Quote by 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.

All men and women are born, live suffer and die; what distin

Summary

This quote emphasizes that every individual goes through the universal cycle of birth, life, suffering, and death, thus sharing a common human experience. What sets us apart is the aspirations we have, whether they are materialistic or spiritual, and how we strive to achieve them. The quote reminds us that while factors like our origins, upbringing, and ultimately our death are beyond our control, we have the power to decide how we navigate our lives. It highlights the importance of personal agency and the choices we make in shaping our existence.

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By Joseph Epstein

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