Accidents Quote by Elizabeth Gilbert
![“I promised Todd [Willingham] that I would attend the execution. ... It was impossible for me to go. I was incapable of that sort of travel. Sitting in a chair that long, driving to Huntsville just wouldn't have happened. ... I'm sure I would have been there. It's something I know. I would not have…” quote by Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1e0/elizabeth-gilbert-131_accidents_i-promised-todd-willingham-that-i-would_2518659.jpg)
“I promised Todd [Willingham] that I would attend the execution. ... It was impossible for me to go. I was incapable of that sort of travel. Sitting in a chair that long, driving to Huntsville just wouldn't have happened. ... I'm sure I would have been there. It's something I know. I would not have denied him that, but the accident kept me from being there. At some level, the universe was giving me the excuse for not being there. ... The universe was like, "Oh, you don't have to watch this." ... It would have been a horrible thing, but I'm sure I would have gone.”
About This Quote
Source Memoir: Eat, Pray, Love (2006)
The narrator feels compelled to attend a tragic event but is physically prevented, interpreting the obstacle as the universe’s way of protecting them.
In simple terms: She believes fate stopped her from witnessing something terrible.
Key Takeaway
Accept that some events are beyond our control.
Themes
fate
acceptance
grief
protective forces
Mood
thoughtful
somber
Type
memoir
reflective
When to use this quote
- family emergencies
- ethical dilemmas
- personal loss
- spiritual crises
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What would you have done if you could attend?
- Do you see this as fate or personal choice?
A Different Perspective
It may be a rationalization of fear rather than a true external force.
![“I would wipe my tears, and walk out of the stall and the bathroom, and march myself back into that courtroom because the only way that I could deal with Keith's [ Griffin] murder was to feel like I was doing something about it. In retrospect, what did I do? I know that I put a lot of bad guys in…” quote by Nancy Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/799/nancy-grace-9244_bad-guy_i-would-wipe-my-tears-and-walk-out-of-th_562311.jpg)
![“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)
