Life, friends, is boring. We must not say so. After all, the sky flashes, the great sea yearns, we ourselves flash and yearn
Interpretation
Life can often feel monotonous, but we should acknowledge and appreciate its beauty and depth.
In this quote, John Berryman suggests that while life may sometimes feel dull and unexciting, it is essential to recognize the moments of passion and yearning that punctuate our existence. The imagery of the 'flashing' sky and the 'yearning' sea serves to remind us that despite life's mundane aspects, there are profound experiences and emotions that enrich our journey.
In practice
This quote could be used in a speech about finding joy in everyday moments.
There is no such thing as Freedom (though it is the most important condition of human life, after Humility, -which does not exist either). There is only Slavery (walls around one) and absence-of-Slavery (ability to walk in any direction, or to remain still).
We must travel in the direction of our fear.
Life, friends, is boring. We must not say so.
The artist is extremely lucky who is presented with the worst possible ordeal which will not actually kill him. At that point, he's in business.
One must be ruthless with one's own writing or someone else will be.
Life, friends, is boring. We must not say so. After all, the sky flashes, the great sea yearns, we ourselves flash and yearn, and moreover my mother told me as a boy (repeatedly) 'Ever to confess you're bored means you have no inner Resources.' I conclude now I have no inner resources, because I am heavy bored.
I've gotten to go to far-off places in the world, have very unique, isolated, intense experiences for four or five months at a time, and then, kind of like a dream, those things disappear. You may see those people again, but it's never, ever going to be as intense as it was for that time period.
Let life happen to you. Believe me: life is in the right, always.
There's something about knowing life is finite that makes it so precious.
I bought a gun and chose drugs instead.
If Miss Honeychurch ever takes to live as she plays, it will be very exciting--both for us and for her.
you're never more alive than when you're almost dead.
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