--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have spoken about what we can do as…" description: "\"I have spoken about what we can do as citizens, what we can do as a responsive citizenry, and this is where we have to shatter our complacency and beco..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/terry-tempest-williams-835_active_i-have-spoken-about-what-we-can-do-as-ci_68606.png" --- # I have spoken about what we can do as citizens, what we… ![“I have spoken about what we can do as citizens, what we can do as a responsive citizenry, and this is where we have to shatter our complacency and become "active souls,"and be prepared to engage in aware - that personal struggle between our grief and our sorrow. But I don't think we have any choice.” quote by Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/terry-tempest-williams-835_active_i-have-spoken-about-what-we-can-do-as-ci_68606.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/terry-tempest-williams-835_active_i-have-spoken-about-what-we-can-do-as-ci_68606.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faf/terry-tempest-williams-835_active_i-have-spoken-about-what-we-can-do-as-ci_68606.png) > “I have spoken about what we can do as citizens, what we can do as a responsive citizenry, and this is where we have to shatter our complacency and become "active souls,"and be prepared to engage in aware - that personal struggle between our grief and our sorrow. But I don't think we have any choice.” [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A call to move beyond passive acceptance toward conscious, active participation in societal change, confronting personal and collective grief. **In simple terms:** Encourages active citizenship over complacency. Key Takeaway Active engagement is essential. Themes civic responsibility personal struggle social activism grief awakening Mood determined reflective urgent Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - community organizing - public policy debates - grassroots movements - personal reflection on societal issues Key Concepts citizenship emotional resilience social change Practical Applications - civic education programs - activist training workshops Questions to Reflect On - How can individuals transform grief into constructive action? - What barriers keep citizens from becoming 'active souls'? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Complacency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complacency/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Personal struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-struggle/) [Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [The unexpected action of deep listening can create a space of transformation capable of shattering complacency and despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/the-unexpected-action-of-deep-listening-can-create-a-space-of/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [“Struggles are not associated to a particular people or creed, everyone struggles, not for the same reasons, but each has a personal struggle at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/struggles-are-not-associated-to-a-particular-people-or-creed-everyone/) [Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/) > [“There exists a universal order that we each play a distinct role in carrying out. 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As people who have been created by God, we are infinitely precious to Him because we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corallie-buchanan/honey-god-loves-you-just-as-you-are-as-people-who-have-been-created/) [Corallie Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corallie-buchanan/) > [(I want to) make good stories that have a redemptive message and allow people to dig into their own lives and personal struggles and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-waters/i-want-to-make-good-stories-that-have-a-redemptive-message-and-allow/) [Drew Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-waters/) > [It is difficult to not let the circumstances define you when everyone feels they know your personal struggles and agony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-grammer/it-is-difficult-to-not-let-the-circumstances-define-you-when-everyone/) [Camille Grammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-grammer/) > [“We must examine the ways in which we have attempted to turn our own ministries, workplaces, and mission fields into the playgrounds of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-sayers/we-must-examine-the-ways-in-which-we-have-attempted-to-turn-our-own/) [Mark Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-sayers/) ## More by Terry Tempest Williams > [I admire how she protects her energy and understands her limitations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/i-admire-how-she-protects-her-energy-and-understands-her-limitations/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [Buddha says there are two kinds of suffering: the kind that leads to more suffering and the kind that brings an end to suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/buddha-says-there-are-two-kinds-of-suffering-the-kind-that-leads-to/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [I wonder how, among the Fremont, mothers and daughters shared their world. 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Both are sacred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/i-accept-the-organic-trinity-of-mineral-vegetable-and-animal-with-as/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [Good writing must stay open to the questions and not fall prey to the pull of a polemic, otherwise, words simply become predictable, sentimental,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/good-writing-must-stay-open-to-the-questions-and-not-fall-prey-to-the/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [“I believe we must do things in our lives for the right reasons, because we enjoy doing them, with no expectation of getting something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/i-believe-we-must-do-things-in-our-lives-for-the-right-reasons/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [A mother and daughter are an edge. 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Whole foods are the best for you when you are super active, so I get plenty of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witney-carson/i-eat-healthy-most-of-the-time-whole-foods-are-the-best-for-you-when/) [Witney Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witney-carson/) > [Art shows us how to see things that are constructive and good, and to be an active part of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/art-shows-us-how-to-see-things-that-are-constructive-and-good-and-to/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [Love, like truth and beauty, is concrete. 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That's always easier once you've made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-brownlee/you-need-to-enjoy-yourself-and-just-get-into-the-routine-of-keeping/) [Alistair Brownlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-brownlee/) Browse all 2,212 Active quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have spoken about what we can do as citizens, what we can do as a responsive citizenry, and this is where we have to shatter our complacency and become \"active souls,\"and be prepared to engage in aware - that personal struggle between our grief and our sorrow. 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