--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are, in a certain way, defined as much…" description: "\"“We are, in a certain way, defined as much by our potential as by its expression. There is a great difference between an acorn and a little bit of wood..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/466/rachel-naomi-remen-3110_facial-expression_we-are-in-a-certain-way-defined-as-much_1382949.png" --- # We are, in a certain way, defined as much by our potential… ![“We are, in a certain way, defined as much by our potential as by its expression. There is a great difference between an acorn and a little bit of wood carved into an acorn shape, a difference not always readily apparent to the naked eye. The difference is there even if an acorn never has the…” quote by Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/466/rachel-naomi-remen-3110_facial-expression_we-are-in-a-certain-way-defined-as-much_1382949.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/466/rachel-naomi-remen-3110_facial-expression_we-are-in-a-certain-way-defined-as-much_1382949.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/466/rachel-naomi-remen-3110_facial-expression_we-are-in-a-certain-way-defined-as-much_1382949.png) > ““We are, in a certain way, defined as much by our potential as by its expression. There is a great difference between an acorn and a little bit of wood carved into an acorn shape, a difference not always readily apparent to the naked eye. The difference is there even if an acorn never has the opportunity to plant itself and become an oak. Remembering its potential changes the way in which we think of an acorn and react to it. How we value it. If an acorn were conscious, knowing its potential would change the way it might think and feel about itself. The Hindus use the greeting "Namaste" instead of our more noncommittal "Hello." The connotation of this is roughly, whatever your outer appearance, I see and greet the soul in you. There is a wisdom in such ways of relating. Sometimes we can best help other people by remembering that what we believe about them may be reflected back to them in our presence and may affect them in ways we do not fully understand. Perhaps a sense of possibility is communicated by our tone of voice, facial expression, or certain choice of words . . . Holding and conveying a sense of possibility does not mean making demands or having expectations. It may mean having no expectations, but simply being open to whatever promise the situation may hold and remembering the inability of anyone to know the future. Thoreau said that we must awaken and stay awake not by mechanical means, but by a constant expectation of the dawn. There's no need to demand the dawn, the dawn is simply a matter of time. And patience. And the dawn may look quite different from the story we tell ourselves about it. My experience has shown me the wisdom of remaining open to the possibility of growth in any and all circumstances, without ever knowing what shape that growth may take.”” [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing inherent potential in ourselves and others fosters supportive, open attitudes without imposing expectations. **In simple terms:** See and nurture potential. Key Takeaway Treat others as capable beings. Themes potential empathy mindfulness growth communication Mood hopeful thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - coaching - education - therapy - team leadership Key Concepts self‑actualization psychology spirituality Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance hope with realism? - What language conveys possibility without expectation? A Different Perspective Assuming potential may create pressure or unrealistic hopes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Facial expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facial-expression/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Matter of time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-of-time/) [Outer appearance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outer-appearance/) [Time and patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-and-patience/) [Tone Of Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tone-of-voice/) ## Related quotes > [We are, in a certain way, defined as much by our potential as by its expression. There is a great difference between an acorn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/we-are-in-a-certain-way-defined-as-much-by-our-potential-as-by-its/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [“But if there is a sense of reality, and no one will doubt that it has its justification for existing, then there must also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/but-if-there-is-a-sense-of-reality-and-no-one-will-doubt-that-it-has/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [No matter how bad the lives have been, we people always always have the strength to hold on to a sense of possibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/no-matter-how-bad-the-lives-have-been-we-people-always-always-have/) Senoraroy > [The sense of possibility so necessary for success comes not just from inside us or from our parents. It comes from our time: from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-sense-of-possibility-so-necessary-for-success-comes-not-just-from/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [We can't, we MUST not lose this sense of possibility because in the end, it's all we have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-keegan/we-can-t-we-must-not-lose-this-sense-of-possibility-because-in-the/) [Marina Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-keegan/) > [If there is a sense of reality, there must also be a sense of possibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/if-there-is-a-sense-of-reality-there-must-also-be-a-sense-of/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [“Tugs had felt a sense of possibility today as she made that small speech, and there had to be a way to get that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-ylvisaker/tugs-had-felt-a-sense-of-possibility-today-as-she-made-that-small/) [Anne Ylvisaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-ylvisaker/) > [The economic sense of possibility was so great when I was growing up that my parents had no question that I could do anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/the-economic-sense-of-possibility-was-so-great-when-i-was-growing-up/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [“What I love about mornings is the sense of possibility”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-alexandra-vettese/what-i-love-about-mornings-is-the-sense-of-possibility/) Maria Alexandra Vettese > [“We're so young. We can't, we MUST not loose this sense of possibility because in the end, it's all we have.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-keegan/we-re-so-young-we-can-t-we-must-not-loose-this-sense-of-possibility/) [Marina Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-keegan/) > [What drives people to public service is a sense of possibility. If you haven't sensed that possibility you don't get started in the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hampton/what-drives-people-to-public-service-is-a-sense-of-possibility-if-you/) [Henry Hampton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hampton/) > [“Many worry about their outer appearance much more then their inner bearing. It's nice to have great and expensive things such as cars and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/many-worry-about-their-outer-appearance-much-more-then-their-inner/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [Dont Judge people based off their outer appearance and attitude! Get to know them for them, then go from there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-judge-people-based-off-their-outer-appearance-and-attitude-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Tommy might be a boy in outer appearance but he was 500 years my senior and significantly more powerful than me. "We" had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-tufo/tommy-might-be-a-boy-in-outer-appearance-but-he-was-500-years-my/) [Mark Tufo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-tufo/) > [“Everybody is Beautiful and Unique in Their Own Special Way, Beauty goes Beyond the Outer Appearance. I think it's More Important to have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amaka-imani-nkosazana/everybody-is-beautiful-and-unique-in-their-own-special-way-beauty/) [Amaka Imani Nkosazana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amaka-imani-nkosazana/) ## More by Rachel Naomi Remen > [Chances are that any helpful two-year-old will break some eggs. We are often not very good at things when we are new. But there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/chances-are-that-any-helpful-two-year-old-will-break-some-eggs-we-are/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [Big messages come in small packages. All it may take to restore someone's trust in life may be returning a lost earring or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/big-messages-come-in-small-packages-all-it-may-take-to-restore/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/the-most-basic-and-powerful-way-to-connect-to-another-person-is-to/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/the-most-basic-and-powerful-way-to-connect-to-another-person-is-to-2/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [Many people do not know that they can strengthen or diminish the life around them. The way we live day to day simply may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/many-people-do-not-know-that-they-can-strengthen-or-diminish-the-life/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [A label is a mask life wears. We put labels on life all the time. 'Right,' 'wrong,' 'success,' 'failure,' . . . Labeling sets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/a-label-is-a-mask-life-wears-we-put-labels-on-life-all-the-time-right/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [Healing may not be so much about getting better, as about letting go of everything that isn’t you - all of the expectations, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/healing-may-not-be-so-much-about-getting-better-as-about-letting-go/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [It is said that the Christian mystic Theresa of Avila found difficulty at first in reconciling the vastness of the life of the spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/it-is-said-that-the-christian-mystic-theresa-of-avila-found/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [Just Listen an excerpt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/just-listen-an-excerpt/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [Goose bumps happen when your soul is close to you, breathing lightly on the back of your neck, and wakes you up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/goose-bumps-happen-when-your-soul-is-close-to-you-breathing-lightly/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [We have become terribly vulnerable, not because we suffer but because we have separated ourselves from each other. A patient once told me that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/we-have-become-terribly-vulnerable-not-because-we-suffer-but-because/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [All natural processes are long processes and they last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/all-natural-processes-are-long-processes-and-they-last/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [Deep inside, our integrity sings to us whether we are listening or not. It is a note that only we can hear. Eventually, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/deep-inside-our-integrity-sings-to-us-whether-we-are-listening-or-not/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [From a good teacher you may learn the secret of listening. You will never learn the secret of life. You will have to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/from-a-good-teacher-you-may-learn-the-secret-of-listening-you-will/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [To seek approval is to have no resting place, no sanctuary. Like all judgement, approval encourages a constant striving. It makes us uncertain of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/to-seek-approval-is-to-have-no-resting-place-no-sanctuary-like-all/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) [Explore all 139 Rachel Naomi Remen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) ## More Facial expression quotes > [“Even without words, you communicate through touch, body language, and facial expression.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmel-sheridan/even-without-words-you-communicate-through-touch-body-language-and/) [Carmel Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmel-sheridan/) > [The only one who didn't know was George Lucas. We kept it from him, because we wanted to see what his face looked like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/the-only-one-who-didn-t-know-was-george-lucas-we-kept-it-from-him/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [Of all facial expressions, which is the worst to have aimed at you? Wouldn't you agree it's disgust?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leif-enger/of-all-facial-expressions-which-is-the-worst-to-have-aimed-at-you/) [Leif Enger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leif-enger/) > [A comedy can actually get funnier and funnier. Even though you know the joke, you enjoy it so much, it's the facial expression, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/a-comedy-can-actually-get-funnier-and-funnier-even-though-you-know/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [Studies have shown touch to be the primary language of compassion, love and gratitude - emotions at the heart of trust and cooperation -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacher-keltner/studies-have-shown-touch-to-be-the-primary-language-of-compassion/) [Dacher Keltner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacher-keltner/) > [True worth is as inevitably discovered by the facial expression, as its opposite is sure to be clearly represented there. The human face is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/true-worth-is-as-inevitably-discovered-by-the-facial-expression-as/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) > [“Death is a personal matter, arousing sorrow, despair, fervor, or dry-hearted philosophy. Funerals, on the other hand, are social functions. Imagine going to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/death-is-a-personal-matter-arousing-sorrow-despair-fervor-or-dry/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Rarely do very handsome men allow their faces to run around without a leash. I am not very handsome, but I am above-average handsome,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/rarely-do-very-handsome-men-allow-their-faces-to-run-around-without-a/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [“A bout of nerves crept up my spine and I tilted my head at him, hoping I was imagining the heat spreading over my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-simmons/a-bout-of-nerves-crept-up-my-spine-and-i-tilted-my-head-at-him-hoping/) [Melissa Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-simmons/) > [But they need to worry and betray time with urgencies false and otherwise, purely anxious and whiny, their souls really won't be at peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/but-they-need-to-worry-and-betray-time-with-urgencies-false-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Don't have conversations taking place in empty space. Weave in background details of where the action (dialogue is a form of "action") is taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-wyndham/don-t-have-conversations-taking-place-in-empty-space-weave-in/) Lee Wyndham > [There is something myopic and stunted in focussing only on the meaning of words and sentences. And this myopia is especially unfortunate when combined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-cooper/there-is-something-myopic-and-stunted-in-focussing-only-on-the/) [David E. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-cooper/) > [Again and again parents describe...the trancelike nature of their children's television watching. The child's facial expression is transformed. The jaw is relaxed and hangs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-winn/again-and-again-parents-describe-the-trancelike-nature-of-their/) [Marie Winn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-winn/) > [Just the fact that there's motion and sound, took me a long time on Walking Dead to get used to the fact that in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-black/just-the-fact-that-there-s-motion-and-sound-took-me-a-long-time-on/) [Chris Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-black/) > [While voicing animations I use the same acting muscles, even more because you have to channel all into your voice, whereas when you're live-action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-najimy/while-voicing-animations-i-use-the-same-acting-muscles-even-more/) [Kathy Najimy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-najimy/) [Browse all 121 Facial expression quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facial-expression/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We are, in a certain way, defined as much by our potential as by its expression. There is a great difference between an acorn and a little bit of wood carved into an acorn shape, a difference not always readily apparent to the naked eye. The difference is there even if an acorn never has the opportunity to plant itself and become an oak. Remembering its potential changes the way in which we think of an acorn and react to it. How we value it. If an acorn were conscious, knowing its potential would change the way it might think and feel about itself. The Hindus use the greeting \"Namaste\" instead of our more noncommittal \"Hello.\" The connotation of this is roughly, whatever your outer appearance, I see and greet the soul in you. There is a wisdom in such ways of relating. Sometimes we can best help other people by remembering that what we believe about them may be reflected back to them in our presence and may affect them in ways we do not fully understand. 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