Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.
John SteinbeckRead
All great and precious things are lonely.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Valuable and beautiful aspects of life often come with a sense of solitude.
This quote by John Steinbeck suggests that the most significant and treasured experiences or objects in life are often accompanied by a feeling of loneliness. This loneliness can arise because great achievements, profound understanding, or exceptional talent may set individuals apart from others, creating a distance that leads to feelings of isolation despite their intrinsic value.
Themes
LonelinessGreatnessValueSolitudePrecious Things
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about creative pursuits, one might use this quote to highlight the sacrifices made by artists.
More from John Steinbeck
All quotes βAt one point, as Samuel urges Adam to raise his boys well regardless of the blood that might be in them, Adam tells him, "You can't make a race horse of a pig." Samuel replies, "No, but you can make a very fast pig.
John SteinbeckRead
And when that crop grew, and was harvested, no man had crumbled a hot clod in his fingers and let the earth sift past his fingertips. No man had touched the seed, or lusted for the growth. Men ate what they had not raised, had no connection with the bread. The land bore under iron, and under iron gradually died; for it was not loved or hated, it had no prayers or curses.
John SteinbeckRead
The comfortable people in tight houses felt pity at first, and then distaste, and finally hatred for the migrant people.
John SteinbeckRead
People do not want advice - they want corroboration.
John SteinbeckRead
It is one of the triumphs of the human that he can know a thing and still not believe it.
John SteinbeckRead
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