The popular quote: ‘don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened’ is often attributed to Dr Seuss. However, after a thorough review of his written works as well as his life, we find that he in fact did not write these words. This quote is found in the original works of Ludwig Jacobowski, a German author and poet; in a poem titled “Leuchtende Tage” meaning “Bright Days” written in the year 1899. The quote was originally rendered as:
Do not cry because they are past!
Smile, because they once were!
The closest match to this quote is found in a popular poem, Oh the places you would go! by Dr Seuss. In his poem, he spoke about life’s experiences taking you through the seasons. It states:
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.
Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.
The quote itself is a great reminder to always appreciate the good moments in life, no matter how short-lived they may be. It’s easy to get caught up in the sadness of things that have ended, but it’s important to remember the happy times, too. This poem is a reminder to smile through the tears, because everything has its time.
Why was Dr Seuss
Theodor Seuss Geisel popularly known by his pen name “Dr Seuss” was an American author and poet of children’s books. Some of his popular works that are still referenced till date include “Horton hears a Who”, “The Grinch who stole Christmas” and many other exciting kid`s stories.
The name “Dr. Seuss” was adopted during his undergraduate studies at the Dartmouth where he had already started exhibiting the knack for poetry. Giesel wanted to become an English professor but due to some intervention from his girlfriend, who would later become his wife, he was able to redirect his passion into something that came naturally to him – drawing. This talent was what brought him into limelight in the year 1928, when one of his illustrated works was aired and the wife of an influential advertising executive spurred her husband to sign him. This was when Theodor began to make history. So far, he has illustrated nothing less than sixty of his books under his name.
One interesting occurrence in the life of Giesel was when his wife struggled from a long-term illness which sadly eventually caused her to take her own life on the 23rd of October, 1967. This occurrence became synonymous to sadness and grief for Geisel and was the inspiration behind one of his greatest work, “How the Grinch stole Christmas”. Till this day, everyone still talks about the Grinch. This story has been reproduced many times. First in 1966 in an animated movie by Boris Karloff and subsequently in the year 2000, 2007,2018 and 2020.
Who would have thought that such a tragic experience could birth something so profound and worthy of note.
What is the meaning of this quote?
The quote ‘don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened’ has been interpreted in various ways in different contexts. Though, this quote may have been misattributed to Dr. Seuss, we see his life as a perfect depiction of someone who knows how to make the most of every bad situation which in essence is what this quote represents.
This quote speaks to the temporary nature of things, be it good or bad. Everything in life is just a succession of phases and we must appreciate them as they come and go. We should not be destabilized that a good situation has ended because more are still on their way, neither should we be dismayed or disheartened by any bad situation because it will pass soon too.
The importance of moving forward in spite of adversity or setbacks
No matter what life throws your way, it is always important to keep moving forward. This is not always easy, but it is definitely worth it. Every day brings new challenges and new opportunities. You never know what might happen if you just keep pushing through.
The importance of moving forward in spite of adversity or setbacks
It can be common to find yourself going into downward spiral after facing a certain setback. What makes matters worse is when we have a constant negative voice in our heads repeating the same negative phrases over and over again.
Such actions take you nowhere fast and it is extremely detrimental for individuals to be stuck in this kind of state because it can prevent them from moving on with their lives and trying again. Negative emotions such as regret, sadness, and anger can stem from dwelling on the past. This can prevent people from enjoying the present or not having the strength to move forward. We find a typical example in Geisel’s fictional character, the Grinch. The Grinch is a grumpy, green creature who hates the holiday season. He tries to ruin Christmas for the residents of the town of Whoville by stealing all the presents.
He hated Christmas because he was lonely and unhappy with his own life. This was due to the fact that he was stuck in his past “Why, for fifty-three years I’ve put up with it now!” he lamented. (How the Grinch Stole Christmas, 1957)
The importance of appreciating negative experiences
It is often said that we learn more from our mistakes than our successes. Negative experiences can teach us a lot about ourselves. They can show us our strengths and weaknesses, what we are capable of enduring, and how we react under pressure.
In the story “Horton Hatches the egg.” Horton is deceived by a mother hen to brood over her egg nest while she goes away for a while. However, she goes away for longer than expected and Horton is mocked for carrying out such demeaning task. At the end, he is rewarded with a beautiful ‘elephant-bird’ that becomes his companion.
Reframing setbacks as lessons
There are many reasons why we should look at setbacks as lessons. For one, when something doesn’t go our way, it’s a great opportunity to learn what we did wrong and how we can do better next time. Additionally, setbacks can help us strengthen our resolve and make us more determined to succeed. Finally, facing and overcoming setbacks can make us more resilient and better able to handle future challenges.
We find a major set back in the life of Dr. Seuss when he decided to write his first book for adults, which turned out to be a complete failure. Seuss definitely learned from this setback after he published another adult story on his 82nd birthday, You’re Only Old Once! which ranked no. 1 The New York Times Best Sellers and remained there for over a year. The most note-worthy thing is that he wrote this story while suffering health related setback as well.
Why must we focus on the good no matter what?
There is always something good about everyone’s life but one’s ability to see that good as an advantage is where real strength lies. One inspiring aspect of Dr Seuss is that he never had his own biological kids, yet he spent most of his life writing for kids. In his own words:
You make ’em, I amuse ’em
(Dr. Seuss,1962)