--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can't change the past. But maybe we…" description: "\"“We can't change the past. But maybe we can figure out the future.”\" — Katherine Applegate" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abf/katherine-applegate-3304_change_we-can-t-change-the-past-but-maybe-we-ca_2748410.jpg" --- # We can't change the past. But maybe we can figure out the… ![“We can't change the past. But maybe we can figure out the future.” quote by Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abf/katherine-applegate-3304_change_we-can-t-change-the-past-but-maybe-we-ca_2748410.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abf/katherine-applegate-3304_change_we-can-t-change-the-past-but-maybe-we-ca_2748410.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abf/katherine-applegate-3304_change_we-can-t-change-the-past-but-maybe-we-ca_2748410.jpg) > ““We can't change the past. But maybe we can figure out the future.”” [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. While the past cannot be altered, we can influence future outcomes through present actions and decisions. **In simple terms:** We can’t change history, but we can shape the future. Key Takeaway Focus on present choices to affect tomorrow. Themes future agency responsibility time hope Mood motivational optimistic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - environmental activism - personal growth - policy making - education Key Concepts determinism free will ethical decision‑making Questions to Reflect On - What present actions can you take today? - How do you balance past lessons with future goals? A Different Perspective Future planning may be limited by unforeseen events. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-past/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe/) [Maybe Figure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe-figure-3080437/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-maybe-810040/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“If you let the past go, maybe it will let you go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-knight/if-you-let-the-past-go-maybe-it-will-let-you-go/) [Natasha Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-knight/) > [“Maybe my goals were too long-term. Maybe I should figure out a way to be happy, not for a lifetime, but for an hour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/maybe-my-goals-were-too-long-term-maybe-i-should-figure-out-a-way-to/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [Maybe happiness was an hourglass already running out, the grains tipping, sifting past each other. Maybe it was a state of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/maybe-happiness-was-an-hourglass-already-running-out-the-grains-2/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [“Events in the past maybe roughly divided into those which and probably never happened and those which do not matter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ralph-inge/events-in-the-past-maybe-roughly-divided-into-those-which-and/) [William Ralph Inge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ralph-inge/) > [I found a Bill Evans record in the bookcase and was listening to it while drying my hair when I realized that it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-found-a-bill-evans-record-in-the-bookcase-and-was-listening-to-it/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Take me as I am flaws & all and leave the past behind us then maybe this thing can last!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/take-me-as-i-am-flaws-all-and-leave-the-past-behind-us-then-maybe/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It would be presumptuous to say writing a book would be a sufficient gesture, but if people were more preoccupied with the past, maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-g-sebald/it-would-be-presumptuous-to-say-writing-a-book-would-be-a-sufficient/) [W. G. Sebald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-g-sebald/) > [“Maybe the past could never be past. Maybe it's burned into us like the stars are burned into the backdrop of the sky, irrevocable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-chua/maybe-the-past-could-never-be-past-maybe-it-s-burned-into-us-like-the/) [Joyce Chua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-chua/) > [“When people lost hope, they looked in the last place they remembered having it, and it was always in the past. Maybe someday they’d…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-reisz/when-people-lost-hope-they-looked-in-the-last-place-they-remembered/) [Tiffany Reisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-reisz/) > [I think in the past maybe I've thought about too many things other than just the fight right in front of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fitch/i-think-in-the-past-maybe-i-ve-thought-about-too-many-things-other/) [Jon Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fitch/) > [We can't change the past. We can only get ready for the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/we-can-t-change-the-past-we-can-only-get-ready-for-the-future/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I want to produce my own films, TV shows, maybe direct in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-mclaughlin/i-want-to-produce-my-own-films-tv-shows-maybe-direct-in-the-future/) [Caleb McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-mclaughlin/) > [“A person can never change the past, but the past can change a person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spasmostar/a-person-can-never-change-the-past-but-the-past-can-change-a-person/) [SpasmoStar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spasmostar/) > [You can never change the Past, not control the future. But, you can change the mood of the day, by touching someone's Heart with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/you-can-never-change-the-past-not-control-the-future-but-you-can/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) ## More by Katherine Applegate > [It's hard to put into words. Gorillas are not complainers. We're dreamers, poets, philosophers, nap takers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/it-s-hard-to-put-into-words-gorillas-are-not-complainers-we-re/) [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) > [“Pleasure fades, gets old, gets thrown out with last year's fad. Fear, guilt, all that stuff stays fresh. Maybe that's why people get so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/pleasure-fades-gets-old-gets-thrown-out-with-last-year-s-fad-fear/) [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) > [“Humans. Violent but peace-loving. Passionate but cerebral. Humane but cruel. Impulsive but calculating. Generous but selfish. Humans. Altogether a contradictory and deeply flawed species.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/humans-violent-but-peace-loving-passionate-but-cerebral-humane-but/) [katherine applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) > [“She got up and went to her tiny kitchen. On the way she turned on her radio. "You want something to eat?" she called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/she-got-up-and-went-to-her-tiny-kitchen-on-the-way-she-turned-on-her/) [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) > [A good zoo," Stella said, "is a large domain. A wild cage. A safe place to be. It has room to roam and humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/a-good-zoo-stella-said-is-a-large-domain-a-wild-cage-a-safe-place-to/) [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) > [“In dreams you lose normal cause and effect. You jump around in time. This is reality. Jalil”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/in-dreams-you-lose-normal-cause-and-effect-you-jump-around-in-time/) [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) > [“It's an alien toilet!" -Cassie”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/it-s-an-alien-toilet-cassie/) [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) > [“Trees can’t tell jokes. But we can certainly tell stories. And if all you hear is the whisper of leaves, don’t worry. Most trees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/trees-can-t-tell-jokes-but-we-can-certainly-tell-stories-and-if-all/) [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) > [Her eyes hold the pale moon in them, the way a still pond holds stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/her-eyes-hold-the-pale-moon-in-them-the-way-a-still-pond-holds-stars/) [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) > [Memories are precious ... they help tell us who we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/memories-are-precious-they-help-tell-us-who-we-are/) [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) > [“She batted her eyelashes at me to show she was kidding. I love it when she does that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/she-batted-her-eyelashes-at-me-to-show-she-was-kidding-i-love-it-when/) [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) > [Anger is precious. A silverback uses anger to maintain order and warn his troops of danger. When my father beat his chest, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/anger-is-precious-a-silverback-uses-anger-to-maintain-order-and-warn/) [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) > [“But even I have enough sense to know the words “we have to win” are the first four steps on the road to hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/but-even-i-have-enough-sense-to-know-the-words-we-have-to-win-are-the/) [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) > [“Ax swiveled his stalk eyes toward me. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/ax-swiveled-his-stalk-eyes-toward-me/) [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) > [“I’d broken the rule because I wanted something. I wanted to matter. I wanted to do something meaningful before I died.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/i-d-broken-the-rule-because-i-wanted-something-i-wanted-to-matter-i/) [Katherine Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) [Explore all 130 Katherine Applegate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We can't change the past. But maybe we can figure out the future.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Katherine Applegate" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/we-can-t-change-the-past-but-maybe-we-can-figure-out-the-future/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/we-can-t-change-the-past-but-maybe-we-can-figure-out-the-future/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abf/katherine-applegate-3304_change_we-can-t-change-the-past-but-maybe-we-ca_2748410.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abf/katherine-applegate-3304_change_we-can-t-change-the-past-but-maybe-we-ca_2748410.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abf/katherine-applegate-3304_change_we-can-t-change-the-past-but-maybe-we-ca_2748410.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We can't change the past. But maybe we can figure out the future.” — Katherine Applegate", "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": "Katherine Applegate", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-applegate/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We can't change the past. But...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/we-can-t-change-the-past-but-maybe-we-can-figure-out-the-future/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-applegate/we-can-t-change-the-past-but-maybe-we-can-figure-out-the-future/#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 } } ] } ```