---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let there be a time in the future, I…"
description: "\"“Let there be a time in the future, I prayed, when he laughs with his children, and plays on the shore with them, and spends all his nights in loving a..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/juliet-marillier-2403_children_let-there-be-a-time-in-the-future-i-pray_658589.jpg"
---

#  Let there be a time in the future, I prayed, when he…

![“Let there be a time in the future, I prayed, when he laughs with his children, and plays on the shore with them, and spends all his nights in loving arms. Let us have that. To whom I was praying I did not know. The future was in our own hands. If we wanted a world where such things were possible…” quote by Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/juliet-marillier-2403_children_let-there-be-a-time-in-the-future-i-pray_658589.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/juliet-marillier-2403_children_let-there-be-a-time-in-the-future-i-pray_658589.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/juliet-marillier-2403_children_let-there-be-a-time-in-the-future-i-pray_658589.jpg)

> ““Let there be a time in the future, I prayed, when he laughs with his children, and plays on the shore with them, and spends all his nights in loving arms. Let us have that. To whom I was praying I did not know. The future was in our own hands. If we wanted a world where such things were possible, it was for us to make it.””

[Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

## About This Quote

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

A vision of a hopeful future where love and family thrive, urging us to create that reality ourselves.

**In simple terms:** Hopeful future needs active effort.

Key Takeaway

Act now to shape a loving world.

Themes

family hope agency future love

Mood

hopeful determined

Type

inspirational philosophical

When to use this quote

- parenting
- community building
- personal goal setting
- social activism

Key Concepts

vision intentionality collective responsibility

Questions to Reflect On

- What concrete steps can you take today to build that future?
- How do you balance hope with realistic planning?

A Different Perspective

Idealistic visions may overlook practical obstacles.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Fantasy-fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy-fiction/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [“I never did get around to praying for myself, did I? Maybe that's what was behind it, though. Myself. Maybe the only reason I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-never-did-get-around-to-praying-for-myself-did-i-maybe-that-s-what/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [“It is better to let the work go by default than to let the praying go by neglect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-bounds/it-is-better-to-let-the-work-go-by-default-than-to-let-the-praying-go/)

[E.M. Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-bounds/)

> [Let us, by praying, purify ourselves and we shall not only remove untouchability but shall also hasten the advent of Swaraj.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/let-us-by-praying-purify-ourselves-and-we-shall-not-only-remove/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Remember, no matter how much you hurt, or how much pain you're in... always hold your head high, don't let your praying knees get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/remember-no-matter-how-much-you-hurt-or-how-much-pain-you-re-in/)

[Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/)

> [Job's friends chose the right time to visit him, but took not the right course of improving their visit; had they spent the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/job-s-friends-chose-the-right-time-to-visit-him-but-took-not-the/)

[William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/)

> [“The English, thought Kate, obviously regarded praying much as they did a necessary physical function, something best done in private. Dalgliesh apologized for interrupting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james-2/the-english-thought-kate-obviously-regarded-praying-much-as-they-did/)

[P.D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james-2/)

> [“Between dainty bites, she told Amie, 'Oh, you simply are as darling a creature as Henry described! I had no idea of your being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-silverwood/between-dainty-bites-she-told-amie-oh-you-simply-are-as-darling-a/)

[Jennifer Silverwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-silverwood/)

> [“If you see the dragon fly, best you drink the flagon dry.” —Zarost”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-hamerton/if-you-see-the-dragon-fly-best-you-drink-the-flagon-dry-zarost/)

Greg Hamerton

> [“Looks like my superpowers don’t come with automatic manicures, thank heaven. I hate long nails.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-silverwood/looks-like-my-superpowers-don-t-come-with-automatic-manicures-thank/)

[Jennifer Silverwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-silverwood/)

> [“I can't stop thinking about dying the way humans do it. Imagine! If at any moment, you could just stop existing. How different everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-turgeon/i-can-t-stop-thinking-about-dying-the-way-humans-do-it-imagine-if-at/)

[Carolyn Turgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-turgeon/)

> [“10. The stranger’s breath also came out in small white clouds. The man was clearly a lot fitter than his charges and wasn’t breathing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reid/10-the-stranger-s-breath-also-came-out-in-small-white-clouds-the-man/)

[Robert Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reid/)

> [“It's said that we can all choose our own destiny. But sometimes, for a special few, destiny has no choice but to choose for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-m-robinson-jr/it-s-said-that-we-can-all-choose-our-own-destiny-but-sometimes-for-a/)

Steve M. Robinson Jr

> [“She smiled sinisterly. Light mist started to slowly swirl around us. All I could see was her, the tall rocks and the white wall.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-sehyun-song/she-smiled-sinisterly-light-mist-started-to-slowly-swirl-around-us/)

[Erica Sehyun Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-sehyun-song/)

> [“He is a free man, not because is in a poition of political power and influence that you will never be able to achieve,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-meekins/he-is-a-free-man-not-because-is-in-a-poition-of-political-power-and/)

[Evan Meekins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-meekins/)

## More by Juliet Marillier

> [“What came next is very hard to tell. Indeed, I have told it but once before, when I needed to, and I will tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/what-came-next-is-very-hard-to-tell-indeed-i-have-told-it-but-once/)

[Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

> [The greatest tales, well told, awaken the fears and longings of the listeners. Each man hears a different story. Each is touched by it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/the-greatest-tales-well-told-awaken-the-fears-and-longings-of-the/)

[Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

> [After a while, footsteps sounded on the flagstones outside and there was a gentle tap at the door. Of course, one of them would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/after-a-while-footsteps-sounded-on-the-flagstones-outside-and-there/)

[Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

> [Eat of my deep earth, drink of my living streams, for I am your Mother. Your heart is my wild drum, your breath my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/eat-of-my-deep-earth-drink-of-my-living-streams-for-i-am-your-mother/)

[Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

> [I wish- I wish I could dry these tears, I wish I could make this better for you. But I don't know how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/i-wish-i-wish-i-could-dry-these-tears-i-wish-i-could-make-this-better/)

[Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

> [“You speak like a jealous lover." -Fola to Broichan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/you-speak-like-a-jealous-lover-fola-to-broichan/)

[Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

> [“I learned that in the end, only I was responsible for my actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/i-learned-that-in-the-end-only-i-was-responsible-for-my-actions/)

[Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

> [“That's lovely singing, Saraid," Eile said. "Is Sorry asleep now?" Saraid shook her head solemnly. "Sorry's sad. Crying." She held the doll against her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/that-s-lovely-singing-saraid-eile-said-is-sorry-asleep-now-saraid/)

[Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

> [“I cannot expiate my sin, yet I am compelled to try. My mind will not let me rest. There must be something I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/i-cannot-expiate-my-sin-yet-i-am-compelled-to-try-my-mind-will-not/)

[Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

> [“Don't you long for something different to happen, something so exciting and new it carries you along with it like a great tide, something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/don-t-you-long-for-something-different-to-happen-something-so/)

[Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

> [“ So you do believe in... true love? she whispered. I took a deep breath, I think I have to, I said, blinking back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/so-you-do-believe-in-true-love-she-whispered-i-took-a-deep-breath-i/)

[Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

> [Nothing comes without a price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/nothing-comes-without-a-price/)

[Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

> [“There's a light shining in him, moving him forward: the light of freedom. That's what draws all of us to follow, to take risks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/there-s-a-light-shining-in-him-moving-him-forward-the-light-of/)

[Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

> [“Amazing, I thought nobody could tell that man what to do." -Foalan to Bridei Talking about Broichan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/amazing-i-thought-nobody-could-tell-that-man-what-to-do-foalan-to/)

[Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

> [“We’re all trapped in a net of consequences, condemned to paths outside our control. It’s the way of things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/we-re-all-trapped-in-a-net-of-consequences-condemned-to-paths-outside/)

[Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

[Explore all 163 Juliet Marillier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/)

## More Children quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/)

[Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/)

> [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/)

[Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/)

> [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/)

[Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/)

> [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/)

[Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/)

> [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/)

[Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/)

> [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/)

[Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/)

> [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/)

[Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/)

> [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/)

[Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/)

> [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/)

[Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/)

> [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/)

[Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/)

> [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/)

[Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/)

> [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/)

[Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/)

[Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Let there be a time in the future, I prayed, when he laughs with his children, and plays on the shore with them, and spends all his nights in loving arms. Let us have that. To whom I was praying I did not know. The future was in our own hands. If we wanted a world where such things were possible, it was for us to make it.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Juliet Marillier"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/let-there-be-a-time-in-the-future-i-prayed-when-he-laughs-with-his/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Children"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/let-there-be-a-time-in-the-future-i-prayed-when-he-laughs-with-his/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/juliet-marillier-2403_children_let-there-be-a-time-in-the-future-i-pray_658589.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/juliet-marillier-2403_children_let-there-be-a-time-in-the-future-i-pray_658589.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/146/juliet-marillier-2403_children_let-there-be-a-time-in-the-future-i-pray_658589.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Let there be a time in the future, I prayed, when he laughs with his children, and plays on the shore with…” — Juliet Marillier",
                "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": "Juliet Marillier",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Let there be a time in...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/let-there-be-a-time-in-the-future-i-prayed-when-he-laughs-with-his/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/let-there-be-a-time-in-the-future-i-prayed-when-he-laughs-with-his/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
