Maggie, we're through with lies and liars in this house. Lock the door.
If I am no longer disturbed myself, I will deal less with disturbed people and with violent material. I don't regret having concerned myself with such people, because I think that most of us are disturbed.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Finding inner peace helps one to engage positively with others and avoid negativity.
In this quote, Tennessee Williams reflects on the importance of personal tranquility in fostering healthier relationships. He suggests that when one achieves a sense of calm within themselves, they are less likely to be affected by the distress of others and the negativity around them, leading to a more constructive engagement with life. Williams acknowledges that many people struggle with their own disturbances, yet emphasizes the value of self-care in managing interactions with those who may contribute to one’s own unrest.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a mental health workshop where participants discuss the importance of personal well-being.
More from Tennessee Williams
All quotes →Time rushes towards us with its hospital tray of infinitely varied narcotics, even while it is preparing us for its inevitably fatal operation.
Show me a person who hasn´t known any sorrow and I´ll show you a superficial.
Success and failure are equally disastrous.
The rest of my days I'm going to spend on the sea. And when I die, I'm going to die on the sea. You know what I shall die of? I shall die of eating an unwashed grape. One day out on the ocean I will die — with my hand in the hand of some nice-looking ship's doctor, a very young one with a small blond moustache and a big silver watch.
Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose.
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Understand that a problem is only a problem if you choose to view it as a problem (vs. an opportunity).