Perhaps this war will pass like the others which divided us leaving us dead, killing us along with the killers but the shame of this time puts its burning fingers to our faces. Who will erase the ruthlessness hidden in innocent blood?
It was my destiny to love and say goodbye.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the idea that love often comes with the pain of parting and that such experiences are an inevitable part of our lives.
Pablo Neruda's quote expresses a poignant truth about the nature of love and loss. It suggests that love is intertwined with destiny, and while it brings joy and fulfillment, it also carries the inevitable sorrow of goodbye. The acknowledgment of this duality highlights the beauty and fragility of human relationships, where the act of loving someone can often lead to sorrow when the time comes to part ways. This bittersweet reality is a common experience in life's journey, making love both a blessing and a source of heartache.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech at a wedding, one might reflect on the joys and pains of love, invoking this quote.
More from Pablo Neruda
All quotes βI want to see the thirst inside the syllables I want to touch the fire in the sound: I want to feel the darkness of the cry. I want words as rough as virgin rocks.β - Verb.
Only do not forget, if I wake up crying it's only because in my dream I'm a lost child hunting through the leaves of the night for your hands.
And here am I, budding among the ruins with only sorrow to bite on, as if weeping were a seed and I the earth's only furrow.
Once more I am the silent one who came out of the distance wrapped in cold rain and bells: I owe to earth's pure death the will to sprout.
I learned about life from life itself, love I learned in a single kiss and could teach no one anything except that I have lived with something in common among men.
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People talk about love as if it were something you could give, like an armful of flowers.
If faith is lacking, it is because there is too much selfishness, too much concern for personal gain. For faith to be true, it has to be generous and loving. Love and faith go together, they complete each other.