--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When people told themselves their past…" description: "\"“When people told themselves their past with stories, explained their present with stories, foretold the future with stories, the best place by the fir..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/jim-henson-productions-248141_fire_when-people-told-themselves-their-past-w_2260262.jpg" --- # When people told themselves their past with stories… ![“When people told themselves their past with stories, explained their present with stories, foretold the future with stories, the best place by the fire was kept for the storyteller.” quote by Jim Henson Productions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/jim-henson-productions-248141_fire_when-people-told-themselves-their-past-w_2260262.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/jim-henson-productions-248141_fire_when-people-told-themselves-their-past-w_2260262.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/jim-henson-productions-248141_fire_when-people-told-themselves-their-past-w_2260262.jpg) > ““When people told themselves their past with stories, explained their present with stories, foretold the future with stories, the best place by the fire was kept for the storyteller.”” Jim Henson Productions ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Storytelling defines identity across time, and the storyteller holds a special place beside the fire. **In simple terms:** Stories shape past, present, and future; storytellers are honored. Key Takeaway Value the power of narrative. Themes storytelling identity time culture community Mood reflective creative Type Fire:0 Storyteller:1 Time:0 Writing:0 Stories Best:0 Past Stories:0 Told Past:0 Stories Foretold:0 When to use this quote - family gatherings - educational settings - cultural festivals - media production Key Concepts mythology anthropology psychology Questions to Reflect On - What stories shape your self‑image? - How do you honor storytellers? A Different Perspective Stories can be used to manipulate perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Storyteller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storyteller/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Stories are the best medicine that exists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-t-macdonnacha/stories-are-the-best-medicine-that-exists/) A.T. MacDonnacha > [I did loved my ex so much, but through time I had to let go, she bacame one of my past stories. So now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/i-did-loved-my-ex-so-much-but-through-time-i-had-to-let-go-she-bacame/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [History is not the past. It is the stories we tell about the past. How we tell these stories - triumphantly or self-critically, metaphysically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/history-is-not-the-past-it-is-the-stories-we-tell-about-the-past-how/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [Good telling of human stories is the best way to keep the Internet and World Wide Web from becoming a waste vastland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/good-telling-of-human-stories-is-the-best-way-to-keep-the-internet/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“There is no past, there are only stories that we tell in the present. The past is a phantom tail that we wag, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cole/there-is-no-past-there-are-only-stories-that-we-tell-in-the-present/) [Chris Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cole/) > [“Heritage is a matter of the stories we choose to tell about our past, as well as the stories we overlook.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/heritage-is-a-matter-of-the-stories-we-choose-to-tell-about-our-past/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) > [Stories are the best democracy we have. We are allowed to become the other we never dreamed we could be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/stories-are-the-best-democracy-we-have-we-are-allowed-to-become-the/) [Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/) > [Magazine stories, the best ones anyway, are generally a combination of three elements: access, narrative, and disclosure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graydon-carter/magazine-stories-the-best-ones-anyway-are-generally-a-combination-of/) [Graydon Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graydon-carter/) > [“History may well be a series of stories we tell about the past, but the stories are not just any stories. They're not chosen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-king/history-may-well-be-a-series-of-stories-we-tell-about-the-past-but/) [Thomas King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-king/) > [I think one or two of the later Holmes stories are among the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-stout/i-think-one-or-two-of-the-later-holmes-stories-are-among-the-best/) [Rex Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-stout/) > [The weirdest love stories are always the best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mazzantini/the-weirdest-love-stories-are-always-the-best/) [Margaret Mazzantini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mazzantini/) > [In the past stories have been what tethers us to the world and they've made us who we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-mcnerney/in-the-past-stories-have-been-what-tethers-us-to-the-world-and-they/) [Mat McNerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-mcnerney/) > [My life is full of stories, and your the best one in it, your make me smile from ear to ear, knowing your calling,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-life-is-full-of-stories-and-your-the-best-one-in-it-your-make-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The dead and past stories that I have told again in divers fashions, are not set down without authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-de-france/the-dead-and-past-stories-that-i-have-told-again-in-divers-fashions/) [Marie de France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-de-france/) > [“It is difficult to create a new story when we are still living in our past stories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teri-karjala/it-is-difficult-to-create-a-new-story-when-we-are-still-living-in-our/) [Teri Karjala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teri-karjala/) ## More Fire quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [“Nothing is ever lost nor can be lost; the body aged, sluggish,cold… the embers left from earlier fires shall dully flame again”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/nothing-is-ever-lost-nor-can-be-lost-the-body-aged-sluggish-cold-the/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Tonight I feel like a prisoner on fire, waiting desperately... denied, sentenced forever more. Only your love can set me free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bolton/tonight-i-feel-like-a-prisoner-on-fire-waiting-desperately-denied/) [Michael Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bolton/) > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [War is like a fire. One man may start it, but it will spread all over. It is not about one thing in particular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-is-like-a-fire-one-man-may-start-it-but-it-will-spread-all-over/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Carrying that lumber the forty meters from the forest had left his knuckles blistered, his underarms sopping, but now a few hours of flames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/carrying-that-lumber-the-forty-meters-from-the-forest-had-left-his/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [May nothing entice me till I happily make my way to Jesus Christ! Fire, cross, struggles with wild beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-antioch/may-nothing-entice-me-till-i-happily-make-my-way-to-jesus-christ-fire/) [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-antioch/) > [AHHHHHH! Goyle has set the bloody place on fire! -Ron Weasley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ahhhhhh-goyle-has-set-the-bloody-place-on-fire-ron-weasley/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 8,652 Fire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When people told themselves their past with stories, explained their present with stories, foretold the future with stories, the best place by the fire was kept for the storyteller.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jim Henson Productions" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-henson-productions/when-people-told-themselves-their-past-with-stories-explained-their/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-henson-productions/when-people-told-themselves-their-past-with-stories-explained-their/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/jim-henson-productions-248141_fire_when-people-told-themselves-their-past-w_2260262.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/jim-henson-productions-248141_fire_when-people-told-themselves-their-past-w_2260262.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/jim-henson-productions-248141_fire_when-people-told-themselves-their-past-w_2260262.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When people told themselves their past with stories, explained their present with stories, foretold the…” — Jim Henson Productions", "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": "Jim Henson Productions", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-henson-productions/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When people told themselves their past...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-henson-productions/when-people-told-themselves-their-past-with-stories-explained-their/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-henson-productions/when-people-told-themselves-their-past-with-stories-explained-their/#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 } } ] } ```