Quotes About Uncertainty

When in doubt, eat donuts.

The only safe place left is the dark.

It was inconsiderate, she thought, how blandly people mentioned the future in the sick rooms. Phrases like next summer were always popping out; people made such assumptions about their own continuity.

He sat where he was, on Mouse, in the grip of terrible indecision. He almost wished something would happen—a sudden attack of Mexicans or something. He might be killed, but at least he wouldn't have to make a choice between disobeying Mr. Gus and disobeying Lorena.

no medicine man or wise man knew why one man died and another lived. Wise men themselves often died before fools, and cowards before men who were brave.

He wondered if all men felt such disappointment when thinking of themselves. He didn't know.

It's funny, leaving a place, ain't it? he said. You never do know when you'll get back.

We might all get killed this afternoon, for all I know. That's the wild for you - it's got its dangers, which is part of the beauty.

He didn't feel sad. The one thing he knew about Texas was that he was lucky to be leaving it alive—and, in fact, he had a long way to go before he could be sure of accomplishing that much.

There seem to be no way he could stop anything that was happening, although it all felt wrong.

In fact, July felt he had reached a point in his life where virtually nothing was known.

Certain mountains were that way, like the Bighorns. The air around them was so clear you could ride toward them for days without seeming to get any closer. And yet, if you kept riding, you would get to the mountains. He was not so sure he would ever get to Lorie.

There was no degree of competence that would assure anyone of survival, and no scale that would tell a commander which man would live and which man would die.

It only went to show what he already knew, which was that there were more dangers in life than even the sharpest training could anticipate.

Captain McCrae was wanting to know the answer to questions that had no answer.

It's funny, leaving a place, ain't it?" he said. "You never do know when you'll get back.

He himself had once been a man of firm opinion, but now it seemed to him that he knew almost nothing, whereas the words Clara flung at him were hard as rocks.

Famous Shoes knew the young ranger was scared. Nothing was easier to detect in a man than fear. It showed even in the way he fumbled with his cup while drinking coffee; and it was normal that he would be afraid. He didn't know where he was

Seems like every time I make a plan something happens to change it. Well, life's a twisting stream, Augustus said.

But I ain't young enough to count on what I think bein' right, either, an' I ain't fool enough to figure on things turning out the way I expect 'em to.

One little shot during a card game in Arkansas had started things happening—things he couldn't see the end of.

I haven't planned, very much," July said honestly. "Seems like every time I make a plan something happens to change it.

I don't know," Goyeto said. "This is not a very strong sun.

I ain't sick, Gus, Lippy said, a little embarrassed by his tears. Soon he felt a little better. Lonesome Dove was hidden—he could barely see the top of the little church house across the chaparral flats. It's funny, leaving a place, ain't it? he said. You never do know when you'll get back.