QuoteProject
Who promised you that only for joy were you brought to this earth?
Anna Freud
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

Life is not solely about experiencing joy; it includes suffering and challenges as well.

Anna Freud's quote emphasizes that life encompasses a wide spectrum of experiences beyond just joy. It prompts reflection on the expectations we have regarding happiness and the inevitability of hardships that shape our existence. The quote serves as a reminder that both joy and suffering are integral to the human experience, and that growth often stems from navigating life's challenges.

Themes

LifeJoySufferingExperienceExpectations

In practice

Example use cases

In a graduation speech to inspire students to embrace all facets of life.

More from Anna Freud

I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence but it comes from within. It is there all the time.
Anna FreudRead
The horrors of war, pale beside the loss of a mother
Anna FreudRead

Similar quotes

Life is easy, life is delightful. It's only hard on your illusions, your ambitions, your greed, your cravings.
Anthony De MelloRead
I knew medicine only by its absence - specifically, the absence of a father growing up: one who went to work before dawn and returned in the dark to a plate of reheated dinner.
Paul KalanithiRead
One of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can't utter.
James Earl JonesRead
Every black man in Chicago walks through the world differently, and I think what young black boys do is observe, and that's what gives them their road map.
Lena WaitheRead
Being on the tightrope is living; everything else is waiting.
Karl WallendaRead
There was a roaring in my ears and I lost track of what they were saying. I believe it was the physical manifestation of unbearable grief.
Barbara KingsolverRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.