# Hardest Life Lesson for you to learn **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 26, 1999, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166 "1999-10-26T18:39:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/1 "1999-10-26T18:39:00Z")
The hardest thing for me to learn is that just because you want something, doesn’t mean you’ll get it or that you are entitled to it. This lesson is summed up in the old saying “If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride.” Anybody else have any hard lessons to learn? * * * –Gail “Predictable, really I suppose. It was an act of purest optimism to have posed the question in the first place.” --John Cleese ---
**Author:** ![Gazelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Gazelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazelle)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/2 "1999-10-26T18:57:00Z")
My two hardest: 1. I will not be liked by everyone. It took me until 24 years of age to learn that. I always thought that if I was genuine, fair, honest and straightforward, everyone would like me. 1. My in-laws will not be like a second set of parents. They’re jerks. * * * Men are from Mars, women are from Venus, dogs are from Pluto. - Anonymous ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/3 "1999-10-26T18:58:00Z")
You simply cannot change people; they are what they are. So if they make you unhappy, annoy you or bore you, simply stop associating with them–just fold your tent and silently steal away. Nine times outta ten, they’ll never even miss you. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/4 "1999-10-26T19:03:00Z")
Arguing with lawyers is pointless. * * * Yer pal, Satan ---
**Author:** ![Sylence](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@Sylence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylence)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/5 "1999-10-26T19:04:00Z")
You can’t be perfect. – Sylence * * * And now, for my next trick, I will talk in spooky half-references. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/6 "1999-10-26T19:49:00Z")
People will think I’m arrogant just because I’m more intelligent than they are. ## Really. I’m not an arrogant guy, confident at most. Coldfire * * * “You know how complex women are” - Neil Peart, Rush (1993) ---
**Author:** ![pluto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f08c70/32.png) [@pluto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pluto)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/7 "1999-10-26T19:49:00Z")
1. I’ll never get to do everything I want to do. (I don’t mean going to Disneyland, or stuff like that, but writing the novel, composing the opera, shooting the movie, painting the picture, etc.) 2. I can’t make _everything_ better, no matter how hard I try. 3. I won’t post the correct answer to every General Question on the SDMB. (I’d settle for posting correct answers every time I try, but that’s not going to happen either!) * * * “And comb London’s teeming millions for him? Had we but world enough and time.” Dorothy L. Sayers _Murder Must Advertise_ ---
**Author:** ![Sealemon88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Sealemon88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sealemon88)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/8 "1999-10-26T19:50:00Z")
Love isn’t fair. * * * You say “cheesy” like that’s a **BAD** thing. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/9 "1999-10-26T20:00:00Z")
No matter how deserving I am, no one’s going to just hand me what I want. I have to go out and get it. People don’t change. Or rather, they change very rarely, and never for something outside of themselves. That as much as I like to think of myself as a “good” person, I am capable of doing something that I myself consider to be extremly wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Valerieblaise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@Valerieblaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valerieblaise)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/10 "1999-10-26T20:01:00Z")
Just because you love someone doesn’t mean you can live with them. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/11 "1999-10-26T20:08:00Z")
No matter how you wiggle and dance, the last few drops land in your pants. * * * Saint Eutychus [www.disneyshorts.org](http://www.disneyshorts.org) ---
**Author:** ![Stevie\_Rave\_On](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Stevie\_Rave\_On](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stevie_Rave_On)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/12 "1999-10-26T20:36:00Z")
Eutychus, that’s hysterical! The hardest thing I’ve learned is to let people know how you feel about them. You might not have another chance * * * “My guitar is my first wife. It doesn’t scream at me. It screams for me.” SRV ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/13 "1999-10-26T20:44:00Z")
Very few things are worth an argument. Just smile and let it slide. * * * “The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind.” - _Humphrey Bogart_ ---
**Author:** ![Tammy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6de8d8/32.png) [@Tammy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tammy)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/14 "1999-10-26T21:05:00Z")
The hardest thing that I’ve learned, as of late, is that tomorrow still comes and you have to crawl out of bed. ---
**Author:** ![heatherlee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d6d6ee/32.png) [@heatherlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heatherlee)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/15 "1999-10-26T21:08:00Z")
never argue with Satan he always wins * * * Love Always, Heather Lee [XheatherleeX@aol.com](mailto:XheatherleeX@aol.com) ---
**Author:** ![Flypsyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Flypsyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flypsyde)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/16 "1999-10-26T21:14:00Z")
That even if she says no, I’ll still wake up the next morning. Chances are she WON’T laugh out loud when I ask her out. That if I don’t ask her because I’m afraid she’ll say no, I’ll never give her the chance to say yes. * * * “I’m still here, asshole!”-Angus Bethune ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/17 "1999-10-26T21:18:00Z")
Patience is a virtue. ---
**Author:** ![heatherlee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d6d6ee/32.png) [@heatherlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heatherlee)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/18 "1999-10-26T21:27:00Z")
seriously this time, I learned that you cant always take peoples word to heart. because not everyone is honest. (unfortunally) * * * Love Always, Heather Lee [XheatherleeX@aol.com](mailto:XheatherleeX@aol.com) ---
**Author:** ![Rousseau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Rousseau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rousseau)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 1999, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/19 "1999-10-26T21:38:00Z")
UncleBeer, your answer is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. What’s the matter with you? I am going to whoever runs this thing and recommending your immediate dismissal for such a dumb post. Geez. (Just kidding…'cause his post was about not arguing, and I’m arguing…haha…ha …get it?) * * * The IQ of a group is equal to the IQ of the dumbest member divided by the number of people in the group. ---
**Author:** ![neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ab097/32.png) [@neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neuro-trash_grrrl)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 1999, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/20 "1999-10-27T02:09:00Z")
That when everybody keeps giving you the same advice, ninety-nine times out of a hundred, they’re right. * * * Modest? You bet I’m modest! I am the queen of modesty! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166.md?page=2)