I began writing when I was still in the British Foreign Service, and it was then understood that even if you wrote about butterfly collecting, you used another name.
John Le CarreRead
Gerald Westerby, he told himself. You were present at your birth. You were present at your several marriages and at some of your divorces, and you will certainly be present at your funeral. High time, in our considered view, that you were present at certain other crucial moments in your history.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of being present and aware during significant life events.
This quote reflects on the notion of mindfulness and self-awareness throughout one's life. It suggests that while we may be present during key milestones such as birth, marriage, and death, we often overlook our presence in other important moments that shape our history and identity. It encourages a conscious engagement with life's pivotal experiences rather than merely going through the motions.
Themes
MindfulnessPresenceLife MomentsSelf-AwarenessReflection
In practice
Example use cases
As a graduation speech theme to inspire students to be present and engaged in their future.
More from John Le Carre
All quotes →In every war zone that I've been in, there has been a reality and then there has been the public perception of why the war was being fought. In every crisis, the issues have been far more complex than the public has been allowed to know.
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The cat sat on the mat is not a story. The cat sat on the other cat’s mat is a story.
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The monsters of our childhood do not fade away, neither are they ever wholly monstrous.
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Coming home from very lonely places, all of us go a little mad: whether from great personal success, or just an all-night drive, we are the sole survivors of a world no one else has ever seen.
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If I had to put a name to it, I would wish that all my books were entertainments. I think the first thing you've got to do is grab the reader by the ear, and make him sit down and listen. Make him laugh, make him feel. We all want to be entertained at a very high level.
John Le CarreRead
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