How small life is here and how big nothingness. The sky, tired of light, has given everything to the snow. The two trees bow their heads to each other. Clouds cross the world’s silence in a circle dance
Robert WalserRead
I don't want a future, I want a present. To me this appears of greater value. You have a future only when you have no present, and when you have a present, you forget to even think about the future.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment rather than fixating on the future.
In this quote, Robert Walser highlights the value of experiencing the present fully. He suggests that when one is deeply engaged in the now, thoughts of the future become secondary, and this dynamic creates a sense of fulfillment that an uncertain future cannot offer. Walser's perspective encourages us to prioritize our current experiences and appreciate life's immediate moments.
Themes
PresentValueLifeFutureExperience
In practice
Example use cases
During a mindfulness workshop, this quote can remind participants to focus on their current sensations and thoughts.
More from Robert Walser
All quotes →I am not here [in the sanitarium] to write, but to be mad.
Robert WalserRead
The novel I am constantly writing is always the same one, and it might be described as a variously sliced-up or torn-apart book of myself.
Robert WalserRead
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