--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We were meant to survive because of our…" description: "\"We were meant to survive because of our minds' ability to reason, our ability to live with frustration in order to maintain our virtue. We wore smiling..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/anchee-min-22256_ability_we-were-meant-to-survive-because-of-our_3103496.png" --- # We were meant to survive because of our minds' ability to… ![“We were meant to survive because of our minds' ability to reason, our ability to live with frustration in order to maintain our virtue. We wore smiling masks while dying inside.” quote by Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/anchee-min-22256_ability_we-were-meant-to-survive-because-of-our_3103496.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/anchee-min-22256_ability_we-were-meant-to-survive-because-of-our_3103496.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/anchee-min-22256_ability_we-were-meant-to-survive-because-of-our_3103496.png) > “We were meant to survive because of our minds' ability to reason, our ability to live with frustration in order to maintain our virtue. We wore smiling masks while dying inside.” [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human reasoning and virtue allow us to endure suffering, even while hiding pain behind smiles. **In simple terms:** Our minds help us survive, though we hide inner hurt. Key Takeaway Cultivate authentic emotional expression. Themes virtue resilience psychology Mood reflective somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - grief coping - mental health awareness - personal growth Key Concepts existentialism stoicism Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance inner pain with outward composure? - What practices foster authentic vulnerability? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on stoic masks can hinder genuine healing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Dying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dying/) [Dying inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dying-inside/) [Frustration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frustration/) [Mask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mask/) [Masks Dying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masks-dying-5388830/) [Meant Survive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meant-survive-2337502/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Survive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survive/) [Survive Minds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survive-minds-5388829/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [To survive, our minds must taste redwood, and agate, octopi, bat, and in the bat's mouth, insect. It's hard to think like a planet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bertolino/to-survive-our-minds-must-taste-redwood-and-agate-octopi-bat-and-in/) [James Bertolino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bertolino/) > [“I will not give up on you, Oliver. Sometimes the love we build is meant to survive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-lewis/i-will-not-give-up-on-you-oliver-sometimes-the-love-we-build-is-meant/) [Stewart Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-lewis/) > [So it is better to speak, remembering we were never meant to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/so-it-is-better-to-speak-remembering-we-were-never-meant-to-survive/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [We ain't meant to survive, cause it's a setup, And even though you're fed up, Huh, ya got to keep your head up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/we-ain-t-meant-to-survive-cause-it-s-a-setup-and-even-though-you-re/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [“We are not meant to survive our lives, we are meant to live them. We are not meant to die unscathed in pristine condition.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/we-are-not-meant-to-survive-our-lives-we-are-meant-to-live-them-we/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [“Sometimes people don’t have to say or do anything weird. They just sit there, quietly sipping tea, all the while putting out an ultrasonic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-baker/sometimes-people-don-t-have-to-say-or-do-anything-weird-they-just-sit/) [Adam Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-baker/) > [I feel its okay for me to pretend that Im okay, but I know its killing me inside. Im pushing away all the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-feel-its-okay-for-me-to-pretend-that-im-okay-but-i-know-its-killing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It will feel impossible; like you are dying inside this is your soul crying out for life. It may take everything you have; every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/it-will-feel-impossible-like-you-are-dying-inside-this-is-your-soul/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [What's the point of a promise, the world is full of lies, and money is never honest, true hearts fighting greed, green prevails the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-joseph/what-s-the-point-of-a-promise-the-world-is-full-of-lies-and-money-is/) [Cody Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-joseph/) > [What excuses do you make? Happiness is hard to find. I didn't catch a break. maybe I'm dying inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-excuses-do-you-make-happiness-is-hard-to-find-i-didn-t-catch-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The houses have been condemned on Memory Lane I’m tired of this struggle that leaves everything the same I’ve tried so hard to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-houses-have-been-condemned-on-memory-lane-i-m-tired-of-this/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [I'm dying inside. How could you do this is to me? I trusted you.. but all you did was lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-dying-inside-how-could-you-do-this-is-to-me-i-trusted-you-but-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Oh, I’m not dying out here,” Amos said, and pointed toward the interior of the ship with his chin. “Worst-case scenario, I’m dying inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/oh-i-m-not-dying-out-here-amos-said-and-pointed-toward-the-interior/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“The horrors grew. Inner horrors. On the surface it looked as though I was more or less keeping it together, but day by day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alcoholics-anonymous/the-horrors-grew-inner-horrors-on-the-surface-it-looked-as-though-i/) [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alcoholics-anonymous/) > [“Maybe I could use a little metal on the inside, I thought. If I'd kept my heart better armored, where would I be now?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ransom-riggs/maybe-i-could-use-a-little-metal-on-the-inside-i-thought-if-i-d-kept/) [Ransom Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ransom-riggs/) ## More by Anchee Min > [Do you know who Karl Marx is? He is this strange little man, long dead, who lived his narrow little life, and somehow managed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/do-you-know-who-karl-marx-is-he-is-this-strange-little-man-long-dead/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [No matter how American I become, I'm considered part of the Chinese community by my own family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/no-matter-how-american-i-become-i-m-considered-part-of-the-chinese/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [“Zabranjeni grad je pjesma u svojem najčistijem obliku. On je moj duhovni vrt gdje mogu leći među cvijeće i otpočinuti.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/zabranjeni-grad-je-pjesma-u-svojem-naj-istijem-obliku-on-je-moj/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [If you can't go back to your mother's womb, you'd better learn to be a good fighter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/if-you-can-t-go-back-to-your-mother-s-womb-you-d-better-learn-to-be-a/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [My mind swirled with memories of the life I had led. The constant struggle to keep up appearances, the pretenses, the smiles that had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/my-mind-swirled-with-memories-of-the-life-i-had-led-the-constant/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [“Vjetar pokazuje svoje tijelo kroz drhtavo lišće.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/vjetar-pokazuje-svoje-tijelo-kroz-drhtavo-li-e/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [“Imi spuse ca era adevarat ca nici una dintre operele exemplare nu vorbea despre dragoste. I-am spus: Eu nu cred ca eroii nu au…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/imi-spuse-ca-era-adevarat-ca-nici-una-dintre-operele-exemplare-nu/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [If one wants to get a boat ride, one must be near the river.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/if-one-wants-to-get-a-boat-ride-one-must-be-near-the-river/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [I think about giving up. I almost do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/i-think-about-giving-up-i-almost-do/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [The sun doesn't just hang on one family's tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/the-sun-doesn-t-just-hang-on-one-family-s-tree/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [My goal was to do anything that would lead to a job. I know that writing would not lead to a job. It's too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/my-goal-was-to-do-anything-that-would-lead-to-a-job-i-know-that/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [When Chinese get together - what's buried stays buried. We don't even discuss our embarrassing early days struggling in Chicago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/when-chinese-get-together-what-s-buried-stays-buried-we-don-t-even/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [“I led my schoolmates in collecting pennies. We wanted to donate the pennies to the starving children in America.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/i-led-my-schoolmates-in-collecting-pennies-we-wanted-to-donate-the/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [I understood that without English I would never get far, so my dream was to become a receptionist, and so I started to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/i-understood-that-without-english-i-would-never-get-far-so-my-dream/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [lack of will power leads to more failure than lack of intelligence or ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/lack-of-will-power-leads-to-more-failure-than-lack-of-intelligence-or/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) [Explore all 25 Anchee Min quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We were meant to survive because of our minds' ability to reason, our ability to live with frustration in order to maintain our virtue. 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