Life is a journey that must be traveled no matter how bad the roads and accommodations.
Oliver GoldsmithRead
Absence, like death, sets a seal on the image of those we love: we cannot realize the intervening changes which time may have effected.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Absence makes us romanticize our memories of loved ones, obscuring the changes that have occurred over time.
In this quote, Oliver Goldsmith suggests that when we are separated from those we love, we tend to idealize them and the moments we shared, much like the finality of death. This absence prevents us from recognizing the growth or changes that may have taken place in their lives, allowing us to hold onto an untainted image of them in our minds.
Themes
AbsenceLoveMemoryTimeChange
In practice
Example use cases
A friend reminiscing about a loved one who has passed away.
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Oliver GoldsmithRead
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