QuoteProject
The scar will remain, but it is better for a man to lose both arms than his soul; and these hard years, instead of being lost, may be made the most precious of your lives, if they teach you to rule yourselves.
Louisa May Alcott
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

Outer scars may fade, but the integrity of one's soul is paramount, and difficult experiences can lead to profound personal growth.

This quote emphasizes the importance of inner strength and self-control over physical capabilities or injuries. It suggests that while external wounds may heal over time, the integrity of one's soul is irreplaceable and should not be sacrificed. The hardships we face can serve as valuable lessons that contribute to our personal development, encouraging us to gain mastery over our emotions and actions.

Themes

ScarSoulHardshipGrowthSelf-Control

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech about overcoming adversity, one might use this quote to inspire resilience.

More from Louisa May Alcott

Women have been called queens for a long time, but the kingdom given them isn't worth ruling.
Louisa May AlcottRead
You have grown abominably lazy, and you like gossip, and waste time on frivolous things, you are contented to be petted and admired by silly people, instead of being loved and respected by wise ones.
Louisa May AlcottRead
"Stay" is a charming word in a friend's vocabulary.
Louisa May AlcottRead
... swept into the giddy vortex which keeps so many young people revolving aimlessly, till they go down or are cast upon the shore, wrecks of what they might have been
Louisa May AlcottRead
Simple, genuine goodness is the best capital to found the business of this life upon. It lasts when fame and money fail, and is the only riches we can take out of this world with us.
Louisa May AlcottRead
It takes two flints to make a fire.
Louisa May AlcottRead

Similar quotes

There are hunters, and there are victims. By your discipline, cunning, obedience, and alertness, you will decide if you are a hunter or a victim.
Jim MattisRead
Some people see the glass half full. Others see it half empty. I see a glass that's twice as big as it needs to be.
George CarlinRead
We are not responsible for the circumstances we are in, but we are responsible for the way we allow those circumstances to affect us; we can either allow them to get on top of us or we can allow them to transform us into what God wants us to be.
Oswald ChambersRead
The main problem with this great obsession for saving time is very simple: you can't save time. You can only spend it wisely or foolishly. The Bisy Backson has practically no time at all, because he's too busy wasting it by trying to save it. And by trying to save it, he ends up wasting the whole thing.
Benjamin HoffRead
[T]he values to which people cling most stubbornly under inappropriate conditions are those values that were previously the source of their greatest triumphs.
Jared DiamondRead
Can you deal with the most vital matters by letting events take their course? Can you step back from you own mind and thus understand all things? Giving birth and nourishing, having without possessing, acting with no expectations, leading and not trying to control: this is the supreme virtue.
LaoziRead

A little wisdom, now and then

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