Quotes: Favorites Quotes: Author Quotes: Topics Quotes: Collection Sig Services Blueprint Results Process Contact
Background Image
We do not choose to be born. we do not choose our parents, or the country of our birth. we do not, most of us, choose to die; nor do we choose the time and conditions of our death. but within this realm of choicelessnness, we do choose how we live.
-Joseph Epstein
Please Wait....
Translating....

We Do Not Choose To Be Born.

Joseph Epstein
We do not choose to be born. we do not choose our parents, or the country of our birth. we do not, most of us, choose to die; nor do we choose the time and conditions of our death. but within this realm of choicelessnness, we do choose how we live.
Views: 49167
Cite this Page
Prevent plagiarism by providing proper attribution.
APA FORMAT
Embed this Quote
Copy this HTML code to embed the quote on your website or blog.
HTML CODE
Topic
Country Parent Birth

More From Joseph Epstein

All men and women are born, live, suffer and die; what distinguishes us one from another is our dreams, whether they be dreams about worldly or unworldly things, and what we do to make them come about... we do not choose to be born. we do not choose our parents. we do not choose our historical epoch, the country of our birth, or the immediate circumstances of our upbringing. we do not, most of us, choose to die; nor do we choose the time and conditions of our death. but within this realm of choicelessness, we do choose how we live.
Inspirational Life Dream
No sovereign, no court, no personal loyalty, no aristocracy, no church, no clergy, no army, no diplomatic service, no country gentlemen, no palaces, no castles, nor manors, nor old country-houses, nor parsonages, nor thatched cottages nor ivied ruins no cathedrals, nor abbeys, nor little norman churches no great universities nor public schools -- no oxford, nor eton, nor harrow no literature, no novels, no museums, no pictures, no political society, no sporting class -- no epsom nor ascot some such list as that might be drawn up of the absent things in american life.
Loyalty Country School
We do not choose to be born.we do not--most of us, choose to die, or the times or conditions of our death. but within all this realm of choicelessness, we do choose how we shall live--courageously or in cowardice, honorably or dishonorably, with purpose or adrift. we decide what is important and what is trivial. what makes us significant is what we do, or refuse to do. we decide and we choose--and so we give definition to our lives.
Giving Important Adrift
Someone's killed 100,000 people. we're almost going, "well done! you killed 100,000 people? you must get up very early in the morning! i can't even get down the gym. your diary must look odd: 'get up in the morning, death, death, death, death, death, death, death - lunch - death, death, death - afternoon tea - death, death, death - quick shower ...' "
Funny Morning Lunch
The whole life of christ was a continual passion; others die martyrs but christ was born a martyr. he found a golgotha even in bethlehem, where he was born; for to his tenderness then the straws were almost as sharp as the thorns after, and the manger as uneasy at first as his cross at last. his birth and his death were but one continual act, and his christmas day and his good friday are but the evening and morning of one and the same day. and as even his birth is his death, so every action and passage that manifests christ to us is his birth, for epiphany is manifestation.
Friday Morning Passion
A man of the night's watch lives his life for the realm. not for a king, nor a lord, nor the honor of this house or that house, neither for gold nor glory nor a woman's love, but for the realm, and all the people in it. a man of the night's watch takes no wife and fathers no sons. our wife is duty. our mistress is honor. and you are the only sons we shall ever know.
Kings Father Son
Similar Quotes
When i say a spoken hebrew sentence, half of it is like the king james bible and half of it is a hip-hop lyric. it has a roller-coaster effect.
Kings Hip Hop Hips
Stephen [king], who wrote the script himself, was on the set [of the stand], and i was just so fortunate to get to know him. what a wonderful man. he may go down in history as the greatest american writer, pound for pound.
Kings Men May
Even with the recent story about the nurse killing herself in king edward hospital, there's no blame placed on kate middleton, who was in the hospital as far as i could see for absolutely no reason. she feels no shame about the death of this woman, she's saying nothing about the death of this poor woman. the arrogance of the british royals is staggering, absolutely staggering. and why it's allowed to be i really don't know... it wasn't because of two djs in australia that this woman took her own life, it was the pressure around her.
Kings Australia Two
I think this is what people misunderstand about martin luther king saying to love your enemies. they think he was just using this silly little phrase, but what he meant was that as black americans we need to let our anger go, because holding on to it we hold ourselves down. we oppress ourselves by holding on to anger.
Kings Silly Love You

Trending Author

Adnan Pachachi
Adnan Pachachi
Garry Shandling
Garry Shandling
Arthur Koestler
Arthur Koestler
Peter Singer
Peter Singer
Liz Carpenter
Liz Carpenter
Henry Anatole Grunwald
Henry Anatole Grunwald
Category
Information
Inspirational
Philosophy
Personal Growth
Happiness & Joy
Life Lessons
Success & Business
Motivation
Quote AI Helper
Hello! I'm your AI assistant. Ask me anything about quotes or authors!