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Meaning
The quote says that people do not get to decide whether to be alive; life is given to them. What a person can decide is their attitude and response to that life. It frames living as a matter of choice in conduct, not in existence.
When It Was Said
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Who It Was Said To
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Historical Context
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Source
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Original Language & Translation
Originally said in English.
Did They Really Say It?
No source found on Wikiquote; the quote is listed as attributed to Henry Ward Beecher.
Did You Know?
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About Henry Ward Beecher
American Congregationalist clergyman, social reformer, and speaker
Henry Ward Beecher was an American Congregationalist clergyman, social reformer, and public speaker. He became known for his support of abolition, his emphasis on God's love, and the notoriety of his 1875 adultery trial. Beecher's preaching focused strongly on the love of Christ, and that emphasis helped shape mainstream Christianity well beyond his own time. His work combined religious teaching with reform-minded public speech, and his influence has continued into the 21st century.
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