Life with most teenagers was like having a low-grade bladder infection. It hurts, but you had to tough it out.
Anne LamottRead
I've known for years that resentments don't hurt the person we resent, but they do hurt us.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Holding onto resentment damages our own well-being rather than affecting the person we resent.
This quote highlights the destructive nature of resentment, indicating that while we may believe that our negative feelings towards others serve as a form of punishment for them, in reality, it is ourselves who suffer the consequences. By holding onto these feelings, we create emotional burdens that hinder our own happiness and peace of mind, suggesting the importance of letting go for our own sake.
Themes
ResentmentForgivenessWell-BeingAngerEmotional Health
In practice
Example use cases
During a therapy session, this quote can be used to illustrate the importance of letting go of past grievances.
More from Anne Lamott
All quotes βOr you might shout at the top of your lungs or whisper into your sleeve, "I hate you, God." That is a prayer too, because it is real, it is truth, and maybe it is the first sincere thought you've had in months.
Anne LamottRead
Your problem is how you are going to spend this one odd and precious life you have been issued. Whether you're going to spend it trying to look good and creating the illusion that you have power over people and circumstances, or whether you are going to taste it, enjoy it and find out the truth about who you are.
Anne LamottRead
It is hard to remember that you are a cherished spiritual being when you're burping up apple fritters and Cheetos.
Anne LamottRead
Gorgeous, amazing things come into our lives when we are paying attention: mangoes, grandnieces, Bach, ponds. This happens more often when we have as little expectation as possible. If you say, "Well, that's pretty much what I thought I'd see," you are in trouble. At that point you have to ask yourself why you are even here. [...] Astonishing material and revelation appear in our lives all the time. Let it be. Unto us, so much is given. We just have to be open for business.
Anne LamottRead
...because when people have seen you at their worst, you don't have to put on the mask as much.
Anne LamottRead
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Tell troth and shame the devil.
Ben JonsonRead