But what is Hope? Nothing but the paint on the face of Existence; the least touch of truth rubs it off, and then we see what a hollow-cheeked harlot we have got hold of.
Lord ByronRead
Her great merit is finding out mine; there is nothing so amiable as discernment.
Interpretation
The quote highlights the value of recognizing and appreciating the qualities of others, particularly in relationships.
In this quote, Lord Byron emphasizes the importance of discernment in understanding and appreciating the merits of those around us. He suggests that the ability to see and acknowledge the strengths of others is a commendable trait, one that fosters kindness and depth in relationships, making discernment a truly admirable quality.
In practice
In a wedding speech, one might quote this to express appreciation for their partner's ability to recognize their strengths.
But what is Hope? Nothing but the paint on the face of Existence; the least touch of truth rubs it off, and then we see what a hollow-cheeked harlot we have got hold of.
It is the lava of the imagination whose eruption prevents an earthquake.
For what were all these country patriots born? To hunt, and vote, and raise the price of corn?
Absence - that common cure of love.
But words are things, and a small drop of ink, Falling like dew, upon a thought, produces That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.
For truth is always strange; stranger than fiction.
The moment we break faith with one another, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out.
I know the anger lies inside of me like I know the beat of my heart and the taste of my spit. It is easier to be furious than to be yearning. Easier to crucify myself in you than to take on the threatening universe of whiteness by admitting that we are worth wanting each other.
The married state, with and without the affection suitable to it, is the completest image of heaven and hell we are capable of receiving in this life.
Women want everything of a lover. And too often I would sink below the surface. So armies disappear under sand. And there was her fear of her husband, her belief in her honour, my old desire for self-sufficiency, my disappearances, her suspicions of me, my disbelief that she loved me. The paranoia and claustrophobia of hidden love.
When people say 'marriage' to me... It's always a means to an end. Everyone's so in a rush to define the relationship.
When you're Black in America, you spend a lot of time counting firsts. The higher the first, the more we marvel (and shake our heads at how long it took to happen.) The higher the first, the more the person who achieved it comes to represent how we want the nation to see us.
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