# 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:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 1999, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/41 "1999-10-29T18:36:00Z")
If someone’s made the decision to be unhappy, there’s nothing you can do but walk away until they’ve decided to try to be happy again. I’ll spare you the ongoing story behind this one and just hope I remember my own lesson. * * * “I guess it is possible for one person to make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.” ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 1999, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/42 "1999-10-30T01:15:00Z")
Many, many good ones here. But the very hardest of all for me to learn, which I still have a lot of trouble with, is: Knowing when to say _I can’t_. ---
**Author:** ![jazzmine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jazzmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jazzmine)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 1999, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/43 "1999-10-30T02:34:00Z")
Hippie, that is definitely the hardest for me. The second hardest took me until I was in my late twenties to learn - not everyone is going to like me. ---
**Author:** ![smilingjaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@smilingjaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smilingjaws)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 1999, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/44 "1999-10-30T04:22:00Z")
There isn’t someone for everyone. Dreams don’t always come true. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 1999, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/45 "1999-10-30T05:13:00Z")
to steal from the 2 john’s: No one in the world ever gets what they want - and that is beautiful Everybody dies frustrated and sad - and that is beautiful. * * * Magnificent to behold - Greatly to be praised. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 1999, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/46 "1999-10-30T05:33:00Z")
At the risk of being repetitous, I’ll clarify something that has probably occurred to no one else but me. > [@](#): > > It was hard to learn, but I finally got it awhile ago. > If I’m still alive when it’s over, there’s more… I fear that previous post gave some impression that I’d switched over to one of the afterlife philosophies - that’s not the case. What I meant to say was: _If_ I’m still alive when this current travail (be it IRS audit or car rolling down bayou bank) is over, there’s more to come… Any better? ---
**Author:** ![Jvanhorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jvanhorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jvanhorn)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 1999, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166/47 "1999-10-30T11:40:00Z")
Somewhat depressing, but with a grain of truth, heard from a customer recently: “Life’s a shit sandwich, and every day is another bite.” Narrowly missing the topic, I guess. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hardest-life-lesson-for-you-to-learn/10166.md?page=2)