Life with most teenagers was like having a low-grade bladder infection. It hurts, but you had to tough it out.
Anne LamottRead
Gorgeous, amazing things come into our lives when we are paying attention: mangoes, grandnieces, Bach, ponds. This happens more often when we have as little expectation as possible. If you say, "Well, that's pretty much what I thought I'd see," you are in trouble. At that point you have to ask yourself why you are even here. [...] Astonishing material and revelation appear in our lives all the time. Let it be. Unto us, so much is given. We just have to be open for business.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of being present and open to the wonders around us, free from rigid expectations.
Anne Lamott's quote suggests that life is filled with extraordinary moments and experiences that often go unnoticed due to our preconceptions and expectations. By adopting an open mindset and paying attention to the beauty and surprises life offers—whether they are as simple as mangoes or profound like music—we can enrich our existence. The message encourages us to embrace spontaneity and appreciate the richness of life that comes from letting go of rigid expectations.
Themes
AttentionExpectationWonderOpennessLife
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech about mindfulness and presence.
More from Anne Lamott
All quotes →Or you might shout at the top of your lungs or whisper into your sleeve, "I hate you, God." That is a prayer too, because it is real, it is truth, and maybe it is the first sincere thought you've had in months.
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Your problem is how you are going to spend this one odd and precious life you have been issued. Whether you're going to spend it trying to look good and creating the illusion that you have power over people and circumstances, or whether you are going to taste it, enjoy it and find out the truth about who you are.
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It is hard to remember that you are a cherished spiritual being when you're burping up apple fritters and Cheetos.
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...because when people have seen you at their worst, you don't have to put on the mask as much.
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As a Christian and a feminist, the most important message I can carry and fight for is the sacredness of each human life, and reproductive rights for all women are a crucial part of that. It is a moral necessity that we not be forced to bring children into the world for whom we cannot be responsible and adoring and present. We must not inflict life on children who will be resented; we must not inflict unwanted children on society.
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