--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thus it often is with us, we take a…" description: "\"“Thus it often is with us, we take a course, and we keep to it, as if we were infallible, and we allow nothing to alter our convictions. We persuade ou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/g-a-henty-58415_agnes_thus-it-often-is-with-us-we-take-a-cours_2176405.jpg" --- # Thus it often is with us, we take a course, and we keep to… ![“Thus it often is with us, we take a course, and we keep to it, as if we were infallible, and we allow nothing to alter our convictions. We persuade ourselves that we are right, and we hold on our course unmoved. Death steps in: and now, when the past is irrevocable, the scales that have so long…” quote by G.A. Henty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/g-a-henty-58415_agnes_thus-it-often-is-with-us-we-take-a-cours_2176405.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/g-a-henty-58415_agnes_thus-it-often-is-with-us-we-take-a-cours_2176405.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/g-a-henty-58415_agnes_thus-it-often-is-with-us-we-take-a-cours_2176405.jpg) > ““Thus it often is with us, we take a course, and we keep to it, as if we were infallible, and we allow nothing to alter our convictions. We persuade ourselves that we are right, and we hold on our course unmoved. Death steps in: and now, when the past is irrevocable, the scales that have so long darkened our eyes, fall at once to the ground, and we see that we were wrong after all. How much cruel conduct, how many harsh words, how many little unkindnesses do we wish unspoken and undone when we look upon a dead face we have loved, or stand by the side of a new-made grave! how we wish—how we wish that we could but have the time over again! Perhaps in past times we were quite content with our own conduct; we had no doubts in our mind but that we always did what was right and kind, and that we were in every way doing our duty. But now in what a different light do right and duty appear! how we regret that we ever caused tears to flow from those dear eyes, now never to open again! why could we not have made those small concessions which would have cost us so little, why were we so hard upon that trifling fault, why so impatient with that little failing? Ah me! ah me! if we could but live our lives over again, how different, oh, how different it should be! And yet while we say this, we do not think that there are others yet alive upon whose faults we are just as hard, with whose failings we bear just as little, and that these, too, may some day go down into the quiet grave, and that we may again have to stand beside and cry 'peccavi'.”” [G.A. Henty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-henty/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People cling to convictions, only to regret harshness after loss, wishing they could amend past actions. **In simple terms:** Regret follows rigid pride after death. Key Takeaway Practice empathy before final judgments. Themes regret humility mortality Mood somber reflective Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - family loss - conflict resolution - personal reflection Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What would you say differently to a loved one now? - How can you soften judgments today? A Different Perspective Self‑reflection can be painful and may not change outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Harsh words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harsh-words/) [Percy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percy/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Ah.' The godmother smiled then, and cracks ran across her skin from the motion, like a plaster wall falling apart. As Marra watched in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-kingfisher/ah-the-godmother-smiled-then-and-cracks-ran-across-her-skin-from-the/) [T. Kingfisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-kingfisher/) > [Did some things that I know that Im going to regret, Caused you pain since the day we met, Now you barely got anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letoya-luckett/did-some-things-that-i-know-that-im-going-to-regret-caused-you-pain/) [Letoya Luckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letoya-luckett/) > [“regret is mostly caused by not having done anything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/regret-is-mostly-caused-by-not-having-done-anything/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Abuse is abuse;;; Be nice.. 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I don't particularly find a great joy in it. Everything is the process of making it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/i-m-not-very-comfortable-with-watching-my-performances-i-don-t/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [The idea of painless, nonthreatening coercion is an illusion. Fear is the inseparable companion of coercion, and its inescapable consequence. If you think it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holt/the-idea-of-painless-nonthreatening-coercion-is-an-illusion-fear-is/) [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) > [I may be harsh with my words but I won't let it out if it's just for nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rona-mae-b/i-may-be-harsh-with-my-words-but-i-won-t-let-it-out-if-it-s-just-for/) Rona Mae B > [Neither smiles nor frowns, neither good intentions nor harsh words, are a substitute for strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/neither-smiles-nor-frowns-neither-good-intentions-nor-harsh-words-are/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Sweet people have harsh words, and ugly people have sweet words. This is dilemma in our lives!!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/sweet-people-have-harsh-words-and-ugly-people-have-sweet-words-this/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Just a couple of words can change everything and some days Ive said a couple words too few and Ive said a couple of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brianna-wyka/just-a-couple-of-words-can-change-everything-and-some-days-ive-said-a/) Brianna Wyka > [“Whatever you do, be gentle. People might have forgiven your harsh words but they may never forget how it stabbed their heart at that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mufti-ismail-menk/whatever-you-do-be-gentle-people-might-have-forgiven-your-harsh-words/) [Mufti Ismail Menk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mufti-ismail-menk/) > [Sometimes the best thing to do when someone is spitting harsh words on us is to simply fold our hands and watch. Not because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/sometimes-the-best-thing-to-do-when-someone-is-spitting-harsh-words/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) ## More by G.A. Henty > [What, did you think," she asked, laughing as he struggled up the bank, "that I, a Gaulish maiden, could not swim?" "I did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-henty/what-did-you-think-she-asked-laughing-as-he-struggled-up-the-bank/) [G.A. Henty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-henty/) > [Men make their own happiness, and a man may be respected even though only a slave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-henty/men-make-their-own-happiness-and-a-man-may-be-respected-even-though/) [G.A. Henty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-henty/) > [“Strike lustily for life, and hurry not your blows, but let each toll.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-henty/strike-lustily-for-life-and-hurry-not-your-blows-but-let-each-toll/) [G.A. Henty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-henty/) > [“Whether success will crown the effort, or whether God wills it otherwise, it is not for man to discuss; it is enough that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-henty/whether-success-will-crown-the-effort-or-whether-god-wills-it/) [G.A. Henty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-henty/) [Explore all 5 G.A. Henty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-henty/) ## More Agnes quotes > [“Ah.' The godmother smiled then, and cracks ran across her skin from the motion, like a plaster wall falling apart. As Marra watched in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-kingfisher/ah-the-godmother-smiled-then-and-cracks-ran-across-her-skin-from-the/) [T. Kingfisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-kingfisher/) Browse all 2 Agnes quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Thus it often is with us, we take a course, and we keep to it, as if we were infallible, and we allow nothing to alter our convictions. We persuade ourselves that we are right, and we hold on our course unmoved. Death steps in: and now, when the past is irrevocable, the scales that have so long darkened our eyes, fall at once to the ground, and we see that we were wrong after all. How much cruel conduct, how many harsh words, how many little unkindnesses do we wish unspoken and undone when we look upon a dead face we have loved, or stand by the side of a new-made grave! how we wish—how we wish that we could but have the time over again! 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