--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or…" description: "\"“I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew it h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/amanda-grange-28746_long-ago_i-cannot-fix-on-the-hour-or-the-spot-or_3081745.jpg" --- # I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the… ![“I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew it had begun.” quote by Amanda Grange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/amanda-grange-28746_long-ago_i-cannot-fix-on-the-hour-or-the-spot-or_3081745.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/amanda-grange-28746_long-ago_i-cannot-fix-on-the-hour-or-the-spot-or_3081745.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/amanda-grange-28746_long-ago_i-cannot-fix-on-the-hour-or-the-spot-or_3081745.jpg) > ““I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew it had begun.”” [Amanda Grange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-grange/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects on how the pivotal moment that shaped their life is now vague, lost in the flow of time before they even realized its significance. **In simple terms:** Key moments can become unclear as time passes. Key Takeaway Acknowledge that important beginnings may be hidden. Themes memory time self‑discovery Mood pondering nostalgic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal memoir - creative writing - therapy sessions Key Concepts nostalgia psychology life narrative Questions to Reflect On - What early experiences have you forgotten that shaped you? - How does recognizing forgotten origins affect your present? A Different Perspective Memory can be unreliable and romanticized. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ago Middle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ago-middle-3203189/) [Fix Hour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fix-hour-3203190/) [Laid Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laid-foundation-1756577/) [Long ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-ago/) [Too long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-long/) [Words Laid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-laid-3768588/) ## Related quotes > [I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/i-cannot-fix-on-the-hour-or-the-spot-or-the-look-or-the-words-which/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [Often have brief words laid men low and then raise them up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/often-have-brief-words-laid-men-low-and-then-raise-them-up/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [The impossible talked of is less impossible from the moment words are laid to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/storm-jameson/the-impossible-talked-of-is-less-impossible-from-the-moment-words-are/) [Storm Jameson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/storm-jameson/) > [I laid the foundation and built thereon, the science of CHIROPRACTIC.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-palmer/i-laid-the-foundation-and-built-thereon-the-science-of-chiropractic/) [Daniel D. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-d-palmer/) > [You can't know who you are unless you know where you came from and give praise to those who laid the foundation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jabari-parker/you-can-t-know-who-you-are-unless-you-know-where-you-came-from-and/) [Jabari Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jabari-parker/) > [How quickly the apparently solidly laid foundation of one's existence could crumble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/how-quickly-the-apparently-solidly-laid-foundation-of-one-s-existence/) [Patrick Süskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [My mom laid the foundation that in order for you to be successful, you have to take care of the books first. That's one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-covington/my-mom-laid-the-foundation-that-in-order-for-you-to-be-successful-you/) [Robert Covington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-covington/) > [Our work begins where God's grace has laid the foundation; we are not to save souls, but to disciple them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/our-work-begins-where-god-s-grace-has-laid-the-foundation-we-are-not/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [We laid the foundation before we went to a major label.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quavo/we-laid-the-foundation-before-we-went-to-a-major-label/) [Quavo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quavo/) > [ “therefore thus says the Lord GOD,     “Behold, I am the one who has laid \[3\] as a foundation in Zion,         a stone, a tested stone,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/therefore-thus-says-the-lord-god-behold-i-am-the-one-who-has-laid-3/) [Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) > [“He hesitated, looking at her. The old Ellie was gone. Replaced by a woman who was detached and cold. He didn’t know what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-love/he-hesitated-looking-at-her-the-old-ellie-was-gone-replaced-by-a/) [Kathy Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-love/) > [“ They stare at her, not seeing the woman she is or the girl she was none too long ago, but a mere puzzle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/they-stare-at-her-not-seeing-the-woman-she-is-or-the-girl-she-was/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [I started to write a new editor not too long ago and had it about half done after two days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-joy/i-started-to-write-a-new-editor-not-too-long-ago-and-had-it-about/) [Bill Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-joy/) > [“Everything is possible. You once told me not too long ago we should always have hope and I do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-krupa/everything-is-possible-you-once-told-me-not-too-long-ago-we-should/) [T.S. Krupa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-krupa/) > [I was landscaping not too long ago, so I'm extremely grateful for the people supporting me in wrestling. Not that landscaping is terrible, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-riddle/i-was-landscaping-not-too-long-ago-so-i-m-extremely-grateful-for-the/) [Matt Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-riddle/) ## More by Amanda Grange > [“As he talked, I watched Emma and wondered what is to become of her. She is of an age to be married but she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-grange/as-he-talked-i-watched-emma-and-wondered-what-is-to-become-of-her-she/) [Amanda Grange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-grange/) > [“That I have not yet met the right woman, and that there is no use my marrying unless I find someone I like as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-grange/that-i-have-not-yet-met-the-right-woman-and-that-there-is-no-use-my/) [Amanda Grange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-grange/) > [“The living have pleasures the dead know nothing of.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-grange/the-living-have-pleasures-the-dead-know-nothing-of/) [Amanda Grange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-grange/) > [“Beneath their wary smiles, the people were warm and friendly. They had known sorrow and loss, but their spirit survived.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-grange/beneath-their-wary-smiles-the-people-were-warm-and-friendly-they-had/) [Amanda Grange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-grange/) > [“The glory, it has passed, the great days, they have gone. There is no place in the world now for our kind, not unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-grange/the-glory-it-has-passed-the-great-days-they-have-gone-there-is-no/) [Amanda Grange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-grange/) > [“To a good man, yes, one who knows her in all her moods, who can laugh at her follies and rejoice in her virtues;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-grange/to-a-good-man-yes-one-who-knows-her-in-all-her-moods-who-can-laugh-at/) [Amanda Grange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-grange/) > [“It is possible to compromise in certain areas when choosing a partner for life, but never on a cravat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-grange/it-is-possible-to-compromise-in-certain-areas-when-choosing-a-partner/) [Amanda Grange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-grange/) > [“You are very young and time, it is a great healer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-grange/you-are-very-young-and-time-it-is-a-great-healer/) [Amanda Grange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-grange/) > [“She looked up at me with more animation. "Oh yes, indeed there is. I like playing with my kittens. I have three of them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-grange/she-looked-up-at-me-with-more-animation-oh-yes-indeed-there-is-i-like/) [Amanda Grange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-grange/) > [“When you are older you will meet a man who will love you for yourself. A good-natured, charming respectable man who is liked by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-grange/when-you-are-older-you-will-meet-a-man-who-will-love-you-for-yourself/) [Amanda Grange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-grange/) > [“No", she wanted to say. " I don't want you to care for me, I want to be with my husband." But nothing came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-grange/no-she-wanted-to-say-i-don-t-want-you-to-care-for-me-i-want-to-be/) [Amanda Grange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-grange/) > [“Your children will be wild and undisciplined. Your daughters will run off with stable hands and your sons will become attorneys.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-grange/your-children-will-be-wild-and-undisciplined-your-daughters-will-run/) [Amanda Grange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-grange/) > [“If we all spoke the truth there would be a great deal of unhappiness in the world, and particularly at such a time. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-grange/if-we-all-spoke-the-truth-there-would-be-a-great-deal-of-unhappiness/) [Amanda Grange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-grange/) > [“For the moment she was caught between the two worlds, neither one thing nor another. She would be sorry to let the former depart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-grange/for-the-moment-she-was-caught-between-the-two-worlds-neither-one/) [Amanda Grange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-grange/) > [“A good turnout at church today. It had nothing to do with the mild weather and a desire to gossip and everything to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-grange/a-good-turnout-at-church-today-it-had-nothing-to-do-with-the-mild/) [Amanda Grange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-grange/) [Explore all 19 Amanda Grange quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-grange/) ## More Long ago quotes > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [A wholesome regard for the memory of the great men of long ago is the best assurance to a people of a continuation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/a-wholesome-regard-for-the-memory-of-the-great-men-of-long-ago-is-the/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [“Not very long ago I was driving with my husband on the back roads of Grey County, which is to the north and east…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/not-very-long-ago-i-was-driving-with-my-husband-on-the-back-roads-of/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [There must be a technique for meeting pain. There must be a technique of endurance based on the power of the soul to maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-stannard-baker/there-must-be-a-technique-for-meeting-pain-there-must-be-a-technique/) [Ray Stannard Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-stannard-baker/) > [Women will forgive anything. Otherwise, the race would have died out long ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/women-will-forgive-anything-otherwise-the-race-would-have-died-out/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Up until 1986, the top marginal rate, the top statutory rate was 50 percent. Now it's 35 percent. And all the pressure is on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-bartlett/up-until-1986-the-top-marginal-rate-the-top-statutory-rate-was-50/) [Bruce Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-bartlett/) > [“We ought to live each day as though it were our last day here below. But if I did, alas, I know it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-hein/we-ought-to-live-each-day-as-though-it-were-our-last-day-here-below/) [Piet Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-hein/) > [I was landscaping not too long ago, so I'm extremely grateful for the people supporting me in wrestling. Not that landscaping is terrible, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-riddle/i-was-landscaping-not-too-long-ago-so-i-m-extremely-grateful-for-the/) [Matt Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-riddle/) > [“Most people would probably call me a ghost. I am, after all, dead. But I don't think of myself that way. It wasn't so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-pike/most-people-would-probably-call-me-a-ghost-i-am-after-all-dead-but-i/) [Christopher Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-pike/) > [“Waiting for Vengeance' Well, what is this? What am I coming to? And beyond that, what am I gonna do? Now there’s blankness Where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/waiting-for-vengeance-well-what-is-this-what-am-i-coming-to-and/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [“We were putting into these gomers our fear of death, but who knew if they feared death? Perhaps they welcomed death like a dear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/we-were-putting-into-these-gomers-our-fear-of-death-but-who-knew-if/) [Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/) > [“...The devil had long ago taken a shine to Tert Card, filled him like a cream horn with itch and irritation. His middle name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-annie-proulx-author/the-devil-had-long-ago-taken-a-shine-to-tert-card-filled-him-like-a/) [E. Annie Proulx (Author](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-annie-proulx-author/) > [So here is my story, may it bring Some smiles and a tear or so, It happened once upon a time, Far away, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jacques/so-here-is-my-story-may-it-bring-some-smiles-and-a-tear-or-so-it/) [Brian Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jacques/) > [“In the middle of the cemetery is a grassy plane, strangely vacant. There are no granite tombs or crumbling concrete, just a sun-washed treeless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-caldwell-crosby/in-the-middle-of-the-cemetery-is-a-grassy-plane-strangely-vacant/) [Molly Caldwell Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-caldwell-crosby/) > [He had long ago learned that society imposes insults that must be borne, comforted by the knowledge that in this world there comes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-puzo/he-had-long-ago-learned-that-society-imposes-insults-that-must-be/) [Mario Puzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-puzo/) [Browse all 2,059 Long ago quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-ago/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew it had begun.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Amanda Grange" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-grange/i-cannot-fix-on-the-hour-or-the-spot-or-the-look-or-the-words-which-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Long ago" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-grange/i-cannot-fix-on-the-hour-or-the-spot-or-the-look-or-the-words-which-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/amanda-grange-28746_long-ago_i-cannot-fix-on-the-hour-or-the-spot-or_3081745.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/amanda-grange-28746_long-ago_i-cannot-fix-on-the-hour-or-the-spot-or_3081745.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/amanda-grange-28746_long-ago_i-cannot-fix-on-the-hour-or-the-spot-or_3081745.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words which laid the foundation. It is too long…” — Amanda Grange", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Amanda Grange", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-grange/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I cannot fix on the hour,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-grange/i-cannot-fix-on-the-hour-or-the-spot-or-the-look-or-the-words-which-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-grange/i-cannot-fix-on-the-hour-or-the-spot-or-the-look-or-the-words-which-2/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```