--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The past lives in us, and blood is blood…" description: "\"“The past lives in us, and blood is blood. We cannot escape, though we may wish to.”\" — Phyllis T. Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba0/phyllis-t-smith-18694_past-lives_the-past-lives-in-us-and-blood-is-blood_1071296.jpg" --- # The past lives in us, and blood is blood. We cannot… ![“The past lives in us, and blood is blood. We cannot escape, though we may wish to.” quote by Phyllis T. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba0/phyllis-t-smith-18694_past-lives_the-past-lives-in-us-and-blood-is-blood_1071296.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba0/phyllis-t-smith-18694_past-lives_the-past-lives-in-us-and-blood-is-blood_1071296.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba0/phyllis-t-smith-18694_past-lives_the-past-lives-in-us-and-blood-is-blood_1071296.jpg) > ““The past lives in us, and blood is blood. We cannot escape, though we may wish to.”” [Phyllis T. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-t-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our heritage and lineage shape us, and we cannot fully escape them despite wishes otherwise. **In simple terms:** We inherit and cannot escape our past. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and learn from your heritage. Themes heritage identity inevitability Mood reflective somber Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - family dynamics - cultural studies - personal growth Key Concepts psychology sociology Questions to Reflect On - How does your lineage influence your choices? - Can you transform inherited traits positively? A Different Perspective Focusing too much on past may hinder present growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Past Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-lives/) ## Related quotes > [Not one of the creatures of blood can escape death. 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Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-t-smith/) > [“In his arrogance, Caesar had even renamed one of the months of the year—the most beautiful summer month—Julius, after himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-t-smith/in-his-arrogance-caesar-had-even-renamed-one-of-the-months-of-the/) [Phyllis T. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-t-smith/) > [“A day is a day whether you are a washerwoman or a baker or the ruler of Rome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-t-smith/a-day-is-a-day-whether-you-are-a-washerwoman-or-a-baker-or-the-ruler/) [Phyllis T. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-t-smith/) > [“Some would say it hardly mattered what women thought of Tavius, that even senators' wives, like Mucia, had no power to shape events. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-t-smith/some-would-say-it-hardly-mattered-what-women-thought-of-tavius-that/) [Phyllis T. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-t-smith/) > [“managed to ride it out. Tavius ordered”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-t-smith/managed-to-ride-it-out-tavius-ordered/) [Phyllis T. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-t-smith/) > [“promised myself I would never cry again for this cause. I would not attend anymore to my guilt, or my regrets about the past.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-t-smith/promised-myself-i-would-never-cry-again-for-this-cause-i-would-not/) [Phyllis T. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-t-smith/) > [“The defeated gladiator fought reasonably well, and at the end, with a sword to his throat, raised his hand to appeal for mercy. Tavius…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-t-smith/the-defeated-gladiator-fought-reasonably-well-and-at-the-end-with-a/) [Phyllis T. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-t-smith/) > [“Sometimes the most direct road is not the best one. 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Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-t-smith/) > [“I wonder how many women from time immemorial have thought that if only women could rule the world it would be better than it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-t-smith/i-wonder-how-many-women-from-time-immemorial-have-thought-that-if/) [Phyllis T. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-t-smith/) > [“Old age can be a deceiver. My knees ache when I walk, but if I sit still, I do not feel so different from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-t-smith/old-age-can-be-a-deceiver-my-knees-ache-when-i-walk-but-if-i-sit/) [Phyllis T. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-t-smith/) > [“Livia has gotten bad press. Rumor has a way even now of attaching to women who break the conventional mold, and it certainly did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-t-smith/livia-has-gotten-bad-press-rumor-has-a-way-even-now-of-attaching-to/) [Phyllis T. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-t-smith/) > [“Women carry the burden of the family’s survival on their backs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-t-smith/women-carry-the-burden-of-the-family-s-survival-on-their-backs/) [Phyllis T. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-t-smith/) [Explore all 34 Phyllis T. Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-t-smith/) ## More Blood quotes > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. 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Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I don't think you should ever say, 'This is the last time'. Music isn't like that. 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