Goodness Quote by Frederick Buechner
““The things that the world fills time with are enough to turn the heart to stone, but the goodness of time itself is as untouched by them as the freshness of a spring morning is untouched by yelps from the scaffold. Time is good because the Holy One made it that way and then set the heavenly bodies wheeling through the sky so there would always be a way of marking its passage. Unfortunately, not even the most devout understand this for more than possibly a day or two out of the entire year when everything seems to be going their way. The rest of the year they go around like everybody else rolling their eyes and expecting terrible things to happen. When terrible things do happen, they fail to understand that for the most part they have brought them down on their own heads. They prefer to think that it is time itself that is terrible and that terrible things are only another method by which the Holy One afflicts them for their sins.””
About This Quote
The passage reflects on how human perception of time is distorted by suffering, yet time itself remains neutral and divine, offering a backdrop for both joy and hardship.
In simple terms: Time is neutral; suffering is self‑inflicted.
Key Takeaway
We blame time, but we create our own misfortunes.
Themes
perception of time
spiritual neutrality
human suffering
self‑responsibility
divine order
Mood
contemplative
somber
Type
philosophical
spiritual
When to use this quote
- when facing chronic disappointment
- during personal crises
- in moments of unexpected tragedy
Key Concepts
time as a construct
moral agency
theodicy
Practical Applications
- reframing setbacks as personal growth
- cultivating acceptance of life's rhythms
Questions to Reflect On
- How does attributing hardship to external forces affect personal agency?
- What practices help recognize time's impartiality?
