Children Quote by Elizabeth Gilbert
““I also know that I won't go forth and have children just in case I might regret missing it later in life; I don't think this is a strong enough motivation to bring more babies onto the earth. Though I suppose people do reproduce sometimes for that reason - for insurance against later regret. I think people have children for all manner of reasons- sometimes out of pure desire to nurture and witness life, sometimes out of an absence of choice, sometimes without thinking about it in any particular way. Not all the reasons to have children are the same, and not all of them are necessarily unselfish. Not all the reasons not to have children are the same, either, though. Nor are all those reasons necessarily selfish.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert, 2015
People have varied, sometimes mixed motives for having children, ranging from desire to nurture to fear of future regret.
In simple terms: Reasons for children are diverse and not purely selfless.
Key Takeaway
A personal motives before deciding on parenthood.
Themes
family
choice
responsibility
ethics
psychology
Mood
contemplative
honest
balanced
Type
philosophical
personal
ethical
When to use this quote
- family planning
- career considerations
- personal values
- social pressure
Key Concepts
existentialism
ethical decision‑making
social expectations
Questions to Reflect On
- What core values guide your choice?
- How might societal expectations influence your decision?
A Different Perspective
Motives can shift over time, making decisions complex.
![“And while [we] do have possibilities that are vast and magnificent and almost infinite in scope, it's important to remember that our choice-rich lives have the potential to breed their own brand of trouble. We are susceptible to emotional uncertainties and neuroses that are probably not very…” quote by Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7fb/elizabeth-gilbert-131_choice_and-while-we-do-have-possibilities-that_30637.jpg)
