--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Adversity is neither friend nor foe. It…" description: "\"“Adversity is neither friend nor foe. It is a common acquaintance whose presence is least desired, but most rewarding when embraced.\"- Carolyn Wells, S..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c1/carolyn-wells-10684_friendship_adversity-is-neither-friend-nor-foe-it-i_62572.jpg" --- # Adversity is neither friend nor foe. It is a common… ![“Adversity is neither friend nor foe. It is a common acquaintance whose presence is least desired, but most rewarding when embraced."- Carolyn Wells, Start Again, Inspiration from the Sunny Side of Adversity” quote by Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c1/carolyn-wells-10684_friendship_adversity-is-neither-friend-nor-foe-it-i_62572.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c1/carolyn-wells-10684_friendship_adversity-is-neither-friend-nor-foe-it-i_62572.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c1/carolyn-wells-10684_friendship_adversity-is-neither-friend-nor-foe-it-i_62572.jpg) > ““Adversity is neither friend nor foe. It is a common acquaintance whose presence is least desired, but most rewarding when embraced."- Carolyn Wells, Start Again, Inspiration from the Sunny Side of Adversity”” [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adversity is a neutral force, unavoidable but valuable when faced directly, not an enemy or ally. **In simple terms:** Adversity is neutral, rewarding when faced. Key Takeaway Embrace challenges for growth. Themes resilience mindset growth acceptance perspective Mood determined hopeful reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career setbacks - personal loss - health crisis - relationship conflict Key Concepts adversity reward embrace Practical Applications - coaching - self‑help workshops Questions to Reflect On - How does viewing adversity as neutral change your response? - What rewards have you discovered by embracing difficulty? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Start-again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-again/) [Sunny side](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunny-side/) ## Related quotes > [“Adversity is neither friend nor foe. 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There is not a more unfortunate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saadi/he-who-when-he-hath-the-power-doeth-not-good-when-he-loses-the-means/) [Saadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saadi/) > [“We grow up with such an idealistic view on how our life should be; love, friendships, a career or even the place we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-rowe/we-grow-up-with-such-an-idealistic-view-on-how-our-life-should-be/) [Nikki Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-rowe/) > [“I've never had a moment when I thought: "Tom, you've made it!", and I don't think I want to, because that feels like you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-fletcher/i-ve-never-had-a-moment-when-i-thought-tom-you-ve-made-it-and-i-don-t/) [Tom Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-fletcher/) > [“If I have one piece of advice to give you all about what to search for in your quest for What Next, it's to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-fletcher/if-i-have-one-piece-of-advice-to-give-you-all-about-what-to-search/) [Tom Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-fletcher/) > [Never restart a journey and use the same road that failed you before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-e-adonis/never-restart-a-journey-and-use-the-same-road-that-failed-you-before/) [Dennis E Adonis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-e-adonis/) > [“Remembering where and why you fell and learning the lessons well is a good starting point to start all over again with a broaden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/remembering-where-and-why-you-fell-and-learning-the-lessons-well-is-a/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) > [“It hurts to let go, to say goodbye for the final time and remain distant in your closure, it may even tear your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-rowe/it-hurts-to-let-go-to-say-goodbye-for-the-final-time-and-remain/) [Nikki Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-rowe/) > [“There comes a time for healing no matter how broken you are right now; no matter how heavy your heart is right now. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/there-comes-a-time-for-healing-no-matter-how-broken-you-are-right-now/) [Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/) > [“Advice to my younger self: 1 Start where you are with what you have 2 Try not to hurt other people 3 Take more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/advice-to-my-younger-self-1-start-where-you-are-with-what-you-have-2/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [“They forgot what made them successful.” “What do you do when that happens?” “You start again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/they-forgot-what-made-them-successful-what-do-you-do-when-that/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [“The courage of living is - to take risks, to fail, to get up, and to try again. Try again differently.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naide-p-obiang/the-courage-of-living-is-to-take-risks-to-fail-to-get-up-and-to-try/) [Naide P Obiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naide-p-obiang/) > [“Sometimes we reach a dead end. In that case, start again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felisa-tan/sometimes-we-reach-a-dead-end-in-that-case-start-again/) [Felisa Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felisa-tan/) > [Your son at five is your master, at ten your slave, at fifteen your double, and after that, your friend or foe, depending on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hasdai-ibn-shaprut/your-son-at-five-is-your-master-at-ten-your-slave-at-fifteen-your/) Hasdai ibn Shaprut ## More by Carolyn Wells > [Invitation is the sincerest flattery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-wells/invitation-is-the-sincerest-flattery/) [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) > [It is the interest one takes in books that makes a library. And if a library have interest it is; if not, it isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-wells/it-is-the-interest-one-takes-in-books-that-makes-a-library-and-if-a/) [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) > [Society's the mother of convention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-wells/society-s-the-mother-of-convention/) [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) > [Happiness is the ability to recognize it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-wells/happiness-is-the-ability-to-recognize-it/) [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) > [ There are many ways of discarding \[books\]. You can give them to friends,--or enemies,--or to associations or to poor Southern libraries. But the surest… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-wells/there-are-many-ways-of-discarding-books-you-can-give-them-to-friends/) [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) > [I hate to do what everybody else is doing. Why, only last week, on Fifth Avenue and some cross streets, I noticed that every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-wells/i-hate-to-do-what-everybody-else-is-doing-why-only-last-week-on-fifth/) [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) > [The books we think we ought to read are poky, dull, and dry The books that we would like to read we are ashamed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-wells/the-books-we-think-we-ought-to-read-are-poky-dull-and-dry-the-books/) [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) > [Youth is a silly, vapid state, Old age with fears and ills is rife, This simple boon I beg of Fate - A thousand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-wells/youth-is-a-silly-vapid-state-old-age-with-fears-and-ills-is-rife-this/) [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) > [You wouldn't believe On All Hallow Eve What lots of fun we can make, With apples to bob, And nuts on the hob, And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-wells/you-wouldn-t-believe-on-all-hallow-eve-what-lots-of-fun-we-can-make/) [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) > [Where there's a will there's a detective story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-wells/where-there-s-a-will-there-s-a-detective-story/) [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) > [“Adversity is neither friend nor foe. It is a common acquaintance that is desired less and rewarded most when embraced.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-wells/adversity-is-neither-friend-nor-foe-it-is-a-common-acquaintance-that/) [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) > [Flirtation envies Love, and Love envies Flirtation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-wells/flirtation-envies-love-and-love-envies-flirtation/) [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) > [I view askance a book that remains undisturbed for a year. Oughtn't it to have a ticket of leave? I think I may safely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-wells/i-view-askance-a-book-that-remains-undisturbed-for-a-year-oughtn-t-it/) [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) > [All through the nineties I met people. Crowds of people. Met and met and met, until it seemed that people were born and hastily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-wells/all-through-the-nineties-i-met-people-crowds-of-people-met-and-met/) [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) > [One of the first principles of perseverance is to know when to stop persevering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-wells/one-of-the-first-principles-of-perseverance-is-to-know-when-to-stop/) [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) [Explore all 64 Carolyn Wells quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) ## More Adversity quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [When we have public success we also have private struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deion-sanders/when-we-have-public-success-we-also-have-private-struggles/) [Deion Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deion-sanders/) > [“The threats that resurfaced in the past 10 years were not an aberration. Al Qaeda and terrorism or one such threat, but it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/the-threats-that-resurfaced-in-the-past-10-years-were-not-an/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [“Every adversity is just another opportunity to excel a little more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/every-adversity-is-just-another-opportunity-to-excel-a-little-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Just because she doesn't talk about it, doesn't mean she isn't feeling it. She hurts, but she won't wear it on her sleeve. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfa-h/just-because-she-doesn-t-talk-about-it-doesn-t-mean-she-isn-t-feeling/) [Alfa H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfa-h/) > [Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buckham-kennedy/every-trial-endured-and-weathered-in-the-right-spirit-makes-a-soul/) James Buckham Kennedy > [Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/honesty-by-evil-fortune-tried-finds-in-adversity-the-seed-of-praise/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [“Struggles are not associated to a particular people or creed, everyone struggles, not for the same reasons, but each has a personal struggle at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/struggles-are-not-associated-to-a-particular-people-or-creed-everyone/) [Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/) > [“Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/watch-a-man-in-times-of-adversity-to-discover-what-kind-of-man-he-is/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“Life is not about less mistakes but about more trials”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-sever/life-is-not-about-less-mistakes-but-about-more-trials/) S.E. SEVER > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [When everything feels like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-everything-feels-like-an-uphill-struggle-just-think-of-the-view/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 5,001 Adversity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Adversity is neither friend nor foe. 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