--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But this is my contentment, that I've…" description: "\"“But this is my contentment, that I've lost what I never needed and what I need I can never lose: these two things, universal nature and one's personal..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a3/walter-wangerin-jr-25465_character_but-this-is-my-contentment-that-i-ve-los_2958229.jpg" --- # But this is my contentment, that I've lost what I never… ![“But this is my contentment, that I've lost what I never needed and what I need I can never lose: these two things, universal nature and one's personal virtue. For this is the intention of the creator of the world, whatever he may be - whether an all-powerful Deity, or some incorporeal Reason…” quote by Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a3/walter-wangerin-jr-25465_character_but-this-is-my-contentment-that-i-ve-los_2958229.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a3/walter-wangerin-jr-25465_character_but-this-is-my-contentment-that-i-ve-los_2958229.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a3/walter-wangerin-jr-25465_character_but-this-is-my-contentment-that-i-ve-los_2958229.jpg) > ““But this is my contentment, that I've lost what I never needed and what I need I can never lose: these two things, universal nature and one's personal virtue. For this is the intention of the creator of the world, whatever he may be - whether an all-powerful Deity, or some incorporeal Reason contriving vast works, or a divine Spirit pervading all things from the least to the largest with a uniform energy, or Fate, or an inalterable sequence of Causes clinging one to another - whatever the Intender, I say, this is his intention: that nothing of ours can fall under the control of others except that which is finally and truly worthless to us. The best of any man lies beyond the power of other men, either to give it or take it away.”” [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True freedom lies in inner virtue and universal nature, beyond external control; material possessions are ultimately worthless. **In simple terms:** Inner virtue and nature are beyond others' control. Key Takeaway Cultivate personal virtue and align with universal nature. Themes freedom virtue nature control Mood contemplative serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - ethical decision making - mindfulness practice Key Concepts philosophy spirituality determinism Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of life can we truly control? - How does virtue protect against external influence? A Different Perspective May be interpreted as fatalistic, limiting agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Contentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contentment/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Personal Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-virtue-767599/) [Universal Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universal-nature-403813/) [Virtue Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue-intention-4492218/) ## Related quotes > [Chastity, like honesty, is a civic as well as a personal virtue. When a society loses chastity, it begins to destroy itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-schickel/chastity-like-honesty-is-a-civic-as-well-as-a-personal-virtue-when-a/) [J. William Schickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-schickel/) > [Nonviolence is not merely a personal virtue. It is also a social virtue to be cultivated like other virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/nonviolence-is-not-merely-a-personal-virtue-it-is-also-a-social/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Conservation may be a sign of personal virtue, but it is not a sufficient basis for a sound, comprehensive energy policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/conservation-may-be-a-sign-of-personal-virtue-but-it-is-not-a/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [There is no substitute for virtue. Keep your thoughts virtuous. Rise above the filth that's all around you in this world and stand tall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/there-is-no-substitute-for-virtue-keep-your-thoughts-virtuous-rise/) [Gordon B. 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What can be more pleasing or more suitable to universal nature?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/why-should-anyone-be-afraid-of-change-what-can-take-place-without-it/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Stand upon the Atman, then only can we truly love the world. 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Why what can take place without change? What then is more pleasing or more suitable to the universal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/is-any-man-afraid-of-change-why-what-can-take-place-without-change/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [We need another and a wiser and perhaps a more mystical concept of animals. Remote from universal nature, and living by complicated artifice, man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-beston/we-need-another-and-a-wiser-and-perhaps-a-more-mystical-concept-of/) [Henry Beston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-beston/) > [Individuality in universality is the plan of creation. Each cell has its part in bringing about consciousness. Man is individual and at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/individuality-in-universality-is-the-plan-of-creation-each-cell-has/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“Do not look around to discover other people's ruling principles, but look straight to this, to what nature leads you, both the universal nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-look-around-to-discover-other-people-s-ruling-principles-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The nature of the Absolute is neither perceptible nor imperceptible; and with phenomena it is just the same. But to one who has discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huangbo-xiyun/the-nature-of-the-absolute-is-neither-perceptible-nor-imperceptible/) [Huangbo Xiyun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huangbo-xiyun/) ## More by Walter Wangerin Jr > [“Eurus thrashes, but Rutt holds on. She crushes the bones of his jaws and still holds on until he suffocates and dies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/eurus-thrashes-but-rutt-holds-on-she-crushes-the-bones-of-his-jaws/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [“He went wordless, and wordless he sat beside her. He knew the size of her sorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/he-went-wordless-and-wordless-he-sat-beside-her-he-knew-the-size-of/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [“Her ballad did nothing to make the serpants lovely. Her ballad hid nothing of their dread. But the music itself spoke of faith and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/her-ballad-did-nothing-to-make-the-serpants-lovely-her-ballad-hid/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [“WELL, THEN SHAG IT, YOU SUITCASE! GET OVER HERE!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/well-then-shag-it-you-suitcase-get-over-here/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [“Have you noticed the words which Old Testament people use when someone important calls them by name? They don't say "What?" or "Yes?" They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/have-you-noticed-the-words-which-old-testament-people-use-when/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [“I agreed Paul knew his limits. But I never believed he'd choose to live within them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/i-agreed-paul-knew-his-limits-but-i-never-believed-he-d-choose-to/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [“But the talk of dialogue involves the work of knowing, acknowledging the other, of shaping speech toward him, for her. It is neither done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/but-the-talk-of-dialogue-involves-the-work-of-knowing-acknowledging/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [“Volunteering" also honours the sort of work your spouse is obliged to do if you choose cheerfully to do it for him or her.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/volunteering-also-honours-the-sort-of-work-your-spouse-is-obliged-to/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [“In the bedroom the truer, unpremeditated behavior of intimacy appears, the way this spouse relates to others on the most personal level, body to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/in-the-bedroom-the-truer-unpremeditated-behavior-of-intimacy-appears/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [“And the strongest trust is built by the smallest actions, the keeping of the little promises. It is the constant truthfulness, the continued dependability,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/and-the-strongest-trust-is-built-by-the-smallest-actions-the-keeping/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [“And "sharing the work of survival," therefore, means resisting every temptation towards independence, towards personal liberty, towards "doing your own thing". This takes s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/and-sharing-the-work-of-survival-therefore-means-resisting-every/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [“For what was your gesture? An act of pure love for Jesus particularly. 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He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/almost-as-evil-as-the-stench-was-the-silence-senex-however-poorly-he/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [“How many battles make a war?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/how-many-battles-make-a-war/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) [Explore all 23 Walter Wangerin Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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