Our chief defect is that we are more given to talking about things than to doing them.
India has known the innocence and insouciance of childhood, the passion and abandon of youth, and the ripe wisdom of maturity that comes from long experience of pain and pleasure; and over and over a gain she has renewed her childhood and youth and age
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the cyclical nature of life, emphasizing the experiences gained through different stages from childhood to maturity.
Jawaharlal Nehru's quote highlights how India embodies the full spectrum of human experiences, from the innocence of childhood to the fervor of youth, ultimately culminating in the wisdom derived from life experiences. It suggests that these phases are not just linear but can be revisited and renewed throughout one's life, emphasizing the eternal cycle of growth and learning that defines the human experience.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about personal growth, one might quote Nehru to illustrate the importance of embracing all phases of life.
More from Jawaharlal Nehru
All quotes →Life is like a game of cards. The hand you are dealt is determinism; the way you play it is free will.
Crises and deadlocks when they occur have at least this advantage, that they force us to think.
What we really are matters more than what other people think of us.
Loyal and efficient work in a great cause, even though it may not be immediately recognized, ultimately bears fruit.
Failure comes only when we forget our ideals and objectives and principles.
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An overdose of praise is like 10 lumps of sugar in coffee; only a very few people can swallow it.
Distinguish between real needs and artificial wants and control the latter.
It is one of the oldest maxims of moral prudence: Do not, by aspiring to what is impracticable, lose the opportunity of doing the good you can effect!