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Grief walks upon the heels of pleasure; married in haste, we repent at leisure.
William Congreve
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Grief often follows happiness, and hasty decisions can lead to regret over time.

This quote reflects on the intertwined nature of joy and sorrow in life. It suggests that while moments of pleasure are often fleeting, they can lead to feelings of grief or loss, particularly when decisions are made impulsively, such as in relationships. The second part emphasizes the idea that when we rush into commitments or actions, we might later find ourselves regretting those choices as we face their consequences.

Themes

GriefPleasureRegretDecisionsRelationships

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be shared during a discussion about the emotional complexity of relationships at a seminar.

More from William Congreve

Music has charms to sooth a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.
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She likes herself, yet others hates, For that which in herself she prizes; And while she laughs at them, forgets She is the thing that she despises.
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Women are like tricks by sleight of hand, Which, to admire, we should not understand
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But say what you will, 'tis better to be left than never to have been loved. To pass our youth in dull indifference, to refuse the sweets of life because they once must leave us, is as preposterous as to wish to have been born old, because we one day must be old.
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There is in true beauty, as in courage, something which narrow souls cannot dare to admire.
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Uncertainty and expectation are the joys of life. Security is an insipid thing.
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