--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What was I going to do? The choices…" description: "\"“What was I going to do? The choices seemed basic and slim: Die. Exist. Live. I wanted to die, but with two young children to care for and a husband, t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/sukey-forbes-172458_choice_what-was-i-going-to-do-the-choices-seeme_1712728.jpg" --- # What was I going to do? The choices seemed basic and slim… ![“What was I going to do? The choices seemed basic and slim: Die. Exist. Live. I wanted to die, but with two young children to care for and a husband, that wasn't an option. Exist. I could do that. I was doing that now. but how flat and lifeless. How dreary and endless the long march would be until…” quote by Sukey Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/sukey-forbes-172458_choice_what-was-i-going-to-do-the-choices-seeme_1712728.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/sukey-forbes-172458_choice_what-was-i-going-to-do-the-choices-seeme_1712728.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/sukey-forbes-172458_choice_what-was-i-going-to-do-the-choices-seeme_1712728.jpg) > ““What was I going to do? The choices seemed basic and slim: Die. Exist. Live. I wanted to die, but with two young children to care for and a husband, that wasn't an option. Exist. I could do that. I was doing that now. but how flat and lifeless. How dreary and endless the long march would be until I met Charlotte again. The only option that resonated with me was to live. But how? I wanted to want to live. That was the best I could do in that moment.”” [Sukey Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sukey-forbes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker confronts a painful choice between death and a lifeless existence, ultimately deciding to live despite lacking desire, driven by love and responsibility. **In simple terms:** Choosing life over death despite emptiness. Key Takeaway Find purpose beyond survival. Themes choice grief love resilience support Mood reflective somber hopeful Type personal narrative confessional When to use this quote - parenting - marriage - mental health recovery - grief counseling Key Concepts existential crisis motivation meaning-making Questions to Reflect On - What can rekindle your desire to live? - How does caring for others shape your choices? A Different Perspective Living without desire can feel hollow and may not sustain long‑term wellbeing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Charlotte Option](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charlotte-option-1262298/) [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Going Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-choices-1262296/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Met Charlotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/met-charlotte-1262299/) [Option Resonated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/option-resonated-1262297/) [Resilience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resilience/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) ## Related quotes > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [Grit can't be measured on pop quizzes, but it can often predict long-term success more than mere intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-moser/grit-can-t-be-measured-on-pop-quizzes-but-it-can-often-predict-long/) [Laura Moser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-moser/) > [“Keep going even when the going is slow and uncertain. Make your dream your prayer and your service. Don’t wait for recognition. Let it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-g-renee-hill/keep-going-even-when-the-going-is-slow-and-uncertain-make-your-dream/) [G.G. Renee Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-g-renee-hill/) > [My tenacity and determination to be true to the person I had become were sacrosanct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldie-hawn/my-tenacity-and-determination-to-be-true-to-the-person-i-had-become/) [Goldie Hawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldie-hawn/) > [“I really do believe stories about the struggles of life do help foster resilient and happy children. They make Tips children understand the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iben-dissing-sandahl/i-really-do-believe-stories-about-the-struggles-of-life-do-help/) [Iben Dissing Sandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iben-dissing-sandahl/) > [One's own troubles can be borne with fortitude; only a monster of indifference can bear the sufferings of others with fortitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-ertz/one-s-own-troubles-can-be-borne-with-fortitude-only-a-monster-of/) [Susan Ertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-ertz/) > [What I always liked best about myself was my resilience, especially in this business with all the 'no's,' the doors closed in my face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lachanze/what-i-always-liked-best-about-myself-was-my-resilience-especially-in/) [LaChanze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lachanze/) > [“Mistakes are lessons and lessons are gifts. Examine them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-knox/mistakes-are-lessons-and-lessons-are-gifts-examine-them/) [Jen Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-knox/) > [“Sometimes resilience arrives in the moment you discover your own unshakeable goodness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-boyle/sometimes-resilience-arrives-in-the-moment-you-discover-your-own/) [Gregory Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-boyle/) > [“Grits Glossary blues \\’blüz\\ n: nothing but a good man singing about hardship, sorrow, and the things he’s done wrong--but sake’s alive, they make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/grits-glossary-blues-bl-z-n-nothing-but-a-good-man-singing-about/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) > [“You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may tread me in the very dirt But still, like dust,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-may-write-me-down-in-history-with-your-bitter-twisted-lies-you/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [The cognitive skills that underpin resilience, then, seem like they can indeed be learned over time, creating resilience where there was none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-konnikova/the-cognitive-skills-that-underpin-resilience-then-seem-like-they-can/) [Maria Konnikova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-konnikova/) > [“Desert are you, deluge are you, in a crowd of fakes, only truth is you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/desert-are-you-deluge-are-you-in-a-crowd-of-fakes-only-truth-is-you/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [We could encourage the best qualities of youthfulness - curiosity, adventure, resilience, the capacity for surprising insight simply by being more flexible about time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/we-could-encourage-the-best-qualities-of-youthfulness-curiosity/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) ## More Choice quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [“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/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [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/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I have too many options when it comes to guitars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-have-too-many-options-when-it-comes-to-guitars/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [“Amazing how a small choice can change your life forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-c-dockens/amazing-how-a-small-choice-can-change-your-life-forever/) [Randy C. 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