And enough for me that when my hand touched your shoulder, you leaned on me; and when you felt me slip away, you called my name.
Orson Scott CardRead
Like running the hurdles. Work so hard, jump over every one, fast, high enough but no higher, because you can't afford to hang in the air. And then, when the race is over, you're dripping with sweat, either they beat you or you beat them ... and then a couple of guys come out and move the hurdles out of the way. Turns out they were nothing. All that work to jump over them, but now they're gone.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the effort we put into overcoming obstacles, only to realize they may not have been as significant as we thought.
In this quote, Orson Scott Card uses the metaphor of running hurdles to illustrate the futility of striving to overcome challenges that, in retrospect, may not hold much weight. While one invests a tremendous amount of energy and determination to conquer hardships, the eventual revelation that those hurdles were temporary or insignificant can bring a sense of disillusionment. This reflection urges us to consider the true value of our struggles and the obstacles we face, suggesting that the effort we exert might not always lead to the anticipated significance or reward.
Themes
MotivationObstaclesEffortChallengesRealization
In practice
Example use cases
A motivational speaker could use this quote during a workshop on resilience in the face of adversity.
More from Orson Scott Card
All quotes →The world is always a democracy in times of flux, and the man with the best voice will win.
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Never mind that the story had turned out to be lies and foolishness—there was always folks stupid enough to say, Where there's smoke there's fire, when the saying should have been, Where there's scandalous lies there's always malicious believers and spreaders-around, regardless of evidence.
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The lives of all people flow through time, and, regardless of how brutal one moment may be, how filled with grief or pain or fear, time flows through all lives equally.
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You take a step, then another. That's the journey. But to take a step with your eyes open is not a journey at all, it's a remaking of your own mind.
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I've had your tears with mine, and you've had mine with yours. I think that's more intimate even than a kiss.
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