---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must choose. Be a child of the past…"
description: "\"We must choose. Be a child of the past with all its crudities and imperfections, its failures and defeats, or a child of the future, the future of symm..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/frances-e-willard-25037_children_we-must-choose-be-a-child-of-the-past-wi_2245110.jpg"
---

#  We must choose. Be a child of the past with all its…

![“We must choose. Be a child of the past with all its crudities and imperfections, its failures and defeats, or a child of the future, the future of symmetry and ultimate success.” quote by Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/frances-e-willard-25037_children_we-must-choose-be-a-child-of-the-past-wi_2245110.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/frances-e-willard-25037_children_we-must-choose-be-a-child-of-the-past-wi_2245110.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/frances-e-willard-25037_children_we-must-choose-be-a-child-of-the-past-wi_2245110.jpg)

> “We must choose. Be a child of the past with all its crudities and imperfections, its failures and defeats, or a child of the future, the future of symmetry and ultimate success.”

[Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Choose between clinging to imperfect past or embracing a future of symmetry and success.

**In simple terms:** Pick past flaws or future harmony.

Key Takeaway

Embrace progressive change.

Themes

choice progress future

Mood

hopeful determined

Type

historical motivational

When to use this quote

- social reform
- education
- technology adoption

Key Concepts

historical context optimism

Questions to Reflect On

- What can the past teach us?
- How to shape a balanced future?

A Different Perspective

Risk of losing valuable lessons from past failures.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Imperfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperfection/) [Improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvement/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Symmetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symmetry/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Ultimate success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimate-success/)

## Related quotes

> [Even if you've gone through an average childhood, you have girlfriends who get pregnant and then have to choose whether or not to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-dern/even-if-you-ve-gone-through-an-average-childhood-you-have-girlfriends/)

[Laura Dern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-dern/)

> [“Having a daughter whose company he actually enjoyed was one of Jim’s favorite accomplishments. The odds were against you, in all matters of family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-straub/having-a-daughter-whose-company-he-actually-enjoyed-was-one-of-jim-s/)

[Emma Straub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-straub/)

> [A rescue mission doesn't involve going in and just taking a child and leaving. You can't just choose any child at random. Every kid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/a-rescue-mission-doesn-t-involve-going-in-and-just-taking-a-child-and/)

[Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/)

> [That's very indicative to me of one of the things that really creates an aversion for me about having a child - this idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piper-kerman/that-s-very-indicative-to-me-of-one-of-the-things-that-really-creates/)

[Piper Kerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piper-kerman/)

> [The first years of a child's life are too important for a child's future - their development, earnings, behavior, and health - for anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/the-first-years-of-a-child-s-life-are-too-important-for-a-child-s/)

[Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/)

> [“For a lack of education, a child's future may hold no fortune.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-e-adonis-2/for-a-lack-of-education-a-child-s-future-may-hold-no-fortune/)

[Dennis E. Adonis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-e-adonis-2/)

> [Divorce the past to marry the present and be blessed with a lovely child of future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/divorce-the-past-to-marry-the-present-and-be-blessed-with-a-lovely/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Whoever influences the child's life ought to try to give him a positive view of himself and of his world. The child's future happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-bettelheim/whoever-influences-the-child-s-life-ought-to-try-to-give-him-a/)

[Bruno Bettelheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-bettelheim/)

> [No child's future should ever be dictated by what zip code they were born in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/no-child-s-future-should-ever-be-dictated-by-what-zip-code-they-were/)

[Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/)

> [Why should a child's future be shaped by where they are born?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/why-should-a-child-s-future-be-shaped-by-where-they-are-born/)

[Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/)

> [The size of your paycheck shouldn’t determine your child’s future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-size-of-your-paycheck-shouldn-t-determine-your-child-s-future/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [“Children bleed as easy as anyone else, don't they? Why would they be spared? A child is nothing but a future enemy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mcclellan/children-bleed-as-easy-as-anyone-else-don-t-they-why-would-they-be/)

[Brian McClellan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mcclellan/)

> [If you are truly serious abut preparing your child for the future, don't teach him to subtract teach him to deduct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/if-you-are-truly-serious-abut-preparing-your-child-for-the-future-don/)

[Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/)

> [No skill shapes a child's future success in school or in life more than the ability to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-riley/no-skill-shapes-a-child-s-future-success-in-school-or-in-life-more/)

[Bob Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-riley/)

> [There is no better investment of time and money than in the life of a child. They are the future...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alma-powell/there-is-no-better-investment-of-time-and-money-than-in-the-life-of-a/)

Alma Powell

## More by Frances E. Willard

> [Temperance is moderation in the things that are good and total abstinence from the things that are foul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/temperance-is-moderation-in-the-things-that-are-good-and-total/)

[Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/)

> [“The opacity of the mind, its inability to project itself into the realm of another's personality, goes a long way to explain the friction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/the-opacity-of-the-mind-its-inability-to-project-itself-into-the/)

[Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/)

> [“Another writer argued in an 1895 issue of the Cosmopolitan that by riding a bicycle, a woman would "become mistress of herself," transformed into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/another-writer-argued-in-an-1895-issue-of-the-cosmopolitan-that-by/)

[Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/)

> [In externals we advance with lightening express speed, in modes of thought and sympathy we lumber on in stage-coach fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/in-externals-we-advance-with-lightening-express-speed-in-modes-of/)

[Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/)

> [This seems to be the law of progress in everything we do; it moves along a spiral rather than a perpendicular; we seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/this-seems-to-be-the-law-of-progress-in-everything-we-do-it-moves/)

[Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/)

> [“We contended that whatever diminishes the sense of superiority in men makes them more manly, brotherly, and pleasant to have about; we felt sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/we-contended-that-whatever-diminishes-the-sense-of-superiority-in-men/)

[Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/)

> [The world is wide, and I will not waste my life in friction when it could be turned into momentum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/the-world-is-wide-and-i-will-not-waste-my-life-in-friction-when-it/)

[Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/)

> [I finally concluded that all failure was from a wobbling will rather than a wobbling wheel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/i-finally-concluded-that-all-failure-was-from-a-wobbling-will-rather/)

[Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/)

> [God is action - let us be like God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/god-is-action-let-us-be-like-god/)

[Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/)

> [If women can organize missionary societies, temperance societies, and every kind of charitable organization... why not permit them to be ordained to preach the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/if-women-can-organize-missionary-societies-temperance-societies-and/)

[Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/)

> [“That which caused the many failures I had in learning the bicycle had caused me failures in life; namely, a certain fearful looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/that-which-caused-the-many-failures-i-had-in-learning-the-bicycle-had/)

[Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/)

> [“In 1895, Ann Strong declared in the Minneapolis Tribune that bicycles were "just as good company as most husbands" and that when a bicycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/in-1895-ann-strong-declared-in-the-minneapolis-tribune-that-bicycles/)

[Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/)

> [Tens of thousands who could never afford to own, feed and stable a horse, had by this bright invention enjoyed the swiftness of motion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/tens-of-thousands-who-could-never-afford-to-own-feed-and-stable-a/)

[Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/)

> [Wanted: More Praise I cannot help believing that the world will be a better and a happier place when people are praised more and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/wanted-more-praise-i-cannot-help-believing-that-the-world-will-be-a/)

[Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/)

> [If I am asked to explain why I learned the bicycle I should say I did it as an act of grace, if not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/if-i-am-asked-to-explain-why-i-learned-the-bicycle-i-should-say-i-did/)

[Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/)

[Explore all 23 Frances E. Willard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/)

## More Children quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/)

[Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/)

> [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/)

[Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/)

> [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/)

[Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/)

> [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/)

[Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/)

> [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/)

[Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/)

> [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/)

[Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/)

> [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/)

[Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/)

> [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/)

[Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/)

> [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/)

[Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/)

> [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/)

[Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/)

> [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/)

[Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/)

> [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/)

[Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/)

[Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "We must choose. Be a child of the past with all its crudities and imperfections, its failures and defeats, or a child of the future, the future of symmetry and ultimate success.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Frances E. Willard"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/we-must-choose-be-a-child-of-the-past-with-all-its-crudities-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Children"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/we-must-choose-be-a-child-of-the-past-with-all-its-crudities-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/frances-e-willard-25037_children_we-must-choose-be-a-child-of-the-past-wi_2245110.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/frances-e-willard-25037_children_we-must-choose-be-a-child-of-the-past-wi_2245110.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/frances-e-willard-25037_children_we-must-choose-be-a-child-of-the-past-wi_2245110.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We must choose. Be a child of the past with all its crudities and imperfections, its failures and defeats…” — Frances E. Willard",
                "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": "Frances E. Willard",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "We must choose. Be a child...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/we-must-choose-be-a-child-of-the-past-with-all-its-crudities-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/we-must-choose-be-a-child-of-the-past-with-all-its-crudities-and/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
