--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The past is the past, and he can't make…" description: "\"“The past is the past, and he can't make amends, only hope that the gain will outlast the damage.”\" — Vikram Seth" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/vikram-seth-4208_amends_the-past-is-the-past-and-he-can-t-make-a_501237.jpg" --- # The past is the past, and he can't make amends, only hope… ![“The past is the past, and he can't make amends, only hope that the gain will outlast the damage.” quote by Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/vikram-seth-4208_amends_the-past-is-the-past-and-he-can-t-make-a_501237.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/vikram-seth-4208_amends_the-past-is-the-past-and-he-can-t-make-a_501237.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/vikram-seth-4208_amends_the-past-is-the-past-and-he-can-t-make-a_501237.jpg) > ““The past is the past, and he can't make amends, only hope that the gain will outlast the damage.”” [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) ## 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 suggests that while the past cannot be changed, hope can guide future actions that outweigh past harms. **In simple terms:** Past cannot be changed; hope can outweigh damage. Key Takeaway Focus on hopeful actions for the future. Themes hope redemption past future humanity Mood optimistic thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal healing - community rebuilding - policy making - conflict resolution - storytelling Key Concepts Philosophy of time ethical responsibility narrative closure Questions to Reflect On - How can hope be turned into actionable change? - What responsibilities do we have to address past damage? A Different Perspective Hope may be insufficient without concrete reparations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amends/) [Amends Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amends-hope-4267894/) [Damage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/damage/) [Make Amends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-amends-251639/) [Outlast Damage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outlast-damage-4267895/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past Is The Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-is-the-past/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Put that pride/stubbornness aside and reach out to someone n make amends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-that-pride-stubbornness-aside-and-reach-out-to-someone-n-make/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If you want to make amends for the life you have led then start now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-j-charlton/if-you-want-to-make-amends-for-the-life-you-have-led-then-start-now/) [Sam J. Charlton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-j-charlton/) > [Although we are physically laid to rest, we meet again and again to make amends. If I hurt someone in this life, I'll have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shari-arison/although-we-are-physically-laid-to-rest-we-meet-again-and-again-to/) [Shari Arison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shari-arison/) > [I learned about forgiveness, and I've reached out to others to make amends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-hart/i-learned-about-forgiveness-and-i-ve-reached-out-to-others-to-make/) [Beth Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-hart/) > [I've done some dastardly things but what can I do except make amends and apologize?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-getz/i-ve-done-some-dastardly-things-but-what-can-i-do-except-make-amends/) [Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) > [I'm not letting this happen, I'm not gonna let this end, I care for you more than anything, an so I'm here to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-letting-this-happen-i-m-not-gonna-let-this-end-i-care-for-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [She still cared for me, and the best way I could make amends to her was to be happy. I do have a knack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/she-still-cared-for-me-and-the-best-way-i-could-make-amends-to-her/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [“know you believe you cannot make amends,” he said. “But you are just as important”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/know-you-believe-you-cannot-make-amends-he-said-but-you-are-just-as/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Make amends with someone you had a falling out with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/make-amends-with-someone-you-had-a-falling-out-with/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [“To make amends can be viewed two ways: first, that of repairing damage, for if I have damaged my neighbor’s fence, I “make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alcoholics-anonymous/to-make-amends-can-be-viewed-two-ways-first-that-of-repairing-damage/) [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alcoholics-anonymous/) > [If I have done wrong to another person, the correct course of action is to apologize and make amends to that person and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-dillahunty/if-i-have-done-wrong-to-another-person-the-correct-course-of-action/) [Matt Dillahunty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-dillahunty/) > [“Not to know that no space of regret can make amends for one life's misused oppurtunities!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/not-to-know-that-no-space-of-regret-can-make-amends-for-one-life-s/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I think we are well advised to keep on nodding terms with the people we used to be, whether we find them attractive company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-think-we-are-well-advised-to-keep-on-nodding-terms-with-the-people/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [As long as you live, it is never too late to make amends. Take my advice, child. Don't waste your precious life with regrets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hesse/as-long-as-you-live-it-is-never-too-late-to-make-amends-take-my/) [Karen Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hesse/) > [I desire you in friendship, and I will one way or other make you amends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-desire-you-in-friendship-and-i-will-one-way-or-other-make-you-amends/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by Vikram Seth > [Realism hasn't fallen out of favor with most people, who are interested in people's lives rather than gymnastics of style or literary trends. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/realism-hasn-t-fallen-out-of-favor-with-most-people-who-are/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [I don't think anyone should be banned. If you don't like a book, set it aside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/i-don-t-think-anyone-should-be-banned-if-you-don-t-like-a-book-set-it/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [It's not the gods But our own hearts We need to fear. The evil starts Against all odds Not there but here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/it-s-not-the-gods-but-our-own-hearts-we-need-to-fear-the-evil-starts/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“But what should I do?' Varun was saying. 'I'm not good for anything.' 'Write a book! Pull a rickshaw! Live! Don't make excuses,' said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/but-what-should-i-do-varun-was-saying-i-m-not-good-for-anything-write/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“In a clear brook With joyful haste The whimsical trout Shot past me like an arrow I play the line of the song, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/in-a-clear-brook-with-joyful-haste-the-whimsical-trout-shot-past-me/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [Boredom provides a stronger inclination to write than anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/boredom-provides-a-stronger-inclination-to-write-than-anything/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [I don't think people give Indian society enough credit. We may not like to talk much about things but we do, basically, want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/i-don-t-think-people-give-indian-society-enough-credit-we-may-not/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [The problem with too beautiful a view is that it's alright for the mulling stage. But for the writing stage, you want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/the-problem-with-too-beautiful-a-view-is-that-it-s-alright-for-the/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“Romantic retrospect aside, the night spent in the truck is distinctly unpleasant. We are cramped and cold. The much-vaunted heating of the truck is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/romantic-retrospect-aside-the-night-spent-in-the-truck-is-distinctly/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [Is it not love that knows how to make smooth things rough and rough things smooth?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/is-it-not-love-that-knows-how-to-make-smooth-things-rough-and-rough/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“Well, what do you think? Avanti?" "Avanti," cries everyone, and, after a few quick re-tunings of our instruments, and re-initialisings of our hearts, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/well-what-do-you-think-avanti-avanti-cries-everyone-and-after-a-few/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [Behind every door on every ordinary street, in every hut in every ordinary village in this middling planet of a trivial star, such riches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/behind-every-door-on-every-ordinary-street-in-every-hut-in-every/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“Perhaps it is true that for all the evidence of the mirror, one pictures oneself in some deep niche of the mind as forever 18.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/perhaps-it-is-true-that-for-all-the-evidence-of-the-mirror-one/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [What is the difference between my life and my love? One gets me low, the other lets me go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/what-is-the-difference-between-my-life-and-my-love-one-gets-me-low/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“I triumph and rejoice that my action should have obtained your approval; nor am I disturbed when I hear it said that those whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/i-triumph-and-rejoice-that-my-action-should-have-obtained-your/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) [Explore all 113 Vikram Seth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) ## More Amends quotes > [I am making amends and seeking forgiveness. My only hope is that some good can come out of my situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-blair/i-am-making-amends-and-seeking-forgiveness-my-only-hope-is-that-some/) [Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) > [Put that pride/stubbornness aside and reach out to someone n make amends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-that-pride-stubbornness-aside-and-reach-out-to-someone-n-make/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We make stupid mistakes when we're young; we do our best to make amends for them as we get older. We survive by learning;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-steele/we-make-stupid-mistakes-when-we-re-young-we-do-our-best-to-make/) [Allen Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-steele/) > [ Sadly, \[Pablo Escobar\] ended up throwing away the one opportunity he had. I naively thought, as a son and as many other Colombians, that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-pablo-escobar/sadly-pablo-escobar-ended-up-throwing-away-the-one-opportunity-he-had/) [Juan Pablo Escobar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-pablo-escobar/) > [Forgiveness does not mean that we have to continue to relate to those who have done us harm. In some cases the best practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/forgiveness-does-not-mean-that-we-have-to-continue-to-relate-to-those/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [If you did something in 1975 that you deeply regret and that you now can recognize as having been profoundly irresponsible, for example, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/if-you-did-something-in-1975-that-you-deeply-regret-and-that-you-now/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Karma means that all actions have consequences. Grace means that in a moment of atonement -taking responsibility, making amends, asking for forgiveness - all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/karma-means-that-all-actions-have-consequences-grace-means-that-in-a/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“The difference between humility and humiliation is willingness. Ultimately, it's not for them. It's for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-hart/the-difference-between-humility-and-humiliation-is-willingness/) [Rob Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-hart/) > [Like the Puritans, live in terms of the settled judgement that the joy of heaven will make amends of any losses and crosses, strains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-beeke/like-the-puritans-live-in-terms-of-the-settled-judgement-that-the-joy/) [Joel Beeke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-beeke/) > [As long as you live, it is never too late to make amends. Take my advice, child. Don't waste your precious life with regrets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hesse/as-long-as-you-live-it-is-never-too-late-to-make-amends-take-my/) [Karen Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hesse/) > [Making amends with some people just for the sake of it is a sign of maturity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/making-amends-with-some-people-just-for-the-sake-of-it-is-a-sign-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think we are well advised to keep on nodding terms with the people we used to be, whether we find them attractive company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-think-we-are-well-advised-to-keep-on-nodding-terms-with-the-people/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [“Not to know that no space of regret can make amends for one life's misused oppurtunities!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/not-to-know-that-no-space-of-regret-can-make-amends-for-one-life-s/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Let a man do what he will by a single woman, the world is encouragingly apt to think Marriage a sufficient amends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/let-a-man-do-what-he-will-by-a-single-woman-the-world-is/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [A child who's been injured by a parent waits her whole life for some acknowledgment of the wrong that's been done, some validation from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-unger/a-child-who-s-been-injured-by-a-parent-waits-her-whole-life-for-some/) [Lisa Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-unger/) [Browse all 90 Amends quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amends/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The past is the past, and he can't make amends, only hope that the gain will outlast the damage.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vikram Seth" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/the-past-is-the-past-and-he-can-t-make-amends-only-hope-that-the-gain/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Amends" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/the-past-is-the-past-and-he-can-t-make-amends-only-hope-that-the-gain/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/vikram-seth-4208_amends_the-past-is-the-past-and-he-can-t-make-a_501237.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/vikram-seth-4208_amends_the-past-is-the-past-and-he-can-t-make-a_501237.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/vikram-seth-4208_amends_the-past-is-the-past-and-he-can-t-make-a_501237.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The past is the past, and he can't make amends, only hope that the gain will outlast the damage.” — Vikram Seth", "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": "Vikram Seth", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The past is the past, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/the-past-is-the-past-and-he-can-t-make-amends-only-hope-that-the-gain/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/the-past-is-the-past-and-he-can-t-make-amends-only-hope-that-the-gain/#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 } } ] } ```