--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It seemed to him that every time he made…" description: "\"“It seemed to him that every time he made one choice in his life, he said no to another. All of those things he could not do or be were huddled inside ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a53/ayana-mathis-8325_life_it-seemed-to-him-that-every-time-he-made_1453909.jpg" --- # It seemed to him that every time he made one choice in his… ![“It seemed to him that every time he made one choice in his life, he said no to another. All of those things he could not do or be were huddled inside of him; they might spring up at any moment, and he would be hobbled with regret.” quote by Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a53/ayana-mathis-8325_life_it-seemed-to-him-that-every-time-he-made_1453909.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a53/ayana-mathis-8325_life_it-seemed-to-him-that-every-time-he-made_1453909.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a53/ayana-mathis-8325_life_it-seemed-to-him-that-every-time-he-made_1453909.jpg) > ““It seemed to him that every time he made one choice in his life, he said no to another. All of those things he could not do or be were huddled inside of him; they might spring up at any moment, and he would be hobbled with regret.”” [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Every decision excludes other possibilities, leaving hidden regrets that can surface later. **In simple terms:** Choosing one path means giving up others, which may cause regret. Key Takeaway Accept that you cannot do everything. Themes choice regret possibility Mood thoughtful melancholic introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - relationship choices - educational paths - creative projects Key Concepts existentialism decision theory Questions to Reflect On - Which missed opportunities still linger? - How can you reframe regret as growth? A Different Perspective Regret may be inevitable; focus on learning from choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Alcoholism is a choice... not a life sentence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-norman/alcoholism-is-a-choice-not-a-life-sentence/) David Norman > [I made a choice in life and got pregnant and had a child, and I want to put my child first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/i-made-a-choice-in-life-and-got-pregnant-and-had-a-child-and-i-want/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [Its my choice ..its my life ..i can do whatever I want with it as long as I'm not dead or I dont get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-johnson/its-my-choice-its-my-life-i-can-do-whatever-i-want-with-it-as-long-as/) [Natalya Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-johnson/) > [A life lived of choice is a life of conscious action. A life lived of chance is a life of unconscious creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/a-life-lived-of-choice-is-a-life-of-conscious-action-a-life-lived-of/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [Be happy. Be who you wanna be. If others doesn't like it, then let them be. Happiness is a choice. Life isn't about pleasing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anmol-andore/be-happy-be-who-you-wanna-be-if-others-doesn-t-like-it-then-let-them/) [Anmol Andore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anmol-andore/) > [My choice for life partner has been pathetic. So, I have told my mother to look into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahima-chaudhry/my-choice-for-life-partner-has-been-pathetic-so-i-have-told-my-mother/) [Mahima Chaudhry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahima-chaudhry/) > [Life is full of choices,sometimes you can make a good choice in life,and sometimes you make a bad choice in life,but ether way God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/life-is-full-of-choices-sometimes-you-can-make-a-good-choice-in-life/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [To me - the choice of life is become less important; I hope hereafter to think only on the choice of eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/to-me-the-choice-of-life-is-become-less-important-i-hope-hereafter-to/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [I didn't for a moment doubt the choice, but if life is ever fearsome, it is truly fearsome then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-didn-t-for-a-moment-doubt-the-choice-but-if-life-is-ever-fearsome/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Burzum was never my choice of life. I didn't even want to become a musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/varg-vikernes/burzum-was-never-my-choice-of-life-i-didn-t-even-want-to-become-a/) [Varg Vikernes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/varg-vikernes/) > [Is there a choice in life? It's always been like this. I am jealous that you have a lot of leisure and free time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yao-ming/is-there-a-choice-in-life-it-s-always-been-like-this-i-am-jealous/) [Yao Ming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yao-ming/) > [You make a choice in your life, and it affects your life in all the ways, good and bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/you-make-a-choice-in-your-life-and-it-affects-your-life-in-all-the/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [“I'm pro-choice. But I hope that choice will be life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-m-pro-choice-but-i-hope-that-choice-will-be-life/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“A life lived by choice is a life of conscious action. A life lived by chance is a life of unconscious reaction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/a-life-lived-by-choice-is-a-life-of-conscious-action-a-life-lived-by/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [Every choice you made put you where your at in life now, so shut up, sit down, grab a fork and take a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-caton/every-choice-you-made-put-you-where-your-at-in-life-now-so-shut-up/) Tiffany Caton ## More by Ayana Mathis > [“In one of the novel’s most dramatic and revealing chapters, Hattie leaves August with the older children and escapes with baby Ruthie (then called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/in-one-of-the-novel-s-most-dramatic-and-revealing-chapters-hattie/) [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) > [I think being consistent is really important. In the arts there's a misconception that you sit around waiting for the muse to come, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/i-think-being-consistent-is-really-important-in-the-arts-there-s-a/) [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) > [I think of my success as a kind of fluke. How else could I possibly think of it? And although it's a banal thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/i-think-of-my-success-as-a-kind-of-fluke-how-else-could-i-possibly/) [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) > [You have to find a way of shutting the future out and focusing on the writing. One of the problems I'll have with writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/you-have-to-find-a-way-of-shutting-the-future-out-and-focusing-on-the/) [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) > [I'm wary of being put in boxes. But at the same time, it's important that I embrace my identity as a writer who happens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/i-m-wary-of-being-put-in-boxes-but-at-the-same-time-it-s-important/) [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) > [“Half of what’s wrong with people today is that they ain’t got no place to go that makes them peaceful. I don’t reckon you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/half-of-what-s-wrong-with-people-today-is-that-they-ain-t-got-no/) [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) > [“Bell lifted her hand to her chest. Her heart beat so quickly. She was floating out on a tide of agony, and soon she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/bell-lifted-her-hand-to-her-chest-her-heart-beat-so-quickly-she-was/) [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) > [Racial terrorism affects the lives of white people and black people and everyone, everything. Racism is contaminating. It can affect the dogs in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/racial-terrorism-affects-the-lives-of-white-people-and-black-people/) [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) > [“Hattie’s children died in the order in which they were born: first Philadelphia, then Jubilee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/hattie-s-children-died-in-the-order-in-which-they-were-born-first/) [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) > [“Six understood in that instant that he had something the ministers wanted and it had given him power among them. He had never been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/six-understood-in-that-instant-that-he-had-something-the-ministers/) [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) > [I really, deeply believe in the primacy of character. I believe that my job as a writer is to put a believable human being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/i-really-deeply-believe-in-the-primacy-of-character-i-believe-that-my/) [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) > [“I go above deck to watch the sky darken into twilight. It helps me remember that this strange place is still the earth, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/i-go-above-deck-to-watch-the-sky-darken-into-twilight-it-helps-me/) [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) > [“Bell had been disdainful of them; she’d thought them small and ordinary. She’d taken such pleasure in saying no to their proposals and breaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/bell-had-been-disdainful-of-them-she-d-thought-them-small-and/) [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) > [“Hattie clambered from the train, her skirt still hemmed with Georgia mud, the dream of Philadelphia round as a marble in her mouth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/hattie-clambered-from-the-train-her-skirt-still-hemmed-with-georgia/) [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) > [Even if you don't feel like sitting down to write or working on that big proposal, or whatever it is, just show up anyhow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/even-if-you-don-t-feel-like-sitting-down-to-write-or-working-on-that/) [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) [Explore all 82 Ayana Mathis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) ## More Choice quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“too—I realized that my only hope was to give up the life that had been, in order to make room for the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/too-i-realized-that-my-only-hope-was-to-give-up-the-life-that-had/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I have too many options when it comes to guitars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-have-too-many-options-when-it-comes-to-guitars/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [“Amazing how a small choice can change your life forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-c-dockens/amazing-how-a-small-choice-can-change-your-life-forever/) Randy C. Dockens > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) [Browse all 8,092 Choice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It seemed to him that every time he made one choice in his life, he said no to another. All of those things he could not do or be were huddled inside of him; they might spring up at any moment, and he would be hobbled with regret.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ayana Mathis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/it-seemed-to-him-that-every-time-he-made-one-choice-in-his-life-he/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/it-seemed-to-him-that-every-time-he-made-one-choice-in-his-life-he/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a53/ayana-mathis-8325_life_it-seemed-to-him-that-every-time-he-made_1453909.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a53/ayana-mathis-8325_life_it-seemed-to-him-that-every-time-he-made_1453909.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a53/ayana-mathis-8325_life_it-seemed-to-him-that-every-time-he-made_1453909.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It seemed to him that every time he made one choice in his life, he said no to another. All of those things…” — Ayana Mathis", "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": "Ayana Mathis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It seemed to him that every...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/it-seemed-to-him-that-every-time-he-made-one-choice-in-his-life-he/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/it-seemed-to-him-that-every-time-he-made-one-choice-in-his-life-he/#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 } } ] } ```