--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have to do with the past only as we…" description: "\"We have to do with the past only as we can make it useful to the present and the future.\" — Frederick Douglass" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/729/frederick-douglass-859_anger_we-have-to-do-with-the-past-only-as-we-c_1224316.png" --- # We have to do with the past only as we can make it useful… ![“We have to do with the past only as we can make it useful to the present and the future.” quote by Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/729/frederick-douglass-859_anger_we-have-to-do-with-the-past-only-as-we-c_1224316.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/729/frederick-douglass-859_anger_we-have-to-do-with-the-past-only-as-we-c_1224316.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/729/frederick-douglass-859_anger_we-have-to-do-with-the-past-only-as-we-c_1224316.png) > “We have to do with the past only as we can make it useful to the present and the future.” [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The past should be used as a tool to improve present and future conditions. **In simple terms:** Use history to benefit today and tomorrow. Key Takeaway Learn from history to act now. Themes history progress future planning Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - policy making - education reform - personal decision making Key Concepts Learning application of lessons Questions to Reflect On - What lessons from history guide your actions? - How can you apply past insights today? A Different Perspective Past can be misinterpreted; requires critical analysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“You can’t go back and fix the past.” “No. But you can make the present and the future a whole lot better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dani-harper/you-can-t-go-back-and-fix-the-past-no-but-you-can-make-the-present/) [Dani Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dani-harper/) > [Dont be jealous of my present, but my future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-be-jealous-of-my-present-but-my-future/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Not letting your past go will not drive your present into the future with you. But simply make him/her another piece of your near…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-johnson/not-letting-your-past-go-will-not-drive-your-present-into-the-future/) Bradley Johnson > [Make yourself useful, not just on a day to day basis, but as a lifetime thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-stiles/make-yourself-useful-not-just-on-a-day-to-day-basis-but-as-a-lifetime/) [Julia Stiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-stiles/) > [I had a lot of chances to do things that other people don't ever get, and I have to be content with that. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/i-had-a-lot-of-chances-to-do-things-that-other-people-don-t-ever-get/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) > [I want to make something that's useful to someone, somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/i-want-to-make-something-that-s-useful-to-someone-somewhere/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a number of experiences that are not meant for you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-you-are-going-to-be-used-by-god-he-will-take-you-through-a-number/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“make yourself useful to others by keeping yourself healthy and happy, and any certificate is no guarantee to that”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hlovate/make-yourself-useful-to-others-by-keeping-yourself-healthy-and-happy/) Hlovate > [I have found out that though the ways in which I can make myself useful are few, yet the work open to me is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/i-have-found-out-that-though-the-ways-in-which-i-can-make-myself/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“take words and make them useful,' she told me. 'drain them of all the crappy meanings they used to mean and make them mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bradfield/take-words-and-make-them-useful-she-told-me-drain-them-of-all-the/) [Scott Bradfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bradfield/) > [Those of us who work in politics can only make ourselves useful if our heads are filled with things that we can contribute to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/those-of-us-who-work-in-politics-can-only-make-ourselves-useful-if/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [“Go and make yourself useful, since you are too big to be ornamental.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/go-and-make-yourself-useful-since-you-are-too-big-to-be-ornamental/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [For it may safely be said, not that the habit of ready and correct observation will by itself make us useful nurses, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/for-it-may-safely-be-said-not-that-the-habit-of-ready-and-correct/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [“Don't feel bad if your youth cannot be joyful, but at least make it useful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-feel-bad-if-your-youth-cannot-be-joyful-but-at-least-make-it/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a multitude of experiences that are not meant for you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-you-are-going-to-be-used-by-god-he-will-take-you-through-a/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) ## More by Frederick Douglass > [“A treacherous President stood in the way; and it can be easily seen how reluctant good men might be to admit an apostasy which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/a-treacherous-president-stood-in-the-way-and-it-can-be-easily-seen/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“But I should be false in the earliest sentiments of my soul, if I suppressed the opinion. I prefer to be true to myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/but-i-should-be-false-in-the-earliest-sentiments-of-my-soul-if-i/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [A man who will enslave his own blood, may not be safely relied on for magnamity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/a-man-who-will-enslave-his-own-blood-may-not-be-safely-relied-on-for/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the south is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes, - a justifier of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-assert-most-unhesitatingly-that-the-religion-of-the-south-is-a-mere/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the South is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes—a justifier of the most appalling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-assert-most-unhesitatingly-that-the-religion-of-the-south-is-a-mere-2/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/the-limits-of-tyrants-are-prescribed-by-the-endurance-of-those-whom/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/power-concedes-nothing-without-a-demand-it-never-did-and-it-never-will/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“We have all met a class of men, very remarkable for their activity, and who yet make but little headway in life; men who,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/we-have-all-met-a-class-of-men-very-remarkable-for-their-activity-and/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“The fatal poison of irresponsible power was already in her hands, and soon commenced its infernal work. That cheerful eye, under the influence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/the-fatal-poison-of-irresponsible-power-was-already-in-her-hands-and/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [A battle lost or won is easily described, understood, and appreciated, but the moral growth of a great nation requires reflection, as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/a-battle-lost-or-won-is-easily-described-understood-and-appreciated/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/knowledge-makes-a-man-unfit-to-be-a-slave/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-was-broken-in-body-soul-and-spirit-my-natural-elasticity-was/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, that whenever my condition was improved, instead of increasing my contentment; it only increased my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my-2/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/at-a-time-like-this-scorching-irony-not-convincing-argument-is-needed/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) [Explore all 348 Frederick Douglass quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have to do with the past only as we can make it useful to the present and the future.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frederick Douglass" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/we-have-to-do-with-the-past-only-as-we-can-make-it-useful-to-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/we-have-to-do-with-the-past-only-as-we-can-make-it-useful-to-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/729/frederick-douglass-859_anger_we-have-to-do-with-the-past-only-as-we-c_1224316.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/729/frederick-douglass-859_anger_we-have-to-do-with-the-past-only-as-we-c_1224316.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/729/frederick-douglass-859_anger_we-have-to-do-with-the-past-only-as-we-c_1224316.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We have to do with the past only as we can make it useful to the present and the future.” — Frederick Douglass", "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": "Frederick Douglass", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We have to do with the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/we-have-to-do-with-the-past-only-as-we-can-make-it-useful-to-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/we-have-to-do-with-the-past-only-as-we-can-make-it-useful-to-the/#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 } } ] } ```