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25 pieces of wisdom from Forrest Gump

By Holly Pyne

02 July 2013

For someone who's by no means the sharpest knife in the drawer, Forrest Gump is a man chock full of sage advice. At least, his Mama was, anyway.

And outside his oft-quoted confectionery-based metaphors and a penchant for running that borders on neurotic, Tom Hanks' simple minded hero seemingly spouts philosophy in every other sentence during the 1994 film. Don't believe us? Well, prepare to feel rather silly - as here are 25 pearls of wisdom from Mr Gump and his dear old Mama.

Mrs Gump

"Life's a box of chocolates, Forrest. You never know what you're gonna get."

Mrs Gump

"You have to do the best with what God gave you."

Mrs Gump

"Don't you be afraid, sweetheart. Death is just a part of life, something we're all destined to do."

Forrest Gump

"I don't know if we each have a destiny, or if we're all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze, but I, I think maybe it's both. Maybe both is happening at the same time."

Forrest Gump

"Stupid is as stupid does."

Forrest Gump

"Mama always said, God is mysterious."

Forrest Gump

"My Mama always said you can tell a lot about a person by their shoes. Where they're going, where they've been."

Forrest Gump

"My Mama always said you've got to put the past behind you before you can move on."

Forrest Gump

"When I got tired, I slept. When I got hungry, I ate. When I had to go, you know, I went."

Forrest Gump

"Mama said not to be taking rides from strangers."

Forrest Gump

"Sometimes we all do things that, well, just don't make no sense."

Mrs Gump

"Don't ever let anybody tell you they're better than you, Forrest. If God intended everybody to be the same, he'd have given us all braces on our legs."

Mrs Gump

"Remember what I told you, Forrest. You're no different than anybody else is."

Forrest Gump

"You know, it's funny how you remember some things, but some things you can't."

Forrest Gump

"It's funny what a young man recollects. 'Cause I don't remember being born."

Forrest Gump

"Coons? When raccoons try to get on our back porch, Mama just chases 'em off with a broom."

Forrest Gump

"Now, the real good thing about meeting the President of the United States is the food."

Lieutenant Dan

"Two standing orders in this platoon. One, take good care of your feet. Two, try not to do anything stupid, like gettin' yourself killed."

Forrest Gump

"Bubba was my best good friend. And even I know that ain't something you can find just around the corner."

Forrest Gump

"Now the secret to [ping pong] is, no matter what happens, never, never take your eye off the ball."

Forrest Gump

"I guess Lieutenant Dan figured there's some things you just can't change. He didn't want to be called crippled, just like I didn't want to be called stupid."

Forrest Gump

"Now, Mama said there's only so much fortune a man really needs... and the rest is just for showing off. So, I gave a whole bunch of it to the Four Square Gospel Church."