--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I live in the present. I only remember…" description: "\"I live in the present. I only remember the past, and anticipate the future.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/henry-david-thoreau-20_anticipate_i-live-in-the-present-i-only-remember-th_2715133.jpg" --- # I live in the present. I only remember the past, and… ![“I live in the present. I only remember the past, and anticipate the future.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/henry-david-thoreau-20_anticipate_i-live-in-the-present-i-only-remember-th_2715133.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/henry-david-thoreau-20_anticipate_i-live-in-the-present-i-only-remember-th_2715133.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/henry-david-thoreau-20_anticipate_i-live-in-the-present-i-only-remember-th_2715133.jpg) > “I live in the present. I only remember the past, and anticipate the future.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living fully in the present involves remembering the past for lessons and anticipating the future while staying grounded in now. **In simple terms:** Balance past, present, and future. Key Takeaway Stay present, learn, plan. Themes mindfulness temporal awareness self‑growth Mood reflective calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily meditation - goal setting - reflection practice - creative work Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What anchors you in the present? - How do past lessons inform current actions? A Different Perspective Risk of over‑planning or rumination. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anticipate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anticipate/) [Anticipate Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anticipate-future-318885/) [Anticipation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anticipation/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Live in the present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-in-the-present/) [Live Present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-present/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past Anticipate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-anticipate-2819729/) [Present Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-remember-354447/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Remember Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember-past/) [Remembering the past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remembering-the-past/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I have no designs on society, or nature, or God. I am simply what I am, or I begin to be that. I live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-have-no-designs-on-society-or-nature-or-god-i-am-simply-what-i-am/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Live in the present, remember the past, and fear not the future, for it doesn't exist and never shall. There is only now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/live-in-the-present-remember-the-past-and-fear-not-the-future-for-it/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [“We never keep to the present. We recall the past; we anticipate the future as if we found it too slow in coming and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/we-never-keep-to-the-present-we-recall-the-past-we-anticipate-the-2/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [“Remember the past, but don't get lost back there. Celebrate the blessings of the past in the present, but remember to live today. Today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-chavez/remember-the-past-but-don-t-get-lost-back-there-celebrate-the/) [Denise Chávez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-chavez/) > [“Live the present, remember the past, and fear not the future-Saphira in Eldest”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/live-the-present-remember-the-past-and-fear-not-the-future-saphira-in/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [We believe that the possibility of the future far exceeds the accomplishment of the past. We review the past with the common sense, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-believe-that-the-possibility-of-the-future-far-exceeds-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Everyone tends to remember the past with greater fervor as the present gains greater importance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-svevo/everyone-tends-to-remember-the-past-with-greater-fervor-as-the/) [Italo Svevo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-svevo/) > [Instead of causing us to remember the past like the old monuments, the new monuments seem to cause us to forget the future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-smithson/instead-of-causing-us-to-remember-the-past-like-the-old-monuments-the/) [Robert Smithson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-smithson/) > [But it's our curse and our blessing to remember the past and to know there's a future. —Charlie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-beth-pfeffer/but-it-s-our-curse-and-our-blessing-to-remember-the-past-and-to-know/) [Susan Beth Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-beth-pfeffer/) > [Let us remember the past with gratitude, live the present with enthusiasm, and look forward to the future with confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/let-us-remember-the-past-with-gratitude-live-the-present-with/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [He who cannot remember the past is condemned to remember the past. Or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-palin/he-who-cannot-remember-the-past-is-condemned-to-remember-the-past-or/) [Sarah Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-palin/) > [One of the keys to learning for me has been to not get so hung up on the past. It's important to remember the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-st-pierre/one-of-the-keys-to-learning-for-me-has-been-to-not-get-so-hung-up-on/) [Georges St-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-st-pierre/) > [Why do we remember the past, but not the future?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/why-do-we-remember-the-past-but-not-the-future/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [As the great philosopher George Santayana would have said, 'those who cannot remember the past . . . should simply read Jan Van Meter's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-rocca/as-the-great-philosopher-george-santayana-would-have-said-those-who/) [Mo Rocca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-rocca/) > [I can't remember the past, or I can't see very clearly, or I've gotten older and the person I was isn't there anymore, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-ronk/i-can-t-remember-the-past-or-i-can-t-see-very-clearly-or-i-ve-gotten/) [Martha Ronk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-ronk/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Anticipate quotes > [If, as I anticipate, a wide array of personal, portable information/communication devices becomes increasingly important and widespread for information-intensive users, it will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-as-i-anticipate-a-wide-array-of-personal-portable-information/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [We are somehow the children of the planet, we are somehow its finest hour; we bind time, we bind the past, we anticipate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-somehow-the-children-of-the-planet-we-are-somehow-its-finest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [I like to do everything you can possibly do before you go into rehearsal, because once we are in rehearsal or on the stage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/i-like-to-do-everything-you-can-possibly-do-before-you-go-into/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [The problem with merely writing so that you can be understood is that the wrong people, in advancing their agendas, are only too ready…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-dembski/the-problem-with-merely-writing-so-that-you-can-be-understood-is-that/) [William A. Dembski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-dembski/) > [I am curious to know what would happen if art were suddenly seen for what it is, namely, exact information of how to rearrange…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/i-am-curious-to-know-what-would-happen-if-art-were-suddenly-seen-for/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [The very best financial presentation is one that's well thought out and anticipates any questions... answering them in advance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/the-very-best-financial-presentation-is-one-that-s-well-thought-out/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [What's interesting about art in public spaces is that the public really sort of takes over and uses it in ways that you didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresita-fernandez/what-s-interesting-about-art-in-public-spaces-is-that-the-public/) [Teresita Fernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresita-fernandez/) > [The great mistake is to anticipate the outcome of the engagement; you ought not to be thinking of whether it ends in victory or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/the-great-mistake-is-to-anticipate-the-outcome-of-the-engagement-you/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [If you don't sow your field what harvest other than thorns and weeds can you anticipate?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-you-don-t-sow-your-field-what-harvest-other-than-thorns-and-weeds/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Leaders' careers will usually be determined by their handling of one or two critical events that no one could possibly anticipate or plan for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/leaders-careers-will-usually-be-determined-by-their-handling-of-one/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [I wish I could anticipate some of the stories and lies that will be told. It's going to be great to get everyone together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-conley/i-wish-i-could-anticipate-some-of-the-stories-and-lies-that-will-be/) [Larry Conley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-conley/) > [The two revolutions, I mean the annual revolutions of the declination and of the centre of the Earth, are not completely equal; that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolaus-copernicus/the-two-revolutions-i-mean-the-annual-revolutions-of-the-declination/) [Nicolaus Copernicus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolaus-copernicus/) > [In two or three hundred years life on earth will be unimaginably beautiful, astounding. Man needs such a life and if it hasn't yetappeared,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/in-two-or-three-hundred-years-life-on-earth-will-be-unimaginably/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [In my own work, I've tried to anticipate what's coming over the horizon, to hasten its arrival, and to apply it to people's lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-allen/in-my-own-work-i-ve-tried-to-anticipate-what-s-coming-over-the/) [Paul Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-allen/) [Browse all 458 Anticipate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anticipate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I live in the present. I only remember the past, and anticipate the future.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-live-in-the-present-i-only-remember-the-past-and-anticipate-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anticipate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-live-in-the-present-i-only-remember-the-past-and-anticipate-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/henry-david-thoreau-20_anticipate_i-live-in-the-present-i-only-remember-th_2715133.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/henry-david-thoreau-20_anticipate_i-live-in-the-present-i-only-remember-th_2715133.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/henry-david-thoreau-20_anticipate_i-live-in-the-present-i-only-remember-th_2715133.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I live in the present. I only remember the past, and anticipate the future.” — Henry David Thoreau", "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": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I live in the present. I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-live-in-the-present-i-only-remember-the-past-and-anticipate-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-live-in-the-present-i-only-remember-the-past-and-anticipate-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 } } ] } ```