms
- We stress more about problems that never happen than the ones we actually face.
- What can you take from it?
- Do not waste energy fearing hypothetical disasters.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What worries keep you awake that never come true?
- How much energy do you spend on imagined pain?
Another view
Some future risks are real and deserve preparation rather than dismissal.
More from Ralph Waldo Emerson
The music that can deepest reach, And cure all ill, is cordial speech.
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Permalink to quote #240 Ever from one who comes to-morrow Men wait their good and truth to borrow.
Permalink to quote #237
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