"You can put wings on a pig, but you don't make it an eagle"

This quote by William J. Clinton is a metaphor for the concept that you can dress something up, but it does not change what it is. It is a reminder that no matter just how much effort you take into something, you can not alter its basic nature. It is a warning against attempting to make something into something it is not. The quote is likewise a reminder that we should accept things for what they are and not attempt to require them to be something they are not. It is a pointer to be sensible and accept the constraints of what we can and can not do. Ultimately, this quote is a suggestion to be content with what we have and to not try to make something into something it is not.