--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unfortunately, what should or should not…" description: "\"“Unfortunately, what should or should not be had no relation to what was.”\" — Linda Howard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/linda-howard-3072_joy_unfortunately-what-should-or-should-not_1672647.png" --- # Unfortunately, what should or should not be had no… ![“Unfortunately, what should or should not be had no relation to what was.” quote by Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/linda-howard-3072_joy_unfortunately-what-should-or-should-not_1672647.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/linda-howard-3072_joy_unfortunately-what-should-or-should-not_1672647.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/linda-howard-3072_joy_unfortunately-what-should-or-should-not_1672647.png) > ““Unfortunately, what should or should not be had no relation to what was.”” [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reality and expectations often diverge; what should be isn’t always what is. **In simple terms:** Reality often differs from expectations. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and adapt. Themes philosophy reality expectations Mood thoughtful cautious Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - decision making - relationship dynamics - career planning Key Concepts cognitive dissonance perception Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile expectations with reality? - When have you adjusted goals after a mismatch? A Different Perspective May lead to fatalism if not balanced with agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Relation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relation/) [Unfortunately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfortunately/) [Unfortunately Relation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfortunately-relation-876142/) ## Related quotes > [Sorrow and happiness are the heresies of virtue; joy and anger lead astray from TAO; love and hate cause loss of virtue. The heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/sorrow-and-happiness-are-the-heresies-of-virtue-joy-and-anger-lead/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Sometimes I am a collector of data, and only a collector, and am likely to be gross and miserly, piling up notes, pleased with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-fort/sometimes-i-am-a-collector-of-data-and-only-a-collector-and-am-likely/) [Charles Fort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-fort/) > [Unfortunately, we all go through bad phases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushmita-sen/unfortunately-we-all-go-through-bad-phases/) [Sushmita Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushmita-sen/) > [Unfortunately, some people go to a restaurant, and they aren't really there to enjoy themselves. They're there because they think they deserve to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dinicol/unfortunately-some-people-go-to-a-restaurant-and-they-aren-t-really/) [Joe Dinicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dinicol/) > [I'd like to say this was our worst game. Unfortunately, I can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mattingly/i-d-like-to-say-this-was-our-worst-game-unfortunately-i-can-t/) [Don Mattingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mattingly/) > [It is sad but unfortunately true that man learns nothing from history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/it-is-sad-but-unfortunately-true-that-man-learns-nothing-from-history/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [We have held forums here at the White House on workplace flexibility, and the first major bill signed into law by President Obama was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/we-have-held-forums-here-at-the-white-house-on-workplace-flexibility/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [Sometimes, unfortunately, hatred is more powerful than progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katori-hall/sometimes-unfortunately-hatred-is-more-powerful-than-progress/) [Katori Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katori-hall/) > [Unfortunately I couldn't play as much as I wanted in Los Angeles, because I was playing behind an All-Star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/unfortunately-i-couldn-t-play-as-much-as-i-wanted-in-los-angeles/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) > [You have, unfortunately, a K-12 educational system where the requirements to graduate are not the requirements to be college and career-ready. So if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/you-have-unfortunately-a-k-12-educational-system-where-the/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [I unfortunately do suffer for my art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/i-unfortunately-do-suffer-for-my-art/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [As much as I want to be like, It's just baseball, I'm just another person,' unfortunately it's not that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-mendoza/as-much-as-i-want-to-be-like-it-s-just-baseball-i-m-just-another/) [Jessica Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-mendoza/) > [Unfortunately, I don't meet guys and it's really sad. I only meet actors on set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaani-kapoor/unfortunately-i-don-t-meet-guys-and-it-s-really-sad-i-only-meet/) [Vaani Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaani-kapoor/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Unfortunately, governments do not have a philanthropic approach towards future governments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gita-gopinath/unfortunately-governments-do-not-have-a-philanthropic-approach/) [Gita Gopinath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gita-gopinath/) ## More by Linda Howard > [I have a real low tolerance for parasites, and you're so close to the limit that I'm already reaching for the flea powder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/i-have-a-real-low-tolerance-for-parasites-and-you-re-so-close-to-the/) [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) > [“amusement in her eyes and had to grin. "How are you feeling?" he asked, his voice dropping to a low, intimate tone that excluded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/amusement-in-her-eyes-and-had-to-grin-how-are-you-feeling-he-asked/) [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) > [“You remember the 'be quiet' part of the rules? Embrace it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/you-remember-the-be-quiet-part-of-the-rules-embrace-it/) [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) > [“It's daylight. Shouldn't you have burned to a crisp, or something? Don't you have to crawl into a coffin? Where do you keep it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/it-s-daylight-shouldn-t-you-have-burned-to-a-crisp-or-something-don-t/) [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) > [“Everything feels like the end of the world, and you can't reason with someone who can't see tomorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/everything-feels-like-the-end-of-the-world-and-you-can-t-reason-with/) [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) > [“Pure hell was living in her eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/pure-hell-was-living-in-her-eyes/) [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) > [“The lessons learned hardest were the lessons learned best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/the-lessons-learned-hardest-were-the-lessons-learned-best/) [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) > [Cows are the Devil's handmaidens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/cows-are-the-devil-s-handmaidens/) [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) > [“What?” he demanded testily. Trammell raised his eyebrows. “I didn’t say anything.” “You’re thinking something, though. You’ve got that shit-eating smirk on your face.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/what-he-demanded-testily-trammell-raised-his-eyebrows-i-didn-t-say/) [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) > [He needed a woman. Bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/he-needed-a-woman-bad/) [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) > [God, I love you," he said, and laid his head on her belly, his arms locked around her hips. Madelyn slid her fingers into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/god-i-love-you-he-said-and-laid-his-head-on-her-belly-his-arms-locked/) [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) > [“She felt oddly safe with him, though not safe from him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/she-felt-oddly-safe-with-him-though-not-safe-from-him/) [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) > [“Oh, Jesus,” he said, wheezing with the effort it took to control himself. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/oh-jesus-he-said-wheezing-with-the-effort-it-took-to-control-himself/) [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) > [“Don’t you want it?” “Want what?” “The engagement ring.” “Oh, is that what’s in the box? You threw my engagement ring at me?” Boy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/don-t-you-want-it-want-what-the-engagement-ring-oh-is-that-what-s-in/) [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) > [“She had no sense of time, of what day it was, or anything beyond the bed she was on and the unceasing battle she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/she-had-no-sense-of-time-of-what-day-it-was-or-anything-beyond-the/) [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) [Explore all 137 Linda Howard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) ## More Joy quotes > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Remember that your natural state is joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/remember-that-your-natural-state-is-joy/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [“When you finally realize your gifts and talents, joy and satisfaction come as you walk in your purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanya-richards-ross/when-you-finally-realize-your-gifts-and-talents-joy-and-satisfaction/) [Sanya Richards-Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanya-richards-ross/) > [When I first started, my message was about joy, but I didn't really have the vocabulary and life experience to fully deliver it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/when-i-first-started-my-message-was-about-joy-but-i-didn-t-really/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Of everything I have done, 'The Archers' always gets the most excitement; there's a sort of uncontrollable joy from fans of the program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/of-everything-i-have-done-the-archers-always-gets-the-most-excitement/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [Safin, in his way, is very talented. It is a joy to watch them play; it is tennis of a very high quality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-krajicek/safin-in-his-way-is-very-talented-it-is-a-joy-to-watch-them-play-it/) [Richard Krajicek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-krajicek/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) [Daniel K Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-k-judd/) > [“Start the daily practice of joyful living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/start-the-daily-practice-of-joyful-living/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have touched with a sense of art some people-they felt the love and the life. Can you offer me anything to compare to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-cassatt/i-have-touched-with-a-sense-of-art-some-people-they-felt-the-love-and/) [Mary Cassatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-cassatt/) > [“Reverend Veronica Goines sums this up as, “Peace is joy at rest, and joy is peace on its feet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/reverend-veronica-goines-sums-this-up-as-peace-is-joy-at-rest-and-joy/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Be in a state of gratitude for everything that shows up in your life. Be thankful for the storms as well as the smooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/be-in-a-state-of-gratitude-for-everything-that-shows-up-in-your-life/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Spiritually, life is a festival, a celebration. Joy is of the essence of life;](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnivesh/spiritually-life-is-a-festival-a-celebration-joy-is-of-the-essence-of/) [Agnivesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnivesh/) [Browse all 15,003 Joy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Unfortunately, what should or should not be had no relation to what was.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Linda Howard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/unfortunately-what-should-or-should-not-be-had-no-relation-to-what-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Joy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/unfortunately-what-should-or-should-not-be-had-no-relation-to-what-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/linda-howard-3072_joy_unfortunately-what-should-or-should-not_1672647.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/linda-howard-3072_joy_unfortunately-what-should-or-should-not_1672647.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/linda-howard-3072_joy_unfortunately-what-should-or-should-not_1672647.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Unfortunately, what should or should not be had no relation to what was.” — Linda Howard", "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": "Linda Howard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Unfortunately, what should or should not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/unfortunately-what-should-or-should-not-be-had-no-relation-to-what-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/unfortunately-what-should-or-should-not-be-had-no-relation-to-what-was/#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 } } ] } ```