--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A realistic expectation also demands our…" description: "\"A realistic expectation also demands our acceptance that one's allotted time on earth must be limited to an allowance consistent with the continuity of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f5/sherwin-b-nuland-10278_acceptance_a-realistic-expectation-also-demands-our_51603.png" --- # A realistic expectation also demands our acceptance that… ![“A realistic expectation also demands our acceptance that one's allotted time on earth must be limited to an allowance consistent with the continuity of our species... We die so that the world may continue to live. We have been given the miracle of life because trillions and trillions of living…” quote by Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f5/sherwin-b-nuland-10278_acceptance_a-realistic-expectation-also-demands-our_51603.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f5/sherwin-b-nuland-10278_acceptance_a-realistic-expectation-also-demands-our_51603.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f5/sherwin-b-nuland-10278_acceptance_a-realistic-expectation-also-demands-our_51603.png) > “A realistic expectation also demands our acceptance that one's allotted time on earth must be limited to an allowance consistent with the continuity of our species... We die so that the world may continue to live. We have been given the miracle of life because trillions and trillions of living things have prepared the way for us and then have died-in a sense, for us. We die, in turn, so that others may live. The tragedy of a single individual becomes, in the balance of natural things, the triumph of ongoing life.” [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is a chain of sacrifices where each death enables the survival of future generations, highlighting the interconnectedness of all living beings. **In simple terms:** Individual loss fuels collective continuity. Key Takeaway Our mortality serves the greater ecosystem. Themes interdependence mortality continuity sacrifice ecology legacy Mood humble reflective awe-inspired Type philosophical nature spiritual When to use this quote - reflecting on personal legacy - teaching about ecological balance - grieving a loved one - considering population ethics - discussing environmental stewardship Key Concepts life cycle species survival cosmic perspective human humility Practical Applications - philosophical counseling - environmental education Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing our role in a larger chain affect personal choices? - What responsibilities arise from seeing death as a contribution to life? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) [Allowance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allowance/) [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Consistent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consistent/) [Continuity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/continuity/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Died](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/died/) [Dies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dies/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Given Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given-miracle-731987/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-struggle/) [Life Trillions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-trillions-731985/) [Living things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-things/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle/) [Miracle Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle-life/) [Miracle of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle-of-life/) [Miracles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracles/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Natural things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-things/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Ongoing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ongoing/) [Prepared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prepared/) [Realistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realistic/) [Realistic expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realistic-expectations/) [Species](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/species/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Time on earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-on-earth/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) [Trillions Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trillions-living-731986/) [Triumph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/triumph/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“We die so that the world may continue to live. We have been given the miracle of life because trillions upon trillions of living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/we-die-so-that-the-world-may-continue-to-live-we-have-been-given-the/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [We were put here as witnesses to the miracle of life. We see the stars, and we want them. We are beholden to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-were-put-here-as-witnesses-to-the-miracle-of-life-we-see-the-stars/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/we-will-only-understand-the-miracle-of-life-fully-when-we-allow-the-2/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Every year, there is a new diet that all the celebs or housewives are trying. We all want the perfect diet or the perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-jaret-winokur/every-year-there-is-a-new-diet-that-all-the-celebs-or-housewives-are/) [Marissa Jaret Winokur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-jaret-winokur/) > [This is the miracle of life: that each person who heeds him or herself knows what no scientist can ever know: who he or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/this-is-the-miracle-of-life-that-each-person-who-heeds-him-or-herself/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [“The wonder of life is in the miracle of life. There is spectacle, there is awe and there is incredulity. The blunder of life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-pan/the-wonder-of-life-is-in-the-miracle-of-life-there-is-spectacle-there/) [Anthony Pan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-pan/) > [If it wasn't for God's miracles I don't know where I'd be.. Starting with the miracle of life!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rev-run-2/if-it-wasn-t-for-god-s-miracles-i-don-t-know-where-i-d-be-starting/) [Rev Run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rev-run-2/) > [“The miracle of life is indescribable .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-miracle-of-life-is-indescribable/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Appreciate life and those in it while you've got it. We can all do a little better at appreciating the miracle of life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-g-hibbert/appreciate-life-and-those-in-it-while-you-ve-got-it-we-can-all-do-a/) [Christina G. Hibbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-g-hibbert/) > [God gave us the miracle of life - sustaining water, & we turned it into Caffeine Free Diet Pepsi & Vodka. Good job, Morons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/god-gave-us-the-miracle-of-life-sustaining-water-we-turned-it-into/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [One may well find oneself beginning to doubt whether all this could conceivably be the product of an enormous lottery presided over by natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/one-may-well-find-oneself-beginning-to-doubt-whether-all-this-could/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [Learn from nature. See how everything gets accomplished and how the miracle of life unfolds without dissatisfaction or unhappiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/learn-from-nature-see-how-everything-gets-accomplished-and-how-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Stop, breathe, look around and embrace the miracle of each day, the miracle of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-a-white/stop-breathe-look-around-and-embrace-the-miracle-of-each-day-the/) [Jeffrey A. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-a-white/) > [The miracle of life is enough for me to believe in miracles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-d-williams/the-miracle-of-life-is-enough-for-me-to-believe-in-miracles/) [Anthony D. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-d-williams/) > [Why is it that when a baby is born, we often refer to him or her as 'the miracle of life' but then we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/why-is-it-that-when-a-baby-is-born-we-often-refer-to-him-or-her-as/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) ## More by Sherwin B. Nuland > [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [There is, to be sure, sometimes only a small difference between being alert to possible danger and allowing oneself to become terrified to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/there-is-to-be-sure-sometimes-only-a-small-difference-between-being/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [By the time of my ninth birthday, I had become a bit of a socialist, as I am said by conservative colleagues to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/by-the-time-of-my-ninth-birthday-i-had-become-a-bit-of-a-socialist-as/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > ['Death with dignity' is our society's expression of the universal yearning to achieve a graceful triumph over the stark and often repugnant finality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/death-with-dignity-is-our-society-s-expression-of-the-universal/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [“Leonardo, with his profound knowledge of art, commenced various undertakings, many of which he never completed, because it appeared to him that the hand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/leonardo-with-his-profound-knowledge-of-art-commenced-various/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [Do you know what the world will be saved by? I'll tell you. It'll be saved by the human spirit. And by the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/do-you-know-what-the-world-will-be-saved-by-i-ll-tell-you-it-ll-be/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [It's unnatural to believe death usually has a beauty and a concordance and is usually a coming together of your life's work. It leads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/it-s-unnatural-to-believe-death-usually-has-a-beauty-and-a/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [Death is the surcease that comes when the exhausting battle has been lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/death-is-the-surcease-that-comes-when-the-exhausting-battle-has-been/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [There are resurrection themes in every society that has ever been studied, and it is because not just only do we fantasize about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/there-are-resurrection-themes-in-every-society-that-has-ever-been/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [Every hope of successive generations of scholars that order might be constructed from the chaotic mess of medical nomenclature has been frustrated. Even diseases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/every-hope-of-successive-generations-of-scholars-that-order-might-be/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [The more personal you are willing to be and the more intimate you are willing to be about the details of your own life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/the-more-personal-you-are-willing-to-be-and-the-more-intimate-you-are/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [“We die so that the world may continue to live. We have been given the miracle of life because trillions upon trillions of living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/we-die-so-that-the-world-may-continue-to-live-we-have-been-given-the/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [For aging is an art. The years between its first intimations and the time of the ultimate letting go of all earthly things can-if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/for-aging-is-an-art-the-years-between-its-first-intimations-and-the/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [Cancer cells are fixed at an age where they are still too young to have learned the rules of the society in which they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/cancer-cells-are-fixed-at-an-age-where-they-are-still-too-young-to/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [I have not seen much dignity in the process by which we die. The quest to achieve true dignity fails when our bodies fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/i-have-not-seen-much-dignity-in-the-process-by-which-we-die-the-quest/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) [Explore all 66 Sherwin B. Nuland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) ## More Acceptance quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Acceptance of death when it arrives is one thing, but to allow it to upstage the joys of living is ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-blythe/acceptance-of-death-when-it-arrives-is-one-thing-but-to-allow-it-to/) [Ronald Blythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-blythe/) > [“Loving someone who does not love you back hurts, alot, i know. It is liking seeing these pair of shoes at the retail store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomthandazo-tsembeni/loving-someone-who-does-not-love-you-back-hurts-alot-i-know-it-is/) [Nomthandazo Tsembeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomthandazo-tsembeni/) > [Take responsibily for your past, the bad memories of poor decisions you took were your choices once, and you liked them for the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marvin/take-responsibily-for-your-past-the-bad-memories-of-poor-decisions/) [Aruho Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marvin/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [“There was beauty in chaos, she'd just never known it before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-linsmeier/there-was-beauty-in-chaos-she-d-just-never-known-it-before/) [Amanda Linsmeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-linsmeier/) > [Accepting the challenges in life makes it interesting and overcoming them makes it eloquent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accepting-the-challenges-in-life-makes-it-interesting-and-overcoming/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Acceptance is the only thing you should teach. Be it Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Dalit, you must inculcate acceptance, not tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-haasan/acceptance-is-the-only-thing-you-should-teach-be-it-christian-muslim/) [Kamal Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-haasan/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sense-that-in-this-universe-we-are-treated-as-strangers-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 3,960 Acceptance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A realistic expectation also demands our acceptance that one's allotted time on earth must be limited to an allowance consistent with the continuity of our species... We die so that the world may continue to live. 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