When liberty is taken away by force it can be restored by force. When it is relinquished voluntarily by default it can never be recovered.
Dorothy ThompsonRead
Courage, it would seem, is nothing less than the power to overcome danger, misfortune, fear, injustice, while continuing to affirm inwardly that life with all its sorrows is good; that everything is meaningful even if in a sense beyond our understanding; and that there is always tomorrow.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Courage is the ability to face and overcome hardships while maintaining a positive outlook on life.
In this quote, Dorothy Thompson articulates that true courage lies in the strength to confront various adversities—be it danger, misfortune, or fear—while simultaneously holding on to the belief that life, despite its inherent struggles, is fundamentally good and meaningful. This perspective emphasizes the importance of hope and resilience in the face of challenges, suggesting that there is always potential for a brighter future.
Themes
CourageFearResilienceHopeLife
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can inspire someone facing a difficult decision in life.
More from Dorothy Thompson
All quotes →It is not the fact of liberty but the way in which liberty is exercised that ultimately determines whether liberty itself survives.
Dorothy ThompsonRead
Age is not measured by years. Nature does not equally distribute energy. Some people are born old and tired while others are going strong at seventy.
Dorothy ThompsonRead
Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live.
Dorothy ThompsonRead
Peace has to be created, in order to be maintained. It is the product of Faith, Strength, Energy, Will, Sympathy, Justice, Imagination, and the triumph of principle. It will never be achieved by passivity and quietism.
Dorothy ThompsonRead
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