--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Others are writing my biography, and let…" description: "\"Others are writing my biography, and let it rest as they elect to make it. I have lived my life, well and ill, always less well than I wanted it to be ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/clara-barton-16924_american-red-cross_others-are-writing-my-biography-and-let_1357619.png" --- # Others are writing my biography, and let it rest as they… ![“Others are writing my biography, and let it rest as they elect to make it. I have lived my life, well and ill, always less well than I wanted it to be but it is, as it is, and as it has been; so small a thing, to have had so much about it!” quote by Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/clara-barton-16924_american-red-cross_others-are-writing-my-biography-and-let_1357619.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/clara-barton-16924_american-red-cross_others-are-writing-my-biography-and-let_1357619.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/clara-barton-16924_american-red-cross_others-are-writing-my-biography-and-let_1357619.png) > “Others are writing my biography, and let it rest as they elect to make it. I have lived my life, well and ill, always less well than I wanted it to be but it is, as it is, and as it has been; so small a thing, to have had so much about it!” [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One cannot control how others write one's story, but can live authentically despite imperfections. **In simple terms:** Live your life fully, regardless of others' narratives. Key Takeaway Own your narrative. Themes self‑acceptance authenticity legacy Mood introspective resigned Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career choices - relationships - public perception Key Concepts personal narrative self‑reflection Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance external opinions with inner truth? - What does “small thing” mean to you? A Different Perspective External judgments can still impact self‑esteem. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American red cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-red-cross/) [Biographies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biographies/) [Biography Let](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biography-let-4636792/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill/) [Let Rest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-rest-283514/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-ill-4498527/) [Lived Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lived-life/) [My biography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-biography/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Biography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-biography-820785/) ## Related quotes > [I'm writing my biography. 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When Bob Dole was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/when-george-w-bush-was-president-his-daddy-was-raising-money-for-the/) [James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/) > [From Clara Barton's tireless work founding the American Red Cross to the first female Medal of Honor winner, Dr. Mary Walker, to our first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-kilmeade/from-clara-barton-s-tireless-work-founding-the-american-red-cross-to/) [Brian Kilmeade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-kilmeade/) > [After 9/11, the American Red Cross received more than half a billion dollars in donations to help the victims of the terrorist attacks. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/after-9-11-the-american-red-cross-received-more-than-half-a-billion/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Im happy to volunteer for the American Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet. The Red Cross is an organization that responds to those in need and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-manning/im-happy-to-volunteer-for-the-american-red-cross-celebrity-cabinet/) [Peyton Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-manning/) ## More by Clara Barton > [I founded the American Red Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/i-founded-the-american-red-cross/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [“The surest test of discipline is it's absence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/the-surest-test-of-discipline-is-it-s-absence/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [I don't know how long it has been since my ear has been free from the roll of a drum. It is the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/i-don-t-know-how-long-it-has-been-since-my-ear-has-been-free-from-the/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [The Red Cross in its nature, it aims and purposes, and consequently, its methods, is unlike any other organization in the country.It is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/the-red-cross-in-its-nature-it-aims-and-purposes-and-consequently-its/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [People should not say that this or that is not worth learning, giving as their reason that it will not be put to use.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/people-should-not-say-that-this-or-that-is-not-worth-learning-giving/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [You must never so much think as whether you like it or not, whether it is bearable or not; you must never think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/you-must-never-so-much-think-as-whether-you-like-it-or-not-whether-it/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [It is wise statesmanship which suggests that in time of peace we must prepare for war, and it is no less a wise benevolence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/it-is-wise-statesmanship-which-suggests-that-in-time-of-peace-we-must/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [I may sometimes be willing to teach for nothing, but if paid at all, I shall never do a man's work for less than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/i-may-sometimes-be-willing-to-teach-for-nothing-but-if-paid-at-all-i/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [I may be compelled to face danger, but never fear it, and while our soldiers can stand and fight, I can stand and feed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/i-may-be-compelled-to-face-danger-but-never-fear-it-and-while-our/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [What could I do but go with them Civil War soldiers, or work for them and my country? The patriot blood of my father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/what-could-i-do-but-go-with-them-civil-war-soldiers-or-work-for-them/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [I don't know how long it has been since my ear has been free from the roll of a drum. It is the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/i-don-t-know-how-long-it-has-been-since-my-ear-has-been-free-from-the-2/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [The patriot blood of my father was warm in my veins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/the-patriot-blood-of-my-father-was-warm-in-my-veins/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [A ball had passed between my body and the right arm which supported him, cutting through the sleeve and passing through his chest from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/a-ball-had-passed-between-my-body-and-the-right-arm-which-supported/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [Although its growth may seem to have been slow, it is to be remembered that it is not a shrub, or plant, to shoot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/although-its-growth-may-seem-to-have-been-slow-it-is-to-be-remembered/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [Economy, prudence, and a simple life are the sure masters of need, and will often accomplish that which, their opposites, with a fortune at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/economy-prudence-and-a-simple-life-are-the-sure-masters-of-need-and/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) [Explore all 38 Clara Barton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) ## More American red cross quotes > [I founded the American Red Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/i-founded-the-american-red-cross/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [Whether it is a call to action for blood drives, disaster relief, or just community outreach, the American Red Cross does an extraordinary job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darius-rucker/whether-it-is-a-call-to-action-for-blood-drives-disaster-relief-or/) [Darius Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darius-rucker/) > [After a disaster strikes, it can be very devastating and very challenging. You're going to need a lot of strength and energy, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/after-a-disaster-strikes-it-can-be-very-devastating-and-very/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [After 9/11, the American Red Cross received more than half a billion dollars in donations to help the victims of the terrorist attacks. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/after-9-11-the-american-red-cross-received-more-than-half-a-billion/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Florence Nightingale was an amazing figure. She created the American Red Cross. She saw the suffering from bad health conditions on the battlefield and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-lawrence/florence-nightingale-was-an-amazing-figure-she-created-the-american/) [Sharon Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-lawrence/) > [Im happy to volunteer for the American Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet. The Red Cross is an organization that responds to those in need and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-manning/im-happy-to-volunteer-for-the-american-red-cross-celebrity-cabinet/) [Peyton Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-manning/) > [From Clara Barton's tireless work founding the American Red Cross to the first female Medal of Honor winner, Dr. Mary Walker, to our first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-kilmeade/from-clara-barton-s-tireless-work-founding-the-american-red-cross-to/) [Brian Kilmeade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-kilmeade/) > [When George W. Bush was president, his daddy was raising money for the Bush library. I thought that was fine. When Bob Dole was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/when-george-w-bush-was-president-his-daddy-was-raising-money-for-the/) [James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/) > [I once donated a pint of my finest red corpuscles to the great American Red Cross and the doctor opined my blood was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/i-once-donated-a-pint-of-my-finest-red-corpuscles-to-the-great/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [The door that nobody else will go in at, seems always to swing open widely for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/the-door-that-nobody-else-will-go-in-at-seems-always-to-swing-open/) [Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/) > [The best way to get a sense of what kinds of emergencies might present themselves in your community is by contacting local chapters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-redlener/the-best-way-to-get-a-sense-of-what-kinds-of-emergencies-might/) [Irwin Redlener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-redlener/) [Browse all 12 American red cross quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-red-cross/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Others are writing my biography, and let it rest as they elect to make it. 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