--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Accept what you are able to do and what…" description: "\"“Accept what you are able to do and what you are not able to do”; “Accept the past as past without denying it or discarding it”; “Learn to forgive your..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/mitch-albom-187_death_accept-what-you-are-able-to-do-and-what_1522008.jpg" --- # Accept what you are able to do and what you are not able… ![“Accept what you are able to do and what you are not able to do”; “Accept the past as past without denying it or discarding it”; “Learn to forgive yourself and to forgive others”; “Don’t assume that it’s too late to get involved.” “Dying, is only one thing to be sad over. Living unhappily is…” quote by Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/mitch-albom-187_death_accept-what-you-are-able-to-do-and-what_1522008.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/mitch-albom-187_death_accept-what-you-are-able-to-do-and-what_1522008.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/550/mitch-albom-187_death_accept-what-you-are-able-to-do-and-what_1522008.jpg) > ““Accept what you are able to do and what you are not able to do”; “Accept the past as past without denying it or discarding it”; “Learn to forgive yourself and to forgive others”; “Don’t assume that it’s too late to get involved.” “Dying, is only one thing to be sad over. Living unhappily is something else. So many of the people who come to visit me are unhappy.”” [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Accept limits, forgive, and stay engaged; life’s sadness stems from unfulfilled living, not inevitable death. **In simple terms:** Embrace abilities, forgive, stay active. Key Takeaway Live fully, let go of past regrets. Themes acceptance forgiveness engagement Mood hopeful inspirational Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - relationship repair - volunteering Key Concepts existentialism self‑compassion life purpose Questions to Reflect On - What can you do today to honor your capabilities? - How does forgiveness change your outlook? A Different Perspective Over‑acceptance may hinder growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Forgive Others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive-others/) [Forgive yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive-yourself/) [Learn to forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-to-forgive/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) ## Related quotes > [Accept what you are able to do and what you are not able to do. Accept the past as past, without denying it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/accept-what-you-are-able-to-do-and-what-you-are-not-able-to-do-accept-2/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“He wrote bite-sized philosophies about living with death's shadow: "Accept what you are able to do and what you are not able to do";…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wrote-bite-sized-philosophies-about-living-with-death-s-shadow/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“Dying is one thing to be sad over. Living unhappily is something else.' ‘For one thing, the culture we have does not make people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/dying-is-one-thing-to-be-sad-over-living-unhappily-is-something-else/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [Dying is only one thing to be sad over... Living unhappily is something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/dying-is-only-one-thing-to-be-sad-over-living-unhappily-is-something/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [As imperfect people living in an imperfect world, we eventually confront in nearly every relationship the need to extend or receive forgiveness. But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/as-imperfect-people-living-in-an-imperfect-world-we-eventually/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“If you really want to be free. It is not only imperative to forgive others but you must also learn to forgive yourself”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-dawne/if-you-really-want-to-be-free-it-is-not-only-imperative-to-forgive/) [Darlene Dawne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-dawne/) > [Learn to forgive yourself and to forgive others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrie-schwartz/learn-to-forgive-yourself-and-to-forgive-others/) [Morrie Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrie-schwartz/) > [“Learn to forgive others so that you can release yourself from being held captive by the very negative thoughts around you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/learn-to-forgive-others-so-that-you-can-release-yourself-from-being/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [You must learn to forgive yourself as easily as you forgive others. And then take a further step and use all that energy that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/you-must-learn-to-forgive-yourself-as-easily-as-you-forgive-others/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [“I know, I am not a perfect person, I make a lot of mistakes. But I can improve myself. I can start by apologizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/titon-rahmawan/i-know-i-am-not-a-perfect-person-i-make-a-lot-of-mistakes-but-i-can/) [Titon Rahmawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/titon-rahmawan/) > [“Morrie had become a lightning rod of ideas. He jotted down his thoughts on yellow pads, envelopes, folders, scrap paper. He wrote bite-sized philosophies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/morrie-had-become-a-lightning-rod-of-ideas-he-jotted-down-his/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“Dying is only one thing to be sad over, Mitch. Living unhappily is Something else. So many of the people who came to visit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/dying-is-only-one-thing-to-be-sad-over-mitch-living-unhappily-is/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“Dying," Morrie suddenly said, "is the only one thing to be sad over, Mitch. Living unhappily is something else. So many of the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/dying-morrie-suddenly-said-is-the-only-one-thing-to-be-sad-over-mitch/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“Dying,” Morris suddenly said, “is only one thing to be sad over, Mitch. Living unhappily is something else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/dying-morris-suddenly-said-is-only-one-thing-to-be-sad-over-mitch/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [To be able to move on, one has to learn to forgive not only the person (or people) who have done one wrong but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugenia-tripputi/to-be-able-to-move-on-one-has-to-learn-to-forgive-not-only-the-person/) Eugenia Tripputi ## More by Mitch Albom > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“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/) > [the words people do not speak are louder than the ones they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/the-words-people-do-not-speak-are-louder-than-the-ones-they-do/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“Once, lovers on faraway shores sat by candlelight and dipped ink to parchment, writing words that could not be erased. They took an evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/once-lovers-on-faraway-shores-sat-by-candlelight-and-dipped-ink-to/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [Giving to other people makes me feel alive. Not my car or my house. Not what I look like in the mirror. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/giving-to-other-people-makes-me-feel-alive-not-my-car-or-my-house-not/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [Life goes quickly, doesn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/life-goes-quickly-doesn-t-it/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [As children grow, they gravitate to their fates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/as-children-grow-they-gravitate-to-their-fates/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“If the only thing wrong with Moses is that he's not yours; if the only thing wrong with Jesus is that he's not yours;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/if-the-only-thing-wrong-with-moses-is-that-he-s-not-yours-if-the-only/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“Sometimes your kids will say the nastiest things, won't they, Rose? You want to ask,'Whose child is this?'" Rose chuckled. "But usually, they're just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/sometimes-your-kids-will-say-the-nastiest-things-won-t-they-rose-you/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“whisper their good-byes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/whisper-their-good-byes/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“I had also developed my own culture. Work. Over the years, I had taken labor as my companion and had moved everything else to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/i-had-also-developed-my-own-culture-work-over-the-years-i-had-taken/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [When we are most alone is when we embrace another's loneliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/when-we-are-most-alone-is-when-we-embrace-another-s-loneliness/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“You didn’t get it. Sacrifice is a part of life. It’s supposed to be. It’s not something to regret. It’s something to aspire to.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/you-didn-t-get-it-sacrifice-is-a-part-of-life-it-s-supposed-to-be-it/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [I give myself a good cry if I need it. But then I concentrate on the good things still in my life. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/i-give-myself-a-good-cry-if-i-need-it-but-then-i-concentrate-on-the/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [It was sad, the imbalance of it all. Why do kids assume so much from one parent and hold the other to a lower,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/it-was-sad-the-imbalance-of-it-all-why-do-kids-assume-so-much-from/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) [Explore all 962 Mitch Albom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. 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Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. 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