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Capital punishment Quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr

“We are all sentenced to capital punishment for the crime of living, and though the condemned cell of our earthly existence is but a narrow and bare dwelling-place, we have adjusted ourselves to it, and made it tolerably comfortable for the little while we are to be confined in it.” quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr
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“We are all sentenced to capital punishment for the crime of living, and though the condemned cell of our earthly existence is but a narrow and bare dwelling-place, we have adjusted ourselves to it, and made it tolerably comfortable for the little while we are to be confined in it.”

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr

About This Quote

Source Essay: "The Path of the Law", 1881

Life is a brief, confined existence that we make tolerable by adapting and finding comfort within its limits.

In simple terms: Life is short; we adjust to make it bearable.

Key Takeaway

Accept and improve your circumstances.

Themes

mortality adaptation philosophy

Mood

thoughtful serene

Type

philosophical reflective

When to use this quote

  • daily routines
  • career choices
  • relationships
  • health habits

Key Concepts

existentialism ethics psychology

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can you balance acceptance with striving?
  • What comforts do you rely on?
A Different Perspective

Acceptance may lead to complacency rather than growth.

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