...we shall board our imagined ship and wildly sail among sacred islands of the mad till death shatters the fabulous stars and makes us real.
Sylvia PlathRead
I am not cruel, only truthful.
Interpretation
The quote expresses that honesty, even when harsh, is not an act of cruelty but rather a reflection of truthfulness.
Sylvia Plath's quote emphasizes the importance of honesty over kindness, suggesting that being truthful may sometimes come across as cruel, but it is essential for understanding and growth. This statement invites reflection on the nature of truth in relationships and the potential discomfort that can arise from confronting reality.
In practice
In a workshop on communication, this quote could be used to emphasize the value of honesty over sugarcoating.
...we shall board our imagined ship and wildly sail among sacred islands of the mad till death shatters the fabulous stars and makes us real.
The hardest thing, I think, is to live richly in the present, without letting it be tainted & spoiled out of fear for the future or regret for a badly-managed past.
It is as if my life were magically run by two electric currents: joyous positive and despairing negative--which ever is running at the moment dominates my life, floods it.
You walked in, laughing, tears welling confused, mingling in your throat. How can you be so many women to so many people, oh you strange girl?
I keep wanting to crawl back into the womb.
It's the living, the eating, the sleeping that everyone needs. Ideas don't matter so much after all. My three best friends are Catholic. I can't see their beliefs, but I can see the things they love to do on earth. When you come right down to it, I do believe in the freedom of the individual.
The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.
Advice is like snow - the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it sinks into the mind.
There is nothing so satisfying as to be shot at without effect.
When you have the facts on your side, argue the facts. When you have the law on your side, argue the law. When you have neither, holler.
The lower you are, the higher your mind will want to soar. It was natural that, bereft and desperate as I was, in the throes of unremitting suffering. I should turn to God
Whenever you feel an impulse to perpetrate a piece of exceptionally fine writing, obey it - whole-heartedly - and delete it before sending your manuscript to press. Murder your darlings.
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