A short story is the ultimate close-up magic trick -- a couple of thousand words to take you around the universe or break your heart.
Neil GaimanRead
She decides to make a list of the things that make her happy. She writes 'plum-blossom' at the top of a piece of paper. Then she stares at the paper, unable to think of anything else. Eventually it begins to get dark.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of identifying sources of happiness and the struggle that can accompany this reflection.
In this quote by Neil Gaiman, the character attempts to articulate what brings her joy by listing them, starting with the simple yet evocative image of 'plum-blossom.' It highlights the often difficult process of self-reflection and the realization that finding happiness can sometimes feel elusive, especially when faced with the passage of time, as the darkness symbolizes the end of the day and perhaps, the end of an opportunity for discovery.
Themes
HappinessSelf-ReflectionJoyListMeaning
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a motivational speech about the importance of recognizing what brings you joy.
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As a teenager I wrote to R.A. Lafferty. And he responded, too, with letters that were like R.A. Lafferty short stories, filled with elliptical answers to straight questions and simple answers to complicated ones.
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The important thing to understand about American history, wrote Mr. Ibis, in his leather-bound journal, is that it is fictional, a charcoal-sketched simplicity for the children, or the easily bored.
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Nothing’s changed. You’ll go home. You’ll be bored. You’ll be ignored. No one will listen to you, really listen to you. You’re too clever and too quiet for them to understand. They don’t even get your name right.
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I like the stars. It's the illusion of permanence, I think. I mean, they're always flaring up and caving in and going out. But from here, I can pretend...I can pretend that things last. I can pretend that lives last longer than moments. Gods come, and gods go. Mortals flicker and flash and fade. Worlds don't last; and stars and galaxies are transient, fleeting things that twinkle like fireflies and vanish into cold and dust. But I can pretend.
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