--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No longer did I need to be responsible…" description: "\"“No longer did I need to be responsible for my own destiny, to worry about what to do today, tomorrow, next year. I needed only to give in and be, like..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/melanie-benjamin-4832_destiny_no-longer-did-i-need-to-be-responsible-f_1469903.png" --- # No longer did I need to be responsible for my own destiny… ![“No longer did I need to be responsible for my own destiny, to worry about what to do today, tomorrow, next year. I needed only to give in and be, like the simplest of creatures.” quote by Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/melanie-benjamin-4832_destiny_no-longer-did-i-need-to-be-responsible-f_1469903.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/melanie-benjamin-4832_destiny_no-longer-did-i-need-to-be-responsible-f_1469903.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/melanie-benjamin-4832_destiny_no-longer-did-i-need-to-be-responsible-f_1469903.png) > ““No longer did I need to be responsible for my own destiny, to worry about what to do today, tomorrow, next year. I needed only to give in and be, like the simplest of creatures.”” [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Letting go of personal control and simply existing like a basic creature can bring peace. **In simple terms:** Release control and just be. Key Takeaway Practice surrender and presence. Themes acceptance peace simplicity Mood calm contemplative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - meditation - nature walks - stressful decision making - health recovery Key Concepts mindfulness existentialism spirituality Questions to Reflect On - What does surrender look like for you? - When is it safe to let go? A Different Perspective Total surrender may lead to neglect of responsibilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) [Destiny Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny-worry-3342320/) [Need Responsible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-responsible-536737/) [Next year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-year/) [Responsible Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsible-destiny-2429135/) [Today tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today-tomorrow/) [Worry Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry-today-1458942/) ## Related quotes > [“Worry about today, and tomorrow when it becomes today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-miller/worry-about-today-and-tomorrow-when-it-becomes-today/) [Nicholas Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-miller/) > [“Worry about today, tomorrow will take care of itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapan-ghosh/worry-about-today-tomorrow-will-take-care-of-itself/) [Tapan Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapan-ghosh/) > [Don't Worry if you cry today, Because tomorrow you will smile!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-worry-if-you-cry-today-because-tomorrow-you-will-smile/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Lay aside caution, it cannot help thee against destiny; to worry with precaution is to toil and moil; go, trust in providence, trust in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/lay-aside-caution-it-cannot-help-thee-against-destiny-to-worry-with/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [We are all responsible for our own destiny, the decisions we make daily contribute to our future successes or failures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/we-are-all-responsible-for-our-own-destiny-the-decisions-we-make/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [We are responsible for our own destiny. What matters is how we improve ourselves from this moment forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/we-are-responsible-for-our-own-destiny-what-matters-is-how-we-improve/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [“People always get exactly what they believe to deserve, despite the fact that they may be unhappy with what they have. We are 100%…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/people-always-get-exactly-what-they-believe-to-deserve-despite-the/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [As humanists, we urge today, as in the past that humans not look beyond themselves for salvation. We alone are responsible for our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barker/as-humanists-we-urge-today-as-in-the-past-that-humans-not-look-beyond/) [Dan Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barker/) > [We in Scotland need fiscal responsibility. Quite simply, we need to be responsible for what we raise in tax and what we spend in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hunter/we-in-scotland-need-fiscal-responsibility-quite-simply-we-need-to-be/) [Tom Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hunter/) > [Whether you want to be a good actor or singer, you need to be responsible and professional - and you have to learn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-min-ho/whether-you-want-to-be-a-good-actor-or-singer-you-need-to-be/) [Lee Min-ho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-min-ho/) > [If you find a neighbor in need, you're responsible for serving that neighbor in need, you're responsible for loving a neighbor just like you'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-you-find-a-neighbor-in-need-you-re-responsible-for-serving-that/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I think we need someone in a responsible political position to have the courage to say, 'Let's terminate human spaceflight.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-van-allen/i-think-we-need-someone-in-a-responsible-political-position-to-have/) [James Van Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-van-allen/) > [The new narrative for Europe should be about the need to have a responsible organisation, the need to be able to defend our interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-manuel-barroso/the-new-narrative-for-europe-should-be-about-the-need-to-have-a/) [Jose Manuel Barroso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-manuel-barroso/) > [I don't look ahead. I just worry about today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davis-webb/i-don-t-look-ahead-i-just-worry-about-today/) [Davis Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davis-webb/) > [What if you broke my heart, love the game for you! Do not worry about me that are made today the day you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/what-if-you-broke-my-heart-love-the-game-for-you-do-not-worry-about/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) ## More by Melanie Benjamin > [“Elisabeth was the same as ever, and I was the same as ever around her; no longer a confident college senior, I was diminished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/elisabeth-was-the-same-as-ever-and-i-was-the-same-as-ever-around-her/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“Who was this woman before me, her face imprinted with the expectations of others? I was Mom. I was Wife. I was Tragedy. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/who-was-this-woman-before-me-her-face-imprinted-with-the-expectations/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [Why were there so many barriers between us, always? Barriers of clothing, of etiquette, of time and age and reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/why-were-there-so-many-barriers-between-us-always-barriers-of/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“my breath sour against my fist, which I still held to my mouth as if this was a sorrow that could be stifled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/my-breath-sour-against-my-fist-which-i-still-held-to-my-mouth-as-if/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“And this was the greatest gift that aviation could ever give me; not the sense of freedom but the sense of permanence, coupling, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/and-this-was-the-greatest-gift-that-aviation-could-ever-give-me-not/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“ashamed of it even as I craved it. “Oh, she does! There’s a party tomorrow,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/ashamed-of-it-even-as-i-craved-it-oh-she-does-there-s-a-party-tomorrow/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“Now and adult, allowed a glimpse of these first cracks in my family's perfect surface, I couldn't help but wonder what else I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/now-and-adult-allowed-a-glimpse-of-these-first-cracks-in-my-family-s/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“To live for oneself is a terrifying prospect; there is comfort in martyrdom... p 364”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/to-live-for-oneself-is-a-terrifying-prospect-there-is-comfort-in/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“For I can think of no fate drearier than sitting at home...for the rest of my life, watching all of you go off one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/for-i-can-think-of-no-fate-drearier-than-sitting-at-home-for-the-rest/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“And this—instead of happiness—would be only what the two of us deserved, after all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/and-this-instead-of-happiness-would-be-only-what-the-two-of-us/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“...all his smiles were just a little sad around the edges, as if he knew happiness never could last very long”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/all-his-smiles-were-just-a-little-sad-around-the-edges-as-if-he-knew/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“And I did not speak German well; I found the language harsh and guttural, my ear simply couldn’t find it pleasing, and so my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/and-i-did-not-speak-german-well-i-found-the-language-harsh-and/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“No, this was the career I wanted; a writer could be employed for as long as she could hold a pencil; for as long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/no-this-was-the-career-i-wanted-a-writer-could-be-employed-for-as/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [Unlike men, women got less sentimental as we aged, I was discovering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/unlike-men-women-got-less-sentimental-as-we-aged-i-was-discovering/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) > [“His death notice included the mention that in 1880, he had married Alice in Wonderland. I like to think he would have been pleased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/his-death-notice-included-the-mention-that-in-1880-he-had-married/) [Melanie Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) [Explore all 105 Melanie Benjamin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/) ## More Destiny quotes > [... War on the destiny of man! Doom on the sun! Before death takes you, O take back this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-on-the-destiny-of-man-doom-on-the-sun-before-death-takes-you-o/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Anatomy is destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/anatomy-is-destiny/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [“You are destiny for greatness. Your future is in the hands of the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-are-destiny-for-greatness-your-future-is-in-the-hands-of-the-lord/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“To be a Sufi is to detach from fixed ideas and from preconceptions; and not to try to avoid what is your lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/to-be-a-sufi-is-to-detach-from-fixed-ideas-and-from-preconceptions/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [ Man blindly works the will of fate. \[Ger., Blindlings that er blos den Willen des Geschickes.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-martin-wieland/man-blindly-works-the-will-of-fate-ger-blindlings-that-er-blos-den/) [Christoph Martin Wieland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christoph-martin-wieland/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“It's morning now, and I miss the soft rasp of her voice already. Ugh. I'm in trouble, aren't I?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-shand/it-s-morning-now-and-i-miss-the-soft-rasp-of-her-voice-already-ugh-i/) [Pat Shand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-shand/) > [You can't choose what stays and what stays away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/you-can-t-choose-what-stays-and-what-stays-away/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [“Failing to meet your true destiny is a tragic act of free will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/failing-to-meet-your-true-destiny-is-a-tragic-act-of-free-will/) [Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/) > [Somehow destiny comes into play. These children end up with you and you end up with them. It's something quite magical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-kidman/somehow-destiny-comes-into-play-these-children-end-up-with-you-and/) [Nicole Kidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-kidman/) > [“In that instant it all seemed to come clear to him- it came in a grisly flash of light, and he realized that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/in-that-instant-it-all-seemed-to-come-clear-to-him-it-came-in-a/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Destiny is the ordained intention God has sacredly prepared with your name on it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-lynch/destiny-is-the-ordained-intention-god-has-sacredly-prepared-with-your/) [John S. Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-lynch/) > [“There is no interaction without God with interaction with men”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/there-is-no-interaction-without-god-with-interaction-with-men/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [We are somehow the children of the planet, we are somehow its finest hour; we bind time, we bind the past, we anticipate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-somehow-the-children-of-the-planet-we-are-somehow-its-finest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [“Fate and future both are servant to the determined, for they are nothing but creation of human determination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/fate-and-future-both-are-servant-to-the-determined-for-they-are/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) [Browse all 7,925 Destiny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“No longer did I need to be responsible for my own destiny, to worry about what to do today, tomorrow, next year. I needed only to give in and be, like the simplest of creatures.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Melanie Benjamin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/no-longer-did-i-need-to-be-responsible-for-my-own-destiny-to-worry/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Destiny" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/no-longer-did-i-need-to-be-responsible-for-my-own-destiny-to-worry/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/melanie-benjamin-4832_destiny_no-longer-did-i-need-to-be-responsible-f_1469903.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/melanie-benjamin-4832_destiny_no-longer-did-i-need-to-be-responsible-f_1469903.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03c/melanie-benjamin-4832_destiny_no-longer-did-i-need-to-be-responsible-f_1469903.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No longer did I need to be responsible for my own destiny, to worry about what to do today, tomorrow, next…” — Melanie Benjamin", "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": "Melanie Benjamin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-benjamin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“No longer did I need to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/no-longer-did-i-need-to-be-responsible-for-my-own-destiny-to-worry/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-benjamin/no-longer-did-i-need-to-be-responsible-for-my-own-destiny-to-worry/#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 } } ] } ```