The small wisdom is like water in a glass: clear, transparent, pure. The great wisdom is like the water in the sea: dark, mysterious, impenetrable.
Rabindranath TagoreRead
The flower fades and dies; but he who wears the flower has not to mourn for it for ever.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Life is transient, but the memories and experiences associated with it endure.
This quote by Rabindranath Tagore reflects on the impermanence of life, symbolized by the flower that fades and dies. It suggests that even though beauty and life can be short-lived, the impact and joy it brings to our lives can be everlasting, and we should cherish those moments without being overly burdened by their eventual end.
Themes
LifeTransienceMemoriesImpermanenceBeauty
In practice
Example use cases
During a funeral, one might share this quote to comfort those grieving.
More from Rabindranath Tagore
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True deliverance of man is the deliverance from Avidya i.e. ignorance. It is not in destroying anything that is positive and real, for that cannot be possible, but that which is negative, which obstructs our vision of truth.
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The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures. It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth in numberless blades of grass and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.
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If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars.
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To be outspoken is easy when you do not wait to speak the complete truth.
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