--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How true it is that our destinies are…" description: "\"How true it is that our destinies are decided by nothings and that a small imprudence helped by some insignificant accident, as an acorn is fertilized ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1a/henri-frederic-amiel-1276_accidents_how-true-it-is-that-our-destinies-are-de_1943418.jpg" --- # How true it is that our destinies are decided by nothings… ![“How true it is that our destinies are decided by nothings and that a small imprudence helped by some insignificant accident, as an acorn is fertilized by a drop of rain, may raise the trees on which perhaps we and others shall be crucified.” quote by Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1a/henri-frederic-amiel-1276_accidents_how-true-it-is-that-our-destinies-are-de_1943418.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1a/henri-frederic-amiel-1276_accidents_how-true-it-is-that-our-destinies-are-de_1943418.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1a/henri-frederic-amiel-1276_accidents_how-true-it-is-that-our-destinies-are-de_1943418.jpg) > “How true it is that our destinies are decided by nothings and that a small imprudence helped by some insignificant accident, as an acorn is fertilized by a drop of rain, may raise the trees on which perhaps we and others shall be crucified.” [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Small, seemingly insignificant events can shape destiny, like a raindrop fertilizing an acorn that grows into a tree that may later cause suffering. **In simple terms:** Minor accidents can have huge, unexpected impacts on lives. Key Takeaway Stay mindful of choices; they may have far‑reaching effects. Themes destiny chance cause and effect responsibility philosophy Mood contemplative philosophical Type existential reflective When to use this quote - personal decisions - career moves - relationships - health choices Key Concepts determinism randomness human agency Questions to Reflect On - Which small choices have shaped your life? - Can we prepare for unforeseen consequences? A Different Perspective Predicting outcomes is impossible; not all events are controllable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) [Our destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-destiny/) [Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rain/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) [Trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trees/) ## Related quotes > [“Do you see yon woods? Do you see yon trees? W shall cut them down and build new houses and live as our fathers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veda-boyd-jones/do-you-see-yon-woods-do-you-see-yon-trees-w-shall-cut-them-down-and/) Veda Boyd Jones > [“We are all victims, Anselmo. Our destinies are decided by a cosmic roll of the dice, the winds of the stars," the vagrant breezes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-dietrich/we-are-all-victims-anselmo-our-destinies-are-decided-by-a-cosmic-roll/) H.L. Dietrich > [I think character never changes; the Acorn becomes an Oak, which is very little like an Acorn to be sure, but it never becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hester-lynch-piozzi/i-think-character-never-changes-the-acorn-becomes-an-oak-which-is/) [Hester Lynch Piozzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hester-lynch-piozzi/) > [October arrives in a swirl of fragrant blue leaf smoke, the sweetness of slightly frosted MacIntosh apples, and little hard acorns falling. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-hersey/october-arrives-in-a-swirl-of-fragrant-blue-leaf-smoke-the-sweetness/) [Jean Hersey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-hersey/) > [What but education has advanced us beyond the condition of our indigenous neighbors? 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He has a green thumb. He has green fingers. He's sowing his wild oats. Here Ceres' gifts in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/great-oaks-grow-from-little-acorns-he-has-a-green-thumb-he-has-green/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [An optimist is a man who plants two acorns and buys a hammock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-lattre-de-tassigny/an-optimist-is-a-man-who-plants-two-acorns-and-buys-a-hammock/) Jean de Lattre de Tassigny > [“Our ordinary mind always tried to persuade us that we are nothing but acorns and that our greatest happiness will be to become bigger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-ordinary-mind-always-tried-to-persuade-us-that-we-are-nothing-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Henri Frederic Amiel > [There is only one way of not hating those who do us wrong, and that is by doing them good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/there-is-only-one-way-of-not-hating-those-who-do-us-wrong-and-that-is/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Latent genius is but a presumption. Everything that can be, is bound to come into being, and what never comes into being is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/latent-genius-is-but-a-presumption-everything-that-can-be-is-bound-to/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Order is power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/order-is-power/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Knowledge, love, power-there is the complete life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/knowledge-love-power-there-is-the-complete-life/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are traveling the dark journey with us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/life-is-short-and-we-have-never-too-much-time-for-gladdening-the/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Each bud flowers but once and each flower has but its minute of perfect beauty; so, in the garden of the soul each feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/each-bud-flowers-but-once-and-each-flower-has-but-its-minute-of/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [We are never more discontented with others than when we are discontented with ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/we-are-never-more-discontented-with-others-than-when-we-are/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Only evil grows of itself, while for goodness we want effort and courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/only-evil-grows-of-itself-while-for-goodness-we-want-effort-and/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [A man must be able to cut a knot, for everything cannot be untied; he must know how to disengage what is essential from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/a-man-must-be-able-to-cut-a-knot-for-everything-cannot-be-untied-he/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Our greatest illusion is to believe that we are what we think ourselves to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/our-greatest-illusion-is-to-believe-that-we-are-what-we-think/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Charm is the quality in others that makes us more satisfied with ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/charm-is-the-quality-in-others-that-makes-us-more-satisfied-with/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [The philosopher aspires to explain away all mysteries, to dissolve them into light. 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