--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are so many there, beyond your…" description: "\"“There are so many there, beyond your reach. So many you can never touch, so many whose essence you can’t find, so many who slip through your fingers. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/diana-gabaldon-185_quote_there-are-so-many-there-beyond-your-reac_702717.jpg" --- # There are so many there, beyond your reach. So many you… ![“There are so many there, beyond your reach. So many you can never touch, so many whose essence you can’t find, so many who slip through your fingers. But you can’t think about them. The only thing you can do—the only thing—is to try for the one who’s in front of you. Act as though this one patient…” quote by Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/diana-gabaldon-185_quote_there-are-so-many-there-beyond-your-reac_702717.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/diana-gabaldon-185_quote_there-are-so-many-there-beyond-your-reac_702717.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/diana-gabaldon-185_quote_there-are-so-many-there-beyond-your-reac_702717.jpg) > ““There are so many there, beyond your reach. So many you can never touch, so many whose essence you can’t find, so many who slip through your fingers. But you can’t think about them. The only thing you can do—the only thing—is to try for the one who’s in front of you. Act as though this one patient is the only person in the world—because to do otherwise is to lose that one, too. One at a time, that’s all you can do. And you learn not to despair over all the ones you can’t help, but only to do what you can.”” [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prioritize the present person over unreachable possibilities. **In simple terms:** Focus on the present. Key Takeaway Give full attention to the person before you. Themes presence focus compassion Mood thoughtful motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - patient care - personal relationships - team projects Key Concepts mindfulness prioritization empathy Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance present focus with future goals? - What limits do you set for unattainable pursuits? A Different Perspective May neglect broader responsibilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Patient person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patient-person/) ## Related quotes > [Show kindness to your near and dear ones, first. Help them. Ensure their happiness. Only then set out to wipe the tears from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/show-kindness-to-your-near-and-dear-ones-first-help-them-ensure-their/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I think my characters with my fingers, I think my characters with my guts. But when I say I think them, that is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-byatt-2/i-think-my-characters-with-my-fingers-i-think-my-characters-with-my/) [A. S. Byatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-byatt-2/) > [I think about the day I met the perfect stranger, I think about us. And I think about the day I got wrapped around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kem/i-think-about-the-day-i-met-the-perfect-stranger-i-think-about-us-and/) [Kem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kem/) > [“As recently as fifty years ago my grandmother was picking cotton with bleeding fingers. I think about her all the time while I'm getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/as-recently-as-fifty-years-ago-my-grandmother-was-picking-cotton-with/) [Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/) > [“You learn it when you become a doctor. Not in school—that isn’t where you learn, in any case—but when you lay your hands on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/you-learn-it-when-you-become-a-doctor-not-in-school-that-isn-t-where/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [The exceptional patient is the person who, despite their diagnosis, takes charge of their health and decides to be responsible to their illness or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-northrup/the-exceptional-patient-is-the-person-who-despite-their-diagnosis/) [Christiane Northrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-northrup/) > [Surely a good therapist should produce a Dorian Gray-style portrait from under the couch so the patient can see the person they really are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosamund-lupton/surely-a-good-therapist-should-produce-a-dorian-gray-style-portrait/) [Rosamund Lupton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosamund-lupton/) > [Sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-the-people-you-expect-to-kick-you-when-you-re-down-will-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes loneliness isn't such a bad end after all, sometimes it brings out the hidden potential in us and make us realize of how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaze-olermiday/sometimes-loneliness-isn-t-such-a-bad-end-after-all-sometimes-it/) [Blaze Olermiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaze-olermiday/) > [“The ones you help you get up are the ones who know how it feels to fall down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saleem-sharma/the-ones-you-help-you-get-up-are-the-ones-who-know-how-it-feels-to/) [Saleem Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saleem-sharma/) > [The only people who truly know your story, are the ones who help you write it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-people-who-truly-know-your-story-are-the-ones-who-help-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The people that always say they want to help are always the ones that never help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jfs/the-people-that-always-say-they-want-to-help-are-always-the-ones-that/) Jfs > [- Best Friends : their the ones who help you through It all ! the ones you fight with the most ! and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/best-friends-their-the-ones-who-help-you-through-it-all-the-ones-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm a patient person. I can wait for my prince charming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazz-jennings/i-m-a-patient-person-i-can-wait-for-my-prince-charming/) [Jazz Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazz-jennings/) > [Someone will love you more than what you've expected. Be patient and learn to wait because sometimes a patient person receives the best love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/someone-will-love-you-more-than-what-you-ve-expected-be-patient-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Diana Gabaldon > [Alright, all right," I said. "What if I tell you a story, instead?" Highlanders loved stories, and Jamie was no exception. "Oh, aye, "…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/alright-all-right-i-said-what-if-i-tell-you-a-story-instead/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [There were moments, of course. Those small spaces in time, too soon gone, when everything seems to stand still, and existence is balanced on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/there-were-moments-of-course-those-small-spaces-in-time-too-soon-gone/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [If it was a sin for you to choose me . . . then I would go to the Devil himself and bless him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/if-it-was-a-sin-for-you-to-choose-me-then-i-would-go-to-the-devil/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [When I turned 35, I thought, 'Mozart was dead at 36, so I set the bar: I'm going to start writing a book on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/when-i-turned-35-i-thought-mozart-was-dead-at-36-so-i-set-the-bar-i-m/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [I stagger out of bed, take the dogs outside, and then I'll get a Diet Coke and a couple of dog biscuits and go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-stagger-out-of-bed-take-the-dogs-outside-and-then-i-ll-get-a-diet/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“It was…hard. I didna call out, or let them see I was scairt, but I couldna keep my feet. Halfway through it, I fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/it-was-hard-i-didna-call-out-or-let-them-see-i-was-scairt-but-i/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [I have all the time and space in the world when I write a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-have-all-the-time-and-space-in-the-world-when-i-write-a-book/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [I discovered that, given the indescribable nature of what I write, the only way to sell it is to give people free samples.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-discovered-that-given-the-indescribable-nature-of-what-i-write-the/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“We are bound,you and I, and nothing on this earth shall part me from you."One large hand rose to stroke my hair. "D'ye mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/we-are-bound-you-and-i-and-nothing-on-this-earth-shall-part-me-from/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [I think characters are going to be, if not a reflection of the author, at least some refraction of some part of their personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-think-characters-are-going-to-be-if-not-a-reflection-of-the-author/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [My husband asked me once why I read so many mysteries, and part of it is just intellectual, part of it is the joy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/my-husband-asked-me-once-why-i-read-so-many-mysteries-and-part-of-it/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“My Da says you’re never drunk, so long as ye can hold on to the floor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/my-da-says-you-re-never-drunk-so-long-as-ye-can-hold-on-to-the-floor/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [When you're an artist, you can't write with the intent of affecting anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/when-you-re-an-artist-you-can-t-write-with-the-intent-of-affecting/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“But a man is not forgotten, as long as there are two people left under the sky. One, to tell the story; the other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/but-a-man-is-not-forgotten-as-long-as-there-are-two-people-left-under/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“I didn’t answer, occupied in dissolving the penicillin tablets in the vial of sterile water. I selected a glass barrel, fitted a needle, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-didn-t-answer-occupied-in-dissolving-the-penicillin-tablets-in-the/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) [Explore all 952 Diana Gabaldon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) ## More Ones quotes > [The same ones you love will bring you pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-cole-2/the-same-ones-you-love-will-bring-you-pain/) [J. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-cole-2/) > [We try so hard for the ones who always let us down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-jenner/we-try-so-hard-for-the-ones-who-always-let-us-down/) [Kylie Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-jenner/) > [“The 'bad guys' are the ones who are often misunderstood”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-myklusch/the-bad-guys-are-the-ones-who-are-often-misunderstood/) [Matt Myklusch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-myklusch/) > [We're in such a slump that even the ones that are drinkin' aren't hittin'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/we-re-in-such-a-slump-that-even-the-ones-that-are-drinkin-aren-t/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [We are the ones we've been waiting for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-the-ones-we-ve-been-waiting-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The great ones are about winning and winning only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skip-bayless/the-great-ones-are-about-winning-and-winning-only/) [Skip Bayless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skip-bayless/) > [“We are not the ones in charge of language; language is in charge of us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-schwandt/we-are-not-the-ones-in-charge-of-language-language-is-in-charge-of-us/) Thomas A. Schwandt > [Which one or ones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suicidal-scars/which-one-or-ones/) Suicidal\_scars > [“Great is a great one whose great ones are great”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stein/great-is-a-great-one-whose-great-ones-are-great/) [John Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stein/) > [“I find the right ones, but time reveals who truly stays right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-bekoe/i-find-the-right-ones-but-time-reveals-who-truly-stays-right/) [Marion Bekoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-bekoe/) > [The ones that make it complicated never get congratulated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-cudi/the-ones-that-make-it-complicated-never-get-congratulated/) [Kid Cudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-cudi/) > [“Is there so much hate for the ones we love? Tell me we both matter don't we?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bush/is-there-so-much-hate-for-the-ones-we-love-tell-me-we-both-matter-don/) [Kate Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bush/) > [“We are the ones who are alive. Here. With everything to lose”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/we-are-the-ones-who-are-alive-here-with-everything-to-lose/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [This ones for you and me...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-ones-for-you-and-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“That’s what love is all about, not giving up on the ones you love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-donner/that-s-what-love-is-all-about-not-giving-up-on-the-ones-you-love/) [Justin Donner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-donner/) Browse all 273 Ones quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There are so many there, beyond your reach. So many you can never touch, so many whose essence you can’t find, so many who slip through your fingers. But you can’t think about them. The only thing you can do—the only thing—is to try for the one who’s in front of you. Act as though this one patient is the only person in the world—because to do otherwise is to lose that one, too. One at a time, that’s all you can do. And you learn not to despair over all the ones you can’t help, but only to do what you can.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Diana Gabaldon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/there-are-so-many-there-beyond-your-reach-so-many-you-can-never-touch/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ones" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/there-are-so-many-there-beyond-your-reach-so-many-you-can-never-touch/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/diana-gabaldon-185_quote_there-are-so-many-there-beyond-your-reac_702717.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/diana-gabaldon-185_quote_there-are-so-many-there-beyond-your-reac_702717.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2aa/diana-gabaldon-185_quote_there-are-so-many-there-beyond-your-reac_702717.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There are so many there, beyond your reach. So many you can never touch, so many whose essence you can’t…” — Diana Gabaldon", "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": "Diana Gabaldon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“There are so many there, beyond...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/there-are-so-many-there-beyond-your-reach-so-many-you-can-never-touch/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/there-are-so-many-there-beyond-your-reach-so-many-you-can-never-touch/#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 } } ] } ```