---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We got a memory so we can carry the past…"
description: "\"“We got a memory so we can carry the past with us some, but we got a mind so we can leave it behind for a spell an' git on down the trail. Marion Danie..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/david-r-lewis-93305_memory_we-got-a-memory-so-we-can-carry-the-past_2365359.jpg"
---

#  We got a memory so we can carry the past with us some, but…

![“We got a memory so we can carry the past with us some, but we got a mind so we can leave it behind for a spell an' git on down the trail. Marion Daniels, U.S. Marshal” quote by David R. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/david-r-lewis-93305_memory_we-got-a-memory-so-we-can-carry-the-past_2365359.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/david-r-lewis-93305_memory_we-got-a-memory-so-we-can-carry-the-past_2365359.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/david-r-lewis-93305_memory_we-got-a-memory-so-we-can-carry-the-past_2365359.jpg)

> ““We got a memory so we can carry the past with us some, but we got a mind so we can leave it behind for a spell an' git on down the trail. Marion Daniels, U.S. Marshal””

[David R. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-r-lewis/)

## About This Quote

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

Memory lets us hold the past, while the mind can release it temporarily as we move forward.

**In simple terms:** We can remember the past but also let it go for a while.

Key Takeaway

Balance memory and forward focus.

Themes

memory psychology time letting go

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

philosophical narrative

When to use this quote

- philosophical musings
- storytelling
- character monologue

Key Concepts

personal growth reflection narrative voice

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance remembering and moving on?
- When is it healthy to let go?

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[Carry Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carry-past-1697255/) [Daniels Marshal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daniels-marshal-5806880/) [Marion Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marion-daniels-5806879/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Memory Carry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory-carry-5806881/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trail Marion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trail-marion-5806882/)

## Related quotes

> [We all carry our past. But it is a case of getting on with your life and improving it, if you want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinnie-jones/we-all-carry-our-past-but-it-is-a-case-of-getting-on-with-your-life/)

[Vinnie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinnie-jones/)

> [“I carry my past, with me, with each brave step taken—forward—to a future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamini-arichandran/i-carry-my-past-with-me-with-each-brave-step-taken-forward-to-a-future/)

[Kamini Arichandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamini-arichandran/)

> [Your journey will be much lighter and easier if you dont carry your past with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-journey-will-be-much-lighter-and-easier-if-you-dont-carry-your/)

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

> [“You carry the past with you. Even if there's a before, and an after, in your life. It's still the same life. The trick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-finney-boylan/you-carry-the-past-with-you-even-if-there-s-a-before-and-an-after-in/)

[Jennifer Finney Boylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-finney-boylan/)

> [Sometimes you have to let time carry you past your troubles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/sometimes-you-have-to-let-time-carry-you-past-your-troubles/)

[Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/)

> [If you're. Lost of alone or sinking like a stone. Carry. On May the past be the sound. Of your feet. Apon. The ground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fun/if-you-re-lost-of-alone-or-sinking-like-a-stone-carry-on-may-the-past/)

[Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fun/)

> [You carry your past with you even if you don't remember any of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/you-carry-your-past-with-you-even-if-you-don-t-remember-any-of-it/)

[Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/)

> [Your journey will be much lighter and easier if you don't carry your past with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-rogers/your-journey-will-be-much-lighter-and-easier-if-you-don-t-carry-your/)

[Sydney Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-rogers/)

> [“If you're lost and alone Or you're sinking like a stone Carry on... May your past be the sound Of your feet upon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fun/if-you-re-lost-and-alone-or-you-re-sinking-like-a-stone-carry-on-may/)

[FUN](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fun/)

> [Don't live in the past and don't carry the past around like a burden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/don-t-live-in-the-past-and-don-t-carry-the-past-around-like-a-burden/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [Once upon a time. Ah forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/once-upon-a-time-ah-forget-it/)

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

> [Memory is funny. Once you hit a vein the problem is not how to remember but how to control the flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-wolff/memory-is-funny-once-you-hit-a-vein-the-problem-is-not-how-to/)

[Tobias Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-wolff/)

> [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/)

[Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/)

> [“Maybe there is something when it all ends. Maybe there is memory, memory of the person you loved, when you lived. Maybe this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-ellison/maybe-there-is-something-when-it-all-ends-maybe-there-is-memory/)

[Kate Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-ellison/)

> [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/)

[Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/)

## More by David R. Lewis

> [“I wanna make it real slow until I die, beloved.Then I want to taper off. …Brother Dave Gardner”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-r-lewis/i-wanna-make-it-real-slow-until-i-die-beloved-then-i-want-to-taper/)

[David R. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-r-lewis/)

[Explore all 2 David R. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-r-lewis/)

## More Memory quotes

> [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/)

[Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/)

> [“Maybe there is something when it all ends. Maybe there is memory, memory of the person you loved, when you lived. Maybe this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-ellison/maybe-there-is-something-when-it-all-ends-maybe-there-is-memory/)

[Kate Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-ellison/)

> [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/)

[Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/)

> [Memory is funny. Once you hit a vein the problem is not how to remember but how to control the flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-wolff/memory-is-funny-once-you-hit-a-vein-the-problem-is-not-how-to/)

[Tobias Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-wolff/)

> [Once upon a time. Ah forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/once-upon-a-time-ah-forget-it/)

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

> [I am told many children block out the memory of trauma. In fact, the healing process can only truly begin when we are willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-stone/i-am-told-many-children-block-out-the-memory-of-trauma-in-fact-the/)

[Phoebe Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-stone/)

> [“The whole town rushed outside to celebrate this crowded minute when the time of suffering had ended and the time of forgetting had not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-whole-town-rushed-outside-to-celebrate-this-crowded-minute-when/)

[Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/)

> [I have a memory like an elephant. I remember every elephant I've ever met.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/i-have-a-memory-like-an-elephant-i-remember-every-elephant-i-ve-ever/)

[Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/)

> [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/)

[John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/)

> [My first Olympics memory was watching Haile Gebrselassie in Sydney 2000. His sprint finish to defend his title really moved me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-farah/my-first-olympics-memory-was-watching-haile-gebrselassie-in-sydney/)

[Mo Farah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-farah/)

> [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/)

[Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/)

> [My greatest memories as a kid were playing sports with my dad and watching sports with my dad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-teixeira/my-greatest-memories-as-a-kid-were-playing-sports-with-my-dad-and/)

[Mark Teixeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-teixeira/)

> [What’s the use of remembering anything? If it was unpleasant it was unpleasant and if it was pleasant it’s over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-dundy/what-s-the-use-of-remembering-anything-if-it-was-unpleasant-it-was/)

[Elaine Dundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-dundy/)

> [Always remember a little thing can change everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/always-remember-a-little-thing-can-change-everything/)

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

> [If God knows me I will never forget him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trunxbeats/if-god-knows-me-i-will-never-forget-him/)

[Trunxbeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trunxbeats/)

[Browse all 12,248 Memory quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/)

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