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Might Have Been Quotes

Browse 488 quotes about Might Have Been.

Might Have Been Quotes

“All one's work might have been better done; but this is a sort of reflection a worker must put aside courageously if he doesn't mean every one of his conceptions to remain forever a private vision, an evanescent reverie.”

Ifs Mean Has Beens Done Might Work Vision Forever Reflection Workers Conception Might Have Been Reverie

Book:Complete Short Stories of Joseph Conrad (Including His Memoirs, Letters & Critical Essays: Unforgettable Tales like Heart of Darkness, Point of Honor, Falk, Secret Sharer, The Return & Freya of Seven Isles

Source: Complete Short Stories of Joseph Conrad (Including His Memoirs, Letters & Critical Essays: Unforgettable Tales like Heart of Darkness, Point of Honor, Falk, Secret Sharer, The Return & Freya of Seven Isles

“This attempt to isolate cell constituents might have been a failure if they had been destroyed by the relative brutality of the technique employed. But this did not happen.”

Ifs Has Beens Might Happens Technique Destroyed Cells Relative Employed Might Have Been Brutality Constituents

Author:Albert Claude

“Although I wasnt able to get a visa for Vietnam, I was able to talk with swift boat veterans to get a feel for the time and place, and I visited a tropical prison in the Philippines to get a sense of what a Vietnamese prison might have been like.”

Feels Has Beens Might Able House Prison Boat Vietnam Veteran Might Have Been Philippines Visa Tropical Vietnamese

Author:Tony Hillerman

“At heart, Sussman was a theoretician. In another age, he might have been a Talmudic scholar. He had cultivated a Socratic method, zinging question after question at the reporters: Who moved over from Commerce to CRP with Stans? What about Mitchell's secretary? Why won't anybody say when Liddy went to the White House or who worked with him there? Mitchell and Stans both ran the budget committee, right? What does that tell you? Then Sussman would puff on his pipe, a satisfied grin on his face.”

Heart Doe Has Beens Might Age Faces House White Method Moved Satisfied Budgets Ran White House Scholar Commerce Secretary Reporters Committees Might Have Been Pipe Puff Socratic

Book:All the President's Men

Source: All the President's Men

“Hill Street Blues might have been the first television show that had a memory. One episode after another was part of a cumulative experience shared by the audience.”

Firsts Has Beens Shows Might Memories Audience Streets Television Hills Episodes Might Have Been Television Shows Cumulative Hill Street Blues

Author:Steven Bochco

“Imagine a master painting that's never finished...when you can only build on previous work, you become limited by what you can paint...If you are in the midst of painting a forest full of tall tress and hanging vines, it is rather difficult to wake up the next day and suddenly turn that paining into the beach and ocean...We have to treat each day like a black canvas on which we can paint. Yesterday might have been paining flowers, but today you can paint cars or horses. A new day represents a chance for renewal.”

“I might have been able to make it as a pitcher except for one thing: I had a rather awkward motion and every time I brought my left arm forward I hit myself in the ear.”

Has Beens Might Able Left One Thing Arms Ears Awkward Might Have Been Pitcher

Author:Casey Stengel

“Your function as a critic is to show that it is really you yourself who should have written the book, if you had had the time, and since you hadn't you are glad that someone else had, although obviously it might have been done better.”

Ifs Should Has Beens Book Done Shows Might Written Should Have Function Critics Glad Might Have Been

Author:Stephen Potter

“No one's interested really in knowing what policies or diplomatic initiatives or arms negotiations might have been compromised by me.”

Has Beens Might Knowing Policy Arms Initiative Negotiation Might Have Been Diplomatic

Author:Aldrich Ames

“I was much affected by the internal troubles of the Punch family; I thought that with a little more tact on the part of Mrs. Punch and some restraint held over a temper, naturally violent, by Mr. Punch, a great deal of this sad misunderstanding might have been prevented.”

Littles Has Beens Might Deals Trouble Violent Internals Affected Temper Restraint Misunderstanding Might Have Been Tact

Book:Father and Son

Source: Father and Son

“Never, in all my early childhood, did anyone address to me the affecting preamble: 'Once upon a time!' ... I can but think that my parents were in error thus to exclude the imaginary from my outlook upon facts. They desired to make me truthful; the tendency was to make me positive and sceptical. Had they wrapped me in the soft folds of supernatural fancy, my mind might have been longer content to follow their traditions in an unquestioning spirit.”

“The Bumpuses were so low down on the evolutionary totem pole that they weren't even included in Darwin's famous family tree. They had inbred and ingrown and finally emerged from the Kentucky hills like some remnant of Attila the Hung's barbarian horde. Flick said that they had webbed feet and only three toes. It might have been true.”

Has Beens Said Might Three Family Tree Feet Lows Hills Hung Toes Might Have Been Barbarians Kentucky Remnants Horde Totems Inbreds

Author:Jean Shepherd

“When you say 'mother' or 'father' you describe three different phenomena. There is the giant who made you and loomed over your early years; there is whatever more human-scale version might have been possible to perceive later and maybe even befriend; and there is the internalized version of the parent with whom you struggle- to appease, to escape, to be yourself, to understand and be understood by- and they make up a chaotic and contradictory trinity.”

Source: The Faraway Nearby

“Had it been published by a voice from heaven, that twelve poor men, taken out of boats and creeks, without any help of learning, should conquer the world to the cross, it might have been thought an illusion against all reason of men; yet we know it was undertaken and accomplished by them.”

Source: The Existence and Attributes of God

“Ya know, Hitler was this evil, evil man. But with the World Bank and Israel manipulating America, he might have been on to something.”

Knows Men World Has Beens Might America Evil Israel Might Have Been Evil Man World Bank

Author:Zach Braff

“This time I read the title of the painting: Girl Interrupted at Her Music. Interrupted at her music: as my life had been, interrupted in the music of being seventeen, as her life had been, snatched and fixed on canvas: one moment made to stand still and to stand for all the other moments, whatever they would be or might have been. What life can recover from that?”

Has Beens Made Stills Moments Might Would Be Girl Painting Titles Fixed Canvas Might Have Been Interrupted Seventeen Girl Interrupted

Author:Susanna Kaysen

“But still my fancy wanders free Through that which might have been.”

Has Beens Stills Might Wander Fancy Might Have Been

Book:The Works of Thomas Love Peacock: Poems and plays. 1931

Source: The Works of Thomas Love Peacock: Poems and plays. 1931

“How different South Africa’s cricketing achievements, and indeed the future of the country itself, might have been if racism had not denied Frank Roro the opportunity of batting with Bruce Mitchell in the Lord’s sunshine.”

Ifs Has Beens Different Country Might Opportunity Lord Achievement Racism South Sunshine Denied Frank South Africa Might Have Been Batting

Author:Richard Lloyd

“Progress might have been all right once, but it's gone on too long.”

Long Has Beens Might Gone Progress Evolution Might Have Been

Author:Ogden Nash

“However, don't let these statistics mislead you, gang violence is not limited to California and or big urban areas - that might have been true a while ago but it is no longer the case today.”

Has Beens Bigs Might Today Cases Violence Areas California Statistics Urban Might Have Been Gang Mislead Urban Areas Gang Violence

Author:Bob Filner

“It's odd to think we might have been Sun, moon and stars unto each other; Only I turned down one little street As you went up another.”

Thinking Littles Has Beens Might Stars Destiny Sun Streets Moon Odd Might Have Been Turned Down Moon And Stars Sun Moon Sun Moon And Stars

Author:Fannie Heaslip Lea

“That shot might not have been as good as it might have been.”

Has Beens Might Shots Soccer Might Have Been Funny Soccer

Author:John Motson

“The key to the match might have been his serving. Maybe I should have concentrated harder on watching them go by me, I don't know.”

Knows Should Has Beens Might Keys Should Have Harder Tennis Serving Might Have Been

Author:Andy Roddick

“First, imagine taking the potentially regret - producing path of inaction. Then imagine what the very best outcome would be were you to take this risk. By picturing both scenarios in advance, you can avoid the regret of what might have been.”

Firsts Has Beens Might Would Be Path Imagine Risk Regret Outcomes Might Have Been Scenarios Inaction

Author:Wayne Dyer

“Thus when I come to shape here at this table between my hands the story of my life and set it before you as a complete thing, I have to recall things gone far, gone deep, sunk into this life or that and become part of it; dreams, too, things surrounding me, and the inmates, those old half-articulate ghosts who keep up their hauntings by day and night... shadows of people one might have been; unborn selves.”

People Has Beens Self Stories Dream Hands Might Night Half Gone Shapes Shadow Tables Ghost This Life Recalls Autobiography Might Have Been Haunting Day And Night Unborn Story Of My Life Inmates

Book:The Waves

Source: The Waves

“I have always found that each step we take in life is to be regretted - if we once begin to wonder how many other steps might have been possible.”

Ifs Life Has Beens Might Life Is Found Wonder Steps Might Have Been

Author:Pearl Mary Teresa Craigie

“In all troublous events we may find comfort, though it be only in the negative admission that things might have been worse.”

May Has Beens Might Events Gratitude Comfort Negative Might Have Been Admission

Author:Amelia Barr

“We might have been a free and great people together.”

People Has Beens Might Together History Might Have Been Great People

Book:The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence 1771 - 1779, the Summary View, and the Declaration of Independence

Source: The Works of Thomas Jefferson: Correspondence 1771 - 1779, the Summary View, and the Declaration of Independence

“The Society of North American Magic Realists welcomes its newest, most dazzling member, Louis Maistros. His debut novel is a thing of wonder, unlike anything in our literature. It startles. It stuns. It stupefies. No novel since CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES has done such justice to New Orleans. If Franz Kafka had been able to write like Peter Straub, this might have been the result.”

Ifs Writing Has Beens Done Might Able Literature Justice Results Wonder Novel Magic Members Peter Might Have Been New Orleans Realist Dazzling Debut Dunces

Author:Donald Harington

“All I asked for was equality and independence. A rotating chairmanship might have been the answer.”

Has Beens Might Answers Independence Might Have Been Rotating

Author:D. J. Enright

“On this day there was soon wind enough and to spare. The same might have been said of the sea. The Spray was in the midst of the turbulent Gulf Stream itself. She was jumping like a porpoise over the uneasy waves”

Has Beens Said Enough Might Sea Wind Wave Streams Midst This Day Spares Jumping Might Have Been Uneasy Spray Porpoises

Book:Sailing Alone Around the World

Source: Sailing Alone Around the World

“Our suffering is caused by holding on to how things might have been, should have been, could have been.”

Should Has Beens Might Suffering Should Have Might Have Been Could Have Been Holding On Should Have Been

Book:Who Dies?: An Investigation of Conscious Living and Conscious Dying

Source: Who Dies?: An Investigation of Conscious Living and Conscious Dying

“I can express gratitude for the simple act of being able to breathe in and breathe out. I can move away from darkness and depression to light and hope. I can be happy with who I am, not what I should be, or what I might have been, or what someone tells me I must be. I am me, the true me; you are you, the true you - and that's good. That's beautiful. That's enough.”

Should Has Beens I Can Enough Light Might Able Beautiful Moving Simple Darkness Gratitude Breathe Who I Am Might Have Been True You Expressing Gratitude

Author:Janet Jackson

“A quality is something capable of being completely embodied. A law never can be embodied in its character as a law except by determining a habit. A quality is how something may or might have been. A law is how an endless future must continue to be.”

May Has Beens Character Might Law Quality Habit Capable Endless Might Have Been

Book:Collected Papers of Charles Sanders Peirce : Edited by Charles Hartshorne and Paul Weiss: Principles of philosophy and Elements of logic

Source: Collected Papers of Charles Sanders Peirce : Edited by Charles Hartshorne and Paul Weiss: Principles of philosophy and Elements of logic

“If I had been a winger, I might have been daydreaming and thinking about how to keep my kit clean for next week.”

Ifs Thinking Has Beens Might Next Week Clean Might Have Been Daydreaming Rugby Next Week

Author:Bill Beaumont

“I wish you could see the two cats drowsing side by side in a Victorian nursing chair, their paws, their ears, their tails complementarily adjusted, their blue eyes blinking open on a single thought of when I shall remember it's their supper time. They might have been composed by Bach for two flutes.”

Has Beens Two Might Eye Remember Wish Sides Cat Ears Blue Chairs Tails Might Have Been Nursing Wish You Blue Eyes Victorian Supper Paws Flutes Supper Time

Author:Sylvia Townsend Warner

“The dream might have been more than a dream. It was as if a door in the wall of reality had come ajar... and now all sorts of unwelcome things were flying through.”

Ifs Has Beens Dream Reality Might Doors Wall Flying Aliens Might Have Been Ufo Unwelcome

Book:Insomnia

Source: Insomnia

“One of the leading uses of photography by the mass media came to be called photojournalism. From the late 'twenties' to the early 'fifties' what might have been the golden age of this speciality - photographers worked largely as the possessors of special and arcane skills, like the ancient priests who practiced and monopolized the skills of pictography or carving or manuscript illumination. In those halcyon days the photographer enjoyed a privileged status.”

“The world teaches birth control. Tragically, many of our sisters subscribe to its pills and practices when they could easily provide earthly tabernacles for more of our Father's children. We know that every spirit assigned to this earth will come, whether through us or someone else. There are couples in the Church who think they are getting along just fine with their limited families but who will someday suffer the pains of remorse when they meet the spirits that might have been part of their posterity.”

Source: God, family, country: our three great loyalties

“Governments having failed the people, the people are entirely justified in assuming for themselves an essential role in government. Where a government takes proper measures to protect the people under its care, such a proceeding might have been thought both unnecessary and unjustifiable: But here it is quite the Reverse.”

People Has Beens Government Might Care Liberty Roles Protect Essentials Assuming Reverse Unnecessary Justified Might Have Been Proceeding

Author:Benjamin Franklin

“At night, in the garden, it occurs to you that it might have been your heart that left you as you reached the capital. Your heart might not have travelled well, closed up in its cavity, quivering and gnawing at the bars of your ribcage during the commute. It might be tracking north now, along edgelands, past spoil-heaps and stands of pylons, under motorway passes, back to the higher ground. Back to him.”

Wells Heart Has Beens Might Past Night Left Higher Garden Bars Might Have Been Spoil Tracking Higher Ground

Author:Sarah Hall

“I can be happy with who I am, not what I should be, or what I might have been, or what someone tells me I must be.”

Should Has Beens I Can Might Who I Am Might Have Been

Book:True You

Source: True You

“It's never too late to be who you were meant to be.”

“Such is life and life is such and after all it isn't much. First a cradle. Then a hearse. It might have been better, but it could have been worse.”

Firsts Has Beens Might Life Is Might Have Been Could Have Been Cradle Such Is Life

Author:Norman Wisdom

“Besides, we weren't made to battle villains, because there weren't any. No nation, creed, or race was any better or worse than another; all were flawed, all were equally doomed to suffering, mostly because they couldn't see that they were all alike. Mortals might have been contemptible, true, but not evil entirely. They did enjoy killing one another and frequently came up with ingenious excuses for doing so on a grand scale-religions, economic theories, ethnic pride-but we couldn't condemn them for it, as it was in their mortal natures and they were too stupid to know any better.”

Source: In the Garden of Iden

“Never job backwards. What might have been was a waste of time.”

Has Beens Might Jobs Waste Wasting Time Backwards Might Have Been

Book:gilt-edged bonds

Source: gilt-edged bonds

“There is a wealth of unexpressed love in the world. It is one of the chief causes of sorrow evoked by death: what might have been said or might have been done that never can be said or done.”

World Has Beens Said Done Might Causes Wealth Sorrow Chiefs Might Have Been

Author:Arthur Hopkins

“So much of the deep lingering sadness over President Kennedy's assassination is about the unfinished promise: unspoken speeches, unfulfilled hopes, the wondering about what might have been.”

Has Beens Might President Wonder Sadness Promise Speech Might Have Been Assassination Unspoken Unfinished Lingering President Kennedy President Kennedy's Assassination

Author:Marian Wright Edelman

“Al-Awlaki was born here, he is an American citizen. He was never tried or charged for any crimes. No one knows if he killed anybody. We know he might have been associated with the underwear bomber. But if the American people accept this blindly and casually that we now have an accepted practice of the president assassinating people who he thinks are bad guys, I think it's sad.”

People Ifs Thinking Knows Has Beens Might Guy President Born Accepting Practice Crime Citizens Accepted Als Might Have Been Bad Guys Underwear American Citizens Bombers

Author:Ron Paul

“It's not about being upset about the things you might have said or done yesterday, which is quite appropriate at the moment. It's about looking forward rather than looking back. I hate people who look back on the past or talk about what might have been.”

People Looks Has Beens Said Done Moments Might Past Hate I Hate Yesterday Upset Appropriate Looking Back Might Have Been Looking Forward Hate People I Hate People

Author:Noel Gallagher