--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We may believe the past is what matters…" description: "\"“We may believe the past is what matters most to us, but really, it is the present and the future. It is hope that matters most.”\" — Sara C. Roethle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a17/sara-c-roethle-42649_hope_we-may-believe-the-past-is-what-matters_1730403.jpg" --- # We may believe the past is what matters most to us, but… ![“We may believe the past is what matters most to us, but really, it is the present and the future. It is hope that matters most.” quote by Sara C. Roethle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a17/sara-c-roethle-42649_hope_we-may-believe-the-past-is-what-matters_1730403.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a17/sara-c-roethle-42649_hope_we-may-believe-the-past-is-what-matters_1730403.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a17/sara-c-roethle-42649_hope_we-may-believe-the-past-is-what-matters_1730403.jpg) > ““We may believe the past is what matters most to us, but really, it is the present and the future. It is hope that matters most.”” [Sara C. Roethle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-c-roethle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote emphasizes that while people often focus on past experiences, true importance lies in the present moment and future possibilities, with hope being the central driving force. **In simple terms:** Past is less important than present and future; hope matters most. Key Takeaway Prioritize present actions and future goals, guided by hope. Themes hope time perspective mindset Mood reflective inspirational Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - personal growth - goal setting - overcoming regret - building resilience Key Concepts psychology future orientation optimism Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn hope into actionable steps? - What present actions align with your future vision? A Different Perspective Hope alone may not solve practical challenges without concrete plans. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [We all live in such a cruel and kind world. With cheering ups and living downs. We're all suckers living in a false hope.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldhouse/we-all-live-in-such-a-cruel-and-kind-world-with-cheering-ups-and/) Goldhouse > [I really believe that our past can really hold us back from growth, so the best thing that we can do is MOVE ON…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-harper/i-really-believe-that-our-past-can-really-hold-us-back-from-growth-so/) [Bob Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-harper/) > [“It is not the past that matters,but the future”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/it-is-not-the-past-that-matters-but-the-future/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [At the end it doesn't matter the past. Matters how you face the present remembering the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-the-end-it-doesn-t-matter-the-past-matters-how-you-face-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Everyone has a past, and everyone's past matters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-meissner/everyone-has-a-past-and-everyone-s-past-matters/) [Susan Meissner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-meissner/) > [It's not always the past that matters, It's always the future that will. Cause we actually don't own a time machine yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shushi/it-s-not-always-the-past-that-matters-it-s-always-the-future-that/) Shushi > [It doesn't matter what you've done in the past - what matters are the choices you make right now. God gives you the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-ve-done-in-the-past-what-matters-are-the/) [Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) > [“the past matters. but only as a reference point untuk tengok sejauh mana kita dah berubah”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hlovate/the-past-matters-but-only-as-a-reference-point-untuk-tengok-sejauh/) Hlovate > [It doesn't matter what you have done in the past. All that matters is what you are doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishchal-ningleku/it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-have-done-in-the-past-all-that-matters-is/) [Nishchal Ningleku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishchal-ningleku/) > [“Is the future, is the past, all that matters to you? Don't you have just a little bit of room for the present?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/is-the-future-is-the-past-all-that-matters-to-you-don-t-you-have-just/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Nothing Matters Really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-prabhakar/nothing-matters-really/) Rishi Prabhakar > [Opinions are like orgasms...mine matters most and I really don't care if you have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/opinions-are-like-orgasms-mine-matters-most-and-i-really-don-t-care/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [Human can do anything for his/her love, all it matters is what you are really in love with!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinesh-kumar-radhakrishnan/human-can-do-anything-for-his-her-love-all-it-matters-is-what-you-are/) Dinesh Kumar Radhakrishnan > [If the song makes it and people like it, then I guess that's all that matters, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-beck/if-the-song-makes-it-and-people-like-it-then-i-guess-that-s-all-that/) [Jeff Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-beck/) > [“But, you see, it's not what you do that matters really. It's only you." "Me what?" "Just you here. Or you in the city.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/but-you-see-it-s-not-what-you-do-that-matters-really-it-s-only-you-me/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) ## More by Sara C. Roethle > [“Someone had to make you,” she explained. “And everyone else seems to be terrified of hurting your feelings. I wouldn’t be your friend if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-c-roethle/someone-had-to-make-you-she-explained-and-everyone-else-seems-to-be/) [Sara C. Roethle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-c-roethle/) > [“I tried to distract myself by reading the various things that people had carved into the tabletop over the years. I traced my finger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-c-roethle/i-tried-to-distract-myself-by-reading-the-various-things-that-people/) [Sara C. Roethle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-c-roethle/) > [“You are the most loving creature I have ever known,” he muttered. “You may feel you have nothing to offer, but you love everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-c-roethle/you-are-the-most-loving-creature-i-have-ever-known-he-muttered-you/) [Sara C. Roethle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-c-roethle/) > [“It was just me and the Devil, running through the woods.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-c-roethle/it-was-just-me-and-the-devil-running-through-the-woods/) [Sara C. Roethle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-c-roethle/) > [“The night was still and quiet as the three companions slept deeply. Then, a slight shudder could be felt below the earth around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-c-roethle/the-night-was-still-and-quiet-as-the-three-companions-slept-deeply/) [Sara C. Roethle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-c-roethle/) > [“Men were complex enough to begin with. Give them a thousand years and they only got worse, like ever-growing labyrinths of smugness and bravado.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-c-roethle/men-were-complex-enough-to-begin-with-give-them-a-thousand-years-and/) [Sara C. Roethle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-c-roethle/) > [“You learn to focus on the living,” he explained, still embracing her. “People will always die. It is simply a fact. Sometimes it feels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-c-roethle/you-learn-to-focus-on-the-living-he-explained-still-embracing-her/) [Sara C. Roethle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-c-roethle/) > [“I may be a creature of the night,” he wiggled the fingers of his free hand in the air in mock spookiness, “but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-c-roethle/i-may-be-a-creature-of-the-night-he-wiggled-the-fingers-of-his-free/) [Sara C. Roethle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-c-roethle/) > [“I don’t know if I can do that,” she breathed. “It’s difficult to ignore emotions when you feel like you have far too many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-c-roethle/i-don-t-know-if-i-can-do-that-she-breathed-it-s-difficult-to-ignore/) [Sara C. Roethle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-c-roethle/) [Explore all 10 Sara C. Roethle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-c-roethle/) ## More Hope quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“What can we do in any hardship? We can hope with prayerful praise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/what-can-we-do-in-any-hardship-we-can-hope-with-prayerful-praise/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [If one truly has lost hope, one would not be on hand to say so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bentley/if-one-truly-has-lost-hope-one-would-not-be-on-hand-to-say-so/) [Eric Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bentley/) > [“too—I realized that my only hope was to give up the life that had been, in order to make room for the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/too-i-realized-that-my-only-hope-was-to-give-up-the-life-that-had/) [Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Stop trying to give me hope ... I have no room left for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenn-f/stop-trying-to-give-me-hope-i-have-no-room-left-for-it/) [Jenn F](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenn-f/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Give me love, give me peace on earth, give me light, give me life, keep me free from birth, give me hope, help me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/give-me-love-give-me-peace-on-earth-give-me-light-give-me-life-keep/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Pray, hope, don't worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/pray-hope-don-t-worry/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/do-not-pray-for-tasks-equal-to-your-powers-pray-for-powers-equal-to/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [I am at a point in my life where everything I have worked for starts to look like a burden, a weight on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-abou-samra/i-am-at-a-point-in-my-life-where-everything-i-have-worked-for-starts/) Simone Abou Samra > [Im really happy that I met you I hope you know that](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/im-nothing/im-really-happy-that-i-met-you-i-hope-you-know-that/) Im Nothing > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) [Browse all 24,868 Hope quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We may believe the past is what matters most to us, but really, it is the present and the future. 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