Married couples who quarrel bitterly every day may really need each other as deeply as those who appear to be desperately in love.
Edward AbbeyRead
I've wrecked and ravaged half my life in the pursuit of women, and I suffer the pangs of about seventeen regrets -- the seventeen who got away.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the regrets one may have in love and relationships, highlighting the emotional turmoil caused by past choices.
Edward Abbey's quote poignantly captures the idea of regret associated with romantic pursuits. It suggests that a significant portion of one's life may be spent in the chase for love, leading to a sense of loss or pain over missed opportunities. The number 'seventeen' signifies not just the quantity of relationships, but rather the depth of emotional impact each one had on the speaker, conveying a universal truth about the complexities of love and the haunting nature of what could have been.
Themes
RegretLoveRelationshipsPastLoss
In practice
Example use cases
In a reflective speech at a wedding, one might quote Abbey to emphasize the importance of appreciating love before it slips away.
More from Edward Abbey
All quotes →I love America because it is a confused, chaotic mess - and I hope we can keep it this way for at least another thousand years. The permissive society is the free society.
Edward AbbeyRead
If it's knowledge and wisdom you want, then seek out the company of those who do real work for an honest purpose.
Edward AbbeyRead
The earth is real. Only a fool, milking his cow, denies the cow's reality.
Edward AbbeyRead
I believe in nothing that I cannot touch, kiss, embrace.... The rest is only hearsay.
Edward AbbeyRead
Why can't we simply borrow what is useful to us from Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, especially Zen, as we borrow from Christianity, science, American Indian traditions and world literature in general, including philosophy, and let the rest go hang? Borrow what we need but rely principally upon our own senses, common sense and daily living experience.
Edward AbbeyRead
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One of the reasons that metaphor and symbolism are important in books is because they are also important to life. Like, for example say you're in high school and you're a boy and you say to a girl: "Do you like anyone right now?" - that's not the question you're asking. The question you're asking is, "do you like me right now."
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A little still she strove, and much repented, And whispering “I will ne'er consent”—consented.
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Be a good listener...It makes the person who's speaking to you feel loved,cared for and worthy of being heard.
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