---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Because I have experienced a prosperous…"
description: "\"Because I have experienced a prosperous, healthy and happy existence, I must have been a decent person in a past life.\" — John Barnes"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b6/john-barnes-2996_existence_because-i-have-experienced-a-prosperous_2059109.png"
---

#  Because I have experienced a prosperous, healthy and happy…

![“Because I have experienced a prosperous, healthy and happy existence, I must have been a decent person in a past life.” quote by John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b6/john-barnes-2996_existence_because-i-have-experienced-a-prosperous_2059109.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b6/john-barnes-2996_existence_because-i-have-experienced-a-prosperous_2059109.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b6/john-barnes-2996_existence_because-i-have-experienced-a-prosperous_2059109.png)

> “Because I have experienced a prosperous, healthy and happy existence, I must have been a decent person in a past life.”

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker believes a good life now reflects moral virtue in a previous incarnation.

**In simple terms:** Good life suggests past goodness.

Key Takeaway

Consider how actions shape future outcomes.

Themes

karma morality reincarnation

Mood

thoughtful reflective

Type

philosophical spiritual

When to use this quote

- personal reflection
- ethical discussion
- life evaluation

Key Concepts

ethical reflection spiritual belief

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you think current happiness proves past virtue?
- How do you define a “decent” person?

A Different Perspective

The claim assumes unprovable past lives.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Decent Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decent-person/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Existence Decent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence-decent-3919698/) [Experienced Prosperous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experienced-prosperous-3919697/) [Happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Healthy and happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healthy-and-happy/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-life/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Prosperous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperous/)

## Related quotes

> [If I meet a wise person, I think, 'Yes, tell me more about parenting, about marriage, about how to stay in love. Tell me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/min-jin-lee/if-i-meet-a-wise-person-i-think-yes-tell-me-more-about-parenting/)

[Min Jin Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/min-jin-lee/)

> [“She was a good witch and a decent person, but decent people aren’t always easy to live with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-vernon/she-was-a-good-witch-and-a-decent-person-but-decent-people-aren-t/)

[Ursula Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-vernon/)

> [A saint is a person who does almost everything any other decent person does, only somewhat better and with a totally different motive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/a-saint-is-a-person-who-does-almost-everything-any-other-decent/)

[Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/)

> [I'm trying to make you think I'm a decent person. Telling you I saw you naked while I was another species does not help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-m-trying-to-make-you-think-i-m-a-decent-person-telling-you-i-saw/)

[Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/)

> [... the English think of an opinion as something which a decent person, if he has the misfortune to have one, does all he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/the-english-think-of-an-opinion-as-something-which-a-decent-person-if/)

[Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/)

> [Breaking Bad' - I've heard that question phrased in many directions, and it always means the same thing. It's when someone can't... when a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rj-mitte/breaking-bad-i-ve-heard-that-question-phrased-in-many-directions-and/)

[RJ Mitte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rj-mitte/)

> [You get out of life what you put into it. I think you need a bit of luck but you also make a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-key/you-get-out-of-life-what-you-put-into-it-i-think-you-need-a-bit-of/)

[John Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-key/)

> [I still like and admire George W. Bush. I consider him a fundamentally decent person, and I do not believe he or his White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcclellan/i-still-like-and-admire-george-w-bush-i-consider-him-a-fundamentally/)

[Scott McClellan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcclellan/)

> [I try to do my job and be a decent person, and a decent person has the courage to face what is not necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olga-tokarczuk/i-try-to-do-my-job-and-be-a-decent-person-and-a-decent-person-has-the/)

[Olga Tokarczuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olga-tokarczuk/)

> [the Bible is only as good and decent as the person reading it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/the-bible-is-only-as-good-and-decent-as-the-person-reading-it/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [Why would I want to read something about somebody that's just a really nice, decent person who overcomes terrible trials? That's not how life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/why-would-i-want-to-read-something-about-somebody-that-s-just-a/)

[Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/)

> [Being a kind or decent person is not only measured in mere words but with actions, don't just say it, show it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/being-a-kind-or-decent-person-is-not-only-measured-in-mere-words-but/)

[Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/)

> [“In some eras, self-control defines the paragon of a decent person: a grown-up, a person of dignity, a lady or a gentleman, a mensch.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/in-some-eras-self-control-defines-the-paragon-of-a-decent-person-a/)

[Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/)

> [I don't want to sit here and disparage Paul Ryan the man, because he's a good guy. He's a moral person. He's a decent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-schmidt/i-don-t-want-to-sit-here-and-disparage-paul-ryan-the-man-because-he-s/)

[Steve Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-schmidt/)

> [Any decent person who knows what warfare is can never go into battle with a whole heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/any-decent-person-who-knows-what-warfare-is-can-never-go-into-battle/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

## More by John Barnes

> [I am no different from a lot of people. I am concerned for the future of my children and concerned for the future of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-am-no-different-from-a-lot-of-people-i-am-concerned-for-the-future/)

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

> [For a long time, images of black men with big lips and a round head were used to make us feel inferior, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/for-a-long-time-images-of-black-men-with-big-lips-and-a-round-head/)

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

> [Normally when you look at the Ballon d'Or winners, they're either attacking midfield players or centre-forwards. They are goalscorers and eye-catching players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/normally-when-you-look-at-the-ballon-d-or-winners-they-re-either/)

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

> [This is not the way these tales end," Calliope said firmly. "This is not the way that things end when they get to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/this-is-not-the-way-these-tales-end-calliope-said-firmly-this-is-not/)

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

> [“Where did you find construction guys swapping dirty jokes in proto-Númenorean?” Aura asked. “On construction sites. Is that coffee ready?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/where-did-you-find-construction-guys-swapping-dirty-jokes-in-proto-n/)

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

> [Young English managers don't get enough time, young black managers aren't given enough time, there are a lot of reasons why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/young-english-managers-don-t-get-enough-time-young-black-managers/)

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

> [I felt I had to take the Celtic opportunity. You quickly learn that any managerial vacancy attracts up to 60 or 70 applicants, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-felt-i-had-to-take-the-celtic-opportunity-you-quickly-learn-that/)

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

> [You have to give 100 per cent in every game and you cannot give more than 100 per cent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/you-have-to-give-100-per-cent-in-every-game-and-you-cannot-give-more/)

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

> [African society and culture varies much more than European society but it's just considered 'Africa' as if they are all the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/african-society-and-culture-varies-much-more-than-european-society/)

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

> [“By noon everyone had heard that I had spent the night with Marti in a hotel room and when the cops came by, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/by-noon-everyone-had-heard-that-i-had-spent-the-night-with-marti-in-a/)

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

> [Football is all about scoring goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/football-is-all-about-scoring-goals/)

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

> [“Ah. Well, it stands for Freedom From Morality. We don't think healthy amorality happens naturally." "But you're not amoral," I pointed out. I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/ah-well-it-stands-for-freedom-from-morality-we-don-t-think-healthy/)

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

> [I'm a real meat eater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-m-a-real-meat-eater/)

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

> [Race, for me, should be social and cultural, rather than the colour of your skin. Anton Ferdinand would have more in common with John…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/race-for-me-should-be-social-and-cultural-rather-than-the-colour-of/)

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

> [The truth is that those at the top of British football do not care about getting rid of racism, they just don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/the-truth-is-that-those-at-the-top-of-british-football-do-not-care/)

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

[Explore all 143 John Barnes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

## More Existence quotes

> [Getting on the cover of TIME guarantees the existence of opposition in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/getting-on-the-cover-of-time-guarantees-the-existence-of-opposition/)

[John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/)

> [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/)

[Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/)

> [A lot of indigenous cultures are deeply involved in working with ancestor spirits, elemental spirits, and demons. Many of these cultures feel that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pinchbeck/a-lot-of-indigenous-cultures-are-deeply-involved-in-working-with/)

[Daniel Pinchbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pinchbeck/)

> [It does not seem to me to be sufficiently recognized everywhere among the officials that the existence or non-existence of our people and Empire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-von-hindenburg/it-does-not-seem-to-me-to-be-sufficiently-recognized-everywhere-among/)

[Paul von Hindenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-von-hindenburg/)

> [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/)

[Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/)

> [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/)

[Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/)

> [My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram, or the most intricate analysis, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/my-mind-rebels-at-stagnation-give-me-problems-give-me-work-give-me/)

[Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/)

> [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/)

[L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/)

> [Never belong to a crowd; Never belong to a nation; Never belong to a religion; Never belong to a race. Belong to the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/never-belong-to-a-crowd-never-belong-to-a-nation-never-belong-to-a/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [Universities are the cathedrals of the modern age. They shouldn't have to justify their existence by utilitarian criteria.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lodge/universities-are-the-cathedrals-of-the-modern-age-they-shouldn-t-have/)

[David Lodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lodge/)

> [Just as everybody has the vote including women, I think children should, because as a child is conscious of itself then it has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/just-as-everybody-has-the-vote-including-women-i-think-children/)

[Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/)

> [To divide one's life by years is of course to tumble into a trap set by our own arithmetic. The calendar consents to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/to-divide-one-s-life-by-years-is-of-course-to-tumble-into-a-trap-set/)

[Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/)

> [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/)

[Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/)

[Browse all 7,646 Existence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Because I have experienced a prosperous, healthy and happy existence, I must have been a decent person in a past life.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Barnes"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/because-i-have-experienced-a-prosperous-healthy-and-happy-existence-i/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Existence"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/because-i-have-experienced-a-prosperous-healthy-and-happy-existence-i/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b6/john-barnes-2996_existence_because-i-have-experienced-a-prosperous_2059109.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b6/john-barnes-2996_existence_because-i-have-experienced-a-prosperous_2059109.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b6/john-barnes-2996_existence_because-i-have-experienced-a-prosperous_2059109.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Because I have experienced a prosperous, healthy and happy existence, I must have been a decent person in a…” — John Barnes",
                "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": "John Barnes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Because I have experienced a prosperous,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/because-i-have-experienced-a-prosperous-healthy-and-happy-existence-i/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/because-i-have-experienced-a-prosperous-healthy-and-happy-existence-i/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
