--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ... but where do we go?\"(Elinor) \"I used…" description: "\"“... but where do we go?\"(Elinor) \"I used to think there was a plan, a rough plan, but a plan all the same,\" the doctor admitted. \"Now, I believe there..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/alice-hoffman-427_life-after-death_but-where-do-we-go-elinor-i-used-to-thin_339270.png" --- # ... but where do we go?"(Elinor) "I used to think there… ![“... but where do we go?"(Elinor) "I used to think there was a plan, a rough plan, but a plan all the same," the doctor admitted. "Now, I believe there are a thousand plans. Every breath, every decision, influences the plan, expands it, shortens it, twists it all around. It's always changing. Those…” quote by Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/alice-hoffman-427_life-after-death_but-where-do-we-go-elinor-i-used-to-thin_339270.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/alice-hoffman-427_life-after-death_but-where-do-we-go-elinor-i-used-to-thin_339270.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/alice-hoffman-427_life-after-death_but-where-do-we-go-elinor-i-used-to-thin_339270.png) > ““... but where do we go?"(Elinor) "I used to think there was a plan, a rough plan, but a plan all the same," the doctor admitted. "Now, I believe there are a thousand plans. Every breath, every decision, influences the plan, expands it, shortens it, twists it all around. It's always changing. Those of us lucky enough to make it through the multitude of possible diseases and accidents get old. We get tired. We close our eyes." "And then? Where are we then?" Silly to ask him as though he knew, but in fact the doctor didn't hesitate. He took Elinor's hand and placed it on his chest, in the place where he knew his heart to be. "There." Elinor smiled and thought at last . At last someone had told her the truth.”” [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is a series of evolving plans shaped by each breath and decision; understanding our heart’s truth brings acceptance of change and mortality. **In simple terms:** Plans constantly change; our heart guides us. Key Takeaway Embrace change and listen to inner truth. Themes change mortality self‑discovery Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - health decisions - career choices - personal growth - end‑of‑life reflections Key Concepts existentialism mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay grounded amid shifting plans? - What practices help you hear your heart’s guidance? A Different Perspective Constant change can cause anxiety and indecision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Elinor Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elinor-used-3157356/) [Heart Elinor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-elinor-3157353/) [Knew Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew-heart/) [Life after death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-after-death/) [Plans Breath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plans-breath-3157354/) [Took Elinor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took-elinor-3157355/) [Ur Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ur-eyes/) ## Related quotes > [“...she knew, with all her heart that running away from the country’s top relationship coach was as good as saying, 'there’s no hope for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-hall/she-knew-with-all-her-heart-that-running-away-from-the-country-s-top/) [Diane Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-hall/) > [“It hurts so much. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-smith-jr/you-don-t-know-me-you-never-knew-my-heart-no-man-knows-my-history-i/) [Joseph Smith, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-smith-jr/) > [“What do you want me to say?" he asked, his voice sharp and moody. "That I had a moment of weakness when I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/what-do-you-want-me-to-say-he-asked-his-voice-sharp-and-moody-that-i/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“I had always thought one could not be truly lost if one knew one’s own heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-had-always-thought-one-could-not-be-truly-lost-if-one-knew-one-s/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“Jorgen was too good and kind, and he had seen too many tragic things in his life, for her to hurt him and break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-dickerson/jorgen-was-too-good-and-kind-and-he-had-seen-too-many-tragic-things/) [Melanie Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-dickerson/) > [I always knew in my heart Walt Whitman's mind to be more like my own than any other man's living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/i-always-knew-in-my-heart-walt-whitman-s-mind-to-be-more-like-my-own/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [I'm alone even though I'm with the one in my heart for I knew I'm not the one in her heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usman-ismaheel/i-m-alone-even-though-i-m-with-the-one-in-my-heart-for-i-knew-i-m-not/) [Usman Ismaheel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/usman-ismaheel/) > [“How could I have let you do any of those things when I've never even seen your face? When I don't even know your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-medeiros/how-could-i-have-let-you-do-any-of-those-things-when-i-ve-never-even/) [Teresa Medeiros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-medeiros/) > [“The Tin Woodman knew very well he had no heart, and therefore he took great care never to be cruel or unkind to anything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/the-tin-woodman-knew-very-well-he-had-no-heart-and-therefore-he-took/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) ## More by Alice Hoffman > [Women know things that men will never know. We keep the best secrets. We tell the best stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/women-know-things-that-men-will-never-know-we-keep-the-best-secrets/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“All of the quarters in his hand were tarnished. 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If life were easy there would be one gate. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/that-s-why-there-are-ten-gates-to-pass-through-before-you-reach-the/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“...the summer of the gypsy moths when all the trees in their yard were bare, the leaves chewed by caterpillars. You could hear crunching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/the-summer-of-the-gypsy-moths-when-all-the-trees-in-their-yard-were/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“The best way to die is when you're living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/the-best-way-to-die-is-when-you-re-living/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Haylin was given a good talking-to by the headmaster and made to write a paper about workers’ rights, which he considered a privilege rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/haylin-was-given-a-good-talking-to-by-the-headmaster-and-made-to/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/my-darling-girl-when-are-you-going-to-realize-that-being-normal-is/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) [Explore all 571 Alice Hoffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) ## More Life after death quotes > [I guess on one hand I believe it doesn't matter if there is life after death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/i-guess-on-one-hand-i-believe-it-doesn-t-matter-if-there-is-life/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [You're a religious man, ... You believe in God and life after death. I also believe. When we come to the other world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-wiesenthal/you-re-a-religious-man-you-believe-in-god-and-life-after-death-i-also/) [Simon Wiesenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-wiesenthal/) > [“How tragic lives there are in this world! 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Every breath, every decision, influences the plan, expands it, shortens it, twists it all around. It's always changing. Those of us lucky enough to make it through the multitude of possible diseases and accidents get old. We get tired. We close our eyes.\" \"And then? Where are we then?\" Silly to ask him as though he knew, but in fact the doctor didn't hesitate. He took Elinor's hand and placed it on his chest, in the place where he knew his heart to be. \"There.\" Elinor smiled and thought at last . 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