---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There were many tomorrows to be lived…"
description: "\"“There were many tomorrows to be lived through his children. He could only hope that they would face them more courageously than he had, that his mista..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ca/roy-l-pickering-jr-33325_african-american_there-were-many-tomorrows-to-be-lived-th_608070.jpg"
---

#  There were many tomorrows to be lived through his…

![“There were many tomorrows to be lived through his children. He could only hope that they would face them more courageously than he had, that his mistakes would serve as warning signs rather than crutches to lean on.” quote by Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ca/roy-l-pickering-jr-33325_african-american_there-were-many-tomorrows-to-be-lived-th_608070.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ca/roy-l-pickering-jr-33325_african-american_there-were-many-tomorrows-to-be-lived-th_608070.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ca/roy-l-pickering-jr-33325_african-american_there-were-many-tomorrows-to-be-lived-th_608070.jpg)

> ““There were many tomorrows to be lived through his children. He could only hope that they would face them more courageously than he had, that his mistakes would serve as warning signs rather than crutches to lean on.””

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A parent hopes future generations learn from his errors and act with greater bravery.

**In simple terms:** Hopeful parent wishes children learn from his mistakes.

Key Takeaway

Encourage children to view mistakes as lessons.

Themes

parenting legacy courage

Mood

hopeful reflective

Type

advice inspirational

When to use this quote

- family discussions
- teaching moments
- personal reflection

Key Concepts

intergenerational learning responsibility

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we turn personal failures into guidance for others?
- What actions foster courage in the next generation?

A Different Perspective

May overlook systemic factors influencing behavior.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[African american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Patches-of-grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patches-of-grey/) [Roy-pickering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roy-pickering/) [Warning signs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/warning-signs/)

## Related quotes

> [“When he spoke of love, it was in the manner of someone who can recite a phrase in a foreign language but has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/when-he-spoke-of-love-it-was-in-the-manner-of-someone-who-can-recite/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“Tony's concern disintegrated. He could not understand C.J.'s determination to court death on a daily basis. Or maybe he did understand, and this was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/tony-s-concern-disintegrated-he-could-not-understand-c-j-s/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“It was just a word. It took nothing from him. It made him feel only as low as he allowed himself to feel. His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/it-was-just-a-word-it-took-nothing-from-him-it-made-him-feel-only-as/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“She had a pretty good idea what Tony was seeking. He couldn't look at her without seeing her mother, and father, and brother. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/she-had-a-pretty-good-idea-what-tony-was-seeking-he-couldn-t-look-at/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“On occasion we stumble upon what seems to be a truth. Compared to the surrounding blackness, it sparkles and dazzles our eyes. But are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/on-occasion-we-stumble-upon-what-seems-to-be-a-truth-compared-to-the/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“Time had taught him that whether his sins were pardoned or left unforgiven, they would remain committed. Tomorrow he would hopefully choose wiser, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/time-had-taught-him-that-whether-his-sins-were-pardoned-or-left/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“He now realized that right and wrong were intertwined notions. His arms could not differentiate between just and unjust causes. They only knew that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/he-now-realized-that-right-and-wrong-were-intertwined-notions-his/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“A tightrope walker uncertain if he could make it to the other side probably would not. A race car driver wondering if he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/a-tightrope-walker-uncertain-if-he-could-make-it-to-the-other-side/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“It was his experience that life worked under the same guidelines as a capitalistic society. In order to get what you wanted, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/it-was-his-experience-that-life-worked-under-the-same-guidelines-as-a/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“Was love ever easy for anyone? If less complicated, would this make it less appreciated? Perhaps love was difficult for good reason. Perhaps everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/was-love-ever-easy-for-anyone-if-less-complicated-would-this-make-it/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“C.J. had once believed that he understood who he was, what he was about, what he was capable of. But when the moment came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/c-j-had-once-believed-that-he-understood-who-he-was-what-he-was-about/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [Their virtues lived in their children. The family changed its persons but not its manners, and they continued a blessing to the world from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-fielding/their-virtues-lived-in-their-children-the-family-changed-its-persons/)

[Sarah Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-fielding/)

> [No man has ever lived that had enough of children's gratitude or woman's love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/no-man-has-ever-lived-that-had-enough-of-children-s-gratitude-or/)

[William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/)

> [“When our dreams don’t come true, sometimes we can hand them down to our children and hope that they will come true for them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-lopez/when-our-dreams-don-t-come-true-sometimes-we-can-hand-them-down-to/)

[Isabel Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-lopez/)

> [There is never much trouble in any family where the children hope someday to resemble their parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/there-is-never-much-trouble-in-any-family-where-the-children-hope/)

[William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/)

## More by Roy L. Pickering Jr

> [“Life, like love, holds many secrets for us to discover. Some we unearth early on. Others take us most of our days to stumble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/life-like-love-holds-many-secrets-for-us-to-discover-some-we-unearth/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“When he spoke of love, it was in the manner of someone who can recite a phrase in a foreign language but has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/when-he-spoke-of-love-it-was-in-the-manner-of-someone-who-can-recite/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“It was his experience that life worked under the same guidelines as a capitalistic society. In order to get what you wanted, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/it-was-his-experience-that-life-worked-under-the-same-guidelines-as-a/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“A tightrope walker uncertain if he could make it to the other side probably would not. A race car driver wondering if he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/a-tightrope-walker-uncertain-if-he-could-make-it-to-the-other-side/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“He now realized that right and wrong were intertwined notions. His arms could not differentiate between just and unjust causes. They only knew that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/he-now-realized-that-right-and-wrong-were-intertwined-notions-his/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“Time had taught him that whether his sins were pardoned or left unforgiven, they would remain committed. Tomorrow he would hopefully choose wiser, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/time-had-taught-him-that-whether-his-sins-were-pardoned-or-left/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“On occasion we stumble upon what seems to be a truth. Compared to the surrounding blackness, it sparkles and dazzles our eyes. But are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/on-occasion-we-stumble-upon-what-seems-to-be-a-truth-compared-to-the/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“She had a pretty good idea what Tony was seeking. He couldn't look at her without seeing her mother, and father, and brother. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/she-had-a-pretty-good-idea-what-tony-was-seeking-he-couldn-t-look-at/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“It was just a word. It took nothing from him. It made him feel only as low as he allowed himself to feel. His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/it-was-just-a-word-it-took-nothing-from-him-it-made-him-feel-only-as/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“C.J. had once believed that he understood who he was, what he was about, what he was capable of. But when the moment came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/c-j-had-once-believed-that-he-understood-who-he-was-what-he-was-about/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“My travels have been numerous, though no topographer could chart the shores I have landed upon. For it is not places that have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/my-travels-have-been-numerous-though-no-topographer-could-chart-the/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“Tony's concern disintegrated. He could not understand C.J.'s determination to court death on a daily basis. Or maybe he did understand, and this was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/tony-s-concern-disintegrated-he-could-not-understand-c-j-s/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“My talent is looking into a woman's eyes and instinctively knowing what I need to. If she's lonely or bored; neglected or abused; timid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/my-talent-is-looking-into-a-woman-s-eyes-and-instinctively-knowing/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

> [“Was love ever easy for anyone? If less complicated, would this make it less appreciated? Perhaps love was difficult for good reason. Perhaps everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/was-love-ever-easy-for-anyone-if-less-complicated-would-this-make-it/)

[Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

[Explore all 15 Roy L. Pickering Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/)

## More African american quotes

> [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/)

[Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/)

> [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/)

[Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/)

> [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/)

[Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/)

> [“This popularity extended to Trump himself, who, according to private demographic research conducted at the time, was even more popular with African American and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-green/this-popularity-extended-to-trump-himself-who-according-to-private/)

[Joshua Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-green/)

> [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/)

[Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/)

> [I know I'm more forgiving than most African Americans when it comes to second chances for White people who not only commit a racial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-capehart/i-know-i-m-more-forgiving-than-most-african-americans-when-it-comes/)

[Jonathan Capehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-capehart/)

> [Some Republicans gave up on winning the African-American vote, looking the other way or trying to benefit politically from racial polarization. I am here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-mehlman/some-republicans-gave-up-on-winning-the-african-american-vote-looking/)

[Ken Mehlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-mehlman/)

> [It's unfortunate that a lot of people think African-American female artists are monolithically R&amp;B this-or-that, don't have to do anything by default.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-unfortunate-that-a-lot-of-people-think-african-american-female/)

[Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/)

> [Whereas our ancestors (not of choice) were the first successful cultivators of the wilds of America, we their descendants feel ourselves entitled to participate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allen/whereas-our-ancestors-not-of-choice-were-the-first-successful/)

[Richard Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allen/)

> [It may be changing, but still it's the one place, that total control of an institution, that African Americans have. So sometimes, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/it-may-be-changing-but-still-it-s-the-one-place-that-total-control-of/)

[Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/)

> [Most of the more celebrated names among African-American authors, poets, and artists are known to the world because of their association with specific cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/most-of-the-more-celebrated-names-among-african-american-authors/)

[Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/)

> [I think it's easier for African American and white comics to be praised than it is Latinos because they think our culture or our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lopez/i-think-it-s-easier-for-african-american-and-white-comics-to-be/)

[George Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lopez/)

> [“Alabama in 1927 alone, 27,701 men were arrested on misdemeanor charges and offered for sale by county sheriffs. In Blackmon’s estimation, “roughly half of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-haney-l-pez/alabama-in-1927-alone-27-701-men-were-arrested-on-misdemeanor-charges/)

[Ian Haney López](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-haney-l-pez/)

> [I'm just trying to touch the world and touch the people and just get good material. And show them that we can get it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-hardrict/i-m-just-trying-to-touch-the-world-and-touch-the-people-and-just-get/)

[Cory Hardrict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-hardrict/)

[Browse all 1,848 African american quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“There were many tomorrows to be lived through his children. He could only hope that they would face them more courageously than he had, that his mistakes would serve as warning signs rather than crutches to lean on.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Roy L. Pickering Jr"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/there-were-many-tomorrows-to-be-lived-through-his-children-he-could/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "African american"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/there-were-many-tomorrows-to-be-lived-through-his-children-he-could/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ca/roy-l-pickering-jr-33325_african-american_there-were-many-tomorrows-to-be-lived-th_608070.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ca/roy-l-pickering-jr-33325_african-american_there-were-many-tomorrows-to-be-lived-th_608070.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ca/roy-l-pickering-jr-33325_african-american_there-were-many-tomorrows-to-be-lived-th_608070.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There were many tomorrows to be lived through his children. He could only hope that they would face them…” — Roy L. Pickering Jr",
                "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": "Roy L. Pickering Jr",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“There were many tomorrows to be...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/there-were-many-tomorrows-to-be-lived-through-his-children-he-could/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/there-were-many-tomorrows-to-be-lived-through-his-children-he-could/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
