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It Was Too Much Work To Remember Things You Might Not Have Again, And So One By One They Opened Up Their Hands And Let Them Go.
-Ann Patchett
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It Was Too Much

Ann Patchett
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It Was Too Much Work To Remember Things You Might Not Have Again, And So One By One They Opened Up Their Hands And Let Them Go.

Understanding the Quote: "it was too much work to remember things you might not have..."

This quote by Ann Patchett reflects deeply on the theme of hands. It connects to the universal human journey of purpose, motivation, and reflection. Often categorized under Hands, Might, Too Much, the quote offers insight, emotional clarity, and intellectual inspiration to readers worldwide.

Whether you’re a student exploring new ideas, a leader trying to motivate your team, or someone seeking direction in life — this quote provides value. It resonates because it’s more than words — it’s a bridge between experience and wisdom. It shows how Ann Patchett interprets life's core challenges and triumphs.

Lessons From the Quote

This quote teaches resilience and focus. It reminds readers that no matter where they stand in life, reflection and self-awareness lead to growth. Each word has meaning, and when studied, it becomes clear how impactful thoughtful language can be.

About Ann Patchett

Ann Patchett is celebrated for insightful thoughts on hands and might. Their legacy lives on through writings that guide, comfort, and inspire. Discover more on their profile page.

Actionable Takeaways

  • Reflect on how this quote applies to your current life path.
  • Share the message with someone who needs inspiration.
  • Write your thoughts on this quote in a journal or blog post.
  • Use it as a daily affirmation or reminder.

Closing Thoughts

Quotes like this endure because they capture universal truths. They comfort us in solitude and empower us in groups. Carry this quote forward — live by its wisdom, share its message, and keep its essence alive.

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Topic
Hands
Might
Too Much
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When Well Told, A Story Captured The Subtle Movement Of Change. If A Novel Was A Map Of A Country, A Story Was The Bright Silver Pin That Marked The Crossroads.
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Book
Reading
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Writing
Heart
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Tchaikovsky
True Life
Coming Back Is The Thing That Enables You To See How All The Dots In Your Life Are Connected.
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Dots
Coming Back
You Can't Be A Good Person When You're Writing And A Bad Person To Your Husband Or A Bad Friend. You Can't Be A Jerk In Order To Be A Good Writer. You Can't Say, "i'm Too Busy Writing To Be Political." You Are One Person. You Are The Same Person In Every Aspect Of Your Life, And You Have To Be A Responsible Person In Every Aspect Of Your Life.
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You See An Absolutely Brilliant Film Later, As An Adult, And You Walk Out Thinking About What To Have For Dinner. Whereas Something Like Jaws Winds Up Having A Huge Effect On Me. If Only My Parents Had Been Taking Me To Kurosawa Films When I Was Eight, But No.
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Eight
Wind
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Writing
Two
I Have Seven Step-siblings From My Mother's Second And Third Marriages. My Degree Of Closeness To My Step-siblings Varies Among The Seven But I Have A Great Sense Of Loyalty To All Of Them, Especially The Four From My Childhood. If Those People Needed My Help I Would Be There For Them.
Loyalty
Mother
Sibling
I Will Write My Way Into Another Life.
Writing
Way
Another Life
That's One Of The Many Things About Having The Bookstore That I Adore. I Can Walk Into The Store And Say To Somebody, "i'm Glad You're Reading This Book" Or "i'm Glad You're Getting This Book" Or "don't Get That Book. I Read That Book And Hated That Book. Let's Get You This Book Instead."
Book
Reading
Stores
If You've Had Good Gin On A Hot Day In Southern California With The People You Love, You Forget Nebraska. The Two Things Cannot Coexist. The Stronger, Better Of The Two Wins.
Love You
Winning
Two
I Saw That My Best Work Was My Most Personal Work, Which Is Odd, Because My Fiction Is Very Far Afield And Has Nothing To Do With My Life.
Fiction
Saws
Odd
Sometimes If There's A Book You Really Want To Read, You Have To Write It Yourself.
Book
Writing
Want
Part Of It Is Living In Tennessee. I'm So Out Of The Loop. And As A Person, I'm Out Of The Loop. I'm Oblivious By Nature.
Tennessee
Persons
Loops
I Don't Want To Stand With Somebody's Praise. Whereas Now When People Come Up To Me, They Say, "i Love The Bookstore" And "kids! Come Here, Come Here! This Is The Woman Who Owns The Bookstore." That's Incredible. I Can Say To That, "thank You For Shopping Local. Thank You For Coming In. What Are You Reading? Let's Talk About Books." It's About Something I'm Doing As Opposed To Somehow Something I Am. I Feel Comfortable And Positive In That Role. Because It's About Reading. It's About Books. It's About Learning. It's About Business And Tax Base.
Book
Reading
Kids
The Secret Is To Keep Adding Voices, Adding Ideas, And Moving Things Around As You Put Together Your Life. If You’re Lucky, Putting Together Your Life Is A Process That Will Last Through Every Single Day You’re Alive.
Moving
Ideas
Voice
Just Because Things Hadn't Gone The Way I Had Planned Didn't Necessarily Mean They Had Gone Wrong.
Life
Mean
Gone
He Doesn’t Know To Want For More Because Nothing In His Life Has Been As Much As This...on That Night He Thinks That No One Has Ever Had So Much And Only Later Will He Know He Should Have Asked For More.
Night
Thinking
Should Have
That's Important To Me, To Recommend Books.
Book
Important
If You're Trying To Find Out What's Coming Next, Turn Off Everything You Own That Has An Off Switch And Listen.
Trying
Next
Turns
There Can Be Something Cruel About People Who Have Had Good Fortune. They Equate It With Personal Goodness.
People
Goodness
Fortune
You Can't Spend Your Whole Life In Front Of A Screen.
Whole Life
Whole
Screens
The Thing You Can Count On In Life Is That Tennessee Will Always Be Scorching Hot In August.
August
Hot
Tennessee
Even Though I Didn't Know I Was Applying For The Job, I Have Somehow Become The Spokesperson For Independent Book Stores.
Jobs
Book
Independent
Writing Is A Miserable, Awful Business. Stay With It. It Is Better Than Anything In The World.
Writing
World
Awful
I Think, If You Want To Grow A Novelist, For That Person To Have A Lot Of Boring Time Trying To Entertain Themselves Is Very Important.
Thinking
Important
Trying
If What A Person Wants Is His Life, He Tends To Be Quiet About Wanting Anything Else. Once The Life Begins To Seem Secure, One Feels The Freedom To Complain.
Complaining
Want
Quiet
Using Your Imagination Is The One Time In Life You Can Really Go Anywhere.
Imagination
One Time
I Love A Large Cast Of Characters. That's The Way Life Is: It's Flooded With People And We Keep Them All Straight.
Character
People
Way
There Was No One Clear Point Of Loss. It Happened Over And Over Again In A Thousand Small Ways And The Only Truth There Was To Learn Was That There Was No Getting Used To It.
Loss
Way
Used
I Believe That, More Than Anything Else, This Grief Of Constantly Having To Face Down Our Own Inadequacies Is What Keeps People From Being Writers. Forgiveness, Therefore, Is Key. I Can't Write The Book I Want To Write, But I Can And Will Write The Book I Am Capable Of Writing. Again And Again Throughout The Course Of My Life I Will Forgive Myself.
Grief
Believe
Book
It's Always Better To Have Too Much To Read Than Not Enough.
Too Much
Enough
I Will Go And Speak At Rotary Clubs. I Will Go And Speak At Schools. I'm So Much In The Community, But In A Way That I Love. It's Been Such A Positive Thing.
School
Community
Clubs
I Know That There Are People Out There Who Believe We Should Get Rid Of All Guns.
Believe
Gun
People
It Was All In My Head And Now All I Had To Do Was Figure Out A Way To Get It Down On Paper.
Paper
Way
Figures
Home, Bed, Sleep, Mother--who Knew More Beautiful Words Than These?
Beautiful
Mother
Sleep
You Are Always Someones Favorite Unfolding Story
Stories
Unfolding
I Have Been Accused Of Being A Pollyanna, But I Think There Are Plenty Of People Dealing With The Darker Side Of Human Nature, And If I Am Going To Write About People Who Are Kind And Generous And Loving And Thoughtful, So What? In My Life I Have Met Astonishingly Good People.
Writing
Thoughtful
Thinking
I Am Sure Every Writer Has This And Probably Every Newscaster, That People Are Always Coming Up To Me And Saying, My Daughter Wants To Do What You Do, My Godson, My Tennis Partner.
Daughter
People
Tennis
I Was Very Influenced By The Magic Mountain. It's A Book That Had A Huge Impact On Me. I Loved That As A Shape For A Novel: Put A Bunch Of People In A Beautiful Place, Give Them All Tuberculosis, Make Them All Stay In A Fur Sleeping Bag For Several Years And See What Happens.
Beautiful
Book
Sleep
If A Person Has Never Given Writing A Try, They Assume That A Brilliant Idea Is Hard To Come By. But Really, Even If It Takes Some Digging, Ideas Are Out There. Just Open Your Eyes And Look At The World. Writing The Ideas Down, It Turns Out, Is The Real Trick.
Real
Writing
Eye
You Can't Be A Jerk In Order To Be A Good Writer.
Order
Jerk
Good Writers
The Love Between Humans Is The Thing That Nails Us To The Earth.
Love Is
Nails
Earth
You Can’t Control What Other People Think About Your Art. Think About The Part Of Yourself That You Can Control, Which Is Your Ability To Be Kind And Loving And Creative.
Art
Thinking
People
Writing Is A Job, A Talent, But It's Also The Place To Go In Your Head. It Is The Imaginary Friend You Drink Your Tea With In The Afternoon.
Jobs
Writing
Tea
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