--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are two things in life you cannot…" description: "\"There are two things in life you cannot choose. The first is your enemies; the second your family. Sometimes the difference between them is hard to see..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/carlos-ruiz-zafon-126_cards_there-are-two-things-in-life-you-cannot_806709.jpg" --- # There are two things in life you cannot choose. The first… ![“There are two things in life you cannot choose. The first is your enemies; the second your family. Sometimes the difference between them is hard to see, but in the end time will show you that the cards you have been dealt could always have been worse.” quote by Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/carlos-ruiz-zafon-126_cards_there-are-two-things-in-life-you-cannot_806709.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/carlos-ruiz-zafon-126_cards_there-are-two-things-in-life-you-cannot_806709.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/carlos-ruiz-zafon-126_cards_there-are-two-things-in-life-you-cannot_806709.jpg) > “There are two things in life you cannot choose. The first is your enemies; the second your family. Sometimes the difference between them is hard to see, but in the end time will show you that the cards you have been dealt could always have been worse.” [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life presents immutable realities: we cannot control who opposes us or who we are related to, yet both shape our destiny. **In simple terms:** You can’t choose enemies or family, but they affect you. Key Takeaway Accept what you cannot change and focus on actions within your control. Themes family relationships inevitability choice perspective Mood reflective somber Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - navigating family conflict - dealing with adversaries - personal growth - acceptance of fate Key Concepts determinism existentialism social bonds Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate between chosen and imposed relationships? - What can you control in these immutable ties? A Different Perspective The quote may oversimplify complex dynamics, ignoring agency in relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cards/) [Choose Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose-enemies-349604/) [Dealt Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dealt-worse-6116353/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [End time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-time/) [End times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-times/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Family Difference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-difference-2713685/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-choose/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Things in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-in-life/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) ## Related quotes > [“All right?” Reggie says. I nod. I have dealt with worse injuries than this—I have been hit harder”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-right-reggie-says-i-nod-i-have-dealt-with-worse-injuries-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If there were things I felt the White House needed to be doing differently, I'd probably call them. I have a saying, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronna-mcdaniel/if-there-were-things-i-felt-the-white-house-needed-to-be-doing/) [Ronna McDaniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronna-mcdaniel/) > [I mean I love my family very much, but there is a difference when you're reuniting with your family outside of your hometown and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-messing/i-mean-i-love-my-family-very-much-but-there-is-a-difference-when-you/) [Debra Messing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-messing/) > [Choose your enemies carefully 'cause they will define you Make them interesting 'cause in some ways they will mind you They're not there in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/choose-your-enemies-carefully-cause-they-will-define-you-make-them/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [Choose your enemies carefully: you'll probably be known much better and far longer for who they were, than for anything else you ever managed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/choose-your-enemies-carefully-you-ll-probably-be-known-much-better/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Only a fool lets somebody else tell him who his enemy is…never let your enemies choose your enemies for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/only-a-fool-lets-somebody-else-tell-him-who-his-enemy-is-never-let/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [“If a man is powerful, then his rival must therefore also be powerful. The other’s prestige enhances your own. So choose your enemies wisely.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/if-a-man-is-powerful-then-his-rival-must-therefore-also-be-powerful/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [A man can choose his enemies but not his supporters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-zaring-stone/a-man-can-choose-his-enemies-but-not-his-supporters/) [Grace Zaring Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-zaring-stone/) > [If you choose to criticize, you choose your enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/if-you-choose-to-criticize-you-choose-your-enemies/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [We will love our enemies, but not make alliances with them. They were placed in our path in order to test our sword, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-will-love-our-enemies-but-not-make-alliances-with-them-they-were/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Choose your enemies wisely ...you may know them , but you don't know who is standing behind them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandy-yeazel/choose-your-enemies-wisely-you-may-know-them-but-you-don-t-know-who/) [Brandy Yeazel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandy-yeazel/) > [Only the following items should be considered to be grave faults: not respecting another's rights; allowing oneself to be paralyzed by fear; feeling guilty;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/only-the-following-items-should-be-considered-to-be-grave-faults-not/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“We don’t choose our enemies, Robert thought. They choose us – and there is not a damn thing we can do about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-valoppi/we-don-t-choose-our-enemies-robert-thought-they-choose-us-and-there/) [Jennifer Valoppi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-valoppi/) > [Choose your friends carefully, and even more importantly choose your enemies wisely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/choose-your-friends-carefully-and-even-more-importantly-choose-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To me, the beauty of a quilt or a dress lies within the stitches and the thought of the person who made them. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) ## More by Carlos Ruiz Zafon > [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“I carried the trace of her lips, of her breath on my skin through streets full of faceless people escaping from offices and shops.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/i-carried-the-trace-of-her-lips-of-her-breath-on-my-skin-through/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“Nekada davno, u djetinjstvu, možda is toga što sam odrastao među knjigama i knjižarima, odlučio sam da želim postati pisac i živjeti životom punim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/nekada-davno-u-djetinjstvu-mo-da-is-toga-to-sam-odrastao-me-u/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“nations never see themselves clearly in the mirror, much less when war preys on their minds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/nations-never-see-themselves-clearly-in-the-mirror-much-less-when-war/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [People might not agree with me, but I think a woman should have a feminine shape, something you can get your hands on. You,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/people-might-not-agree-with-me-but-i-think-a-woman-should-have-a/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“But I couldn't absorb the idea that death could actually walk by my side, with a human face and a heart that was poisoned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/but-i-couldn-t-absorb-the-idea-that-death-could-actually-walk-by-my/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“Wise men think and speak alike.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/wise-men-think-and-speak-alike/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“Time plays for the other team.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/time-plays-for-the-other-team/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [Once I'd worked out that I couldn't possibly expect people to enjoy a monstrous, 3000-page book, I realised I could in fact create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/once-i-d-worked-out-that-i-couldn-t-possibly-expect-people-to-enjoy-a/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [The haunting of history is ever present in Barcelona. I see cities as organisms, as living creatures. To me, Madrid is a man and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/the-haunting-of-history-is-ever-present-in-barcelona-i-see-cities-as/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [Waiting is the rust of the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/waiting-is-the-rust-of-the-soul/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“The main pillar of organized religion, with few exceptions, is the subjugation, repression, even the annulment of women in the group. Woman must accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/the-main-pillar-of-organized-religion-with-few-exceptions-is-the/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“Bea says that the art of reading is slowly dying, that it's an intimate ritual, that a book is a mirror that offers us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/bea-says-that-the-art-of-reading-is-slowly-dying-that-it-s-an/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [Human beings believe just as they breathe - in order to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/human-beings-believe-just-as-they-breathe-in-order-to-survive/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“Darwin was a dreamer, I can assure you. No evolution or anything of the sort. For every one who can reason, I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/darwin-was-a-dreamer-i-can-assure-you-no-evolution-or-anything-of-the/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) [Explore all 785 Carlos Ruiz Zafon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) ## More Cards quotes > [We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/we-cannot-change-the-cards-we-are-dealt-just-how-we-play-the-hand/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [Less than 8 percent of private sector workers belonged to a union in 2004, and, overall, only 12.5 percent of American workers carry a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/less-than-8-percent-of-private-sector-workers-belonged-to-a-union-in/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) > [ I don't see \[ Trainspotting \] as an albatross, I see it more as a calling card. It's got me out to Hollywood, I've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-don-t-see-trainspotting-as-an-albatross-i-see-it-more-as-a-calling/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [I have yet to see someone attack Obama over his report card. A lot of people I talk to from both sides of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/i-have-yet-to-see-someone-attack-obama-over-his-report-card-a-lot-of/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [Most dressing rooms are sterile and they feel like someone else's space. But over two weeks of previews, before the show officially opens, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mathew-horne/most-dressing-rooms-are-sterile-and-they-feel-like-someone-else-s/) [Mathew Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mathew-horne/) > [What Wall Street and credit card companies are doing is really not much different from what gangsters and loan sharks do who make predatory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/what-wall-street-and-credit-card-companies-are-doing-is-really-not/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Your goal should be to pay off your credit card bills in full at the end of each month and set aside money toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/your-goal-should-be-to-pay-off-your-credit-card-bills-in-full-at-the/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [I like Valentine's Day. The trouble is the florists and the candy-makers and the card people are all advertising so much, you don't dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-like-valentine-s-day-the-trouble-is-the-florists-and-the-candy/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [My first big mistake was made when, in a moment of weakness, I consented to learn the game; for a man who can frankly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/my-first-big-mistake-was-made-when-in-a-moment-of-weakness-i/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [I got Mary pregnant and man that's all she wrote. And for my 19th birthday, I got a union card and a factory coat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-got-mary-pregnant-and-man-that-s-all-she-wrote-and-for-my-19th/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [Whether Theresa May had stabbed has stabbed the former Mayor of London in the back and Michael Gove had stabbed him in the front.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-evans/whether-theresa-may-had-stabbed-has-stabbed-the-former-mayor-of/) [Nigel Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-evans/) > [While you're playing cards with a regular guy or having a bite to eat with him, he seems a peaceable, good-humoured and not entirely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/while-you-re-playing-cards-with-a-regular-guy-or-having-a-bite-to-eat/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [Growing up in San Diego, my main interests were the Beatles, Louis Armstrong, 'Star Wars,' baseball cards, and drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-mooney/growing-up-in-san-diego-my-main-interests-were-the-beatles-louis/) [Kyle Mooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-mooney/) > [“why would white dudes want to change things when they held all the cards?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/why-would-white-dudes-want-to-change-things-when-they-held-all-the/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [It's surprising to me how many of my friends send Christmas cards, or holiday cards, including my atheist and secular friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-surprising-to-me-how-many-of-my-friends-send-christmas-cards-or/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) [Browse all 2,004 Cards quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cards/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are two things in life you cannot choose. The first is your enemies; the second your family. Sometimes the difference between them is hard to see, but in the end time will show you that the cards you have been dealt could always have been worse.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carlos Ruiz Zafon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/there-are-two-things-in-life-you-cannot-choose-the-first-is-your/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cards" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/there-are-two-things-in-life-you-cannot-choose-the-first-is-your/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/carlos-ruiz-zafon-126_cards_there-are-two-things-in-life-you-cannot_806709.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/carlos-ruiz-zafon-126_cards_there-are-two-things-in-life-you-cannot_806709.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/carlos-ruiz-zafon-126_cards_there-are-two-things-in-life-you-cannot_806709.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There are two things in life you cannot choose. The first is your enemies; the second your family. Sometimes…” — Carlos Ruiz Zafon", "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": "Carlos Ruiz Zafon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There are two things in life...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/there-are-two-things-in-life-you-cannot-choose-the-first-is-your/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/there-are-two-things-in-life-you-cannot-choose-the-first-is-your/#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 } } ] } ```