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
[H]e lay awake, dreading the dawn when he would have to say good-bye to the small universe he had built for himself over the years.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the fear and sadness of leaving behind something cherished.
In this quote, the author conveys a sense of personal loss and nostalgia associated with parting from a familiar and comforting world. The character's dread of saying goodbye to his 'small universe' illustrates how deeply one can connect with their surroundings and the memories created there, highlighting the emotional weight of transitions in life.
Themes
LossNostalgiaGoodbyeTransitionChange
In practice
Example use cases
During a farewell speech at retirement, one could reflect on the quote to share feelings of leaving behind a beloved career.
More from Carlos Ruiz Zafon
All quotes βThe 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.
Carlos Ruiz ZafonRead
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.
Carlos Ruiz ZafonRead
We spend a good part of our lives dreaming, especially when we're awake.
Carlos Ruiz ZafonRead
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
Similar quotes
Old age has its pleasures, which, though different, are not less than the pleasures of youth.
W. Somerset MaughamRead
One of the hardest things in life to accept is a called third strike.
Robert FrostRead
You write your life story by the choices you make.
Helen MirrenRead
It is the stories we don't get, the ones we miss, pass over, fail to recognize, don't pick up on, that will send us to hell.
Molly IvinsRead
HIV changed my life, but it doesn't keep me from living.
Magic JohnsonRead
When you don't have much money, cooking can be incredibly reassuring. You feel like you're doing meaningful work.
Alice WatersRead