---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...or perhaps about acknowledging that…"
description: "\"“...or perhaps about acknowledging that life is a delicate balance of great forces, and that good would lose its potency if there was no evil left to f..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd1/anne-fortier-7042_evil_or-perhaps-about-acknowledging-that-life_1164403.png"
---

#  ...or perhaps about acknowledging that life is a delicate…

![“...or perhaps about acknowledging that life is a delicate balance of great forces, and that good would lose its potency if there was no evil left to fight in the world.” quote by Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd1/anne-fortier-7042_evil_or-perhaps-about-acknowledging-that-life_1164403.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd1/anne-fortier-7042_evil_or-perhaps-about-acknowledging-that-life_1164403.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd1/anne-fortier-7042_evil_or-perhaps-about-acknowledging-that-life_1164403.png)

> ““...or perhaps about acknowledging that life is a delicate balance of great forces, and that good would lose its potency if there was no evil left to fight in the world.””

[Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Life’s meaning depends on the tension between good and evil; without opposition, goodness loses significance.

**In simple terms:** Balance of good and evil gives meaning.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the role of challenges in shaping purpose.

Themes

dualism purpose balance

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- personal development
- storytelling
- ethical debates
- spiritual practice

Key Concepts

ethical philosophy existentialism

Questions to Reflect On

- Is conflict necessary for growth?
- How do we find meaning without adversity?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on evil can justify harm.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Acknowledging Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acknowledging-life-3190967/) [Delicate Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delicate-balance/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Forces Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forces-good-2348393/) [Good and evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-and-evil/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Delicate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-delicate-1597652/) [Potency Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/potency-evil-3347758/)

## Related quotes

> [Forces of good and evil are massed and armed and opposed as rarely before in history. Freedom is pitted against slavery; lightness against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/forces-of-good-and-evil-are-massed-and-armed-and-opposed-as-rarely/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [Without silence, there cannot be any real appreciation in life, which is as delicate in its inner fabric as a closed rosebud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/without-silence-there-cannot-be-any-real-appreciation-in-life-which/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [Sometimes it seemed to him that his life was delicate as a dandelion. One little puff from any direction, and it was blown to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/sometimes-it-seemed-to-him-that-his-life-was-delicate-as-a-dandelion/)

[Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/)

> [Life is so delicate. If only people can see life longer, doctors will have faith for any agonize person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/life-is-so-delicate-if-only-people-can-see-life-longer-doctors-will/)

[Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/)

> [Acknowledging death means you're acknowledging life at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/acknowledging-death-means-you-re-acknowledging-life-at-the-same-time/)

[Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/)

> [“Kindness is not the same as niceness or putting our heads in the sand, or avoiding conflict. It is acknowledging that no life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-egan/kindness-is-not-the-same-as-niceness-or-putting-our-heads-in-the-sand/)

[Kerry Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-egan/)

> [“You cannot ask for forgiveness without acknowledging that there is something in life that is more important than the progress of your own kingdom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/you-cannot-ask-for-forgiveness-without-acknowledging-that-there-is/)

[Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/)

> [When we're being grateful it means that we're acknowledging that life is a gift, that life is a blessing, that this body is only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-yogi/when-we-re-being-grateful-it-means-that-we-re-acknowledging-that-life/)

[MC Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-yogi/)

> [It's not enough for an official to be good. There has to be a system that forces them to be good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-robredo/it-s-not-enough-for-an-official-to-be-good-there-has-to-be-a-system/)

[Jesse Robredo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-robredo/)

> [I certainly hope that we can all continue to be forces for good after leaving the White House.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/i-certainly-hope-that-we-can-all-continue-to-be-forces-for-good-after/)

[Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/)

> [Each day the forces of evil and the forces of good enlist new recruits. Each day we personally make many decisions showing the cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/each-day-the-forces-of-evil-and-the-forces-of-good-enlist-new/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [Today, America has become one of the most powerful forces for good on earth. We must keep it so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/today-america-has-become-one-of-the-most-powerful-forces-for-good-on/)

[Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/)

> [We can decide to let our trials crush us, or we can convert them to new forces of good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/we-can-decide-to-let-our-trials-crush-us-or-we-can-convert-them-to/)

[Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/)

> [I believe you can make forces of good and evil work for you, to get what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gg-allin/i-believe-you-can-make-forces-of-good-and-evil-work-for-you-to-get/)

[GG Allin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gg-allin/)

> [The British people know that, given strong leadership, time, and a little bit of hope, the forces of good ultimately rally and triumph over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-british-people-know-that-given-strong-leadership-time-and-a/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

## More by Anne Fortier

> [“Shush!” said Ambrogio to the dog, “I advise you to hide, in case it is the horned one trying to get in. I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/shush-said-ambrogio-to-the-dog-i-advise-you-to-hide-in-case-it-is-the/)

[Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/)

> [Think about it. He drinks poison. What kind of man drinks poison? She is the one who stabs herself with his dagger. The manly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/think-about-it-he-drinks-poison-what-kind-of-man-drinks-poison-she-is/)

[Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/)

> [I’ll be back tomorrow,” he said, “at nine o’clock. Don’t open your door to anyone else.” “Not even my balcony door?” “Especially not your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/i-ll-be-back-tomorrow-he-said-at-nine-o-clock-don-t-open-your-door-to/)

[Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/)

> [...it is fifty percent what they see, and fifty percent what they think they see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/it-is-fifty-percent-what-they-see-and-fifty-percent-what-they-think/)

[Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/)

> [In many ways, a degree in the history of ideas is the ideal training for an aspiring writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/in-many-ways-a-degree-in-the-history-of-ideas-is-the-ideal-training/)

[Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/)

> [Verona is a very beautiful city, but Siena just never ceases to fascinate me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/verona-is-a-very-beautiful-city-but-siena-just-never-ceases-to/)

[Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/)

> [I think Shakespeare is everybody's treasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/i-think-shakespeare-is-everybody-s-treasure/)

[Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/)

> [“Juliet by Ann Fortier. The Maestro (Chapter5) ... the slight nausea he was feeling must be somewhat near what God was feeling every minute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/juliet-by-ann-fortier-the-maestro-chapter5-the-slight-nausea-he-was/)

[Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/)

> [Janice used to say that instinct was reason in a hurry; I was not so sure about the reason part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/janice-used-to-say-that-instinct-was-reason-in-a-hurry-i-was-not-so/)

[Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/)

> [Only weak men want women to be weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/only-weak-men-want-women-to-be-weak/)

[Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/)

> [“There are some things," he said softly, "that a princess has to do alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/there-are-some-things-he-said-softly-that-a-princess-has-to-do-alone/)

[Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/)

> [“Happiness is the worst threat to my business. Dreams are what it's all about. Frustrations. Fantasies that never come true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/happiness-is-the-worst-threat-to-my-business-dreams-are-what-it-s-all/)

[Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/)

> [We are all cups, and our destiny is poured according to measures we cannot understand, cannot influence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/we-are-all-cups-and-our-destiny-is-poured-according-to-measures-we/)

[Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/)

> [“The Salimbeni genes,” I observed, rolling my eyes, “are yet again rearing their ugly head. Let me guess, if we were married, you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/the-salimbeni-genes-i-observed-rolling-my-eyes-are-yet-again-rearing/)

[Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/)

> [While at Oxford in 1999, I met Jonathan Fortier, who is a Montreal-born Canadian. Despite the challenges of a transatlantic relationship, we remained keen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/while-at-oxford-in-1999-i-met-jonathan-fortier-who-is-a-montreal-born/)

[Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/)

[Explore all 92 Anne Fortier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/)

## More Evil quotes

> [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/)

[Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/)

> [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/)

[John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/)

> [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/)

[William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/)

> [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/)

[Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/)

> [What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-done-out-of-love-always-takes-place-beyond-good-and-evil/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [ Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to \[be\] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be-evil-has-to-be-confronted-and/)

[Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/)

> [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/)

[Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/)

> [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/)

[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

> [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/)

[James Nayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nayler/)

> [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/)

[Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/)

> [“Water is so friendly when you have it on your palms, but so evil when they have you on theirs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/water-is-so-friendly-when-you-have-it-on-your-palms-but-so-evil-when/)

[M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/)

> [THE ART OF PEACE is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-art-of-peace-is-not-easy-it-is-a-fight-to-the-finish-the-slaying/)

[Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/)

[Browse all 11,163 Evil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“...or perhaps about acknowledging that life is a delicate balance of great forces, and that good would lose its potency if there was no evil left to fight in the world.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Anne Fortier"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/or-perhaps-about-acknowledging-that-life-is-a-delicate-balance-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Evil"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/or-perhaps-about-acknowledging-that-life-is-a-delicate-balance-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd1/anne-fortier-7042_evil_or-perhaps-about-acknowledging-that-life_1164403.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd1/anne-fortier-7042_evil_or-perhaps-about-acknowledging-that-life_1164403.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd1/anne-fortier-7042_evil_or-perhaps-about-acknowledging-that-life_1164403.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“...or perhaps about acknowledging that life is a delicate balance of great forces, and that good would lose…” — Anne Fortier",
                "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": "Anne Fortier",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“...or perhaps about acknowledging that life...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/or-perhaps-about-acknowledging-that-life-is-a-delicate-balance-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/or-perhaps-about-acknowledging-that-life-is-a-delicate-balance-of/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
