“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
My understanding
Time is one of the few things I truly own, yet it’s limited. I don’t get to choose how much time I have, but I do get to decide how I use it. That choice matters.
It’s easy to waste time worrying about things I can’t control. But this quote encourages me to focus on what I can control: my actions, my priorities, and where I put my energy.
It reminds me to make the most of the time we have. We shouldn’t just be waiting for the future or stuck in the past. We should be living in the present and making the most of every moment.
Source
This quote is spoken by Gandalf in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring chapter The Shadow of the Past. This line occurs during a conversation between Gandalf and Frodo in which Frodo expresses his wish that the burdens of his time had not fallen upon him. Gandalf responds with the poignant reminder that while we cannot control the circumstances we face, we can choose how to respond to them.
“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.
“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
Reminds me
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“You cannot control the behavior of others, but you can always choose how you respond to it.” from Roy T. Bennett. (If I had a chance to say something to my 20-year-old self, it would be this quote.)
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“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” from Marcus Aurelius.
