I'm not doing anything, and yet I'm also doing the most important thing a man can do: I'm listening to what I needed to hear from myself.
Paulo CoelhoRead
Instead of noting down things I’m unlikely to forget, I will write a poem. Even if I have never written one before and even if I never do so again, I will at least know that I once had the courage to put my feelings into words.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of expressing one's feelings creatively, regardless of prior experience.
In this reflection, Paulo Coelho speaks to the courage required to express one's inner thoughts and emotions through poetry, even if one has never attempted it before. The act of writing a poem becomes a courageous step toward self-expression and authenticity, allowing the writer to capture fleeting feelings in a tangible form, regardless of the outcome or future endeavors in poetry.
Themes
PoetryCourageSelf-ExpressionCreativityFeelings
In practice
Example use cases
During a poetry reading event, I shared this quote to inspire newcomers to express themselves without fear.
More from Paulo Coelho
All quotes →Each stone, each bend cries welcome to him. He identifies with the mountains and the streams, he sees something of his own soul in the plants and the animals and the birds of the field.
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We need to clear our minds of bad thoughts.
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Having the courage to take the steps we always wanted to take is the only way of showing that we trust in God.
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The fool who loves giving advice on our garden never tends his own plants
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Sometimes the Warrior feels as if he were living two lives at once.
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