Saying:
When Its Your Time, Its Your time.
Lauren learned this saying from her moms side of the family. Apparently it has been a family saying for quite a few generations, and it is used very often by her relatives, especially during family gatherings. In the most literal sense, it is used to mean when it is you time to die, it is your time to die, however it is often adapted to mean that things are just the way they are, there is no point in complaining/fighting against them. So in this context, it is generally used when people are complaining about things. It also can be construed to mean that you dont get to decide when you die, so you might as well make the best of what you have now. And it also can be used in situations of importance such as sports, performances etc., meaning its your time to shine.
Lauren believes that part of the reason it is such a popular saying in her family is due to the fact that it has been used for so many generations that it is like drawing upon the wisdom of their ancestors. Also, it captures the rather humble and realist attitude that people in her family tend to hold.
This proverb is not exclusively used by the Bell family, however it is not generally a well-known proverb used in American culture. It is, however, very similar to the proverb it is what it is which is more commonly used, and carries a similar meaning. It is what it is is often regarded as kind of a defeatist attitude, however just as with any proverb or saying, it can be interpreted in many ways. There are also many proverbs that have a similar parallel and repetitious structure that are commonly known such as potato, potato (pronounced poTAYto, poTAto), which also has a similar meaning.