--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I look back on my past and think how…" description: "\"When I look back on my past and think how much time I wasted on nothing, how much time has been lost in futilities, errors, laziness, incapacity to liv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/fyodor-dostoevsky-342_appreciated_when-i-look-back-on-my-past-and-think-ho_2252916.png" --- # When I look back on my past and think how much time I… ![“When I look back on my past and think how much time I wasted on nothing, how much time has been lost in futilities, errors, laziness, incapacity to live; how little I appreciated it, how many times I sinned against my heart and soul-then my heart bleeds. Life is a gift, life is happiness, every…” quote by Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/fyodor-dostoevsky-342_appreciated_when-i-look-back-on-my-past-and-think-ho_2252916.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/fyodor-dostoevsky-342_appreciated_when-i-look-back-on-my-past-and-think-ho_2252916.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/fyodor-dostoevsky-342_appreciated_when-i-look-back-on-my-past-and-think-ho_2252916.png) > “When I look back on my past and think how much time I wasted on nothing, how much time has been lost in futilities, errors, laziness, incapacity to live; how little I appreciated it, how many times I sinned against my heart and soul-then my heart bleeds. Life is a gift, life is happiness, every minute can be an eternity of happiness.” [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reflecting on wasted time, the author urges seeing life as a precious gift and finding happiness in each moment. **In simple terms:** Life is a gift; cherish every minute. Key Takeaway Value time, pursue happiness. Themes time regret gratitude meaning Mood introspective hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - daily journaling - mindful practice - goal setting Key Concepts existentialism self‑reflection Questions to Reflect On - What moments have you taken for granted? - How can you turn regret into purpose? A Different Perspective Regret can dominate if not addressed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appreciated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appreciated/) [Errors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/errors/) [Eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternity/) [Eternity Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternity-happiness-2039245/) [Every Minute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-minute/) [Futility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/futility/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Heart and soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-and-soul/) [Incapacity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incapacity/) [Laziness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laziness/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Life is a gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is-a-gift/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [Minutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minutes/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Moving on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving-on/) [My heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-heart/) [My past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-past/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-lost/) [Time wasted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-wasted/) [Times Sinned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-sinned-5152914/) [Wasted time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wasted-time/) ## Related quotes > [When I look back at the past and think of all the time I squandered in error and idleness,... then my heart bleeds. Life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/when-i-look-back-at-the-past-and-think-of-all-the-time-i-squandered/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [We must submit to the Will of God and kiss the hand that strikes us, for we know it is better to suffer in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mary-alacoque/we-must-submit-to-the-will-of-god-and-kiss-the-hand-that-strikes-us/) [Margaret Mary Alacoque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mary-alacoque/) > [“Beyond the curve of his days he glimpsed neither superhuman happiness nor eternity--happiness was human, eternity ordinary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/beyond-the-curve-of-his-days-he-glimpsed-neither-superhuman-happiness/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [God was happy without humans before they were made; he would have continued happy had he simply destroyed them after they had sinned; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-was-happy-without-humans-before-they-were-made-he-would-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I will never endanger you. Never harm you. Never neglect you in any way. You will never want for anything that is necessary to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-lane/i-will-never-endanger-you-never-harm-you-never-neglect-you-in-any-way/) [Jessie Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-lane/) > [“He who best discerns the worth of time is most distressed whenever time is lost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/he-who-best-discerns-the-worth-of-time-is-most-distressed-whenever/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Time is an illusion. Look at mother nature. The wind blows when it pleases and the trees grow when they see fit to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sweeney/time-is-an-illusion-look-at-mother-nature-the-wind-blows-when-it/) [Ash Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sweeney/) > [Time lost can never be recovered. You do have your freedom to take your time, spend it wisely, use it purposely and drive it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessel-jane-zozobrado/time-lost-can-never-be-recovered-you-do-have-your-freedom-to-take/) [Jessel Jane Zozobrado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessel-jane-zozobrado/) > [I was searching all the time for something that I'd never lost or left behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-croce/i-was-searching-all-the-time-for-something-that-i-d-never-lost-or/) [Jim Croce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-croce/) > ['Poda Podi' was made in 2008 and should have released in 2009. The movie didn't come out on time and so it lost its charm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vignesh-shivan/poda-podi-was-made-in-2008-and-should-have-released-in-2009-the-movie/) [Vignesh Shivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vignesh-shivan/) > [Never leave any thing for tomorrow as we are not living eternity.Begin doing the things at the first available opportunity. Given moment is most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/never-leave-any-thing-for-tomorrow-as-we-are-not-living-eternity/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [If I was ever to have a child, this is what I'd tell it: 'Child,' I'd say, 'don't never mess with time. Keep now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-was-ever-to-have-a-child-this-is-what-i-d-tell-it-child-i-d-say/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Time lost is time not filled, time left empty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/time-lost-is-time-not-filled-time-left-empty/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [How carefully would I atone, if I might, for the time I have lost!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-becket/how-carefully-would-i-atone-if-i-might-for-the-time-i-have-lost/) [Thomas Becket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-becket/) > [“We’re running out of time, he said. As if time were the kind of thing you could run out of, as if it were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/we-re-running-out-of-time-he-said-as-if-time-were-the-kind-of-thing/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) ## More by Fyodor Dostoevsky > [Believe to the end, even if all men went astray and you were left the only one faithful; bring your offering even then and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/believe-to-the-end-even-if-all-men-went-astray-and-you-were-left-the/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [... you are a man still young, so to say, in your first youth and so put intellect above everything ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/you-are-a-man-still-young-so-to-say-in-your-first-youth-and-so-put/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“There is only one salvation for you: take yourself up, and make yourself responsible for all the sins of men. For indeed it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/there-is-only-one-salvation-for-you-take-yourself-up-and-make/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“It is true I am a complete stranger to these people, but they are not strangers to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/it-is-true-i-am-a-complete-stranger-to-these-people-but-they-are-not/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [Everything seems stupid when it fails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/everything-seems-stupid-when-it-fails/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [Love to throw yourself on the earth and kiss it. Kiss the earth and love it with an unceasing, consuming love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/love-to-throw-yourself-on-the-earth-and-kiss-it-kiss-the-earth-and/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [They have this social justification for every nasty thing they do!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/they-have-this-social-justification-for-every-nasty-thing-they-do/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [Be the sun and all will see you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/be-the-sun-and-all-will-see-you/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [If you are penitent, you love. And if you love you are of God. All things are atoned for, all things are saved by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/if-you-are-penitent-you-love-and-if-you-love-you-are-of-god-all/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“To kill for murder is a punishment incomparably worse than the crime itself. 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I'll tell you who does: fools and scoundrels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/now-answer-me-sincerely-honestly-who-lives-past-forty-i-ll-tell-you/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“There are crimes that are truly uncomely. With crimes, whatever they may be, the more blood, the more horror there is, the more imposing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/there-are-crimes-that-are-truly-uncomely-with-crimes-whatever-they/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) [Explore all 642 Fyodor Dostoevsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) ## More Appreciated quotes > [Art is art when it is appreciated by someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isao-tomita/art-is-art-when-it-is-appreciated-by-someone/) [Isao Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isao-tomita/) > [Relish love in your old age! Aged love is like aged wine; it becomes more satisfying, more refreshing, more valuable, more appreciated and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/relish-love-in-your-old-age-aged-love-is-like-aged-wine-it-becomes/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [For many of us, work is the one place where we feel appreciated. The things that we long to experience at home - pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/for-many-of-us-work-is-the-one-place-where-we-feel-appreciated-the/) [Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/) > [You know, your sarcasm isn’t appreciated right now. I’ve been drugged, beaten, nearly raped, saved, drugged again, hijacked, and now threatened by you. Tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-know-your-sarcasm-isn-t-appreciated-right-now-i-ve-been-drugged/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The Spanish never appreciated me like the British.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seve-ballesteros/the-spanish-never-appreciated-me-like-the-british/) [Seve Ballesteros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seve-ballesteros/) > [What I appreciated was the fact that the script delved into how Australians were - and still are - condescended to by the English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-rush/what-i-appreciated-was-the-fact-that-the-script-delved-into-how/) [Geoffrey Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-rush/) > [For once I feel appreciated and not someone to show off constantly smiling and knowing how amazing you are, I just want make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-once-i-feel-appreciated-and-not-someone-to-show-off-constantly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I sometimes find that my family's emphasis on stories, characters, and art that appeals directly to children rather than over their heads to adults…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-berenstain/i-sometimes-find-that-my-family-s-emphasis-on-stories-characters-and/) [Mike Berenstain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-berenstain/) > [This element of surprise or mystery - the detective element as it is sometimes rather emptily called - is of great importance in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/this-element-of-surprise-or-mystery-the-detective-element-as-it-is/) [E. 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As an artist, period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/i-honestly-don-t-feel-that-it-s-my-music-that-s-under-appreciated-i/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [You are a constant reminder of who I am and where I come from. A clear reflection of my personality and soul. Your presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tshepo-koos-maluleke/you-are-a-constant-reminder-of-who-i-am-and-where-i-come-from-a-clear/) [Tshepo Koos Maluleke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tshepo-koos-maluleke/) > [I would like to believe that all the roles I have portrayed so far - no matter how significant or insignificant they are -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shweta-menon/i-would-like-to-believe-that-all-the-roles-i-have-portrayed-so-far-no/) [Shweta Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shweta-menon/) > [I receive huge support from Irish and British sports fans alike and it is greatly appreciated. Likewise I feel I have a great affinity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-mcilroy/i-receive-huge-support-from-irish-and-british-sports-fans-alike-and/) [Rory McIlroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-mcilroy/) [Browse all 742 Appreciated quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appreciated/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I look back on my past and think how much time I wasted on nothing, how much time has been lost in futilities, errors, laziness, incapacity to live; how little I appreciated it, how many times I sinned against my heart and soul-then my heart bleeds. 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