It’s an annual event…people look for quotations to help inspire them as they begin a new year. Of course, there is nothing wrong with that. Everyone could use a little inspiration. However, if you are going to look to C.S. Lewis to encourage or motivate you, please be careful by trying to find out if what you see on social media is something he actually wrote. Likewise, it’s important to consider the context when quoting him (or any author). After all, Lewis actually wrote (and once believed) the following:
“Either there is no spirit behind the universe, or else a spirit
indifferent to good and evil, or else an evil spirit.”
That quote comes from the first chapter of The Problem of Pain. It is found at the end of a long paragraph that begins, “Not many years ago when I was an atheist…”
Over the past week, I’ve seen many share the following passage that is CLOSE to what Lewis wrote (only a few minor errors), however, the context provides a much DIFFERENT meaning than the isolated expression suggests. The inaccurate quote is this: “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” What Lewis actually wrote is (but remember, we need to consider the context):
“There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.”
Isolated it would seem to suggest you should look forward to something great happening in your life in the future. Maybe a new job, or some other earthly success. However, the context finds Lewis replying to someone in a letter who was afraid to die that they should not fear death. Read more about it in my article available here. Ironically, I once found the quote used on a suicide hotline website.
Next, here’s something Lewis didn’t even write, but it is one I’ve commonly seen shared around the new year with his name on it.
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can
start where you are and change the ending.”
If you do a little detective work when searching for the origin of this quote you’ll discover that over half-a-dozen people have been credited as the author! If only someone could go back in time and figure out who created it, then we could “change the ending” credit. All humor aside, as I’ve stated elsewhere, you can go ahead and enjoy an expression that is falsely attributed to Lewis, just avoid sharing an image with his name on it. You can read more details about this quotation elsewhere on my site.
Finally, a third common expression shared around the new year that C.S. Lewis wouldn’t want you to share with his name associated with it is this:
“You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream.”
While it is important to never give up on something you want to achieve, one of those goals should be to not share quotations that are falsely attributed to a person. You are never too old to make this resolution! More details about this quote are found here.
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