We had yet to learn that the Devil created youth so that we could make our mistakes, and that God established maturity and old age so that we could pay for them.
Carlos Ruiz ZafonRead
I hoped my absence made them happy or at least made them forget that they weren't happy and never will be.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the impact of one's absence and the complexities of other people's happiness.
In this quote, Carlos Ruiz Zafón explores the bittersweet notion that sometimes our presence or absence can influence the emotional states of others. It suggests a deep understanding of the human condition, where the hope for another's happiness can be overshadowed by the reality that true happiness is a fleeting and elusive state, often obscured by underlying dissatisfaction.
Themes
AbsenceHappinessEmotionsHuman ConditionComplexity
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a discussion about relationships and emotional well-being.
More from Carlos Ruiz Zafon
All quotes →The haunting of history is ever present in Barcelona. I see cities as organisms, as living creatures. To me, Madrid is a man and Barcelona is a woman. And it's a woman who's extremely vain.
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I think today will be the day. Today our luck will change,' I proclaimed on the wings of the first coffee of the day, pure optimism in a liquid state.
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We spend a good part of our lives dreaming, especially when we're awake.
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Destiny is usually just around the corner. Like a thief, a hooker, or a lottery vendor: its three most common personifications. But what destiny does not do is home visits. You have to go for it.
Carlos Ruiz ZafonRead
Destiny doesn't do home visits... you have to go for it yourself.
Carlos Ruiz ZafonRead
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