--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But if I can't be sorry, why, I might as…" description: "\"But if I can't be sorry, why, I might as well be glad!\" — Edna St. Vincent Millay" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/edna-st-vincent-millay-1291_glad_but-if-i-can-t-be-sorry-why-i-might-as-w_2218252.jpg" --- # But if I can't be sorry, why, I might as well be glad! ![“But if I can't be sorry, why, I might as well be glad!” quote by Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/edna-st-vincent-millay-1291_glad_but-if-i-can-t-be-sorry-why-i-might-as-w_2218252.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/edna-st-vincent-millay-1291_glad_but-if-i-can-t-be-sorry-why-i-might-as-w_2218252.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/edna-st-vincent-millay-1291_glad_but-if-i-can-t-be-sorry-why-i-might-as-w_2218252.jpg) > “But if I can't be sorry, why, I might as well be glad!” [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledging that lacking remorse leads to embracing joy instead of guilt. **In simple terms:** No sorrow, choose happiness. Key Takeaway Accept joy when regret is absent. Themes acceptance joy emotional honesty Mood reflective defiant Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal relationships - conflict resolution - self‑reflection Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - Do you use joy to avoid guilt? - When is it healthy to be glad without remorse? A Different Perspective May ignore accountability; joy can mask deeper issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [One things there's no getting by, I've been a wicked girl, Says I... 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But I'm not sorry to be the person I am today, and to have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-werlin/i-m-not-saying-i-m-glad-it-happened-not-exactly-but-i-m-not-sorry-to/) [Nancy Werlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-werlin/) > [There were days when she was unhappy, she did not know why,--when it did not seem worthwhile to be glad or sorry, to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/there-were-days-when-she-was-unhappy-she-did-not-know-why-when-it-did/) [Kate Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/) > [...We are intensely proud of their noble record and are glad to have had the whole world see how irresistible they are in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/we-are-intensely-proud-of-their-noble-record-and-are-glad-to-have-had/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. Wilderson III > [My mom is a Twilight fan as well and she's just as excited because she's read all the books so I think she wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-greene/my-mom-is-a-twilight-fan-as-well-and-she-s-just-as-excited-because/) [Ashley Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-greene/) > [A lot of the time, if I have samples, I can't tailor a sample. Or, I might have just bought something and I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-palermo/a-lot-of-the-time-if-i-have-samples-i-can-t-tailor-a-sample-or-i/) [Olivia Palermo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-palermo/) > [The President? Hmmm, I wonder who that might be? 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It turned out cool in a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-beaver/i-thought-being-in-the-wheelchair-might-be-kind-of-limiting-for-me-as/) [Jim Beaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-beaver/) > [I can picture certain things in my mind, while writing the script, but then I can also tell that everyone else might be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/i-can-picture-certain-things-in-my-mind-while-writing-the-script-but/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [ I love the idea of longevity in this career. But \[producing\] is not about, "Let me do this because this might happen 20 years… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-love-the-idea-of-longevity-in-this-career-but-producing-is-not/) [Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/) ## More by Edna St. Vincent Millay > [Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/into-the-darkness-they-go-the-wise-and-the-lovely/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [There are a hundred places where I fear To go, --so with his memory they brim! And entering with relief some quiet place Where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/there-are-a-hundred-places-where-i-fear-to-go-so-with-his-memory-they/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [The first rose on my rose-tree Budded, bloomed, and shattered, During sad days when to me Nothing mattered. Grief or grief has drained me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/the-first-rose-on-my-rose-tree-budded-bloomed-and-shattered-during/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [A Poem from Edna St. Vincent Millay: Grown-up Was it for this I uttered prayers, And sobbed and cursed and kicked the stairs, That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/a-poem-from-edna-st-vincent-millay-grown-up-was-it-for-this-i-uttered/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [She is happy where she lies With the dust upon her eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/she-is-happy-where-she-lies-with-the-dust-upon-her-eyes/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [And reaching up my hand to try, I screamed to feel it touch the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/and-reaching-up-my-hand-to-try-i-screamed-to-feel-it-touch-the-sky/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [“And you as well must die, beloved dust, And all your beauty stand you in no stead; This flawless, vital hand, this perfect head,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/and-you-as-well-must-die-beloved-dust-and-all-your-beauty-stand-you/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [Oh, children, growing up to be Adventurers into sophistry, Forbear, forbear to be of those That read the rood to learn the rose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/oh-children-growing-up-to-be-adventurers-into-sophistry-forbear/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [After the feet of beauty fly my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/after-the-feet-of-beauty-fly-my-own/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [Some of us have been thinking and talking too long without doing anything. Poems are perfect; picketing, sometimes, is better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/some-of-us-have-been-thinking-and-talking-too-long-without-doing/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [“But, sure, the sky is big, I said; Miles and miles above my head; So here upon my back I'll lie And look my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/but-sure-the-sky-is-big-i-said-miles-and-miles-above-my-head-so-here/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [pity me that the heart is slow to learn what the swift mind beholds at every turn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/pity-me-that-the-heart-is-slow-to-learn-what-the-swift-mind-beholds/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [Youth, have no pity; leave no farthing here For age to invest in compromise and fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/youth-have-no-pity-leave-no-farthing-here-for-age-to-invest-in/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [My god is all gods in one. When I see a beautiful sunset, I worship the god of Nature; when I see a hidden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/my-god-is-all-gods-in-one-when-i-see-a-beautiful-sunset-i-worship-the/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [“Tea was sucha comfort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/tea-was-sucha-comfort/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) [Explore all 260 Edna St. Vincent Millay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) ## More Glad quotes > [No philosophy, no religion, has ever brought so glad a message to the world as this good news of Atheism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/no-philosophy-no-religion-has-ever-brought-so-glad-a-message-to-the/) [Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. Wilderson III > [Even if we can't be together in the end. I'm glad that you were part of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/even-if-we-can-t-be-together-in-the-end-i-m-glad-that-you-were-part/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [I am glad The Worst Journey is coming out in Penguins: after all it is largely about penguins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apsley-cherry-garrard/i-am-glad-the-worst-journey-is-coming-out-in-penguins-after-all-it-is/) [Apsley Cherry-Garrard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apsley-cherry-garrard/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The happy ending is hardly important, though we may be glad its there. The real joy is knowing that if you felt the trouble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-barry/the-happy-ending-is-hardly-important-though-we-may-be-glad-its-there/) [Lynda Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-barry/) > [It doesn't matter where you go in life, what you do or how much you have. It's who you have beside you... I'm so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-go-in-life-what-you-do-or-how-much-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Lord, send Your life throughout the entire church. Visit Your church; restore sound doctrine and holy, earnest living. Take away from professing Christians their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/lord-send-your-life-throughout-the-entire-church-visit-your-church/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Since, O sweet Lord Jesus, Thou art the present portion of Thy people, favour us this year with such a sense of Thy preciousness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/since-o-sweet-lord-jesus-thou-art-the-present-portion-of-thy-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm glad I'm blind and can't see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-wonder/i-m-glad-i-m-blind-and-can-t-see-it/) [Stevie Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-wonder/) > [ Sexy for me is a curvy woman - doesn't have to be skinny, which I hate anyway. I'm glad \[the fashion industry\] is changing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-klum/sexy-for-me-is-a-curvy-woman-doesn-t-have-to-be-skinny-which-i-hate/) [Heidi Klum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-klum/) > [I teach my children that in life, there is no control of what tomorrow is going to bring. There really isn't. But in whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bebe-winans/i-teach-my-children-that-in-life-there-is-no-control-of-what-tomorrow/) [BeBe Winans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bebe-winans/) > [I am glad to see that a system of labor prevails under which laborers can strike when they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-glad-to-see-that-a-system-of-labor-prevails-under-which-laborers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [All the earth is at rest and is quiet: they are bursting into song. Even the trees of the wood are glad over you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah/all-the-earth-is-at-rest-and-is-quiet-they-are-bursting-into-song/) [Isaiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah/) Browse all 2,272 Glad quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But if I can't be sorry, why, I might as well be glad!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edna St. Vincent Millay" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/but-if-i-can-t-be-sorry-why-i-might-as-well-be-glad/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Glad" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/but-if-i-can-t-be-sorry-why-i-might-as-well-be-glad/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/edna-st-vincent-millay-1291_glad_but-if-i-can-t-be-sorry-why-i-might-as-w_2218252.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/edna-st-vincent-millay-1291_glad_but-if-i-can-t-be-sorry-why-i-might-as-w_2218252.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3e/edna-st-vincent-millay-1291_glad_but-if-i-can-t-be-sorry-why-i-might-as-w_2218252.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But if I can't be sorry, why, I might as well be glad!” — Edna St. Vincent Millay", "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": "Edna St. Vincent Millay", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "But if I can't be sorry,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/but-if-i-can-t-be-sorry-why-i-might-as-well-be-glad/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/but-if-i-can-t-be-sorry-why-i-might-as-well-be-glad/#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 } } ] } ```