Nobody heard him, the dead man, But still he lay moaning. I was much further out than you thought, and not waving but drowning. I was much too far out all my life, And not waving but drowning.
Stevie SmithRead
My friendships, they are a very strong part of my life, they are as light as gossamer but also they are as strong as steel. And I cannot throw them off, nor altogether do with them or without them. And I love them at the point where they say: It is nice to see you again. And I love them too at the point when they say: Good-bye, come again soon. The rhythm of friendship is a very good rhythm.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Friendships are both delicate and robust, and they play a crucial role in our lives.
In this quote, Stevie Smith reflects on the dual nature of friendships, describing them as both light and delicate like gossamer, yet strong and enduring like steel. She emphasizes the importance of these connections, expressing a sense of joy when reuniting with friends and a bittersweet feeling in farewells, highlighting that the ebb and flow of friendship creates a beautiful rhythm in life.
Themes
FriendshipConnectionsRelationshipsJoySupport
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of relationships, you might say, 'As Stevie Smith reminds us, friendships are both delicate and strong, and they enrich our lives immensely.'
More from Stevie Smith
All quotes →Into the dark night Resignedly I go, I am not so afraid of the dark night As the friends I do not know, I do not fear the night above As I fear the friends below.
Stevie SmithRead
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If a friend of mine gave a feast, and did not invite me to it, I should not mind a bit. but if a friend of mine had a sorrow and refused to allow me to share it, I should feel it most bitterly. If he shut the doors of the house of mourning against me, I would move back again and again and beg to be admitted so that I might share in what I was entitled to share. If he thought me unworthy, unfit to weep with him, I should feel it as the most poignant humiliation.
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There is a fellowship more quiet even than solitude, and which, rightly understood, is solitude made perfect.
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A slender acquaintance with the world must convince every man that actions, not words, are the true criterion of the attachment of friends.
George WashingtonRead