--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's when we're given choice that we sit…" description: "\"It's when we're given choice that we sit with the gods and design ourselves.\" — Dorothy Gilman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/dorothy-gilman-19428_choice_it-s-when-we-re-given-choice-that-we-sit_988717.jpg" --- # It's when we're given choice that we sit with the gods and… ![“It's when we're given choice that we sit with the gods and design ourselves.” quote by Dorothy Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/dorothy-gilman-19428_choice_it-s-when-we-re-given-choice-that-we-sit_988717.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/dorothy-gilman-19428_choice_it-s-when-we-re-given-choice-that-we-sit_988717.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/dorothy-gilman-19428_choice_it-s-when-we-re-given-choice-that-we-sit_988717.jpg) > “It's when we're given choice that we sit with the gods and design ourselves.” [Dorothy Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gilman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When faced with choices, we collaborate with higher forces to shape our identity and destiny. **In simple terms:** Choices let us co‑create ourselves with divine influence. Key Takeaway Embrace choice as a creative act. Themes choice self‑creation divine influence design agency Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - artistic pursuits - life planning Key Concepts philosophy spirituality personal development Questions to Reflect On - How do you discern true guidance? - What role does destiny play in your decisions? A Different Perspective Not all choices are guided by higher forces. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choice Sit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice-sit-1697758/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Given Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given-choice/) [Gods Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods-design-2010847/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Sit Gods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sit-gods-2010846/) ## Related quotes > [Eat and carouse with Bacchus, or munch dry bread with Jesus, but don't sit down without one of the gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/eat-and-carouse-with-bacchus-or-munch-dry-bread-with-jesus-but-don-t/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [I grew up without any money, but the one thing that we did was sit up in the gods to watch the ballet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/i-grew-up-without-any-money-but-the-one-thing-that-we-did-was-sit-up/) [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) > [Temperance: Eat and carouse with Bacchus, or munch dry bread with Jesus, but don't sit down without one of the gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dh-lawrence/temperance-eat-and-carouse-with-bacchus-or-munch-dry-bread-with-jesus/) [DH Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dh-lawrence/) > [And if my choice is to sit graciously in my best robes and accept the inevitable or to bail a sea with a bucket,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-mckinley/and-if-my-choice-is-to-sit-graciously-in-my-best-robes-and-accept-the/) [Robin McKinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-mckinley/) > [If your choice is to sit back and do nothing in the present, you are just adding unwanted regrets that will accumulate in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-your-choice-is-to-sit-back-and-do-nothing-in-the-present-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ann-womack/when-you-get-the-choice-to-sit-it-out-or-dance-i-hope-you-dance/) [Lee Ann Womack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ann-womack/) > [Happiness, most often, is a choice. Make the choice to sit, breathe, and be in that moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-lamb/happiness-most-often-is-a-choice-make-the-choice-to-sit-breathe-and/) [Cathy Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-lamb/) > [We live in a culture of quick fixes. We want to feel better and we want to feel better now. I believe that's why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-walsh/we-live-in-a-culture-of-quick-fixes-we-want-to-feel-better-and-we/) [Sheila Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-walsh/) > [“Given the choice, whether to rule a corrupt and failing empire; or to challenge the fates for another throw - a better throw -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-hennig/given-the-choice-whether-to-rule-a-corrupt-and-failing-empire-or-to/) [Amy Hennig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-hennig/) > [“Given a choice, I'd take earth sounds over people sounds any day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-i-brooks/given-a-choice-i-d-take-earth-sounds-over-people-sounds-any-day/) [Michelle I. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-i-brooks/) > [“Brave is what you are when you’re given a choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panayotis-cacoyannis/brave-is-what-you-are-when-you-re-given-a-choice/) [Panayotis Cacoyannis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panayotis-cacoyannis/) > [“Discipline is a given; the choice is whether it is applied internally or externally.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orrin-woodward/discipline-is-a-given-the-choice-is-whether-it-is-applied-internally/) [Orrin Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orrin-woodward/) > [“I am coming to see that it is not so much a question of finding the right place, the right time, the ideal marriage.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-brien/i-am-coming-to-see-that-it-is-not-so-much-a-question-of-finding-the/) [Michael O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-brien/) > [I’ve long said that if I were about to be executed and were given a choice of my last meal, it would be bacon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-beard/i-ve-long-said-that-if-i-were-about-to-be-executed-and-were-given-a/) [James Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-beard/) > [“It raises my spleen more than any thing, to have the pretence of being asked, of being given a choice, and at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/it-raises-my-spleen-more-than-any-thing-to-have-the-pretence-of-being/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) ## More by Dorothy Gilman > [“I wasn't offering her pity," Mrs. Caswell said impatiently. "Tragedies don't interest me, tragedies and heartbreaks are all alike, what matters is how a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/i-wasn-t-offering-her-pity-mrs-caswell-said-impatiently-tragedies-don/) [Dorothy Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gilman/) > [It's compassion that makes gods of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/it-s-compassion-that-makes-gods-of-us/) [Dorothy Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gilman/) > [The best things arrive on time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/the-best-things-arrive-on-time/) [Dorothy Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gilman/) > [People need dreams, there's as much nourishment in 'em as food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/people-need-dreams-there-s-as-much-nourishment-in-em-as-food/) [Dorothy Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gilman/) > [“Do you like Magda too?” His gaze left the gate to sweep the courtyard. “She seems pleasant enough when she’s not drugged. But then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/do-you-like-magda-too-his-gaze-left-the-gate-to-sweep-the-courtyard/) [Dorothy Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gilman/) > [“If life was like a body of water, she had asked that she be allowed to walk again in its shallows; instead she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/if-life-was-like-a-body-of-water-she-had-asked-that-she-be-allowed-to/) [Dorothy Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gilman/) > [will anything but fanaticism make for change? Wisdom and compromise come later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/will-anything-but-fanaticism-make-for-change-wisdom-and-compromise/) [Dorothy Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gilman/) > [“the problems changed, but people were the same”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/the-problems-changed-but-people-were-the-same/) [Dorothy Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gilman/) > [“...why doesn't anything end happily?" "Because," said Mrs. Pollifax slowly, "there are no happy endings, Jenny, there are only happy people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/why-doesn-t-anything-end-happily-because-said-mrs-pollifax-slowly/) [Dorothy Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gilman/) > [ “Once upon a time, \[the guru\] said, when God had finished making the world, he wanted to leave behind Him for man a piece… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/once-upon-a-time-the-guru-said-when-god-had-finished-making-the-world/) [Dorothy Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gilman/) > [“evil is, after all, only a deficiency of goodness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/evil-is-after-all-only-a-deficiency-of-goodness/) [dorothy gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gilman/) > [... people misunderstood death, they died not of too little life but of too much life, that as the skin withered and the future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/people-misunderstood-death-they-died-not-of-too-little-life-but-of/) [Dorothy Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gilman/) > [A man from hell is not afraid of hot ashes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/a-man-from-hell-is-not-afraid-of-hot-ashes/) [Dorothy Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gilman/) > [People need dreams, there's as much nourishment in them as food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/people-need-dreams-there-s-as-much-nourishment-in-them-as-food/) [Dorothy Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gilman/) > [When we live with a memory we live with a corpse; the impact of the experience has changed us once but can never change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/when-we-live-with-a-memory-we-live-with-a-corpse-the-impact-of-the/) [Dorothy Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gilman/) [Explore all 32 Dorothy Gilman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gilman/) ## More Choice quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“too—I realized that my only hope was to give up the life that had been, in order to make room for the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/too-i-realized-that-my-only-hope-was-to-give-up-the-life-that-had/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I have too many options when it comes to guitars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-have-too-many-options-when-it-comes-to-guitars/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [“Amazing how a small choice can change your life forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-c-dockens/amazing-how-a-small-choice-can-change-your-life-forever/) [Randy C. Dockens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-c-dockens/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) [Browse all 8,092 Choice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's when we're given choice that we sit with the gods and design ourselves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dorothy Gilman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/it-s-when-we-re-given-choice-that-we-sit-with-the-gods-and-design/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/it-s-when-we-re-given-choice-that-we-sit-with-the-gods-and-design/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/dorothy-gilman-19428_choice_it-s-when-we-re-given-choice-that-we-sit_988717.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/dorothy-gilman-19428_choice_it-s-when-we-re-given-choice-that-we-sit_988717.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/dorothy-gilman-19428_choice_it-s-when-we-re-given-choice-that-we-sit_988717.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's when we're given choice that we sit with the gods and design ourselves.” — Dorothy Gilman", "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": "Dorothy Gilman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-gilman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's when we're given choice that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/it-s-when-we-re-given-choice-that-we-sit-with-the-gods-and-design/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-gilman/it-s-when-we-re-given-choice-that-we-sit-with-the-gods-and-design/#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 } } ] } ```