--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People say that only if we could see in…" description: "\"People say that only if we could see in the future, we would not have made certain choices. Do you see that drug addict? Do you see the homeless person..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dd/eugene-nathaniel-butler-4034_choice_people-say-that-only-if-we-could-see-in_1553430.jpg" --- # People say that only if we could see in the future, we… ![“People say that only if we could see in the future, we would not have made certain choices. Do you see that drug addict? Do you see the homeless person that sleeps nearby? What about the friend in the violent relationship? Better still, the relative whose jobs are limited by his criminal…” quote by Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dd/eugene-nathaniel-butler-4034_choice_people-say-that-only-if-we-could-see-in_1553430.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dd/eugene-nathaniel-butler-4034_choice_people-say-that-only-if-we-could-see-in_1553430.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dd/eugene-nathaniel-butler-4034_choice_people-say-that-only-if-we-could-see-in_1553430.jpg) > “People say that only if we could see in the future, we would not have made certain choices. Do you see that drug addict? Do you see the homeless person that sleeps nearby? What about the friend in the violent relationship? Better still, the relative whose jobs are limited by his criminal convictions? You can see your future in the choices of others everyday if YOU would but open your eyes.” [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing others' struggles reveals future consequences of our own choices, urging empathy and awareness. **In simple terms:** Seeing others' hardships shows the impact of choices. Key Takeaway Open your eyes to others' situations. Themes empathy awareness choice consequences Mood thoughtful compassionate Type reflective motivational When to use this quote - community service - volunteering - advocacy - personal reflection Key Concepts social responsibility human behavior ethical reflection Questions to Reflect On - How do others' hardships influence your decisions? - What can you do to help? A Different Perspective Limited by lack of concrete source; may be misattributed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Sometimes life has it's ups and downs. But it's the choices we make that changes our future. Some choices help us and some don't.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaylee-burford/sometimes-life-has-it-s-ups-and-downs-but-it-s-the-choices-we-make/) Shaylee Burford > [There are cases when I can make myself better off by restricting my future choices and commit myself to a specific course of action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-thaler/there-are-cases-when-i-can-make-myself-better-off-by-restricting-my/) [Richard Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-thaler/) > [In life we have to make choices everyday, and these choices determine the success we will see in our life. So always make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/in-life-we-have-to-make-choices-everyday-and-these-choices-determine/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [The measure of a man comes down to moments, spread out like dots of pain on the canvas on life. Everything you were, everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-hannah/the-measure-of-a-man-comes-down-to-moments-spread-out-like-dots-of/) [Kristin Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-hannah/) > [All it takes is to pick up that one piece of trash you pass everyday on your way to work. Or to turn the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shailene-woodley/all-it-takes-is-to-pick-up-that-one-piece-of-trash-you-pass-everyday/) [Shailene Woodley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shailene-woodley/) > [“We make choices everyday, some of them good, some of them bad. And if we are strong enough - we live with the consequences.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/we-make-choices-everyday-some-of-them-good-some-of-them-bad-and-if-we-2/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [We make choices everyday, some of them good, some of them bad. And - if we are strong enough - we live with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/we-make-choices-everyday-some-of-them-good-some-of-them-bad-and-if-we/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [“Who do you see when you think of you? Are you an outsider, Cool, distant, angry, swimming against the current, or are you in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howe/who-do-you-see-when-you-think-of-you-are-you-an-outsider-cool-distant/) [James Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howe/) > [“Make a wish, Open your eyes, Live your dream...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/make-a-wish-open-your-eyes-live-your-dream/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [Many time you have to open your eyes in the shadow to know the truth of this world. Starting at the beginning with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-evans/many-time-you-have-to-open-your-eyes-in-the-shadow-to-know-the-truth/) [Adrian Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-evans/) > [“Open your eyes, the Frenchman on the radio used to say, and see what you can with them before they close forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-doerr/open-your-eyes-the-frenchman-on-the-radio-used-to-say-and-see-what/) [Anthony Doerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-doerr/) > [Girl all I can say is open your eyes because it seem that I can not help you until you do so](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-country/girl-all-i-can-say-is-open-your-eyes-because-it-seem-that-i-can-not/) [Michael Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-country/) > [You keep your eyes closed to block out the hardships, the pain, the unwanted; but in that, the true beauty of the world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-keep-your-eyes-closed-to-block-out-the-hardships-the-pain-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ain't even gotta open your eyes, know what your looking at and I ain't even have to open my eyes when I was cooking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-jeezy/ain-t-even-gotta-open-your-eyes-know-what-your-looking-at-and-i-ain-t/) [Young Jeezy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-jeezy/) > [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vashti-quiroz-vega/don-t-turn-your-face-away-once-you-ve-seen-you-can-no-longer-act-like/) Vashti Quiroz-Vega ## More by Eugene Nathaniel Butler > [True love or the lack thereof, sometimes works in mysterious ways. One minute your world is spinning in one direction, you meet someone and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/true-love-or-the-lack-thereof-sometimes-works-in-mysterious-ways-one/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [If God gives you wisdom in sunshine to know the difference between Mr. Right or Mr. Wrong, don't blame Him when the storms roll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/if-god-gives-you-wisdom-in-sunshine-to-know-the-difference-between-mr/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [God gifts us this one life and it amazes me that so many neglect their own lives because they are consumed with the lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/god-gifts-us-this-one-life-and-it-amazes-me-that-so-many-neglect/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [Every good girl in her life has thought she had chemistry with a bad boy at one point or another. After a while, roles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/every-good-girl-in-her-life-has-thought-she-had-chemistry-with-a-bad/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [Sometimes it's better to die happy and alone, than to wish your we're dead in a bad relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/sometimes-it-s-better-to-die-happy-and-alone-than-to-wish-your-we-re/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [Just because you cry doesn't mean you are weak, it's one way your heart expresses itself through your eyes. Just because you give up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/just-because-you-cry-doesn-t-mean-you-are-weak-it-s-one-way-your/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [I've been trying to avoid my problems, and I don't know what to do. I get high, but when I come down, my problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/i-ve-been-trying-to-avoid-my-problems-and-i-don-t-know-what-to-do-i/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [Change in a person happens not because YOU want it to happen, it happens when the person who needs to change, wants to change.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/change-in-a-person-happens-not-because-you-want-it-to-happen-it/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [Before You pull a man's card when he makes you mad (AKA, Be a Man!), how bout first checking his card (AKA, Are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/before-you-pull-a-man-s-card-when-he-makes-you-mad-aka-be-a-man-how/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [That moment when someone reiterates something for the zillion time and you are thinking, she just beat the horse to death, resurrected the horse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/that-moment-when-someone-reiterates-something-for-the-zillion-time/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [What is a legacy to a child? Is it about the money or property you leave to them? Is it all about how many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/what-is-a-legacy-to-a-child-is-it-about-the-money-or-property-you/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [Sometimes you have to ride over the bumps in the road to avoid running off a cliff. Other times you may have to fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/sometimes-you-have-to-ride-over-the-bumps-in-the-road-to-avoid/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [A Word about Players: Ladies, what makes a player is that his ego is fed by the ability to be with multiple women. So,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/a-word-about-players-ladies-what-makes-a-player-is-that-his-ego-is/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [It would be nice if our lives were a canvas and all our decisions were based by painting by the numbers. You see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/it-would-be-nice-if-our-lives-were-a-canvas-and-all-our-decisions/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [If most folks had to produce facts before they could utter a word...they would be rended silent.~ENB](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/if-most-folks-had-to-produce-facts-before-they-could-utter-a-word/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) [Explore all 117 Eugene Nathaniel Butler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) ## 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 > [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 > [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": "People say that only if we could see in the future, we would not have made certain choices. Do you see that drug addict? Do you see the homeless person that sleeps nearby? What about the friend in the violent relationship? Better still, the relative whose jobs are limited by his criminal convictions? You can see your future in the choices of others everyday if YOU would but open your eyes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eugene Nathaniel Butler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/people-say-that-only-if-we-could-see-in-the-future-we-would-not-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/people-say-that-only-if-we-could-see-in-the-future-we-would-not-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dd/eugene-nathaniel-butler-4034_choice_people-say-that-only-if-we-could-see-in_1553430.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dd/eugene-nathaniel-butler-4034_choice_people-say-that-only-if-we-could-see-in_1553430.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dd/eugene-nathaniel-butler-4034_choice_people-say-that-only-if-we-could-see-in_1553430.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People say that only if we could see in the future, we would not have made certain choices. Do you see that…” — Eugene Nathaniel Butler", "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": "Eugene Nathaniel Butler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "People say that only if we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/people-say-that-only-if-we-could-see-in-the-future-we-would-not-have/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/people-say-that-only-if-we-could-see-in-the-future-we-would-not-have/#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 } } ] } ```